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16 Forever
It’s the morning of Carter Cohen’s 16th birthday, and everything’s going his way.
He’s psyched and ready to get his driver’s license, his little brother’s not hogging the bathroom, and, man, something smells good for breakfast…
But when Carter bounds downstairs, Mom bursts into tears. It happened again. It’s Carter’s 16th birthday—for the sixth time. Every time he’s supposed to turn 17, he loops back a year. His memory gets wiped clean, his body ages backward—the rest of the world moves on, just not him.
Maggie Spear, on the other hand, has been dreading this day ever since she and Carter started dating. When she spies him in the halls and he doesn’t seem to know her at all, it’s obvious that it’s over between them. She can’t be in a relationship with someone who is just going to forget her again and again. Since Carter doesn’t remember that they’re together, then it’s probably better if she just pretends that they never were.
Except Carter senses that there’s more to their story than Maggie’s letting on, and Maggie’s keeping secrets of her own—but in the process of trying to let the other go, they find themselves falling in love all over again.
With Maggie soon leaving for college and Carter’s birthday quickly coming around again, will they be able to find a forever that isn’t stuck at 16?
Filled with tender moments, silly banter, and lots of teenage angst, 16 Forever is the latest YA page-turner from New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Lance Rubin.
He’s psyched and ready to get his driver’s license, his little brother’s not hogging the bathroom, and, man, something smells good for breakfast…
But when Carter bounds downstairs, Mom bursts into tears. It happened again. It’s Carter’s 16th birthday—for the sixth time. Every time he’s supposed to turn 17, he loops back a year. His memory gets wiped clean, his body ages backward—the rest of the world moves on, just not him.
Maggie Spear, on the other hand, has been dreading this day ever since she and Carter started dating. When she spies him in the halls and he doesn’t seem to know her at all, it’s obvious that it’s over between them. She can’t be in a relationship with someone who is just going to forget her again and again. Since Carter doesn’t remember that they’re together, then it’s probably better if she just pretends that they never were.
Except Carter senses that there’s more to their story than Maggie’s letting on, and Maggie’s keeping secrets of her own—but in the process of trying to let the other go, they find themselves falling in love all over again.
With Maggie soon leaving for college and Carter’s birthday quickly coming around again, will they be able to find a forever that isn’t stuck at 16?
Filled with tender moments, silly banter, and lots of teenage angst, 16 Forever is the latest YA page-turner from New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Lance Rubin.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 6, 2026
19 people are currently reading
6997 people want to read
About the author
Lance Rubin
10 books344 followersHi, I'm Lance Rubin.
I write MG and YA novels, including Zed Moonstein Makes a Friend, 16 Forever, the Denton Little series, and Crying Laughing.
I also co-wrote The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek with Good Mythical Morning's Rhett & Link, Monster Club: Monsters Take Manhattan with filmmakers Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel, and the musical Broadway Bounty Hunter with Be More Chill's Joe Iconis & Jason SweetTooth Williams.
I'm originally from Matawan, New Jersey. I went to Brown University, and now I live in Brooklyn with my family.
Before I became an author, I was primarily an actor. "Anything I'd recognize you from?" you might ask. Probably not, unless you watched the short-lived NBC hospital show Mercy, in which I guest-starred as a patient with a naked sleepwalking problem.
I love Back to the Future, empathy, the New York Knicks, and the Before Sunrise Trilogy.
Thanks for reading. Reach out and say hi!
I write MG and YA novels, including Zed Moonstein Makes a Friend, 16 Forever, the Denton Little series, and Crying Laughing.
I also co-wrote The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek with Good Mythical Morning's Rhett & Link, Monster Club: Monsters Take Manhattan with filmmakers Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel, and the musical Broadway Bounty Hunter with Be More Chill's Joe Iconis & Jason SweetTooth Williams.
I'm originally from Matawan, New Jersey. I went to Brown University, and now I live in Brooklyn with my family.
Before I became an author, I was primarily an actor. "Anything I'd recognize you from?" you might ask. Probably not, unless you watched the short-lived NBC hospital show Mercy, in which I guest-starred as a patient with a naked sleepwalking problem.
I love Back to the Future, empathy, the New York Knicks, and the Before Sunrise Trilogy.
Thanks for reading. Reach out and say hi!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
October 8, 2025
This was definitely a unique take on a time loop story. It’s not even really a time loop, since time moves forward for everyone but Carter and everyone around him is aware that he is unable to get to 17.
I had previously read a novella by this author and I was interested to try something longer by him. The book had an easy to read writing style and I absolutely flew through it. I also had no idea where the story was going so props to the author for that, since I read a lot of stories that play with time. I also liked seeing Carter put the pieces together. As the story progresses, Carter (and by extension the reader) finds out what has been going on around him in the six years he has been stuck.
The romance was only okay for me, mostly because she didn’t really come into the story until later and they didn’t interact much for the first half of the book. They had some cute moments, but I would have liked to see them together more. I liked Carter’s relationship with his parents and younger brother (who is now older) a lot though. Suddenly becoming the younger sibling would certainly be a strange thing to have happen to someone!
I did enjoy the book overall; my 3 star rating is mostly for the ending. I wanted more! It was very sudden, so much so that I was shocked when I flipped the page on my e-reader and saw the acknowledgements. At the very least I would have liked an epilogue! There also really wasn’t an explanation as to WHY and HOW this happened to Carter. There were a few suppositions going around, but usually in a story that plays with time there is some reasoning behind it, so I was a little surprised that nothing was confirmed for Carter.
Still, this was a fun YA contemporary. Give it a read if you like books that play with time in some way — this is a unique one for sure!
I had previously read a novella by this author and I was interested to try something longer by him. The book had an easy to read writing style and I absolutely flew through it. I also had no idea where the story was going so props to the author for that, since I read a lot of stories that play with time. I also liked seeing Carter put the pieces together. As the story progresses, Carter (and by extension the reader) finds out what has been going on around him in the six years he has been stuck.
The romance was only okay for me, mostly because she didn’t really come into the story until later and they didn’t interact much for the first half of the book. They had some cute moments, but I would have liked to see them together more. I liked Carter’s relationship with his parents and younger brother (who is now older) a lot though. Suddenly becoming the younger sibling would certainly be a strange thing to have happen to someone!
I did enjoy the book overall; my 3 star rating is mostly for the ending. I wanted more! It was very sudden, so much so that I was shocked when I flipped the page on my e-reader and saw the acknowledgements. At the very least I would have liked an epilogue! There also really wasn’t an explanation as to WHY and HOW this happened to Carter. There were a few suppositions going around, but usually in a story that plays with time there is some reasoning behind it, so I was a little surprised that nothing was confirmed for Carter.
Still, this was a fun YA contemporary. Give it a read if you like books that play with time in some way — this is a unique one for sure!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ALC. This is my personal review.
Think Groundhog Day + Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind + 17 Again, but make it an older school John Green YA romance with a bit of romcom thrown in there.
I loved this book. This is a true YA novel where the characters and their thoughts, words, and actions are all incredibly realistic and believable. I don't want to give too much away, but what really made me fall for this story was how it's so much more than just Carter's story. Even more than Carter and Maggie's story. This book has a lot of levels, and I definitely got emotional.
While a play on the time loop trope, I love that this story isn't about avoiding or fixing the mistakes of the past. It's about leaning into the mess and how sometimes the chaos and uncertainty is what he need to move forward. Rubin had me on the edge of my seat until the very last second...and then I sobbed like a baby. Happy tears, of course!!
This was a 6 STAR read for me and definitely one of my top 5 favorite YA reads ever.
Think Groundhog Day + Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind + 17 Again, but make it an older school John Green YA romance with a bit of romcom thrown in there.
I loved this book. This is a true YA novel where the characters and their thoughts, words, and actions are all incredibly realistic and believable. I don't want to give too much away, but what really made me fall for this story was how it's so much more than just Carter's story. Even more than Carter and Maggie's story. This book has a lot of levels, and I definitely got emotional.
While a play on the time loop trope, I love that this story isn't about avoiding or fixing the mistakes of the past. It's about leaning into the mess and how sometimes the chaos and uncertainty is what he need to move forward. Rubin had me on the edge of my seat until the very last second...and then I sobbed like a baby. Happy tears, of course!!
This was a 6 STAR read for me and definitely one of my top 5 favorite YA reads ever.
January 13, 2026
3.25 ⭐️ babe wake up a new version of a time loop just dropped
April 7, 2026
If you’re a fan of the Groundhog Day trope like I am, then I think 16 Forever is a book you should definitely add to your tbr asap! I’ve seen so many different versions of this trope, from Groundhog Day (1993) to Before I Fall (2017), and the Happy Death Day trilogy. Although 16 Forever is in a completely different genre and is marketed toward a different audience than the Happy Death Day franchise, I think the two can compare because they both have their own unique spin on this popular plot device.
Like the title suggests, the protagonist, Carter, is stuck in his own version of a time loop. However, instead of reliving the same day over and over again, he completely loses his memories and resets back to the age of sixteen on his seventeenth birthday. I just thought this storyline was so fun and unique because everyone around him ages and remembers all of these different time loops (and I do mean EVERYONE! His family, friends, everyone at school, etc), while Carter does not.
My rating for this book sits at around a 3 to 3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’m usually a slow reader (it takes me about three days to a week to finish a book on average 👀), but I managed to finish this in a little over 24 hours! While I did really enjoy this book, I couldn’t help but grow frustrated with Carter at times because of his immaturity and how often he lashed out. I do think this was intentional because the circumstances of the time loop are frustrating and isolating (I know I would be a MESS if I had to experience something like this), and everyone is growing up and has a future except him. I completely understand it on that level, but I just wish the maturity he shows toward the end of the novel had occurred sooner.
Overall, I think this book would be perfect for anyone who is looking for a quick read that feels more like a movie 🎥🍿
Like the title suggests, the protagonist, Carter, is stuck in his own version of a time loop. However, instead of reliving the same day over and over again, he completely loses his memories and resets back to the age of sixteen on his seventeenth birthday. I just thought this storyline was so fun and unique because everyone around him ages and remembers all of these different time loops (and I do mean EVERYONE! His family, friends, everyone at school, etc), while Carter does not.
My rating for this book sits at around a 3 to 3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’m usually a slow reader (it takes me about three days to a week to finish a book on average 👀), but I managed to finish this in a little over 24 hours! While I did really enjoy this book, I couldn’t help but grow frustrated with Carter at times because of his immaturity and how often he lashed out. I do think this was intentional because the circumstances of the time loop are frustrating and isolating (I know I would be a MESS if I had to experience something like this), and everyone is growing up and has a future except him. I completely understand it on that level, but I just wish the maturity he shows toward the end of the novel had occurred sooner.
Overall, I think this book would be perfect for anyone who is looking for a quick read that feels more like a movie 🎥🍿
January 26, 2026
The concept of reliving an entire year was how I was initially drawn into this book, so I took a chance and I was hooked from start to end, mainly to see if Carter was going to able to finally get older after so many failed attempts, and what I got was an interesting YA contemporary romance with fantastical elements about what it means to grow up and move forward.
We follow Carter Cohen, who’s been stuck reliving 16 for six years, losing his memories each time. Despite all efforts, he hasn’t been able to break the loop, leaving him behind as the rest of his friends have entered adulthood and he's living the same high school year again, with almost everyone in Carter's life aware of his current condition. Needless to say, this creates a lot of angst, and the fact that he's technically 22 does result in some misadventures with high schoolers getting alcohol. Otherwise, he's dealing with a lot of angst of reliving the same age over and over and having to cope with what he's lost and what he cannot remember. Often, he's teetering between wanting to finally reach 17 at any cost and feeling doomed to loop back forever.
Maggie Spear was Carter's girlfriend in the previous loop, but broke up because she didn't want to deal with a life of living with a 16 year boyfriend forever when she wants to move on with her life as she's leaving for college soon. She goes through he own feelings of regret and trying to figure out who she is without Carter and other facets of her life, some of which change everything.
Lincoln Cohen is Carter's brother. Once he was younger, but now he's older, and he's had to live with the reality for years and has strong feelings about the situation and he might not be completely blameless in all of this.
I like how the characters weren't perfect and were allowed to make HUGE mistakes and learn from said mistakes. It made for some hijinks, especially early on. The cheesiness of the story is surprisingly low as the story is taken seriously, but doesn't feel too heavy. Unlike a lot of time loop stories, Carter is the only one to go backward, like he's teleported to the next year with everyone else remembering his loops but him, which makes some interesting dynamics.
I got through the book rather fast, mostly because I HAD to find out if and how Carter would finally break out of the loop. And the reasons for said loop aren't what they initially seem. The fast pacing didn't hurt it either. There was a lot of swearing as well, so be aware of that.
The ending was okay and a bit sweet, however it felt like the last parts of the book was rushing to the end where it could have easily slowed down. It was fairly unclear about why Carter got stuck in the loop and there might have been an unfortunate implication to the story's resolution relating to romance as a part of growing up.
The narration was great, considering the author was one of the narrators. Katie Schorr and Dustin Rubin were the others and had distinct voices so it was easy to follow along and I loved the emotions from each of their performances and they felt like teens.
Overall, an intriguing coming of age second chance romance read with plenty of emotional depth.
*I received an ARC from Netgalley and HarperCollins. All opinions are my own.*
We follow Carter Cohen, who’s been stuck reliving 16 for six years, losing his memories each time. Despite all efforts, he hasn’t been able to break the loop, leaving him behind as the rest of his friends have entered adulthood and he's living the same high school year again, with almost everyone in Carter's life aware of his current condition. Needless to say, this creates a lot of angst, and the fact that he's technically 22 does result in some misadventures with high schoolers getting alcohol. Otherwise, he's dealing with a lot of angst of reliving the same age over and over and having to cope with what he's lost and what he cannot remember. Often, he's teetering between wanting to finally reach 17 at any cost and feeling doomed to loop back forever.
Maggie Spear was Carter's girlfriend in the previous loop, but broke up because she didn't want to deal with a life of living with a 16 year boyfriend forever when she wants to move on with her life as she's leaving for college soon. She goes through he own feelings of regret and trying to figure out who she is without Carter and other facets of her life, some of which change everything.
Lincoln Cohen is Carter's brother. Once he was younger, but now he's older, and he's had to live with the reality for years and has strong feelings about the situation and he might not be completely blameless in all of this.
I like how the characters weren't perfect and were allowed to make HUGE mistakes and learn from said mistakes. It made for some hijinks, especially early on. The cheesiness of the story is surprisingly low as the story is taken seriously, but doesn't feel too heavy. Unlike a lot of time loop stories, Carter is the only one to go backward, like he's teleported to the next year with everyone else remembering his loops but him, which makes some interesting dynamics.
I got through the book rather fast, mostly because I HAD to find out if and how Carter would finally break out of the loop. And the reasons for said loop aren't what they initially seem. The fast pacing didn't hurt it either. There was a lot of swearing as well, so be aware of that.
The ending was okay and a bit sweet, however it felt like the last parts of the book was rushing to the end where it could have easily slowed down. It was fairly unclear about why Carter got stuck in the loop and there might have been an unfortunate implication to the story's resolution relating to romance as a part of growing up.
The narration was great, considering the author was one of the narrators. Katie Schorr and Dustin Rubin were the others and had distinct voices so it was easy to follow along and I loved the emotions from each of their performances and they felt like teens.
Overall, an intriguing coming of age second chance romance read with plenty of emotional depth.
*I received an ARC from Netgalley and HarperCollins. All opinions are my own.*
January 6, 2026
Thank you Harper Collins for the digital copy to review!
I love a time loop story. And this one had a different twist to it. Everyone *except* our main character remembers his years in the time loop. That was very intriguing to me, because usually only the main character remembers!
There was a lot to unpack in this one in a good way. I liked how Carter tried to figure out why he was stuck, and how in this time loop, he really seemed genuinely intrigued, confused, happy, and sad all at the same time. I loved his relationship with his brother and the I thought it was heart wrenching when we saw Lincoln’s POV.
I really felt for Carter and Maggie. The more complex their relationship got, the more I was worried about how it would end. Maggie’s friends had her number though, lol. The relationship between Maggie and her sister was another really intriguing one in the book, and I loved how they were both insecure about different things.
The ending was really sweet and I was happy with it. I had a good time, and this is a great coming-of-age book for teens! I finished it in two sittings if that tells you anything. :)
I love a time loop story. And this one had a different twist to it. Everyone *except* our main character remembers his years in the time loop. That was very intriguing to me, because usually only the main character remembers!
There was a lot to unpack in this one in a good way. I liked how Carter tried to figure out why he was stuck, and how in this time loop, he really seemed genuinely intrigued, confused, happy, and sad all at the same time. I loved his relationship with his brother and the I thought it was heart wrenching when we saw Lincoln’s POV.
I really felt for Carter and Maggie. The more complex their relationship got, the more I was worried about how it would end. Maggie’s friends had her number though, lol. The relationship between Maggie and her sister was another really intriguing one in the book, and I loved how they were both insecure about different things.
The ending was really sweet and I was happy with it. I had a good time, and this is a great coming-of-age book for teens! I finished it in two sittings if that tells you anything. :)
March 17, 2026
Maybe I need to re-read Denton Little's Deathdate because I loved that book but it also has been 10 years since I've read it but anyway this was...not good. I really liked the premise but I just found all of the characters so uninteresting. Also, while I did like the premise, I took some issues with it. Ok so his body AND his brain reverts back to being 16 every year on his birthday but they let him carry around his ID that says he's 22 years old?? That's insane!! I know there is probably no precedent for his condition in the book but they needed to figure out some way to get him a 16 year old ID every year because he is just out there buying beer and making bad decisions. I know the whole point was that he needed mature but man was he so annoying and I was not even really rooting for him and I didn't care about Maggie either. All of the relationships felt one dimensional and artificial.
September 17, 2025
I really enjoy books where characters relive the same day over and over, so when I saw that this story had the main character reliving not just a single day but the entire year he turns 16, I was immediately intrigued. It felt like a fresh spin on the typical “stuck in time” trope, and I was excited to dive in.
Carter Cohen wakes up on his 16th birthday only to discover he’s actually 22 years old. He’s been looping for six straight years, and no one can figure out why. Each time, he forgets the entire year he just lived, and when his next birthday rolls around, everything resets. It’s as if he’s turning 16 for the very first time all over again.
It’s a mind-boggling setup, especially considering that Carter’s younger brother Lincoln was 13 when the looping started. Lincoln’s now 19 and in college, essentially becoming the older brother while Carter's body remains frozen at 16. Meanwhile, most of Carter’s old friends have graduated college and moved on to adult lives he can no longer relate to. He’s stuck starting over again making new friends at school. Everyone seems to know about his condition, which is helpful because they don’t bombard him with questions, but also awkward because it makes him a subject of pity.
Maggie Spear, Carter’s girlfriend until he turned 16 again from the latest loop, is trying to move on with her life. Carter completely forgot who she was and their six-month relationship, which is heartbreaking. But she’s also keeping secrets from him, and that creates a lot of tension between them.
As the story unfolds, Carter discovers that several people believe they might be responsible for his condition. He starts trying to make amends and take accountability for the people he’s hurt, but nothing seems to change his circumstances. Still, it was refreshing to see him finally take control of his life, become less self-centered, and try to help others.
That said, I had a few issues with the book that made me deduct 1.5 stars (I rounded up to 4). The amount of swearing was distracting, the physical age-reversal aspect of Carter’s condition didn’t quite make sense to me, and the ending felt too abrupt.
Overall, it was a fun story with a solid coming-of-age theme. I’d recommend it to teens who enjoy a modern take on time-disruption stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review.
Carter Cohen wakes up on his 16th birthday only to discover he’s actually 22 years old. He’s been looping for six straight years, and no one can figure out why. Each time, he forgets the entire year he just lived, and when his next birthday rolls around, everything resets. It’s as if he’s turning 16 for the very first time all over again.
It’s a mind-boggling setup, especially considering that Carter’s younger brother Lincoln was 13 when the looping started. Lincoln’s now 19 and in college, essentially becoming the older brother while Carter's body remains frozen at 16. Meanwhile, most of Carter’s old friends have graduated college and moved on to adult lives he can no longer relate to. He’s stuck starting over again making new friends at school. Everyone seems to know about his condition, which is helpful because they don’t bombard him with questions, but also awkward because it makes him a subject of pity.
Maggie Spear, Carter’s girlfriend until he turned 16 again from the latest loop, is trying to move on with her life. Carter completely forgot who she was and their six-month relationship, which is heartbreaking. But she’s also keeping secrets from him, and that creates a lot of tension between them.
As the story unfolds, Carter discovers that several people believe they might be responsible for his condition. He starts trying to make amends and take accountability for the people he’s hurt, but nothing seems to change his circumstances. Still, it was refreshing to see him finally take control of his life, become less self-centered, and try to help others.
That said, I had a few issues with the book that made me deduct 1.5 stars (I rounded up to 4). The amount of swearing was distracting, the physical age-reversal aspect of Carter’s condition didn’t quite make sense to me, and the ending felt too abrupt.
Overall, it was a fun story with a solid coming-of-age theme. I’d recommend it to teens who enjoy a modern take on time-disruption stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review.
January 7, 2026
DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS.
Firstly, I love the cover art. It's so satisfying to look at.
I really loved this book in ways I didn't expect. It was such an interesting concept. Kinda of a reverse Groundhog Day where everyone else knows Carter is going back to 16 but they all age around him. He gets left behind by his little brother when he suddenly becomes older than him, he forgets everyone he's met after his 17th birthday, has to make new friends, etc.
It really felt like a representation of mental disability or traumatic brain injuries that can occur that make people perpetually a certain age or not age at the standard rate. People were coddling him, treating him like he was younger than he was, stepping on eggshells around him so as not to upset or disrupt his new "norm."
Now, I really wanted it to end with him waking up on his birthday and it being his 16th birthday again. That would have fully confirmed my theory that it was a representation of disability in some way. But I also got all the feels when he did wake up and turned 17. Although, I will say, I was shocked everyone just assumed after 6 years of being 16 that if the curse broke, he would just turn 17 and not go back to the age he would have been had he not relived all these past years. Regardless, it was a great book along the way.
*I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.*
Firstly, I love the cover art. It's so satisfying to look at.
I really loved this book in ways I didn't expect. It was such an interesting concept. Kinda of a reverse Groundhog Day where everyone else knows Carter is going back to 16 but they all age around him. He gets left behind by his little brother when he suddenly becomes older than him, he forgets everyone he's met after his 17th birthday, has to make new friends, etc.
It really felt like a representation of mental disability or traumatic brain injuries that can occur that make people perpetually a certain age or not age at the standard rate. People were coddling him, treating him like he was younger than he was, stepping on eggshells around him so as not to upset or disrupt his new "norm."
Now, I really wanted it to end with him waking up on his birthday and it being his 16th birthday again. That would have fully confirmed my theory that it was a representation of disability in some way. But I also got all the feels when he did wake up and turned 17. Although, I will say, I was shocked everyone just assumed after 6 years of being 16 that if the curse broke, he would just turn 17 and not go back to the age he would have been had he not relived all these past years. Regardless, it was a great book along the way.
*I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.*
March 28, 2026
Loved this spin on a time loop story. Heartbreaking at times, but I also haven't laughed out loud this much at a story in a while. Excellent dialogue. Some unexpectedness too. Rubin mentions Flight of the Navigator in the acknowledgements, which I definitely was reminded of when the younger brother is older than the main character. He also raves over the audiobook, so I may have to listen to it as a reread. Can't wait to read more by Lance Rubin.
March 12, 2026
It was really good. I originally read it because my library is doing a March Madness themed thing with the brackets but for books, and it's cool. It was this book or The Naturals. Obviously, I'm going to pick The Naturals, but this was good too! Not as good as some. I definitely preferred The Do-Over to this (same kind of vibe sorta) anyway. It was good.
March 30, 2026
It started out really strong, I liked that it was a boys perspective. I think this might be the first YA romance where the story is predominately seen through the main male character’s eyes. The main plot grabbed my attention immediately and I was excited to see how this ended but then the writing started to take a turn in a direction that I just do not enjoy. I decided to DNF at around 20%.
February 25, 2026
This was a really cool take on the 'groundhog day' trope. Very different from other books like this. (Although it did kind of remind me of Noggin by Whaley) I liked the story and the characters. I also liked the order/way the story was presented to the reader.
January 23, 2026
Super readable and fun. I especially enjoyed the audiobook performances
April 23, 2026
Very fun and interesting plot line. Loved this book and the characters in it.
September 26, 2025
Thank you to netgalley & HarperCollins for the ARC!!!
I love the time loop trope, a true classic and I throughly enjoyed this spin on it!
I liked the writing style a lot, and found the story surprisingly realistic! It was the perfect balance of all the emotions and I grew really attached to Carter and Maggie. I thought the characters were definitely a strong point in this story.
Unfortunately I can’t say much more without spoilers, but I highly recommend giving 16 forever a go!!
I love the time loop trope, a true classic and I throughly enjoyed this spin on it!
I liked the writing style a lot, and found the story surprisingly realistic! It was the perfect balance of all the emotions and I grew really attached to Carter and Maggie. I thought the characters were definitely a strong point in this story.
Unfortunately I can’t say much more without spoilers, but I highly recommend giving 16 forever a go!!
September 8, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel.
Carter wakes up every year on his would-be 17th birthday thinking he's 16 again. The issue is that everyone else's lives have moved on without him. Even his body de-ages. Stuck in the loop, Carter must navigate starting over while everyone else tries to help him adjust.
Legally 22 years old, Carter has some growing pains during his recent loop while drawn to a mysterious girl he thinks he might know. Meanwhile, Maggie, Carter's girlfriend from the past year tries to avoid him to avoid more heartache. Can they stay away from each other, or are they both in for more heartache?
This novel is well written and provides an interesting take on a time loop full of deja vu. I enjoyed the story, but I struggled to follow the medical aspects of Carter's condition in an otherwise realistic depiction of daily events in his life.
Carter wakes up every year on his would-be 17th birthday thinking he's 16 again. The issue is that everyone else's lives have moved on without him. Even his body de-ages. Stuck in the loop, Carter must navigate starting over while everyone else tries to help him adjust.
Legally 22 years old, Carter has some growing pains during his recent loop while drawn to a mysterious girl he thinks he might know. Meanwhile, Maggie, Carter's girlfriend from the past year tries to avoid him to avoid more heartache. Can they stay away from each other, or are they both in for more heartache?
This novel is well written and provides an interesting take on a time loop full of deja vu. I enjoyed the story, but I struggled to follow the medical aspects of Carter's condition in an otherwise realistic depiction of daily events in his life.
September 2, 2025
Thank you netgalley for this ARC
All opinions are my own.
16 forever is about Carter, who's stuck in a time loop. The night before his 17th birthday, time rewinds, and he wakes up 16 again. He has been living like this for years only he doesn't remember, but his family and friends do. The author navigates this in such a fun way. I found Carter to be realistic for the most part and just a fun character. I enjoyed his and Maggie's storyline as well as seeing how it affected others through the multiple pov's. 16 forever is a good balance of fun, sad, and real life moments. The pace of the book was perfect, as well as the dialog. I would definitely recommend this book.
All opinions are my own.
16 forever is about Carter, who's stuck in a time loop. The night before his 17th birthday, time rewinds, and he wakes up 16 again. He has been living like this for years only he doesn't remember, but his family and friends do. The author navigates this in such a fun way. I found Carter to be realistic for the most part and just a fun character. I enjoyed his and Maggie's storyline as well as seeing how it affected others through the multiple pov's. 16 forever is a good balance of fun, sad, and real life moments. The pace of the book was perfect, as well as the dialog. I would definitely recommend this book.
January 9, 2026
WOW!!!!!
Even going in already excited about the premise, it's such a dramatic idea and shakeup to what you're used to with time looping device rules that I was being both surprised and going "oh and that makes total sense" as soon as I was reading the summary of the book jacket, and then immediately again when reading the very first page of the book. Even deliberately trying to take my time, I read this book in 2 days and had a nonstop great time doing so.
Lance Rubin's books have this brilliant best-of-both-worlds balanced dynamic in that writing that has so much life and heart and versatility while also having all the benefits of the thought and effort behind the scenes that make it a joy to read, both so easy to devour and so clearly continuously substantial, no tradeoff between what makes the reading delightfully enjoyable and what ideas there are to explore and consider. The way the overall plot flows along just as well as the experience of reading from one sentence or paragraph or page or section to another is all the more impressive with how easily 16 Forever's multiple time loops could get tangled up, but here is handled so deftly in what info is conveyed and how that there's absolutely no trouble for the reader—though there's plenty of motivation to wonder about it yourself before you're given details. Jumping right into the main character's situation as he also immediately learns about it is an incredible start to a read, and the investment and intrigue for the reader never stops.
Just like the balance between what comes from spontaneity vs. deliberation, or surface vs. substance, another remarkable element in any Lance Rubin books is the humor throughout, and 16 Forever is absolutely no exception. Not only is the clever and funny and voice in characters' narration and dialogue an inimitable delight, but an example of how the only opposite of being funny is not being funny—the emotion and earnestness and anything else that might be called "serious" elements are always supported by the writing, truly using comedy as a lens which can be turned on any ideas or moments, and what the use of that lens can do. 16 Forever and the author's other works all incorporate such strong themes that in a way distill to "Yeah, you just gotta feel those feelings" while fully getting into the messy reality of how it's still never really a matter of "just" doing that (or we'd already be doing it) with characters who are dealing with a lot of novel and sometimes intense situations, plenty to be thrilled about or terrified of, and varying obstacles in the midst of all of it, and can be getting caught up in any of this while beginning to really build up a new perspective on their life and world and consider new ideas about what they really want and how they can really have it—something adults can understand completely too, whether remembering tumult of the past or just relating to it in a present that never actually settles into a reliably static existence, even if that's pitched as ideal and attainable.
Jumping off of that, another remarkable element is how efficiently and effectively a sense of the setting of every moment is created. You know where you are, when you are, who's around, with little details set up and revisited throughout a scene. There's plenty of characters with different voices and personalities and interests, plenty of events touched on that are making up people's day-to-day lives, all handled while keeping the focus where we need the focus to be, without pretending that nothing really exists outside that focus—it always feels like the characters have full lives in a full world, and it makes it all the easier to connect and relate and imagine the situations they're in. This is only highlighted through the use of multiple POV narration, where we get a sense of a new perspective both visual and emotional.
The way character's observations and emotional states play off of and into each other is so in tune with their individual strengths and limitations alike—there's so much heart, characters are aware of and motivated by their feelings throughout, including consciously reflecting/remarking on them, and yet they all deal with the realistically complicated nature of this, made all the more impossible to really get a handle on (much less freeze into something permanently Understood & Handled) through the focus in turn on all these characters' new and longtime (and a combination of the two) relationships, giving such thoughtful focus to them all, to the strengths and trip-ups in both the novelty or familiarity of these relationships, and the value in all of them that makes them worth finding and wanting to keep. There's so much room found for the capacity of each individual relationship, and how these relationships affect each other. The thread of the romance between the main characters is very central while not in the least seeming like this does or must displace other connections and feelings or like it has to "transcend" the qualities that a real-life kind of dating experience at that age could have. The influence and connections possible between family, friends, mentors, acquaintances, strangers are all present with thought and care for the way all of this makes up all of our lives and who we are.
(Somehow, I forgot to touch on the specific element of how characters can clearly be expressing things about their emotions while holding back &/or not processing other feelings fully, and it's always so simple and powerful when the expression of those feelings come out in other ways through the description of actions that just crop up in the middle of their scene, just like happens in life, and the feeling of the genuine heart behind that is striking every time.)
Just like the matter of "You do have to feel your feelings," the simple but huge and answered-through-living-it questions about What Can Get Us Stuck and What Can Get Us Unstuck are explored throughout. It's such a fun and funny read while being all about living life and trying to figure things out and dealing with the whole spectrum of emotions, and how those can be totally present even in what seems like an unremarkable situation or something that's surely going smoothly Enough. The matter of moving towards living with more openness toward more possibilities, despite all the incredibly hard and even painful possibilities that come with that, are explored in this book which itself is so open and so alive that every bit of energy you put into reading it will be rewarded.
I was so excited to read this, and then getting to Actually Be Reading It was so special and a ride of getting a kick out of each page after another. Both immediately and then repeatedly surprised with the details of the story which keep combining to give you even more to be invested in; I sure can't think of any other time I had cause to look at the edges of the closed pages and be intrigued and excited by an element found there (a little Physical Book Copy bonus experience).
This thing is thoughtful, funny, fresh, such a great choice for anyone who enjoys YA with such a sense of humor and such heart out of appreciation for the kinds of little, would-be passing experiences that can totally be worthy of a ton of drama and novel of exploration. Absolutely get hold of this book and read it for yourself / recommend it for another reader, SO worthwhile, and check out other works of Lance Rubin's where you'll find the gift of more of the same—I'm only all the more hyped for any future works after getting to read 16 Forever. Get on it!!!
Even going in already excited about the premise, it's such a dramatic idea and shakeup to what you're used to with time looping device rules that I was being both surprised and going "oh and that makes total sense" as soon as I was reading the summary of the book jacket, and then immediately again when reading the very first page of the book. Even deliberately trying to take my time, I read this book in 2 days and had a nonstop great time doing so.
Lance Rubin's books have this brilliant best-of-both-worlds balanced dynamic in that writing that has so much life and heart and versatility while also having all the benefits of the thought and effort behind the scenes that make it a joy to read, both so easy to devour and so clearly continuously substantial, no tradeoff between what makes the reading delightfully enjoyable and what ideas there are to explore and consider. The way the overall plot flows along just as well as the experience of reading from one sentence or paragraph or page or section to another is all the more impressive with how easily 16 Forever's multiple time loops could get tangled up, but here is handled so deftly in what info is conveyed and how that there's absolutely no trouble for the reader—though there's plenty of motivation to wonder about it yourself before you're given details. Jumping right into the main character's situation as he also immediately learns about it is an incredible start to a read, and the investment and intrigue for the reader never stops.
Just like the balance between what comes from spontaneity vs. deliberation, or surface vs. substance, another remarkable element in any Lance Rubin books is the humor throughout, and 16 Forever is absolutely no exception. Not only is the clever and funny and voice in characters' narration and dialogue an inimitable delight, but an example of how the only opposite of being funny is not being funny—the emotion and earnestness and anything else that might be called "serious" elements are always supported by the writing, truly using comedy as a lens which can be turned on any ideas or moments, and what the use of that lens can do. 16 Forever and the author's other works all incorporate such strong themes that in a way distill to "Yeah, you just gotta feel those feelings" while fully getting into the messy reality of how it's still never really a matter of "just" doing that (or we'd already be doing it) with characters who are dealing with a lot of novel and sometimes intense situations, plenty to be thrilled about or terrified of, and varying obstacles in the midst of all of it, and can be getting caught up in any of this while beginning to really build up a new perspective on their life and world and consider new ideas about what they really want and how they can really have it—something adults can understand completely too, whether remembering tumult of the past or just relating to it in a present that never actually settles into a reliably static existence, even if that's pitched as ideal and attainable.
Jumping off of that, another remarkable element is how efficiently and effectively a sense of the setting of every moment is created. You know where you are, when you are, who's around, with little details set up and revisited throughout a scene. There's plenty of characters with different voices and personalities and interests, plenty of events touched on that are making up people's day-to-day lives, all handled while keeping the focus where we need the focus to be, without pretending that nothing really exists outside that focus—it always feels like the characters have full lives in a full world, and it makes it all the easier to connect and relate and imagine the situations they're in. This is only highlighted through the use of multiple POV narration, where we get a sense of a new perspective both visual and emotional.
The way character's observations and emotional states play off of and into each other is so in tune with their individual strengths and limitations alike—there's so much heart, characters are aware of and motivated by their feelings throughout, including consciously reflecting/remarking on them, and yet they all deal with the realistically complicated nature of this, made all the more impossible to really get a handle on (much less freeze into something permanently Understood & Handled) through the focus in turn on all these characters' new and longtime (and a combination of the two) relationships, giving such thoughtful focus to them all, to the strengths and trip-ups in both the novelty or familiarity of these relationships, and the value in all of them that makes them worth finding and wanting to keep. There's so much room found for the capacity of each individual relationship, and how these relationships affect each other. The thread of the romance between the main characters is very central while not in the least seeming like this does or must displace other connections and feelings or like it has to "transcend" the qualities that a real-life kind of dating experience at that age could have. The influence and connections possible between family, friends, mentors, acquaintances, strangers are all present with thought and care for the way all of this makes up all of our lives and who we are.
(Somehow, I forgot to touch on the specific element of how characters can clearly be expressing things about their emotions while holding back &/or not processing other feelings fully, and it's always so simple and powerful when the expression of those feelings come out in other ways through the description of actions that just crop up in the middle of their scene, just like happens in life, and the feeling of the genuine heart behind that is striking every time.)
Just like the matter of "You do have to feel your feelings," the simple but huge and answered-through-living-it questions about What Can Get Us Stuck and What Can Get Us Unstuck are explored throughout. It's such a fun and funny read while being all about living life and trying to figure things out and dealing with the whole spectrum of emotions, and how those can be totally present even in what seems like an unremarkable situation or something that's surely going smoothly Enough. The matter of moving towards living with more openness toward more possibilities, despite all the incredibly hard and even painful possibilities that come with that, are explored in this book which itself is so open and so alive that every bit of energy you put into reading it will be rewarded.
I was so excited to read this, and then getting to Actually Be Reading It was so special and a ride of getting a kick out of each page after another. Both immediately and then repeatedly surprised with the details of the story which keep combining to give you even more to be invested in; I sure can't think of any other time I had cause to look at the edges of the closed pages and be intrigued and excited by an element found there (a little Physical Book Copy bonus experience).
This thing is thoughtful, funny, fresh, such a great choice for anyone who enjoys YA with such a sense of humor and such heart out of appreciation for the kinds of little, would-be passing experiences that can totally be worthy of a ton of drama and novel of exploration. Absolutely get hold of this book and read it for yourself / recommend it for another reader, SO worthwhile, and check out other works of Lance Rubin's where you'll find the gift of more of the same—I'm only all the more hyped for any future works after getting to read 16 Forever. Get on it!!!
March 28, 2026
i was really intrigued by the time loop premise of this book, but unfortunately, i just didn’t love the execution. the situation around the romance was a bit weird and not very fun to read about, and carter’s pov felt very immature (or maybe it was just reaaaally true to how a 16-year-old thinks and acts). i did appreciate his relationship with his family though—i think that was the strongest part of the book. overall, this was an interesting take on the groundhog day trope, but it didn’t really stick with me.
January 11, 2026
4.5*
This book is just... how do I explain? It warmed my heart in a time when I really needed some good vibes, you know? World's on fire, but books are there for us, right? In this case, 16 Forever brought me so much joy, was so very heartfelt, and was absolutely just downright entertaining. The premise itself was so unique- like can you even imagine having to relive one year over and over? Only, everyone else just grows up regularly, leaving you behind? I felt so bad for poor Carter, talk about a gut punch (and a gut punch on repeat, at that). But even beyond the cool story, I loved other things about it too! Carter's family bonds were awesome, his character growth was great, and it was just funny, while still tackling some more serious stuff. And look, did I maybe hope for a little more explanation about some stuff? Sure, but the whole rest of the book was so great that I wasn't even mad.
Bottom Line: Made me remember exactly all the things that I adore about YA.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
This book is just... how do I explain? It warmed my heart in a time when I really needed some good vibes, you know? World's on fire, but books are there for us, right? In this case, 16 Forever brought me so much joy, was so very heartfelt, and was absolutely just downright entertaining. The premise itself was so unique- like can you even imagine having to relive one year over and over? Only, everyone else just grows up regularly, leaving you behind? I felt so bad for poor Carter, talk about a gut punch (and a gut punch on repeat, at that). But even beyond the cool story, I loved other things about it too! Carter's family bonds were awesome, his character growth was great, and it was just funny, while still tackling some more serious stuff. And look, did I maybe hope for a little more explanation about some stuff? Sure, but the whole rest of the book was so great that I wasn't even mad.
Bottom Line: Made me remember exactly all the things that I adore about YA.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
April 25, 2026
The premise of the Groundhog Day film has been repeated so often, it’s become a trope in and of itself. Time loops itself continuously for one person while the rest of the world remains oblivious. It’s either a blessing in disguise or an insidious, nightmare-inducing trap. It’s all depends on what the creator has in store for its characters.
But this novel flips that notion on its head. Carter Cohen keeps reliving his 16th year, i.e. the entire year he’s 15, until the morning of his 16th birthday. Then time reverses itself to the time he turns 15 years old. For everyone else, life marches onward. His brother Lincoln and parents get progressively older, his friends grow up and move to college or get jobs and his girlfriend…well, he doesn’t remember her. He forgets everything that happened in between 15 and 16, undoing all he’s accomplished and known during that vanished 16th year.
Every time Carter falls asleep on the night before his 16th birthday, his parents and Lincoln desperately hope that this is it, the day Carter finally gets to achieve his sweet sixteen. But it never does.
How did this happen? Is it a curse? A spell? A chemical imbalance? Carter’s parents have taken him to every medical specialist they can think of but haven’t seen anybody who might be listed as part of the “occult”. These are people who firmly believe in science and this is not a fantasy novel, in spite of its bizarre premise. But speculation does lend spice to the story as other people around Carter wonder if what happened to him is his fault or their own.
It’s a fantastic spin on a now-familiar idea. But it’s more than a plot twist. Concepts, nifty ideas and clever plot devices only get you so far. It’s what the author does with it that elevates it to the realm of literature and Mr. Rubin delivers.
Told from the differing viewpoints of Carter, Maggie and Lincoln, we see the frustrations, glimmers of hope, the deep wells of despair, the wretched, avoidable, repeat mistakes and the agony of having to experience the same conversations repeatedly, year after year.
We wonder what will happen to this boy-child who’s stuck in a perpetual adolescence. Peter Pan wanted eternal childhood and got it, at the expense of forgetting his adventures with Wendy, Michael and John and anything that would make him grow older. It made him casually heartless in the way of all children who blithely go off on adventures and then come home, wondering why their parents are in a pother and insist on locking the windows every night afterwards.
In the tragic short story “Jeffty is Five” by Harlan Ellison, a little boy named Jeff Kinzer is perpetually five years old and doesn’t notice how the world is changing around him. When his childhood friend comes to visit as the years pass, Jeffty doesn’t change at all. Jeffty for his part doesn’t seem to notice when his friend turns 22 years old (as Peter Pan didn’t notice that Wendy was gradually aging until she revealed that she was an adult, with a child of her own). Jeffty’s parents are as stuck as he is, never able to leave their house, roam abroad or travel anywhere because how would they explain to new acquaintances why their son inexplicably ceases to age?
If Carter remains 15-going-on-16 forever, will his parents have to arrange to have him in a hospital, home or institution after they age and die? Will they, too, like Jeffty’s parents, have to stay in the same house in order to keep Carter “grounded” as he wakes up on his 16th birthday repeatedly with no memory of the previous year? What will the inability to move on do to these kind people whose optimism is gradually worn away by their son’s selective amnesia and inability to move into adulthood?
The novel doesn’t delve into these topics but stays firmly rooted in the YA area for the young rarely consider questions about what will happen when they’re “old”, much less what will happen to their parents. We never get to see what the older people around Carter think although we get it filtered through his consciousness. He hears his parents argue, meets (or gets reacquainted) with teachers who’ve been warned of his condition and has to deal with strangers who think his I.D. card is a fake (it states he’s 22 but looks 15 so no alcohol for you, young man).
So tragedy is skirted by the widest of margins. But heartache, betrayal and hurt feelings aren’t. There are people who deceive or outright lie to Carter, either on his behalf or that of others. The deceit winds up hurting a lot of people and we see every bit of it as Carter gives way to his bouts of temper, lack of impulse control and occasional moments of moping. He lashes out, is confused by people who claim he’s a great photographer since he wasn’t interested in photography, is saddened by the very real possibility that his friends will grow up and leave him. Well, he’s only 15; it might be too much to expect him to have a handle on his hormones.
There are no explanations given, only the exploration of years spent dealing with a truly unique and bizarre problem. There is, however, growth for those around Carter as they deal with his dilemma. The novel shocked, delighted, enraged and had me shouting at the page (especially when Carter deals with the deceitful Maggie). So I was pulled into every bit of it, from first page to last.
For those who are looking for something bold and daring in their YA fiction, this book brings what you crave.
But this novel flips that notion on its head. Carter Cohen keeps reliving his 16th year, i.e. the entire year he’s 15, until the morning of his 16th birthday. Then time reverses itself to the time he turns 15 years old. For everyone else, life marches onward. His brother Lincoln and parents get progressively older, his friends grow up and move to college or get jobs and his girlfriend…well, he doesn’t remember her. He forgets everything that happened in between 15 and 16, undoing all he’s accomplished and known during that vanished 16th year.
Every time Carter falls asleep on the night before his 16th birthday, his parents and Lincoln desperately hope that this is it, the day Carter finally gets to achieve his sweet sixteen. But it never does.
How did this happen? Is it a curse? A spell? A chemical imbalance? Carter’s parents have taken him to every medical specialist they can think of but haven’t seen anybody who might be listed as part of the “occult”. These are people who firmly believe in science and this is not a fantasy novel, in spite of its bizarre premise. But speculation does lend spice to the story as other people around Carter wonder if what happened to him is his fault or their own.
It’s a fantastic spin on a now-familiar idea. But it’s more than a plot twist. Concepts, nifty ideas and clever plot devices only get you so far. It’s what the author does with it that elevates it to the realm of literature and Mr. Rubin delivers.
Told from the differing viewpoints of Carter, Maggie and Lincoln, we see the frustrations, glimmers of hope, the deep wells of despair, the wretched, avoidable, repeat mistakes and the agony of having to experience the same conversations repeatedly, year after year.
We wonder what will happen to this boy-child who’s stuck in a perpetual adolescence. Peter Pan wanted eternal childhood and got it, at the expense of forgetting his adventures with Wendy, Michael and John and anything that would make him grow older. It made him casually heartless in the way of all children who blithely go off on adventures and then come home, wondering why their parents are in a pother and insist on locking the windows every night afterwards.
In the tragic short story “Jeffty is Five” by Harlan Ellison, a little boy named Jeff Kinzer is perpetually five years old and doesn’t notice how the world is changing around him. When his childhood friend comes to visit as the years pass, Jeffty doesn’t change at all. Jeffty for his part doesn’t seem to notice when his friend turns 22 years old (as Peter Pan didn’t notice that Wendy was gradually aging until she revealed that she was an adult, with a child of her own). Jeffty’s parents are as stuck as he is, never able to leave their house, roam abroad or travel anywhere because how would they explain to new acquaintances why their son inexplicably ceases to age?
If Carter remains 15-going-on-16 forever, will his parents have to arrange to have him in a hospital, home or institution after they age and die? Will they, too, like Jeffty’s parents, have to stay in the same house in order to keep Carter “grounded” as he wakes up on his 16th birthday repeatedly with no memory of the previous year? What will the inability to move on do to these kind people whose optimism is gradually worn away by their son’s selective amnesia and inability to move into adulthood?
The novel doesn’t delve into these topics but stays firmly rooted in the YA area for the young rarely consider questions about what will happen when they’re “old”, much less what will happen to their parents. We never get to see what the older people around Carter think although we get it filtered through his consciousness. He hears his parents argue, meets (or gets reacquainted) with teachers who’ve been warned of his condition and has to deal with strangers who think his I.D. card is a fake (it states he’s 22 but looks 15 so no alcohol for you, young man).
So tragedy is skirted by the widest of margins. But heartache, betrayal and hurt feelings aren’t. There are people who deceive or outright lie to Carter, either on his behalf or that of others. The deceit winds up hurting a lot of people and we see every bit of it as Carter gives way to his bouts of temper, lack of impulse control and occasional moments of moping. He lashes out, is confused by people who claim he’s a great photographer since he wasn’t interested in photography, is saddened by the very real possibility that his friends will grow up and leave him. Well, he’s only 15; it might be too much to expect him to have a handle on his hormones.
There are no explanations given, only the exploration of years spent dealing with a truly unique and bizarre problem. There is, however, growth for those around Carter as they deal with his dilemma. The novel shocked, delighted, enraged and had me shouting at the page (especially when Carter deals with the deceitful Maggie). So I was pulled into every bit of it, from first page to last.
For those who are looking for something bold and daring in their YA fiction, this book brings what you crave.
March 5, 2026
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
Carter Cohen lives in New Jersey with his parents and younger brother Lincoln. He's excited to turn 16 and get his driver's license, but on the morning of his birthday, things are awry. Lincoln's not around, and his mother bursts into tears at breakfast. Although no one knows why, Carter has reverted to his 16 year old self every year on his birthday for six years! He doesn't remember anything, and has lost all of the progress he made in the past year. Lincoln is now in college, his best friend Manny is 22 and working at Tech Haven after graduating college, and Carter has to go back to being a sophomore. One fact that is being hidden from him is that he had a girlfriend, Maggie. Maggie can't bear the idea of losing Carter again, so she's asked everyone to hide their history from Carter so she can get on with her life, playing in her band Angry Baby and getting ready for college. The first month is always the roughest, even though Carter sees a therapist, Soren. Carter's parents are trying to find out why he can't age; his father more aggressively pursues different diet and meditation options while his mother just enjoys having him still at home. He quickly finds his footing, even deciding that the best use of being stuck in a time loop is to use his ID to buy alcohol, weed gummies, and "fruity smoke juice" (vape liquid) for his classmates in order to make some money. His current best friend is Bhodi Chang, and he also hangs out with Robbie and Amir, who make a deal to get a keg for a party that Shana is throwing. Shana is Maggie's best friend. Maggie has complicated feelings about seeing Carter again (after assiduously avoiding him), and after witnessing him kissing another girl, throws herself into a relationship with the mature, attractive Chord. She stops Carter from driving home drunk, so Carter suspects they have more history than she admits. She even ends up being with Carter as he video chats with Layla Banerjee to apologize for breaking up with her on the eve of his first sixteenth birthday. He thinks that this incident with Layla is what threw him into the time loop, but Maggie knows that the person he broke up with is really her older sister, Vivvy. Maggie is navigating a lot, with her mother getting remarried and her band starting to land gigs, but she can't deny her attraction to Carter. As his next seventeenth birthday approaches, Carter desperately tries to figure out how he can move on. Will he succeed, or will he have to be 16 Forever?
This was a tremendously fun book to read, and quite well done. Usually, in time loop stories, only the person repeating the time frame knows what is going on, but in this, Carter is completely unaware. He is also much less mature than everyone around him, which is painful and yet delivers a powerful message. The adults in his life understand that he is having a hard time and try to get him help, but there are so many secrets swirling around him that his friends find it difficult to help him. This is told from the rotating perspectives of Carter, Maggie, and Lincoln, so we are able to see some of the secrets without the other characters being aware of them. I loved how Carter, Maggie, Lincoln, and Carter's mother all felt that they were responsible for the time loop!
High school readers and people of a more romantic bent than I will appreciate the connection that Maggie and Carter have. Even when Carter is still processing his age reversal and returning to school for the first time, he catches a glimpse of Maggie and wants to know who she is. Maggie's heartbreak is painfully drawn, and even when she is with Chord, she yearns for Carter, as goofy as he now is. The idea of "love at first sight" is appealing for high school readers.
Seeing events unfold from Lincoln's perspective is also bittersweet; he has moved beyond his older brother and now feels protective of him. He's had to live through Carter's sixteenth year several times, and has not always handled it well. Being at college is a relief, but he fears that the day might come when Carter is seen as his son!
Because of more mature language, multiple incidents of alcoholo drinking, and some frank but not graphic discussions of having sex, this book would be better suited for high school readers. Even though there is a lot of drinking, it doesn't seem like a good idea after reading this description: "Vodka tastes insane. It's like I just swallowed gasoline and now it's lit a fire in my stomach." Without those things, this would be a great book for readers who enjoyed titles like Calonita's 12 to 22 and Brody's Addie Bell's Shortcut to Growing Up, or Korman's Operation Do-Over. I would absolutely buy this for high school aged readers, and enjoyed the writing quite a lot.
Carter Cohen lives in New Jersey with his parents and younger brother Lincoln. He's excited to turn 16 and get his driver's license, but on the morning of his birthday, things are awry. Lincoln's not around, and his mother bursts into tears at breakfast. Although no one knows why, Carter has reverted to his 16 year old self every year on his birthday for six years! He doesn't remember anything, and has lost all of the progress he made in the past year. Lincoln is now in college, his best friend Manny is 22 and working at Tech Haven after graduating college, and Carter has to go back to being a sophomore. One fact that is being hidden from him is that he had a girlfriend, Maggie. Maggie can't bear the idea of losing Carter again, so she's asked everyone to hide their history from Carter so she can get on with her life, playing in her band Angry Baby and getting ready for college. The first month is always the roughest, even though Carter sees a therapist, Soren. Carter's parents are trying to find out why he can't age; his father more aggressively pursues different diet and meditation options while his mother just enjoys having him still at home. He quickly finds his footing, even deciding that the best use of being stuck in a time loop is to use his ID to buy alcohol, weed gummies, and "fruity smoke juice" (vape liquid) for his classmates in order to make some money. His current best friend is Bhodi Chang, and he also hangs out with Robbie and Amir, who make a deal to get a keg for a party that Shana is throwing. Shana is Maggie's best friend. Maggie has complicated feelings about seeing Carter again (after assiduously avoiding him), and after witnessing him kissing another girl, throws herself into a relationship with the mature, attractive Chord. She stops Carter from driving home drunk, so Carter suspects they have more history than she admits. She even ends up being with Carter as he video chats with Layla Banerjee to apologize for breaking up with her on the eve of his first sixteenth birthday. He thinks that this incident with Layla is what threw him into the time loop, but Maggie knows that the person he broke up with is really her older sister, Vivvy. Maggie is navigating a lot, with her mother getting remarried and her band starting to land gigs, but she can't deny her attraction to Carter. As his next seventeenth birthday approaches, Carter desperately tries to figure out how he can move on. Will he succeed, or will he have to be 16 Forever?
This was a tremendously fun book to read, and quite well done. Usually, in time loop stories, only the person repeating the time frame knows what is going on, but in this, Carter is completely unaware. He is also much less mature than everyone around him, which is painful and yet delivers a powerful message. The adults in his life understand that he is having a hard time and try to get him help, but there are so many secrets swirling around him that his friends find it difficult to help him. This is told from the rotating perspectives of Carter, Maggie, and Lincoln, so we are able to see some of the secrets without the other characters being aware of them. I loved how Carter, Maggie, Lincoln, and Carter's mother all felt that they were responsible for the time loop!
High school readers and people of a more romantic bent than I will appreciate the connection that Maggie and Carter have. Even when Carter is still processing his age reversal and returning to school for the first time, he catches a glimpse of Maggie and wants to know who she is. Maggie's heartbreak is painfully drawn, and even when she is with Chord, she yearns for Carter, as goofy as he now is. The idea of "love at first sight" is appealing for high school readers.
Seeing events unfold from Lincoln's perspective is also bittersweet; he has moved beyond his older brother and now feels protective of him. He's had to live through Carter's sixteenth year several times, and has not always handled it well. Being at college is a relief, but he fears that the day might come when Carter is seen as his son!
Because of more mature language, multiple incidents of alcoholo drinking, and some frank but not graphic discussions of having sex, this book would be better suited for high school readers. Even though there is a lot of drinking, it doesn't seem like a good idea after reading this description: "Vodka tastes insane. It's like I just swallowed gasoline and now it's lit a fire in my stomach." Without those things, this would be a great book for readers who enjoyed titles like Calonita's 12 to 22 and Brody's Addie Bell's Shortcut to Growing Up, or Korman's Operation Do-Over. I would absolutely buy this for high school aged readers, and enjoyed the writing quite a lot.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“16 Forever” by Lance Rubin puts a fresh spin on the familiar time-loop trope by trapping its main character not in a single day, but in an entire year. Each time Carter Cohen reaches what should be his seventeenth birthday, time resets for him. He wakes up sixteen again with his memory wiped, his body de-aged while the rest of the world continues moving forward. By the time the story begins, Carter is legally twenty-two, even though he’s physically stuck in the middle of sophomore year.
The emotional weight of the premise quickly becomes clear. Carter’s younger brother, once a kid trailing behind him, is now in college. His old friends have graduated and moved on to adult lives Carter can’t share. The entire school knows about his condition and treats it with a mix of understanding and pity, leaving Carter constantly restarting his life while everyone else grows up around him.
At the heart of the story is Carter’s relationship with Maggie Spear. Maggie was his girlfriend during the previous loop and they had a relationship Carter has completely forgotten. Knowing how painful it is to fall in love only to be erased from his memory, Maggie tries to keep her distance. But Carter feels an undeniable pull toward her, and despite her resistance, the two begin falling in love all over again. Told through dual points of view, the story captures both sides of this heartbreak: Carter’s confusion and longing, and Maggie’s grief at loving someone who will inevitably forget her.
Rubin leans heavily into coming-of-age themes, exploring identity, responsibility, regret, and what it means to grow up when time refuses to let you. Carter’s early loops show him as immature and self-centered, but as the story progresses, he begins to take accountability for his actions and actively tries to help the people around him even when it won’t save him. The family dynamics are a standout element, showing how deeply Carter’s condition affects not just him, but his parents and brother as well. I can’t imagine how heartbreaking this condition is for Carter as well as his family with them aging while Carter doesn’t.
The plot itself is a slow burn, spending much of its time on character relationships and emotional buildup rather than plot twists. The pacing was a bit uneven at times, and the medical explanations behind Carter’s condition can be confusing; I wanted more development of that aspect of the story. However, the final stretch delivers a stronger emotional payoff, even if it leaves some questions unanswered.
Overall, “16 Forever” is a bittersweet YA romance with a clever premise and a strong emotional core. It’s a story about loving someone when nothing is guaranteed, about growing up even when time stands still, and about the ache of being left behind.
“16 Forever” by Lance Rubin puts a fresh spin on the familiar time-loop trope by trapping its main character not in a single day, but in an entire year. Each time Carter Cohen reaches what should be his seventeenth birthday, time resets for him. He wakes up sixteen again with his memory wiped, his body de-aged while the rest of the world continues moving forward. By the time the story begins, Carter is legally twenty-two, even though he’s physically stuck in the middle of sophomore year.
The emotional weight of the premise quickly becomes clear. Carter’s younger brother, once a kid trailing behind him, is now in college. His old friends have graduated and moved on to adult lives Carter can’t share. The entire school knows about his condition and treats it with a mix of understanding and pity, leaving Carter constantly restarting his life while everyone else grows up around him.
At the heart of the story is Carter’s relationship with Maggie Spear. Maggie was his girlfriend during the previous loop and they had a relationship Carter has completely forgotten. Knowing how painful it is to fall in love only to be erased from his memory, Maggie tries to keep her distance. But Carter feels an undeniable pull toward her, and despite her resistance, the two begin falling in love all over again. Told through dual points of view, the story captures both sides of this heartbreak: Carter’s confusion and longing, and Maggie’s grief at loving someone who will inevitably forget her.
Rubin leans heavily into coming-of-age themes, exploring identity, responsibility, regret, and what it means to grow up when time refuses to let you. Carter’s early loops show him as immature and self-centered, but as the story progresses, he begins to take accountability for his actions and actively tries to help the people around him even when it won’t save him. The family dynamics are a standout element, showing how deeply Carter’s condition affects not just him, but his parents and brother as well. I can’t imagine how heartbreaking this condition is for Carter as well as his family with them aging while Carter doesn’t.
The plot itself is a slow burn, spending much of its time on character relationships and emotional buildup rather than plot twists. The pacing was a bit uneven at times, and the medical explanations behind Carter’s condition can be confusing; I wanted more development of that aspect of the story. However, the final stretch delivers a stronger emotional payoff, even if it leaves some questions unanswered.
Overall, “16 Forever” is a bittersweet YA romance with a clever premise and a strong emotional core. It’s a story about loving someone when nothing is guaranteed, about growing up even when time stands still, and about the ache of being left behind.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I picked this up out of pure audiobook desperation—and once again proved I should stop judging books by my last remaining library hold.
This one completely caught me off guard. I needed something, nothing else looked remotely appealing, and this was the option left standing. Turns out, it was more than worth my time. I was pulled in quickly and ended up far more emotionally invested than I ever expected to be.
What starts as a seemingly straightforward premise quietly slides into magical realism. Carter Cohen remembers nothing after his 16th birthday. He wakes up on what should be his 17th… except it feels exactly like turning sixteen again. And again. And again. For the sixth time. While the rest of the world moves forward, his body actually ages backward during that missing year. He’s stuck at sixteen in both mind and body, watching life progress without him—which is exactly as unsettling as it sounds.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Lance Rubin, Katie Schorr, and Dustin Rubin, and all three were excellent. The performances felt age-appropriate, emotionally grounded, and never distracting (a surprisingly rare trifecta). Their narration added real weight to the story and kept me locked in.
What really sold this for me was the emotional depth hiding beneath the premise. Carter’s frustration, grief, and growing desperation as he tries to piece together a life he can’t remember—and find a way to finally move forward—hit harder than expected. And yes, this is also a romance. A complicated one. A tender one. And one that somehow avoids being cheesy while still being heartfelt, which feels like a minor miracle.
There are a lot of layers at play, but at its core this is a coming-of-age story about identity, time, love, and what it actually means to grow up when growing up isn’t guaranteed.
Sometimes the book you grab out of sheer necessity ends up being the one you can’t stop thinking about—and this one absolutely earned that spot.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Harper Audio- Children’s via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me as it has way too many issues; I never DNF ARCs but would have had it not been one.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.
This one completely caught me off guard. I needed something, nothing else looked remotely appealing, and this was the option left standing. Turns out, it was more than worth my time. I was pulled in quickly and ended up far more emotionally invested than I ever expected to be.
What starts as a seemingly straightforward premise quietly slides into magical realism. Carter Cohen remembers nothing after his 16th birthday. He wakes up on what should be his 17th… except it feels exactly like turning sixteen again. And again. And again. For the sixth time. While the rest of the world moves forward, his body actually ages backward during that missing year. He’s stuck at sixteen in both mind and body, watching life progress without him—which is exactly as unsettling as it sounds.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Lance Rubin, Katie Schorr, and Dustin Rubin, and all three were excellent. The performances felt age-appropriate, emotionally grounded, and never distracting (a surprisingly rare trifecta). Their narration added real weight to the story and kept me locked in.
What really sold this for me was the emotional depth hiding beneath the premise. Carter’s frustration, grief, and growing desperation as he tries to piece together a life he can’t remember—and find a way to finally move forward—hit harder than expected. And yes, this is also a romance. A complicated one. A tender one. And one that somehow avoids being cheesy while still being heartfelt, which feels like a minor miracle.
There are a lot of layers at play, but at its core this is a coming-of-age story about identity, time, love, and what it actually means to grow up when growing up isn’t guaranteed.
Sometimes the book you grab out of sheer necessity ends up being the one you can’t stop thinking about—and this one absolutely earned that spot.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Harper Audio- Children’s via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me as it has way too many issues; I never DNF ARCs but would have had it not been one.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.
November 21, 2025
16 Forever is a sweet coming of age YA romance. Told in dual POV, it tells the story of Carter and Maggie and their complicated relationship. Complicated because when Carter wakes up on what is supposed to be his 17th birthday, he is actually 16. Again. For the sixth time, in fact. Every time he is supposed to turn 17, Carter loops back a year. His memory gets erased and his body ages backwards, while the rest of the world moves on.
Carters girlfriend, Maggie, has been dreading his birthday since the day they started dating. When she sees him at school on his birthday and he doesn't know who she is, she realizes their relationship is over, but she can't bring herself to start all over again and hope he falls in love with her again. It's too painful. So she resolves to stay away from him and pretend they never dated. However, Carter feels a pull towards Maggie and keeps finding himself wanting to be around her. Even though Maggie tells him they can't be together, the two of them find themselves falling in love all over again. But what will happen when Carter's birthday rolls around yet again? Are they doomed to start over year after year or will Carter finally be able to move past 16?
I really enjoyed 16 Forever. Lance Rubin has not only created a unique love story, but he has given the reader true-to life-flawed characters who just want what's best for each other. The family dynamics between Carter and his parents and brother play a large roll in this book. Not only do we see how Carter's loop affects him, but we see how it also affects his family. The same is true with Maggie. By giving us her POV, Rubin enables the reader to see both sides of the story; what it's like for Carter being stuck at 16 and what it's like for those who have to watch him loop year after year.
The emotions and words are honest, raw, and genuine. We see the reality of what happens when we keep secrets from those we love because we want to protect them. We see what it's like to struggle and not know how to fix our situation. Themes of grief, regret, relationships, and love can be found throughout this story.
Lastly, it is pure delight watching Carter and Maggie fall in love all over again. Theirs is a love story for the ages.
Carters girlfriend, Maggie, has been dreading his birthday since the day they started dating. When she sees him at school on his birthday and he doesn't know who she is, she realizes their relationship is over, but she can't bring herself to start all over again and hope he falls in love with her again. It's too painful. So she resolves to stay away from him and pretend they never dated. However, Carter feels a pull towards Maggie and keeps finding himself wanting to be around her. Even though Maggie tells him they can't be together, the two of them find themselves falling in love all over again. But what will happen when Carter's birthday rolls around yet again? Are they doomed to start over year after year or will Carter finally be able to move past 16?
I really enjoyed 16 Forever. Lance Rubin has not only created a unique love story, but he has given the reader true-to life-flawed characters who just want what's best for each other. The family dynamics between Carter and his parents and brother play a large roll in this book. Not only do we see how Carter's loop affects him, but we see how it also affects his family. The same is true with Maggie. By giving us her POV, Rubin enables the reader to see both sides of the story; what it's like for Carter being stuck at 16 and what it's like for those who have to watch him loop year after year.
The emotions and words are honest, raw, and genuine. We see the reality of what happens when we keep secrets from those we love because we want to protect them. We see what it's like to struggle and not know how to fix our situation. Themes of grief, regret, relationships, and love can be found throughout this story.
Lastly, it is pure delight watching Carter and Maggie fall in love all over again. Theirs is a love story for the ages.
March 30, 2026
Carter Cohen has relived his sixteenth year six times. Each time he loops back to the night before his birthday, not only does he lose his memories, but his body resets as well, losing the height and physical changes he had gained. The rest of the world, however, continues moving forward. When we meet Carter, he should be 22, but instead, he is once again 16. His younger brother is now older than him, his friends have grown up and moved on, and everything about his life feels unfamiliar.
The story follows Carter as he relives his sixteenth year yet again, struggling to reconcile what he remembers with what currently exists. He tries to piece together who he used to be through the eyes of others while also searching for a way to break the loop. The narrative is enriched by multiple perspectives from those around him: Maggie, who fell in love with him during a previous loop and is heartbroken that he no longer remembers her; Lincoln, his younger-turned-older brother, who does his best to support Carter through an impossible situation; and Carter’s parents, who must repeatedly watch their son remain stuck while the rest of their lives move forward. Each of them carries secrets and guilt, unsure whether sharing the truth will help or hurt Carter as he navigates a world that won’t wait for him.
While the book is framed as a romance, it is just as much a story about grief, anger, and despair, as well as the power of being loved and supported through unimaginable circumstances. Representation is limited, though Carter is Jewish and his brother Lincoln is gay. Lincoln’s coming-out storyline, and Carter’s consistent support of him across timelines, is a particularly touching thread. Overall, the book explores its emotional themes in a very real and impactful way, and, like many romances, it ultimately delivers a happily ever after. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
The story follows Carter as he relives his sixteenth year yet again, struggling to reconcile what he remembers with what currently exists. He tries to piece together who he used to be through the eyes of others while also searching for a way to break the loop. The narrative is enriched by multiple perspectives from those around him: Maggie, who fell in love with him during a previous loop and is heartbroken that he no longer remembers her; Lincoln, his younger-turned-older brother, who does his best to support Carter through an impossible situation; and Carter’s parents, who must repeatedly watch their son remain stuck while the rest of their lives move forward. Each of them carries secrets and guilt, unsure whether sharing the truth will help or hurt Carter as he navigates a world that won’t wait for him.
While the book is framed as a romance, it is just as much a story about grief, anger, and despair, as well as the power of being loved and supported through unimaginable circumstances. Representation is limited, though Carter is Jewish and his brother Lincoln is gay. Lincoln’s coming-out storyline, and Carter’s consistent support of him across timelines, is a particularly touching thread. Overall, the book explores its emotional themes in a very real and impactful way, and, like many romances, it ultimately delivers a happily ever after. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
January 19, 2026
16 forever by Lance Rubin is a young adult romance with magic realism.
Carter Cohen remembers nothing after his 16th birthday. He wakes up on what should be his 17th… except it feels exactly like turning sixteen again- for the sixth time. While the rest of the world moves forward, his body actually ages back to 16 overnight on the morning of his 17th birthday. With no memories and everyone around him aged - the world he thought he knew the night before has aged 6years. He’s stuck at sixteen in both mind and body, watching life progress without him—and it's exactly as unsettling as it sounds.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Lance Rubin, Katie Schorr, and Dustin Rubin, and all three were excellent. The performances felt age-appropriate, and emotionally grounded. Their narration added real weight to the story and kept me locked in.
The emotional depth hiding beneath the premise really locked me in. Carter’s frustration, grief, and growing desperation as he tries to piece together a life he can’t remember while trying to find a way to finally move forward—hit me harder than expected. All in all this is a complicated and heartfelt romance between Carter and Maggie drove this book. There are a lot of layers to this plot of this is a coming-of-age story centering around themes of identity, time, love, and what it actually means to grow up when growing up isn’t guaranteed.
I do wish there was a specific reason or cause as to why he was stuck in a time loop but sometimes in life we don't quite get the answers we want.
I do recommend this audiobook to anyone who loves a great YA heartfelt romance with magic realism but heavily charged emotional weight.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Harper Audio- Children’s via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my genuine thoughts.
Carter Cohen remembers nothing after his 16th birthday. He wakes up on what should be his 17th… except it feels exactly like turning sixteen again- for the sixth time. While the rest of the world moves forward, his body actually ages back to 16 overnight on the morning of his 17th birthday. With no memories and everyone around him aged - the world he thought he knew the night before has aged 6years. He’s stuck at sixteen in both mind and body, watching life progress without him—and it's exactly as unsettling as it sounds.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Lance Rubin, Katie Schorr, and Dustin Rubin, and all three were excellent. The performances felt age-appropriate, and emotionally grounded. Their narration added real weight to the story and kept me locked in.
The emotional depth hiding beneath the premise really locked me in. Carter’s frustration, grief, and growing desperation as he tries to piece together a life he can’t remember while trying to find a way to finally move forward—hit me harder than expected. All in all this is a complicated and heartfelt romance between Carter and Maggie drove this book. There are a lot of layers to this plot of this is a coming-of-age story centering around themes of identity, time, love, and what it actually means to grow up when growing up isn’t guaranteed.
I do wish there was a specific reason or cause as to why he was stuck in a time loop but sometimes in life we don't quite get the answers we want.
I do recommend this audiobook to anyone who loves a great YA heartfelt romance with magic realism but heavily charged emotional weight.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Harper Audio- Children’s via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my genuine thoughts.
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January 27, 2026Perfectly fine, and I liked that it was just sort "shrug emoji" that this was happening, rather than put under some sort of scientific microscope, people just accept it. Ultimately not a stunning book, and the romance never really gelled for me. Both characters struck me as being way more concerned about how the relationship felt to *them* and how it impacted *their* lives, rather than thinking about the other person. I never really understood what it was that made the other person so irresistible. Maybe I read too much adult romance, where a lot of attention is paid to the reasons that this one person out of all the people in the world is the specific person that is a perfect fit for that character, but I just didn't see that here. Maggie remembers loving Carter, so never feels the need to dwell on why, and Carter is intrigued by her (somewhat mysteriously), but also never really speculates why her specifically, outside of one scene near the end, whereas it should have been through the whole book. The ending Also, Maggie does mention towards the beginning that if she kept dating him over and over, eventually it would get creepy. But she put that "get creepy" as her mid-20s. Meanwhile no one is pointing out that even if Carter breaks the cycle, they'd now be a high school sophomore dating a college freshman, in completely different life stages. If I'd been writing the book I'd have made Carter a junior/senior, which would up the angst of all of his friends getting ready for college and leaving and him having to go through the motions knowing he's doing all this college application work probably for nothing.
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