The Romance Rewind

by Sarah Everett

In this swoony and charming YA romcom with a twist, a 17-year-old goes back in time to relive her relationship and see where it went wrong.

Zadie expected her anniversary dinner with her boyfriend, Jason, to end with a dreamy prom-posal—not a breakup and a car crash!

When she wakes up in the hospital, she gets even worse Jason is in a coma. With nothing to do but wait by his side, Zadie is left wondering where the relationship went wrong and if maybe Jason didn’t tell anyone about the breakup.

Suddenly, Zadie is catapulted back to their first date, trapped in a time loop she can’t escape. To make matters worse, Jason’s cousin Marcus is along for the ride, threatening to spill her secret. Can Zadie mend her relationship with Jason before he wakes up, or will Marcus shatter her hopes for a happily-ever-after?

For fans of The Do-Over and Check & Mate, get whisked away in this charming new rom-com abounding with betrayal, twists, andromance tropes.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Time Travel, Young Adult Romance, Contemporary, Fiction

Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 23, 2026

Reviews

[Gabriella୨ৎ (semi-ia) · Rating 2 out of 5]

━━━ઇଓㅤ⤸
꒰ 𝐚𝐫𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ꒱ Ⓘ pub date: june 23rd 2026

𝟐 ✩

𝒯𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒'𝓈 𝓃𝑜𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓈𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝓇𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔.

꒰ 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: ꒱
Don’t always fall for a cute cover, you might just end up completely let down once you actually read it. That’s how I felt with this book.

The Romance Rewind follows the main character, Zadie who’s just been in an accident with her recently ex-boyfriend on the night of their one-year anniversary. Confused as to why he broke up with her, she tries to investigate–or as best as she can when the one person she needs information from is in a coma. There’s a sprinkle of magic realism when Zadie finds herself in shared dreams of the past with Marcus, her ex-boyfriend’s cousin. They follow their past selves through the dreams, uncover new secrets, and try to pinpoint the moment her seemingly perfect relationship went wrong.

I had originally settled on giving this a 3-3.25 stars. The reasoning was that nothing much was happening, I was hesitant about the love interest, and wasn’t necessarily sure if I was liking the book or just gaslighting myself into thinking I was. Yes, it was different from the usual romances. But just because a book is unique, doesn’t mean it'll be enjoyable. And just when I was confident about giving it a 3, BAM! Out came that plot twist that instead of being riveting had me confused the hell out. The funny thing is that I had actually just read a review about someone lowering their rating because of the ending, and I can one hundred percent agree with them. Everything was rushed and things were happening too quickly for me to wrap my head around. Some books really piss me off when they’re boring for the majority until suddenly there’s so much commotion and drama and things unfolding in the last few chapters. Whyyyy?? It should be like spreads on toast: an even layer of romance, drama, plot, and the development and leadup to the ending.

Another thing that I found lacking was the romance between Zadie and Marcus. I couldn’t feel the connection between them, and didn’t like how quick they were to jump into a ‘relationship’ when they honestly barely knew each other and their lives had literally just been flipped on its axis. It seemed like there was still so much more that needed to be resolved and talked about before anything else. If it’s a standalone, everything needs to be cleared, clarified, and concluded by the end of the book; not left feeling unfinished. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened. Zadie and Marcus were cute, yes. And they did have their moments, but I felt no spark between them, wasn’t giddy when they kissed, and overall felt detached from the book. I apologise and deeply regret being so harsh, but I've come to terms with my expectations. And if they can't be met, then they'll have to get a low rating.

As much as I wanted to love this, I couldn’t. It had its ups, and it had its downs. And sadly, there were more things I disliked about The Romance Rewind than actually enjoyed. It's perfect for fans of The Do-Over (the reason I requested this book in the first place), with a little splash of magic and sweet teenage love. Although I wouldn't willingly read it again, I do recommend if you're looking for a quick and easy read.

━━━

ᰔᩚ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: ꒱
when i saw this on netgalley, i got sooo excited!! the cover is adorable and gives off lynn painter’s ya books which i adore. and a bonus is that it has similar vibes to The Do-Over, a book i am (hopefully) planning to reread for valentine's day. speaking of which, happy early val/galentines my lovesss!! fingers crossed the book is as cute as the cover.

Ⓘ thank you @netgalley and publisher for giving me the chance to read this free arc, i'm very eager to share my thoughts.

Ⓘ pub date: june 23rd 2026

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝: 9/2/2026
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 10/2/2026

-𝓖

[Joya Goffney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received early ARC:

I absolutely LOVED the premise, the execution, the twist. Way to go Sarah!! Smart and fiercely creative, The Romance Rewind is the perfect mix of mystery, romance, and heart-wrenching drama.

[Nishana · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC!

this book was almost a four star read... right up until i got to the ending.

yeah... it pissed me off.

it makes me sad because i enjoyed so much of the novel! i loved zadie and marcus's relationship and i enjoyed the mystery of trying to uncover the truth about jason's reasoning for breaking up with zadie. it was fun, and the co-dreaming made it all the more interesting.

without spoiling, the conclusion of the story made me feel like i had wasted my time with the story, being so invested in the book only for it to be torn away. in the end, i just felt so unsatisfied, like the story had not properly concluded.

what a disappointing ending for what could have been a great book.

[Rebecca Voss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a YA rom-com with a twist, as Zadie has just been broken up with by her boyfriend of one year, Jason, and on the way home they get in a car accident. Jason lands in a coma and Zadie, injured but ok, begins having weird moments that bring her back to the past where she is able to view certain key moments of her relationship with Jason. She feels she may be able to see what went wrong and save the relationship. Along for the ride is Jason’s cousin, Marcus, who also is “co-dreaming” with Zadie in these visions. He is the only one who knows that Jason broke up with Zadie right before the accident and Zadie feels like he is a threat to their relationship. I thought the book was a quick, quirky read. I did enjoy the magic realism aspect of the co-dreaming even if it was a little strange. I just felt like the ending was a little rushed and not as satisfying as it could have been. I still enjoyed the book for what it was; a light, unique, YA romance with a magical element. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to the author and publisher for this gifted ARC.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book after a recommendation from a friend. Im a big romance girlie so i was super excited to start it.
This was nothing like i expected but im entirely obsessed. I loved reading from Zadies pov as she deals with mourning and falling in love all while her world crumbles around her (literally lol). I loved the way i was able to read all of her thoughts as she comes to terms with her feelings changing towards Marcus. Co-dreaming made it so fun to read as we could look through both Zadie and Marcus' memories and watch as they begin to understand them differently.
I genuinely love Marcus and Zadie and i would loveee to see more stories from their universe
5 stars!!

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars

This book is veryyyyy YA to me. I went into this book very blind and was kind of shocked how YA the story is written.

The fmc is very concerned about her image and being the best at everything. Which includes her relationship. We see right away that her whole world crumbles when her BF breaks up with her. I felt like she focused so much on how she was perceived that she did not even seem to really care about her exBF.

The MMC seemed to just be dumped on by her the whole time, making it hard to read their scenes together.

I liked the dream aspect but feel like it was just lost because I didn’t love the immaturity of the FMC.

[nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC!

The Romance Rewind caught my eye right away with its cute cover and most importantly, the description. I love narratives that explore themes of memory, time travel, and possible "do-overs" and this book checked all of those boxes. At its core, this is a young adult romance that blends coming-of-age themes (romantic relationships and relationships with friends, peers, and family, trust, betrayal, social status, etc.), with a speculative twist.

We follow Zadie, a Black high school senior navigating heartbreak, identity, and figuring out her future. After what she expects to be a celebratory anniversary dinner, Zadie is blindsided when her boyfriend Jason breaks up with her. On the drive home, they get into a serious car accident, and when Zadie wakes up in the hospital, Jason is in a coma. In a moment of panic, Zadie doesn't tell anyone that they broke up and instead finds herself trying to uphold the lie of what she wished happened (basically, that they stayed together, in fact, they're stronger than ever! you see, Jason gave her a promise ring, she just lost it in the crash...).

Soon after, Zadie begins experiencing intense migraines that lead to weird, dreamlike episodes where she revisits memories from her relationship with Jason. This time though, she's looking at them from a new perspective, and with the unexpected presence of Jason's cousin, Marcus. Zadie is hopeful that the ability to look back at these memories with a widened lens will help her figure out what went wrong, so she can fix it. However, as she revisits more and more memories, Zadie starts to question whether the relationship was ever what she thought it was.

One of the most interesting aspects of the book is the "rewind" concept. Although Zadie can't control which memory she gets to revisit and when, she is able to see her and Jason from an outsider's perspective. And having Marcus there to talk through these memories with gives her yet another viewpoint to consider. Zadie is forced to confront the version of the relationship she created in her head and recognize how much of it was based upon what she hoped it was, rather than what it actually was. It's a compelling way to explore how we interpret relationships and interactions in real time versus in hindsight. This structural device points out how much we can miss when we're caught up in the emotions of the moment, especially if we're badly wanting something to work.

Past me could definitely relate to Zadie's complex and sometimes contradictory feelings about herself, her self-worth, and what she wanted versus what she thought everyone else wanted. It reminded me of having to pretend to be someone I'm not or that I was okay when I was anything but. It underscored the difficulty of asking for what you want, recognizing when something isn't right, and believing that you deserve better, ESPECIALLY as a teenage girl. Zadie's struggles with her confidence, uncertainty about her future, and the lingering impact of her father's death all add emotional depth to her character.

The friendships in the story play an important role, emphasizing how complicated those dynamics can be to navigate, and how scary it can be when trust begins to fracture. I also appreciated the inclusion of conversations around race and identity, though I do think there could have been more room to explore that aspect more deeply given how it shapes Zadie's experience. There were a few elements that didn't fully work for me. At times, Zadie's lack of honesty and awareness felt a bit frustrating, even accounting for her age. Some developments were fairly easy to anticipate, which softened the impact of certain reveals. And then the ending felt a bit out of sync and rushed in how quickly everything came together.

That being said, it was a fun, easy, quick, and engaging read with an interesting premise and strong emotional themes. While not everything landed for me, I still enjoyed the concept and the way Sarah Everett explored relationships through the lens of reflection and hindsight. Readers who enjoy young adult coming-of-age stories with a focus on romance, a touch of speculative elements, and sprinkled with possible missed connections and enemies to lovers tropes will want to give this one a go!

[Jessica Brainard]

The Romance Rewind by Sarah Everett is a delightful, heartfelt young adult rom-com with a clever speculative twist that breathes fresh life into familiar tropes. Published in June 2026 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, this swoony story follows 17-year-old Zadie as she navigates the emotional wreckage of a breakup and a car crash with her boyfriend—only to find herself mysteriously given the chance to rewind time and relive key moments in their relationship.


Everett, known for emotionally resonant YA titles like The Probability of Everything and Some Other Now, excels at blending sharp wit, genuine teen vulnerability, and just enough "what if" magic to keep readers hooked. The premise echoes classic 1990s rom-com vibes—think Groundhog Day meets high school heartbreak—but with modern twists, multiple plot surprises, and a rivals-to-lovers undercurrent that adds extra spark. Zadie's journey isn't just about fixing a romance; it's a thoughtful exploration of self-awareness, miscommunication, betrayal, and what it really means to choose (or re-choose) someone.


What shines brightest is Everett's buoyant writing style and her knack for authentic teen voices. The chemistry between characters crackles with tenderness and tension, and the emotional beats—awkward reconciliations, painful realizations, and sweet "do-over" moments—feel earned rather than contrived. Readers who enjoy quick, engaging reads with humor, heart, and a touch of dreamlike speculation will find plenty to love here. The book captures the dizzying intensity of first loves while gently reminding us that sometimes the real growth happens when we look backward to move forward.That said, the execution occasionally stumbles for some readers: the speculative elements and pacing can feel uneven in spots, and the writing style doesn't always land perfectly for everyone. A few twists might stretch believability, but they add fun energy that fits the rom-com spirit.Overall, The Romance Rewind is a charming, escapist treat—perfect for fans of light-hearted YA with a speculative edge, like The Do-Over or stories full of romance tropes done with heart. It's ideal for summer reading or anyone craving a story that mixes laughter, longing, and a little time-travel magic. Everett delivers another winner that leaves you smiling and maybe even reflecting on your own "what if" moments.Rating: 4/5
A fun, twisty YA rom-com that's equal parts swoony and insightful. Highly recommended for teens and adults who enjoy heartfelt contemporary romance with a clever premise.

[Petra Petrella · Rating 3 out of 5]

A magical-realism YA rom-com. Zadie expects an anniversary grand gesture. Instead, she gets dumped… then a car crash. When she wakes up, her ex-boyfriend Jason is in a coma, and everyone believes they’re still happily in love—thanks to a sort of When You Were Sleeping scenario. As Jason’s cousin Marcus threatens to expose the truth, Zadie realizes she has limited chances to fix the situation.

Then the magical element kicks in: Zadie (and Marcus) begin having synchronized dreams, reliving past memories as invisible observers—forced to watch what really happened in her relationship and reconsider everything she thought she knew.

Don’t think things stop here, though: it gets even weirder (and, unfortunately, less believable than this).

😊 YAY for

• A nice, original concept with a fun time-loop hook.

• Cute, engaging main characters. The MMC in particular is well drawn, and I liked how his feelings for the FMC are gradually revealed.

• A light rom-com tone that mostly works for the target audience.

🤔 NAY for:

• Overcomplicated execution. The story leans too hard into layered time-loop/inception-style moments, which sometimes muddle rather than enhance the emotional arc. Retrospectively, the final plot twist made much of the story (read: dreams) stop making sense, IMO, based on how it was built (which is a pity, since this is clearly meant to be the book’s biggest selling point).

• An over-the-top final showdown. The late revelations—where nearly everything the FMC believed about her loved ones turns out to be wrong—felt excessive. Seriously, how can she have gotten everything wrong about literally everyone? At times, it veered closer to emotional whiplash than YA romance.

🌱 Overall comment & note for the author

A cute and heartfelt idea with solid romantic moments, but one that would have benefited from a simpler, more emotionally focused delivery. I enjoyed the premise and characters, even if the execution occasionally went further than it needed to for a YA rom-com.

[Zia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, and Sarah Everett for the opportunity to read and review an Advance Reader Copy of this book!

This book had some high expectations for me, especially being marketed for fans of The Do-Over and Check & Mate, and featuring one of my favorite tropes (similar to Woke Up Like This). While I did enjoy the second half of the book more and thought the plot twists were handled well, it ultimately didn’t fully live up to what I was hoping for.

I think our main characters improved as the story progressed. I liked seeing the FMC grow and appreciated how the MMC supported her through everything. However, it took me about 50% of the book to really connect with them, and by that point, it felt a bit too late for the story to fully win me over.

I really appreciated the representation in this book, and I think the author did a great job portraying certain emotional moments. I also liked that the characters had strong support systems during those scenes, it added a lot of warmth and realism to the story.

The plot twists (yes, multiple!) were fun, and this was a quick, engaging read. The writing style didn’t always fully work for me, but since this is one of my favorite tropes, I still enjoyed the dream/time-travel elements and the conversations that stemmed from them.

Overall, it wasn’t a five-star read for me like some of the comparison titles, but I’d still give it a solid 3 stars.

Thank you again to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, and Sarah Everett for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

[Saloni Porwal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was loving this book for the most part, but the execution really threw me off. This novel has a very interesting premise and a strong base of intriguing characters to go off of. I think the "rewind" part of it could have been crafted so much better and more convincingly than whatever this half-baked resolution was.

Zadie was a super interesting character to follow, and I found her family background interesting, especially with the dynamics of her grieving her recently passed away father. I was interested in all her friends and whatever was the side plot there, right up until the ending and I was so annoyed by the way things went for the sake of some drama. When it comes to romance, in hindsight I think there was a lack of chemistry and connection, and that left me unconvinced. As a WOC, I'm not really sure where the author was trying to go with the many references to Zadie's blackness. I get that there were attempts at inclusivity and discussing racism, but i didn't feel they got enough spotlight and attention.

Not much I can say about the plot to justify my low rating, except that until almost the very end, I felt the story was emotionally compelling and I'd have likely given it a 4 star rating, but the general flow of the plot was so bad I have to give it a significantly lower rating. I obviously wouldn't recommend this book, but I won't rule out future reads by the author because I think there's potential in the writing.

Many thanks to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, and the author for the advanced reviewers copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Christian Davell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zadie Cartwright has high expectations for her senior year: excel at her extracurricular, get straight A’s to get into her dream university, and get a promise ring from her perfect boyfriend, Jason Riddick. Plans begin to crumble during the couple’s anniversary dinner when Jay dumps Zadie and they end up in a car crash afterward. While Jason is in a coma, Zadie decides not to make the breakup public and pretend they are still dating. Now she must deal with the migraines from her head injury and her questions about where their “perfect” relationship went wrong. Luckily, the former begins to help answer the latter. With each migraine, Zadie is propelled into one of her memories with Jason where she can secretly watch it play out and look for clues as to why Jason broke up with her. But, Zadie is not alone. Jason’s annoyingly flippant cousin, Marcus is also there to watch. It is these scenes that make the story so special. As Zadie tries to fight the enemies-to-something-more trope, she cannot help feel a genuine connection to Marcus even while she is looking for ways to stay with Jason. Marcus is a wonderful character to get to know as we discover his easy-going attitude is a front for the stress and deep emotions he feels. The twist toward the end turns the entire storyline upside down making readers wonder if there are enough pages to set everything right. This is a cute teen romance that nicely balances each characters flaws and strengths. Issues of race are mentioned as Jason, Marcus, and most of the town are white while Zadie, her family, and one friend are African American.

[Leah Stuhler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Romance Rewind is a charming YA romcom that will sweep you off your feet.

When 17-year-old Zadie and her boyfriend Jason go out to dinner for their anniversary, she expects he'll give her a promise ring. But instead, he breaks up with her and they get in a car crash. Zadie then wakes up in the hospital to discover Jason is in a coma. As Zadie sits by Jason's bedside in the hospital, she can't help but wonder where their relationship went wrong and what made Jason want to breakup with her.

Zadie soon gets her chance to find out when she is catapulted back in time to their first date. She soon finds herself in a time loop reliving moment after moment with Jason. But, unexpectedly, Jason' cousin Marcus is somehow also along for the ride with her, and he knows her secret. Now it's up to Zadie to figure out what went wrong with her relationship before Jason wakes up and Marcus ruins her happily ever after.

This book is a fun, sweet, and swoony romance. It's inspired by the romcom movie While You Were Sleeping, which makes it even better. It boasts the romance tropes we love, betrayal, heartbreak, humor, first-love, and self-discovery. Author Sarah Everett throws in some great plot twists as well.

When we meet Zadie and Jason, they already have an established relationship. So it was fun to vault through time with Zadie and Marcus and watch Zadie and Jason's relationship develop over the course of the story. While doing so, secrets are uncovered, betrayal is unearthed, and romance blooms.

Such a fun book!

[Kas_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zadie goes to her anniversary dinner with her boyfriend, where he ends their relationship. Not only does she get broken up with, but she is also in a car crash. Her boyfriend is left in a coma, and now she is stuck wondering why he broke up with her. The only person who could give her that answer is unconscious.

Suddenly, she finds herself in a time loop of the day of their first date. It turns out they are actually dreams, and Marcus (her “ex” boyfriend’s cousin) is somehow connected to them as well. Zadie must relive her past memories to understand what really went wrong in her relationship.

I give this book 3/5. I thought the idea was cute, and I love a fun time loop trope where the main character realizes that the person they are meant to be with was the one they never really noticed. It was an easy read and something you could finish in a day.

I was not the biggest fan of the book because it became too complicated, and I kept having to reread parts to understand what was happening. The ending felt rushed, overly dramatic, and unnecessarily complex. I think the book had a lot of potential if it had been simpler and not tried so hard to be dramatic and complicated.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advance copy for my honest review!
Expected publication: June 23rd, 2026

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of this book was bad I didn’t like it it got better through the middle, but I almost dropped this book the story was a bit unbelievable the plot twist fixed it a little bit, but it still didn’t convince me as much I expected a little more from this story it didn’t quite delivered. The characters were a good part I liked the protagonist’s friend group her relationship with them and how they kinda click with each other sometimes the book felt like it dragged on a lot it got me wanting to skip the whole point of this story was Zadie, the protagonist, wanting to fix her relationship with her boyfriend their relationship felt doomed from the start you kinda feel it she tries to find the why of their relationship failure sometimes I felt frustrated with the protagonist the reasons were obvious like right in front of her, but she didn’t see it it made the book drag a bit.

It’s a story about acceptance, love and how it all mean together the protagonist goes through it all throughout the book it makes her decisions difficult and it shows the meaning of them the romance was good, but it wasn’t memorable the plot gets progressively better throughout the book. The book was fine the plot was interesting enough, but it felt like a drag reading through them. I found the story good, but not great.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐

THE ROMANCE REWIND by Sarah Everett (June 23, 2026)

After a Zadie's boyfriend breaks up with her on their one year anniversary, she doesn't think things can worse. Then she and Jason get in a car wreck that leaves Jason in a coma. As she grapples with the breakup, she suddenly finds herself in a dream, a time loop, with Marcus (Jason's cousin) as she relives her relationship with Jason trying to figure out what went wrong.
THE ROMANCE REWIND is a YA romance. It's literally in the title. This was a good book. It was very, very similar (car wreck, time loop, part of the twist) to one of my favorite reads NEVER APART by Romily Bernard, so I knew what the big twist going to be. First, I was binging this to confirm that I was right. But I ended really liking this dynamic between Zadie and Marcus, and I wanted to see how things would would go for them. They just seemed to work, and they were cute together. You could just tell that they were where they were supposed to be, with who they were supposed to be with. I don't know if that makes sense.
THE ROMANCE REWIND is pretty out there with everything that comes with the "co-dreams" and time loops. It's interesting, intriguing, and quite unrealistic...but it works.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect when going into this book. I thought oh, this kind of time loop magical realism thing is always fun. But wow, it's so much more than that. It was a wild ride start to finish. I was captivated by the whole story. Zadie is such an enthralling main character, I felt for her so much with what she went through, with her grief over her dad, her loss of relationship, her confusion about her future and everything else. Her character journey was really well done. I enjoyed the mystery she was trying to solve as to why Jason broke up with her, and how she went through the memories to get clues. And I loved Marcus, too. He was there every time, and I could sense how much he cares about her even before the story got to that. They had great chemistry. The co-dreaming thing is a concept I just love so much! There was more than one thing I didn't see coming at all, it left me gobsmacked! At first I wasn't sure what to feel about the first twist, but no, it was brilliant. The other... I didn't love that, especially since this one particular character didn't seem to be regretful about anything, but that's fine. I loved everything else. This was such a surprise and I am so happy I read it!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Madisonn · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. It was a little infuriating at times, but it’s a really quick read that has an interesting premise. Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

~Tropes~
📖 Time travel
🦜 Dreams
🛏️ Comas
🍊 He fell first

Thoughts: My favorite character is Mo. It felt like she was the only sane one at times, and she was a good friend and gave people chances. I had a theory, and I think it could’ve been played out, but what actually happened with Mo wasn’t bad either. Regarding the main characters, Zadie, Marcus, and Jason, they’re all kinda meh. Zadie was kind of annoying for most of the book, and I feel like she could’ve convinced people easier there at the end. Marcus was a pretty stereotypical, semi-flat MMC. Jason was just a … You get the gist. I feel like it had really good potential, especially considering I thought it was gonna be like Lynn Painter’s The Do-Over, but don’t compare the two. They have very different premises, each interesting. But, I feel like it could’ve been executed just a little bit better. Again, I really like Mo, and while I’m at it, Joey, but there were just other aspects that I didn’t like as much, but the cover is gorgeous 💛

[Vee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC of The Romance Rewind by Sarah Everett!! All opinions are my own.

The Romance Rewind is a beautiful and emotional book that I truly loved!! It’s a story that deals with grief, relationship changes, and preparing for the future. This story was so engaging and extremely relatable at moments, I didn’t want to put it down after I started reading it!

This young adult book follows Zadie, a senior in high school, as she deals with the fallout of getting into a car crash with her boyfriend after he broke up with her. After the crash Zadie and Marcus, her boyfriend’s cousin, rewind through old memories in their dreams that reveal different lies and feelings from people in her life. As her boyfriend stays longer in a coma, Zadie and Marcus grow closer and learn more about each other through their co-dream adventures.

The Romance Rewind is a romantic and emotional ride that I’m glad I read. I absolutely loved the growing relationship between Zadie and Marcus and will likely reread again someday! I definitely want to see more from this author!!

[Julie Parks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a nice surprise. A very cute concept to the old Groundhog Day idea in a form of a YA romance. It felt like a rather poetic way to deal with grief and self discovery.

I loved watching Zadie practically growing up while reliving her memories and dealing with her past mistakes. Sarah Everett has created a very realistic teenage character that doesn't strive to be perfect, but instead learns to accept her own flaws and be proud of herself. Many girls could look up to someone like her.

The boys in this story...no comment. It was hate at first sight, basically. But I think it somehow complimented the story, made it work better. Plus, it's not like it's that unusual for teenage boys to lie to get out of something they simply don't want to face.

I was happy to see that Zadie did in the end find her happy ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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[Stephanie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Zadie’s boyfriend dumps her on their one year anniversary. They are in a wreck right after and he ends up in a coma. Zadie lies and says that he had just given her a ring. Her boyfriend Jason has a cousin named Marcus, they are opposites. Zadie and Marcus end up reliving key portions of Jason and Zadie’s relationship.

This is a hard one. I enjoyed the concept and I liked Zadie and Marcus. I loved the story about Zadie’s family. I liked the idea that she got to see the important parts of the relationship and look at them in a different light. It was frustrating that even though all of that was happening Zadie continue to drink the Koolaid about Jason. But a guess that’s important for the story. She just seemed to be smart but really dumb in this relationship. I don’t know why but some the middle portions of the book didn’t connect with me. I was slogging along. I did enjoy the ending. This book has a lot of redeeming qualities and I do think people will enjoy it. I would be willing to read another book by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, for an ARC of The Romance Rewind by Sarah Everett. While I do love romance and YA books, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about a time-travel book since I haven’t really read one in ages. I have to say this book surprised me.

The first few chapters really hooked me into the book. After the big breakup and the car crash, I wasn’t so interested in the book and had a hard time coming back to it for a few days. Once I did, it took me only 2 more days to finish it because I just wanted to see what would happen. There is a big twist in the story and many uncovered secrets that keep it interesting. The ending was a bit abrupt, and there were a few unanswered questions (who was the mystery person messaging her on Instagram?).

Overall, I give the book 4 stars. Definitely a cute read, as long as you are looking for a mindless one.

#SarahEverett #TheRomanceRewind #NetGalley #GPPtnumsSonsBooksForYoungReaders #Romance #ContemporaryRomance #ContemporaryFiction #YoungAdult #TimeTravel #YARomance #FirstLove #HighSchool #Popular #Drama

[M. K. Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Romance Rewind is a fun high school romance, and there were definitely some great romantic moments, but it ultimately felt more like it was about the FMC, Zadie, who's on the cusp of big decisions about her future, figuring out that she doesn't have to have everything figured out in order to be authentically herself (even if it takes fake and real comas to get her to this realization). I literally gasped out loud when she got the anonymous Instagram message about the ring - the mystery/horror feel was perfect and so unexpected. Other plot and/or execution choices didn't work as well for my personal taste, yet I overall really enjoyed the read and I think Everett struck a nice balance between fast-paced fun and deep themes. I did wish the adult characters were more substantive; they often felt relegated to limited decisions/cameos. My dominant impression is that the narrative stayed immersive and gripping throughout, and I could see this working as a Netflix-style series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Tina Aimie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ✨ This was a unique take on a rom-com, enemies to lovers romance. Zadie is dating Jason and thinks their relationship is picture perfect. From the outside at least. On their one year anniversary, he breaks up with her out of no where and they end up in a car accident afterwards. She wakes up to Jason in a coma and no one else knowing about their break up … except for one person. She begins to get these headaches that take her down memory lane of key moments from her relationship with Jason. She’s trying to figure out where everything went wrong but someone else keeps popping into these dreams with her.

I enjoyed it, mostly because it was so different from any romance that I’ve read before. Coming from someone who is very much not a young adult, I still enjoyed the story without the eye roll of they’re so young & naive. Reading other reviews, I can see why some people felt like it was more a miss than a hit. This is one of those books where you’re either going to love it or hate it.

Happy Reading!

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own. I wasn’t a big fan of this one. Some teens might go for it, but I was turned away by many things. First, the dialogue and narration seem very immature. I know these are teenagers, but the way they acted and talked got on my nerves. I’ve read much better. Next, I didn’t really find the car caters likable. Markus kind of grew on me, but Zadie and her friends got on my nerves. I couldn’t nail down the types of characters they were supposed to be. Finally, the twist was weird and the dreaming really out there. I just couldn’t get vested in their story and what was happening. Again, some teens might like it bc it’s a love story-ish (very little basis for the love in my opinion), but it didn’t have enough depth and didn’t get me rooting for the characters at all. FYI profanity and talking of hooking up and sleeping together but not details

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept for this book is great, but the execution is messy and ... overdeveloped? There is too much on the plate, and if some of it was just scraped off, you'd have a real solid meal. Instead of the plot twist causing everything to fall into place, it managed to muddle everything. Zadie was the right amount of interesting and flawed to be intriguing, but her chemistry with Marcus felt like putting a circle into a square. It fits in there just fine, but it wasn't fleshed out, and the gaps are apparent.

Honestly I'm mostly annoyed because I'm not even a good kind of mad. With a twist like this, you should be floored. So stunned you don't even have words, and mad in an appropriate way where you're so invested. A type of cathartic anger with connection to the story, but I'm just annoyed and a bad kind of mad. I'm usually such a fan of creative uses of time travel or past wandering, but I was left dissatisfied.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

To start with.. wow.

Thank you netgalley for this arc read.

This was a book I went into with no idea about the plot (the love of arc reading because social media hasn’t had a chance to spoil it yet) and no prior reads from this author. I loved every page of this. I found myself devastated by the realisation that I’d fallen so in love with the idea of Zadie and Marcus, just like she did.

This book truly pulls the reader into Zadie’s world and portrays love, friendship and loss in such an amazing way I’ve never read before in a book with the style of co-dreaming.

To say the least, this may be one of my favourite books I’ve read this year (yes it’s only February- I’ll update my thought on this at the end of the year).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ utter perfection. Please a second book, I need more of Marcus and Zadie (dual pov??) I was not ready for this book to end.

[snazzy pen ✰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Current rating: 2.5 stars?

I'm so sad because I wanted to love this. I usually love time travel elements in books, but this missed the mark for me. I initially thought this would be a 3.25 star read, but my rating lowered as I read on.

I feel like there were large swaths of the book where nothing was happening, but the ending felt very rushed and unsatisfying. It really dragged at some points, and I found myself eager to be done with it, which is rare for me when reading contemporary romance- even if it's long or I don't enjoy the story, I am usually still relatively engaged and don't have the urge to skim.

Honestly, the only character I liked was Mo, and the others were pretty bland. The romance wasn't very believable imo, but there were cute moments.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Hannah Lilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review!

The plot is what initially drew me to this book. I am very intrigued by anything involving going back in time or as in the case of this book, living in flashbacks of her relationship with Jason. I LOVED the bonding between Marcus and Zadie as they are catapulted back into the memories together! The plot twist towards the end had me screaming! The romance was cute, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book! There were some cheesy parts that fell a little flat for me. However, I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a book with the themes of a time travel romance and mild enemies-to-lovers. This is very quintessential YA, so if that is not your genre, this book may not be for you.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great coming-of-age book for high schoolers. It’s packed with familiar teen angst such as college applications, first loves, breakups, and overbearing parents. Zadie’s grief over her father’s death felt especially real and emotionally grounded. As an adult, I did feel a bit too old for this book due to all the teenage angst, but I would have loved this in high school.

I primarily picked this book because I love Groundhog Day storylines, so I was pretty disappointed to realize that the ‘time loop’ was just her and Marcus revisiting her memories with Jason. I still gave it 5 stars because it’s very well written and I enjoyed seeing Zadie’s growth over the book.