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You and Me - Die zweite erste Liebe
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Ein Paar. Eine Reise in die Vergangenheit. Eine Million Morgen.
Was würden wir in der Vergangenheit verändern, um heute glücklicher zu sein? Was würden wir heute geben, um uns erneut in die Person zu verlieben, mit der wir tagein tagaus unser Leben teilen?
Die romantische Komödie »You and Me - Die zweite erste Liebe« erzählt DIE große Liebesgeschichte mit unendlich vielen Möglichkeiten
Es war die große Liebe, als Adam und Jules sich 1989 kennengelernt haben.
35 Jahre später ist ihre Ehe längst im Alltagstrott festgefahren. Zwischen Jobs, Kindern und kleinen und großen Sorgen ist die Liebe irgendwie auf der Strecke geblieben. Oder vielleicht doch nicht?
Eines Tages stolpert Adam über eine Kiste alter Mixtapes, die er und Jules füreinander aufgenommen haben, als sie jung und frisch verliebt waren. Was würde er dafür geben, um sich noch einmal so unbeschwert zu fühlen?
Kurzerhand legt Adam eine der Kassetten ein, drückt auf Play – und das Unglaubliche Sein Wunsch wird wahr, und er reist für wenige Stunden in der Zeit zurück, zu einem der schönsten und unvergesslichsten Tage in ihrer Beziehung. Von nun an können er und Jules zu den Klängen ihrer Lieblingssongs wichtige Momente aus ihrer Vergangenheit erneut erleben.
Ist dies die Chance auf einen Neubeginn? Um sich wieder jung zu fühlen? Um sich daran zu erinnern, warum sie sich ineinander verliebten? Aber vielleicht auch, um ein paar klitzekleine Änderungen vorzunehmen, die ihr Leben in der Gegenwart verbessern könnten …
Auf einer epischen Suche nach ihrer perfekten Liebesgeschichte reisen Adam und Jules abwechselnd durch die Zeit. Doch bald geraten die Dinge in der Gegenwart mehr und mehr außer Kontrolle … Werden sie einen Weg zurück finden, oder einander für immer verlieren?
Was würden wir in der Vergangenheit verändern, um heute glücklicher zu sein? Was würden wir heute geben, um uns erneut in die Person zu verlieben, mit der wir tagein tagaus unser Leben teilen?
Die romantische Komödie »You and Me - Die zweite erste Liebe« erzählt DIE große Liebesgeschichte mit unendlich vielen Möglichkeiten
Es war die große Liebe, als Adam und Jules sich 1989 kennengelernt haben.
35 Jahre später ist ihre Ehe längst im Alltagstrott festgefahren. Zwischen Jobs, Kindern und kleinen und großen Sorgen ist die Liebe irgendwie auf der Strecke geblieben. Oder vielleicht doch nicht?
Eines Tages stolpert Adam über eine Kiste alter Mixtapes, die er und Jules füreinander aufgenommen haben, als sie jung und frisch verliebt waren. Was würde er dafür geben, um sich noch einmal so unbeschwert zu fühlen?
Kurzerhand legt Adam eine der Kassetten ein, drückt auf Play – und das Unglaubliche Sein Wunsch wird wahr, und er reist für wenige Stunden in der Zeit zurück, zu einem der schönsten und unvergesslichsten Tage in ihrer Beziehung. Von nun an können er und Jules zu den Klängen ihrer Lieblingssongs wichtige Momente aus ihrer Vergangenheit erneut erleben.
Ist dies die Chance auf einen Neubeginn? Um sich wieder jung zu fühlen? Um sich daran zu erinnern, warum sie sich ineinander verliebten? Aber vielleicht auch, um ein paar klitzekleine Änderungen vorzunehmen, die ihr Leben in der Gegenwart verbessern könnten …
Auf einer epischen Suche nach ihrer perfekten Liebesgeschichte reisen Adam und Jules abwechselnd durch die Zeit. Doch bald geraten die Dinge in der Gegenwart mehr und mehr außer Kontrolle … Werden sie einen Weg zurück finden, oder einander für immer verlieren?
401 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
October 4, 2025
Jules & Adam have been married for 25 years, have raised 2 kids and now find themselves “stuck” in an unsatisfying marriage. In their early days of courting, they would make each other mix-tapes. When Adam finds them in a box of things that Jules has set aside for the trash, he is absolutely appalled. He takes them out to his man-cave and goes through them until he finds the very first one Jules made for him. He pops the cassette tape into his player and all of a sudden he has time traveled back to the day she gave it to him. Upon returning to the present, he tells Jules what he just experienced. She doesn’t quite believe what she is hearing, but she picks a mixtape and heads back to that time period. Once she returns, they set ground rules that they can’t change things that are going to affect others, but little by little, they begin breaking those rules until all of a sudden, their marriage is in worse shape than before. What have they done and how are they going to fix things?!? I was totally entertained by this story. I think everyone who has been married this long will totally relate to some of what they were going through.
Many thanks to Penguin Random House & NetGalley for an invitation to read an advanced eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
Many thanks to Penguin Random House & NetGalley for an invitation to read an advanced eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
November 17, 2025
It was fine, if predictable. It goes the way you'd expect it to--people find a magic portal to the past, they go back and inadvertently screw something up, then work the rest of the novel to undo the havoc they've wrought.
I just want to know why the authors gave the central couple the surname "Hole."
I just want to know why the authors gave the central couple the surname "Hole."
January 29, 2026
You and Me and You and Me and You and Me is a quietly magical, deeply relatable listen that blends time slip magical realism with the emotional truths of long-term marriage. Narrated by Rory Kinnear and Sally Phillips—both new to me and both excellent—the performances are nuanced, tender, and emotionally grounded, which is especially impressive given how much of this story lives in memory, regret, and unspoken longing. The time loop element is intriguing without being gimmicky, and the way music (especially mixtapes) anchors Adam and Jules’ shared history adds a rich layer of nostalgia. As characters close to my own age, their flaws, frustrations, and deeply familiar marital patterns felt honest and painfully real. Quirky, thoughtful, and often heart warming, this is a story about love evolving rather than being rewritten, and why the messy, imperfect present might still be the most meaningful place to land.
December 1, 2025
I had never heard of either of the authors before, but I am a sucker for a time travel book, so I was intrigued. Whilst I enjoyed the story, I felt it could do with some more editing. There were a few errors, including one sentence being repeated, and a handful of places where things didn’t feel quite right. That said, overall, I really enjoyed it and I’m glad I picked it up.
Adam and Jules have been married for nearly twenty five years, but their relationship is strained. Both are bored, resentful, and struggling to remember why they fell in love, with their grown children no longer holding them together. Adam retreats to his shed, where he discovers the old mix tapes, they once made for each other. When he plays one, he is transported back to the exact moment the tape was exchanged—half the time before and half after. In these time slips, Adam and Jules can either relive events as passengers in their younger selves or take control to alter the past, reshaping the present. As Jules eventually comes to believe Adam’s discovery, the couple take turns revisiting their history, promising not to interfere. But temptation is strong, and the question remains: can they resist changing what has already happened, and if they do, will it truly make things better?
Overall, You & Me and You & Me and You & Me is an enjoyable time travel story with a clever premise that lets Adam and Jules revisit the highs and lows of their marriage. Although I felt it could benefit from more editing, with a few errors and repeated sentences standing out, the concept and characters kept me engaged. Despite those flaws, I really enjoyed the book and would happily recommend it to anyone who, like me, is a sucker for time travel fiction.
Adam and Jules have been married for nearly twenty five years, but their relationship is strained. Both are bored, resentful, and struggling to remember why they fell in love, with their grown children no longer holding them together. Adam retreats to his shed, where he discovers the old mix tapes, they once made for each other. When he plays one, he is transported back to the exact moment the tape was exchanged—half the time before and half after. In these time slips, Adam and Jules can either relive events as passengers in their younger selves or take control to alter the past, reshaping the present. As Jules eventually comes to believe Adam’s discovery, the couple take turns revisiting their history, promising not to interfere. But temptation is strong, and the question remains: can they resist changing what has already happened, and if they do, will it truly make things better?
Overall, You & Me and You & Me and You & Me is an enjoyable time travel story with a clever premise that lets Adam and Jules revisit the highs and lows of their marriage. Although I felt it could benefit from more editing, with a few errors and repeated sentences standing out, the concept and characters kept me engaged. Despite those flaws, I really enjoyed the book and would happily recommend it to anyone who, like me, is a sucker for time travel fiction.
January 29, 2026
Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees have crafted a brilliantly sharp, emotionally resonant exploration of "what if" in their latest novel, You & Me and You & Me and You & Me. As a fan of spec-fiction that pushes boundaries in genres like this, I found this to be an absolute five-star read that balances simple-concept sci-fi with the messy realities of a long-term marriage.
Oh, and how messy it all becomes for MCs Adam and Jules! What struck me most was the gray nature of our protagonists. They aren’t your typical polished heroes; they are deeply flawed, relatable, and at times, delightfully selfish. I loved watching them succumb to the temptation of the time machine, making morally questionable choices to "fix" inconveniences or perceived slights from their past. This moral ambiguity makes the narrative feel grounded and honest.
The authors use the time-travel device masterfully to dissect the anatomy of a marriage. It serves as a lens through which we see their mutual disappointments, the stinging resentment Jules feels over Adam’s lack of support for her dreams, and the heavy weight of the professional risks Adam never took. It is a poignant study of how two people can drift apart while standing right next to each other.
The prose is an absolute joy—neatly structured and peppered with clever pop-culture references that make the dual-POV narrative feel incredibly vibrant. The distinct voices of Adam and Jules brought me close to their inner lives, making their journey feel personal. Ultimately, this is a cautionary tale about the "grass is greener" syndrome. It reminds us that while avoiding regret is a human instinct, true fulfillment comes from appreciating the joyful moments we already have. A witty, thought-provoking, and deeply moving triumph of a novel.
Thank you to the authors and the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to dive in and relive the past with Adam and Jules.
Oh, and how messy it all becomes for MCs Adam and Jules! What struck me most was the gray nature of our protagonists. They aren’t your typical polished heroes; they are deeply flawed, relatable, and at times, delightfully selfish. I loved watching them succumb to the temptation of the time machine, making morally questionable choices to "fix" inconveniences or perceived slights from their past. This moral ambiguity makes the narrative feel grounded and honest.
The authors use the time-travel device masterfully to dissect the anatomy of a marriage. It serves as a lens through which we see their mutual disappointments, the stinging resentment Jules feels over Adam’s lack of support for her dreams, and the heavy weight of the professional risks Adam never took. It is a poignant study of how two people can drift apart while standing right next to each other.
The prose is an absolute joy—neatly structured and peppered with clever pop-culture references that make the dual-POV narrative feel incredibly vibrant. The distinct voices of Adam and Jules brought me close to their inner lives, making their journey feel personal. Ultimately, this is a cautionary tale about the "grass is greener" syndrome. It reminds us that while avoiding regret is a human instinct, true fulfillment comes from appreciating the joyful moments we already have. A witty, thought-provoking, and deeply moving triumph of a novel.
Thank you to the authors and the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to dive in and relive the past with Adam and Jules.
August 28, 2025
3.5 🌟
Jules and Adam have been stuck in a rut in their marriage, until Adam rediscovers the old mixtapes they used to make for each other. When he decides to play one, he’s unexpectedly transported back in time. Together, Jules and Adam start reliving the “good times” of their relationship in hopes of fixing what’s broken. But as they make small changes, they find themselves slipping into an alternate timeline.
The story does a great job of portraying just how flawed both characters are, which makes them feel very real, even if they aren’t particularly likeable. Personally, that did lower my rating a bit, especially since infidelity is a theme I don’t enjoy. That said, the book was still highly entertaining. I loved the Back to the Future vibes and the reminder that there’s beauty in being authentically ourselves.
Overall, a solid read if you enjoy flawed main characters and a story that leans into realism rather than perfection.
🎶✨📼🩵
Jules and Adam have been stuck in a rut in their marriage, until Adam rediscovers the old mixtapes they used to make for each other. When he decides to play one, he’s unexpectedly transported back in time. Together, Jules and Adam start reliving the “good times” of their relationship in hopes of fixing what’s broken. But as they make small changes, they find themselves slipping into an alternate timeline.
The story does a great job of portraying just how flawed both characters are, which makes them feel very real, even if they aren’t particularly likeable. Personally, that did lower my rating a bit, especially since infidelity is a theme I don’t enjoy. That said, the book was still highly entertaining. I loved the Back to the Future vibes and the reminder that there’s beauty in being authentically ourselves.
Overall, a solid read if you enjoy flawed main characters and a story that leans into realism rather than perfection.
🎶✨📼🩵
February 10, 2026
3.5 stars. Way back at the turn of the 21st century, Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees published several well-received novels such as Come Together that used their alternating points of view to portray the romance arc for 20-something MMCs and FMCs. Somewhere along the line, fiction became fact; Lloyd and Rees got together, married, and had kids. I lost track of them for a few decades, but here they are again, older and wiser, with a clever if somewhat confusing time- loop variation on Can This Marriage Be Saved?
Jules and Adam are a typical couple approaching their 25 year anniversary. Although they still love each other, the stresses of jobs, money, and kids combined with several traumatic losses have left them far from the two young adults who used mixtapes* to convey their feelings. After a particularly bad fight, Adam retreats to his workshop and pops one of the tapes into their old cassette player. Suddenly he finds himself back in 1989, crushing on Jules and shyly handing her his first mixtape offering.
Adam returns to the present and tells Jules about the magical cassette player. They start taking turns going back in time, just to relive the experiences and feelings. They pledge to not interfere with anything that happened when they travel back. But surely a few little changes wouldn't be bad? Like Adam warning Jules not to get the name of her soon-to-be-ex boyfriend tattooed on her shoulder. Or Jules casually commenting to Adam that she doesn't care for men with facial hair. But the temptation becomes too great, and soon Adam and Jules are taking more significant actions while visiting the past that will have lasting and unforeseen repercussions beyond their control.
I liked the fact that both Jules and Adam were willing, knowing participants in the time-loop. In most books of this genre, one character does the traveling while the other is either blissfully ignorant or a passive beneficiary of the process. Both MCs, and their college-aged kids, are relatable and sympathetically flawed. I did find myself a little lost in the time-loop mechanics, TBH. I'll buy the outlandish premise that Adam and Jules figure out the rules of the magical cassette player almost immediately. And at first, it's easy to track the effects of their journeys (Jules doesn't have a tattoo now! Adam is clean-shaven!). But as the story progresses, it becomes harder to recall how the numerous changes have built on each other to create the new reality. The fact that Adam and Jules immediately "remember" everything that comprises their new reality felt too convenient. Also, the resolution tidies up things cleanly, which felt like a cop out given the messy premise.
I'm happy to see that Lloyd and Rees are still professional and personal partners. Can we expect another book in 20 years that catches up with their literary doppelgangers as they share the joys of aching joints, failing memories, and weekly doctor appointments?
*If you're younger than 40, ask your parents.
ARC received from publisher and Net Galley.
Jules and Adam are a typical couple approaching their 25 year anniversary. Although they still love each other, the stresses of jobs, money, and kids combined with several traumatic losses have left them far from the two young adults who used mixtapes* to convey their feelings. After a particularly bad fight, Adam retreats to his workshop and pops one of the tapes into their old cassette player. Suddenly he finds himself back in 1989, crushing on Jules and shyly handing her his first mixtape offering.
Adam returns to the present and tells Jules about the magical cassette player. They start taking turns going back in time, just to relive the experiences and feelings. They pledge to not interfere with anything that happened when they travel back. But surely a few little changes wouldn't be bad? Like Adam warning Jules not to get the name of her soon-to-be-ex boyfriend tattooed on her shoulder. Or Jules casually commenting to Adam that she doesn't care for men with facial hair. But the temptation becomes too great, and soon Adam and Jules are taking more significant actions while visiting the past that will have lasting and unforeseen repercussions beyond their control.
I liked the fact that both Jules and Adam were willing, knowing participants in the time-loop. In most books of this genre, one character does the traveling while the other is either blissfully ignorant or a passive beneficiary of the process. Both MCs, and their college-aged kids, are relatable and sympathetically flawed. I did find myself a little lost in the time-loop mechanics, TBH. I'll buy the outlandish premise that Adam and Jules figure out the rules of the magical cassette player almost immediately. And at first, it's easy to track the effects of their journeys (Jules doesn't have a tattoo now! Adam is clean-shaven!). But as the story progresses, it becomes harder to recall how the numerous changes have built on each other to create the new reality. The fact that Adam and Jules immediately "remember" everything that comprises their new reality felt too convenient. Also, the resolution tidies up things cleanly, which felt like a cop out given the messy premise.
I'm happy to see that Lloyd and Rees are still professional and personal partners. Can we expect another book in 20 years that catches up with their literary doppelgangers as they share the joys of aching joints, failing memories, and weekly doctor appointments?
*If you're younger than 40, ask your parents.
ARC received from publisher and Net Galley.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
No notes. This tickled my absurd bone (I am adept at suspending reality), and took me for a ride I thoroughly enjoyed. Think "The Husbands" paired with "Dark Matter" and a side of "Deep Cuts". Easily a book I can see recommending to everyone, and a story that not only entertains, but helps put our own relationships into perspective.
November 15, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Star Review for You & Me and You & Me and You & Me by Josie Lloyd & Emlyn Rees
Whew—what an absolute rollercoaster! This book took me on a loop-de-loop of messy human choices, questionable decisions, and moments where I genuinely wanted to shake the MCs… but also, would I have made better choices in their shoes? Honestly, maybe not. 😅
The premise is so much fun—super messy, full of drama, and sprinkled with just enough sci-fi/time-travel magic to keep things fresh. The time-travel elements are inventive and new, and I was all in on the wild ride. I’m basically the exact target-audience reader for this book, and it delivered.
The characters? Chaotic, flawed, lovable, and occasionally exasperating. I wanted the absolute best for them, even when they were making me want to yell “STOP!!!” at the page. There were also flashes of humor and heart that hit perfectly, and the writing is easy and bingeable.
That said, I do wish we’d gotten a bit more depth and connection between the characters—there’s so much potential there. Still, this is a lighthearted, gossipy, sleepover-energy kind of read, full of crushes, drama, and magical little moments.
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC!
Whew—what an absolute rollercoaster! This book took me on a loop-de-loop of messy human choices, questionable decisions, and moments where I genuinely wanted to shake the MCs… but also, would I have made better choices in their shoes? Honestly, maybe not. 😅
The premise is so much fun—super messy, full of drama, and sprinkled with just enough sci-fi/time-travel magic to keep things fresh. The time-travel elements are inventive and new, and I was all in on the wild ride. I’m basically the exact target-audience reader for this book, and it delivered.
The characters? Chaotic, flawed, lovable, and occasionally exasperating. I wanted the absolute best for them, even when they were making me want to yell “STOP!!!” at the page. There were also flashes of humor and heart that hit perfectly, and the writing is easy and bingeable.
That said, I do wish we’d gotten a bit more depth and connection between the characters—there’s so much potential there. Still, this is a lighthearted, gossipy, sleepover-energy kind of read, full of crushes, drama, and magical little moments.
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC!
January 31, 2026
3.5 stars.
It wasn’t bad at all, but with two (!) authors, I expected a more thought-through narrative, stronger development of ideas and greater depth to the characters. The plot is perhaps a little predictable (the synopsis more or less spoils it for the reader), but there were moments when I simply couldn’t put the book down. I can easily imagine “You & Me and You & Me and You & Me” (also not a fan of the title - got tired typing it up!) being adapted into a romantic comedy.
As with most time-travel novels, the story follows a very familiar route: characters discover a time machine, change the past, and (just as we’ve been taught!) realise that even the smallest alteration can unravel the future, which then needs to be fixed. “You & Me x 3” sticks closely to this classic formula.
Some of the naming choices genuinely made me pause. Nelly and Liam (those names give me the ick, though that’s entirely personal), the truly awful dog name Groucho Barx and, cherry on the cake, the surname of the central couple - Hole. This opens the door to a whole range of “jokes” worthy of a giggling preschooler. Honestly… why?
That said, it was a fun read, and I’d recommend it as a light, quick holiday book. I’d also be curious to see a film adaptation. Still, if I’m being honest, it could have been written - and done - much better.
With many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
It wasn’t bad at all, but with two (!) authors, I expected a more thought-through narrative, stronger development of ideas and greater depth to the characters. The plot is perhaps a little predictable (the synopsis more or less spoils it for the reader), but there were moments when I simply couldn’t put the book down. I can easily imagine “You & Me and You & Me and You & Me” (also not a fan of the title - got tired typing it up!) being adapted into a romantic comedy.
As with most time-travel novels, the story follows a very familiar route: characters discover a time machine, change the past, and (just as we’ve been taught!) realise that even the smallest alteration can unravel the future, which then needs to be fixed. “You & Me x 3” sticks closely to this classic formula.
Some of the naming choices genuinely made me pause. Nelly and Liam (those names give me the ick, though that’s entirely personal), the truly awful dog name Groucho Barx and, cherry on the cake, the surname of the central couple - Hole. This opens the door to a whole range of “jokes” worthy of a giggling preschooler. Honestly… why?
That said, it was a fun read, and I’d recommend it as a light, quick holiday book. I’d also be curious to see a film adaptation. Still, if I’m being honest, it could have been written - and done - much better.
With many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
January 30, 2026
Thank you to G.P. Putnam & Sons and partner PRH Audio for the gifted advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.
Combine an interesting premise with excellent writing; toss in some realistically flawed characters and stir it all together to create a fresh and engaging romance. This is not a glossy, starry eyed love story. It’s a tale that shows what love looks like after it’s been tested by time and trials.
Adam and Jules are 25 years into marriage. They’ve raised two kids and are now looking ahead to the future which, frankly, doesn’t look too hot. They are in a rut made deeper by spinning their wheels over the same tired territory. When Adam finds a box of old mix tapes and discovers that playing them can transport him to the past, he shares this exciting news with Jules. They embrace this magic and agree to simply look, but not touch their past.
The allure of making tiny little tweaks is too great for either of them. Suddenly those minuscule adjustments are changing the very fabric of the life they’ve built.
Both Adam and Jules were frustratingly human; making unwise decision after unwise decision. And, still, I found them to be sympathetic. Annoying, but sympathetic. I absolutely loved the musical references as they captured the transformative moments in their relationship. This is a book that paints an accurate portrait of love through the years; from infatuation to the complete blending of two lives.
This story is at times both tender and brutally honest. This is what true love looks like once you remove the rose colored glasses.
Combine an interesting premise with excellent writing; toss in some realistically flawed characters and stir it all together to create a fresh and engaging romance. This is not a glossy, starry eyed love story. It’s a tale that shows what love looks like after it’s been tested by time and trials.
Adam and Jules are 25 years into marriage. They’ve raised two kids and are now looking ahead to the future which, frankly, doesn’t look too hot. They are in a rut made deeper by spinning their wheels over the same tired territory. When Adam finds a box of old mix tapes and discovers that playing them can transport him to the past, he shares this exciting news with Jules. They embrace this magic and agree to simply look, but not touch their past.
The allure of making tiny little tweaks is too great for either of them. Suddenly those minuscule adjustments are changing the very fabric of the life they’ve built.
Both Adam and Jules were frustratingly human; making unwise decision after unwise decision. And, still, I found them to be sympathetic. Annoying, but sympathetic. I absolutely loved the musical references as they captured the transformative moments in their relationship. This is a book that paints an accurate portrait of love through the years; from infatuation to the complete blending of two lives.
This story is at times both tender and brutally honest. This is what true love looks like once you remove the rose colored glasses.
February 10, 2026
Everything happens for a reason. I say this often. You may not see it immediately, in a day, in a week, a month, or even the year, but at some point you can look back on that disappointment and know you are better off. You are exactly where you are meant to be.
This book embodies that motto and brings it to life.
I am a sucker for a time travel story. Make it a romance, and I'm ecstatic.
This story follows a couple, navigating middle age, parenting young adults and dealing with a stale marriage. They are given a magical opportunity to travel back in time, but their glimpes and minor adjustments result in surprising results.
I loved this story. I loved the focus on a mature real relationship, it was so relatable. I loved the reflections on their relationship, but the reflections in parenthood really packed a punch.
I connected with this story in so many ways, so deeply. It's so special.
As an added bonus, music takes center stage, as it's the mixtapes that give them the portal to the past. Everything is better with music. And love.
The audiobook production was so well done, and I loved the dual narration!
This book embodies that motto and brings it to life.
I am a sucker for a time travel story. Make it a romance, and I'm ecstatic.
This story follows a couple, navigating middle age, parenting young adults and dealing with a stale marriage. They are given a magical opportunity to travel back in time, but their glimpes and minor adjustments result in surprising results.
I loved this story. I loved the focus on a mature real relationship, it was so relatable. I loved the reflections on their relationship, but the reflections in parenthood really packed a punch.
I connected with this story in so many ways, so deeply. It's so special.
As an added bonus, music takes center stage, as it's the mixtapes that give them the portal to the past. Everything is better with music. And love.
The audiobook production was so well done, and I loved the dual narration!
October 24, 2025
I really like fiction. I was reading a lot of non-fiction. I was very excited about the premise of this book. I really liked the authors of this book.
The book started really strong for me. I liked the characters and the premise. It was light but it, also, had substance. It was a fairly easy read.
The middle of the book got too long for me. I liked the moral of the story and what the book was trying to show. In the middle of the book, I started to lose interest. The book could have been shorter.
I really liked the ending of the book. The moral was clear. I liked the characters again. It redeemed the middle of the book for me.
I am appreciative for Netgalley and the author's of the book for the opportunity for read this book. I will look at life a little different because of this book.
Come back to your Review on the pub date, Feb 10 2026, to post to retailers.
February 8, 2026
Time travel/changing the timeline stories are tricky and I think that this book has some slow pacing issues due to the different timelines. It was definitely interesting and I think anyone who’s been married for a while will enjoy it. I’m never a huge fan of marriage in crisis trope, but I was intrigued by the concept.
The anxiety of it all going wrong and their timelines kept getting worse every time they went back! I did like the fact that the music moved the plot and that they got new memories every time it changed. I don’t think anything crazy new happened in this story in terms of the “Back to the Future” of it all. I just didn’t find the character development was strong enough, nor the depth anything but predictable in the end. It might be a better tv series than book.
Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
The anxiety of it all going wrong and their timelines kept getting worse every time they went back! I did like the fact that the music moved the plot and that they got new memories every time it changed. I don’t think anything crazy new happened in this story in terms of the “Back to the Future” of it all. I just didn’t find the character development was strong enough, nor the depth anything but predictable in the end. It might be a better tv series than book.
Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
December 2, 2025
The concept of time traveling by mixtape obviously intrigued this music lover, and the story did not disappoint.
Jules and Adam’s marriage hits a rut after 25 years and instead of calling it quits or trying to fix it conventionally, they opt for creating multiverses and changing ”small” things each time they time travel to presumably make things better in the present. It doesn’t quite work as intended, which left me with quite a bit of anxiety mid-read, but also led me to keep reading to find out how much more they screwed up and/or actually made better. In my opinion, they made some poor decisions. This would be good for a book club to discuss further though.
It is also interesting that the two authors have been married for 25 years to each other. I wonder how their writing process worked to write the alternating POVs.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the authors for this ARC!
Jules and Adam’s marriage hits a rut after 25 years and instead of calling it quits or trying to fix it conventionally, they opt for creating multiverses and changing ”small” things each time they time travel to presumably make things better in the present. It doesn’t quite work as intended, which left me with quite a bit of anxiety mid-read, but also led me to keep reading to find out how much more they screwed up and/or actually made better. In my opinion, they made some poor decisions. This would be good for a book club to discuss further though.
It is also interesting that the two authors have been married for 25 years to each other. I wonder how their writing process worked to write the alternating POVs.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the authors for this ARC!
November 29, 2025
This is one of those books that comes to you when you really need it. I couldn't wait to finish to find out what happens, but also didn't want it to end.
You & Me and You & Me and You & Me
Adam & Jules married nearly twenty-five years and stuck in a rut. Then Adam comes across some old mix tapes that he and Jules used to make for each other. I loved all the music references and travelling back in time to visit moments in their past hoping to find the key to getting their marriage, and life back on track.
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam, for the eARC of this book
You & Me and You & Me and You & Me
Adam & Jules married nearly twenty-five years and stuck in a rut. Then Adam comes across some old mix tapes that he and Jules used to make for each other. I loved all the music references and travelling back in time to visit moments in their past hoping to find the key to getting their marriage, and life back on track.
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam, for the eARC of this book
September 15, 2025
Having grown up reading Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees, I was thrilled to see a new release from them — it felt like slipping into a comfy old pair of trousers. Their familiar writing style instantly transported me back, and there’s something nostalgic and comforting about the tone they strike.
I really liked the concept of You & Me and You & Me and You & Me — it had so much potential, and the setup drew me in quickly. However, I found that the story dipped a bit in the middle, and I lost momentum for a while. It dragged enough that I found myself slightly bored, but thankfully, it picked back up again toward the end.
Despite the pacing issues, I enjoyed it overall. The attention to detail and the emotional undercurrents were lovely, and fans of Lloyd and Rees will likely appreciate the familiar rhythm of their storytelling.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House for ARC
I really liked the concept of You & Me and You & Me and You & Me — it had so much potential, and the setup drew me in quickly. However, I found that the story dipped a bit in the middle, and I lost momentum for a while. It dragged enough that I found myself slightly bored, but thankfully, it picked back up again toward the end.
Despite the pacing issues, I enjoyed it overall. The attention to detail and the emotional undercurrents were lovely, and fans of Lloyd and Rees will likely appreciate the familiar rhythm of their storytelling.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House for ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! Adam & Jules are a middle aged couple that feels stuck. Their adult kids live at home, neither have their dream job, and they've lost some of their spark. One day after a fight, Adam discovers he can travel back in time via mixtapes they'd exchanged over the years. They take turns goings back but even the smallest change can have a ripple effect on their lives. So many different possibilities but they don't necessarily lead where you'd expect. This was a heartwarming tale about a couple finding their way back to each other. Some Butterfly Effect vibes. 4.5 stars. It was a little hard to get into at first, a lot of British slang/terminology (not a problem for me, just went in blind and wasn't expecting it lol!)
October 7, 2025
I loved this book. 4.5 stars. A little bit Freaky Friday, Back to the Future, 13 going on 30, About Time, and What Alice Forgot all mashed together.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What a beautiful story! A reminder about life and love, and cherishing the ups and downs that come with it all. Thoughtful and emotional, this book explores relationships, memories, and the “what ifs” of life in a way that feels honest and relatable.
Thank you to Putnam for the eARC!
Thank you to Putnam for the eARC!
Want to read
September 29, 2025NetGalley widget (a maybe)
Pub Date Feb 10 2026
Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons
Pub Date Feb 10 2026
Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons
February 3, 2026
I loved this! Full review here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUS-MyTjV...
December 24, 2025
Thank you so much NetGalley and Putnam for the early copy of this book.
This book was so good! Magical realism time travel that had me gripped from the very beginning.
It really captivated me with its unique plot. I felt so excited reading this book and I couldn’t wait to see where each time travel would lead. I loved the playlist idea and how it worked the time travel.
The characters were well developed and the writing was very good and easy to read and follow.
Overall, this book was about love. Unconditional love for each other and their family. It makes you think about and appreciate what you have and how it’s true what they say you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.
I loved the ending even though the events leading up to it made me mad and sad but it ended the best way it could. I really enjoyed this book!
This book was so good! Magical realism time travel that had me gripped from the very beginning.
It really captivated me with its unique plot. I felt so excited reading this book and I couldn’t wait to see where each time travel would lead. I loved the playlist idea and how it worked the time travel.
The characters were well developed and the writing was very good and easy to read and follow.
Overall, this book was about love. Unconditional love for each other and their family. It makes you think about and appreciate what you have and how it’s true what they say you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.
I loved the ending even though the events leading up to it made me mad and sad but it ended the best way it could. I really enjoyed this book!
February 5, 2026
This was a fabulous read, especially for the 40/50 year olds as it’s full of nostalgia and the music of the era. Such a fun read that has you wishing you had a Time Machine too.
Adam and Jules are having a few marriage issues when Adam discovers he can travel back in time to when they exchanged mix tapes. They can only venture back for the length of the tape/CD and promise each other they won’t change a thing while there. Well you can imagine how that goes…
I loved this book and it’s a definite 5⭐️from me
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC
Adam and Jules are having a few marriage issues when Adam discovers he can travel back in time to when they exchanged mix tapes. They can only venture back for the length of the tape/CD and promise each other they won’t change a thing while there. Well you can imagine how that goes…
I loved this book and it’s a definite 5⭐️from me
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Light-hearted yet still deep look at the consequences of changing our past.
Nostalgia abounds here, in a funny and still consequential time-travel tale where a husband and wife, stuck in various ruts and with various regrets get an unexpected and unusual chance to both look back ad make changes that could change things for the better for them now.
Or could they? A huge part of this story goes right back to every time-travel story we know and love - if changes we make in the past, however small, would change our presents for better or worse.
Adam and Jules are a middle aged couple. With both their adult children back living at home, Adam still feels niggles over losing out with a friend's start-up tech company that's gone global. And Jules never managed to get her catering business to where she thought it could be. Their car is ancient and failing. They both hold resentments close, their son's once-possible music career seems destined to go no further than his bedroom. The passion and drive of their early years together has faded into everyday banalities and money worries.
But the kick up the plot backside? Pottering in his shed, Adam begins replaying the old mix tapes the couple used to make each other constantly. And finds himself transported to the day each mix tape was given. Right back when they met. Realising this is real, he persuades Jules of what he's experienced and the pair of them agree to view their past, bringing back memories and feelings along the way. But they must not change anything. Nope, not a thing. Not even that little thing that surely won't cause harm but could make a huge difference.... nope, not even that. Ahem.
What follows is a bit of a manual of 'what to expect when you change your past'. It could be a Simpsons episode, or Back to the Future. Jules getting herself on a gourmet cooking course, Adam deciding whether or not to stop his son's accident that injured his guitar-playing hand...
I loved this, it was to realistic in its portrayal of long-term couples, of regrets, resentments and relationships changing, of the sorts of things any realistic person would want to change about their past. And the possible consequences of this.
It was illuminating watching the past change the present, I liked the 'science' (what there is) behind it and how Adam and Jules work out what the rules must be, how the time travel works for them.
I laughed, I think I may have cried. I thought about my own life and regrets and what I'd do with such powers. And where things might be different now.
The life lessons here are what you might expect, but this is a lovely story that entertains and gives the characters so many paths and opportunities, you don't know how it's going to end until you get there. Wonderful story, loved the writing. Love Adam and Jules.
I'd watch this on the screen, and do recommend the book highly.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
Nostalgia abounds here, in a funny and still consequential time-travel tale where a husband and wife, stuck in various ruts and with various regrets get an unexpected and unusual chance to both look back ad make changes that could change things for the better for them now.
Or could they? A huge part of this story goes right back to every time-travel story we know and love - if changes we make in the past, however small, would change our presents for better or worse.
Adam and Jules are a middle aged couple. With both their adult children back living at home, Adam still feels niggles over losing out with a friend's start-up tech company that's gone global. And Jules never managed to get her catering business to where she thought it could be. Their car is ancient and failing. They both hold resentments close, their son's once-possible music career seems destined to go no further than his bedroom. The passion and drive of their early years together has faded into everyday banalities and money worries.
But the kick up the plot backside? Pottering in his shed, Adam begins replaying the old mix tapes the couple used to make each other constantly. And finds himself transported to the day each mix tape was given. Right back when they met. Realising this is real, he persuades Jules of what he's experienced and the pair of them agree to view their past, bringing back memories and feelings along the way. But they must not change anything. Nope, not a thing. Not even that little thing that surely won't cause harm but could make a huge difference.... nope, not even that. Ahem.
What follows is a bit of a manual of 'what to expect when you change your past'. It could be a Simpsons episode, or Back to the Future. Jules getting herself on a gourmet cooking course, Adam deciding whether or not to stop his son's accident that injured his guitar-playing hand...
I loved this, it was to realistic in its portrayal of long-term couples, of regrets, resentments and relationships changing, of the sorts of things any realistic person would want to change about their past. And the possible consequences of this.
It was illuminating watching the past change the present, I liked the 'science' (what there is) behind it and how Adam and Jules work out what the rules must be, how the time travel works for them.
I laughed, I think I may have cried. I thought about my own life and regrets and what I'd do with such powers. And where things might be different now.
The life lessons here are what you might expect, but this is a lovely story that entertains and gives the characters so many paths and opportunities, you don't know how it's going to end until you get there. Wonderful story, loved the writing. Love Adam and Jules.
I'd watch this on the screen, and do recommend the book highly.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
November 24, 2025
What if the key to fixing a broken marriage wasn’t therapy or a grand romantic gesture—but a mixtape that sends you hurtling back in time?
This novel takes that irresistible premise and spins it into a heartfelt, messy, and wildly entertaining story about love, regret, and the complicated beauty of long-term commitment.
Jules and Adam, approaching their twenty-fifth anniversary, are stuck in the kind of emotional rut that feels painfully relatable. Years of stress, loss, and the everyday grind have worn down what once made their relationship vibrant. But when Adam rediscovers their old mixtapes—the ones they made for each other in the early days of their relationship—he unknowingly unlocks a literal door to the past. One song, one cassette, and suddenly he’s back in 1989, reliving the moment young Jules handed him her first tape.
Once Jules reluctantly joins in, the couple sets “ground rules” about not altering the past… but temptation is a powerful thing. A tiny warning here, a small comment there, and soon they’re nudging their younger selves toward seemingly harmless changes. But each tweak ripples outward, building into a tangle of altered memories, shifting realities, and consequences they never saw coming. As their timelines—and their marriage—grow increasingly unrecognizable, the question becomes not just how to fix things, but whether they’re willing to face the truth about who they’ve become.
What makes this book so engaging is how human it feels. Jules and Adam are deeply flawed—sometimes lovable, sometimes infuriating, always real. Their choices don’t always make them easy to root for, but they make them fascinating, and their emotional journey is sincere and resonant. The time-travel mechanics are fun, nostalgic, and pleasantly “Back to the Future”-esque, even when they get a little chaotic. The magic here isn’t in the sci-fi logic; it’s in the feelings the past stirs up and the uncomfortable honesty it forces the characters to confront.
The story moves briskly, though the middle stretch can feel a bit long as the increasingly complex timeline twists pile up. Still, the narrative sticks its landing with an ending that feels both earned and emotionally satisfying. It’s a reminder that love isn’t perfect, people aren’t perfect, and sometimes the real work of a relationship is choosing each other again—despite everything.
At its core, this book is about unconditional love, nostalgia, second chances, and the courage it takes to look at your life—past and present—and decide what truly matters. Warm, funny, frustrating, heartfelt, and wonderfully nostalgic, it’s a perfect read for anyone who loves magical realism with emotional depth, flawed characters, and the bittersweet magic of revisiting the moments that shaped us.
Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage Books for the ARC
This novel takes that irresistible premise and spins it into a heartfelt, messy, and wildly entertaining story about love, regret, and the complicated beauty of long-term commitment.
Jules and Adam, approaching their twenty-fifth anniversary, are stuck in the kind of emotional rut that feels painfully relatable. Years of stress, loss, and the everyday grind have worn down what once made their relationship vibrant. But when Adam rediscovers their old mixtapes—the ones they made for each other in the early days of their relationship—he unknowingly unlocks a literal door to the past. One song, one cassette, and suddenly he’s back in 1989, reliving the moment young Jules handed him her first tape.
Once Jules reluctantly joins in, the couple sets “ground rules” about not altering the past… but temptation is a powerful thing. A tiny warning here, a small comment there, and soon they’re nudging their younger selves toward seemingly harmless changes. But each tweak ripples outward, building into a tangle of altered memories, shifting realities, and consequences they never saw coming. As their timelines—and their marriage—grow increasingly unrecognizable, the question becomes not just how to fix things, but whether they’re willing to face the truth about who they’ve become.
What makes this book so engaging is how human it feels. Jules and Adam are deeply flawed—sometimes lovable, sometimes infuriating, always real. Their choices don’t always make them easy to root for, but they make them fascinating, and their emotional journey is sincere and resonant. The time-travel mechanics are fun, nostalgic, and pleasantly “Back to the Future”-esque, even when they get a little chaotic. The magic here isn’t in the sci-fi logic; it’s in the feelings the past stirs up and the uncomfortable honesty it forces the characters to confront.
The story moves briskly, though the middle stretch can feel a bit long as the increasingly complex timeline twists pile up. Still, the narrative sticks its landing with an ending that feels both earned and emotionally satisfying. It’s a reminder that love isn’t perfect, people aren’t perfect, and sometimes the real work of a relationship is choosing each other again—despite everything.
At its core, this book is about unconditional love, nostalgia, second chances, and the courage it takes to look at your life—past and present—and decide what truly matters. Warm, funny, frustrating, heartfelt, and wonderfully nostalgic, it’s a perfect read for anyone who loves magical realism with emotional depth, flawed characters, and the bittersweet magic of revisiting the moments that shaped us.
Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage Books for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Star Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Genre: Magical Realism
Format: 📖
Release Date: 2/10/26
Length: 346 pages
After twenty-five years of marriage Adam and Jules seem to be in a rut, their passion has faded, they are starting to reset each other, they have money problems, credit card secrets and well ... their life is just boring.
🎶 📼
After a major argument, Adams spends the night in his man-shed and that is about to change everything.
🎶 📼
Adam stumbles across a box of old mixtapes headed for the trash, tapes that Jules and Adam made for each other. Finding the first tape that Jules ever made for him, he pops the cassette into player and suddenly he is swished to another time the day she handed him that tape. Upon returning to his current time Adams shares this adventure with Jules. Not believing him she tries one for herself.
🎶 📼
Having discovered a time-traveling music box Jules and Adam start taking turns returning to their past .. just to observe their lives in hopes to make their marriage better today. They agreed, no changes, no interfering with anything. But really who would know if one of them made little tweak that would fix something in their future, it was such a temptation that neither can resist. These little changes will not affect much, will it or will there be consequences? It should make their marriage better, right?
🎶 📼
You&Me and You&Me and You&Me is about love and second changes, longing for what you had but moving forward to decide what is important in your life.
🎶 📼
I loved the concept of this book .. time travel, second chances, an older couple. However, I just felt the middle got bogged down and was repetitive, it was too long. For most of the story I really had a hard time rooting for this marriage to succeed, they were not nice to each other or others. I was glad that by the time I got to the end of the book, Jules and Adam kind of redeemed themselves, at lease it ended on a positive note.
🎶 📼
Thank you, Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees, G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is due to be released on 2/10/26.
Genre: Magical Realism
Format: 📖
Release Date: 2/10/26
Length: 346 pages
After twenty-five years of marriage Adam and Jules seem to be in a rut, their passion has faded, they are starting to reset each other, they have money problems, credit card secrets and well ... their life is just boring.
🎶 📼
After a major argument, Adams spends the night in his man-shed and that is about to change everything.
🎶 📼
Adam stumbles across a box of old mixtapes headed for the trash, tapes that Jules and Adam made for each other. Finding the first tape that Jules ever made for him, he pops the cassette into player and suddenly he is swished to another time the day she handed him that tape. Upon returning to his current time Adams shares this adventure with Jules. Not believing him she tries one for herself.
🎶 📼
Having discovered a time-traveling music box Jules and Adam start taking turns returning to their past .. just to observe their lives in hopes to make their marriage better today. They agreed, no changes, no interfering with anything. But really who would know if one of them made little tweak that would fix something in their future, it was such a temptation that neither can resist. These little changes will not affect much, will it or will there be consequences? It should make their marriage better, right?
🎶 📼
You&Me and You&Me and You&Me is about love and second changes, longing for what you had but moving forward to decide what is important in your life.
🎶 📼
I loved the concept of this book .. time travel, second chances, an older couple. However, I just felt the middle got bogged down and was repetitive, it was too long. For most of the story I really had a hard time rooting for this marriage to succeed, they were not nice to each other or others. I was glad that by the time I got to the end of the book, Jules and Adam kind of redeemed themselves, at lease it ended on a positive note.
🎶 📼
Thank you, Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees, G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is due to be released on 2/10/26.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
You & Me and You & Me and You & Me by Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees will be released in the United States on Feb 10, 2026.
You & Me and You & Me and You & Me asks the question, what would happen if your favorite mix-tapes and CDs, made at the height of your love story, could transport you back in time to those lovely days?
You & Me and You & Me and You & Me is for those readers who love music and nostalgia, who spent hours curating playlists on cassette tapes and mix CDs, writing titles in sharpie and to send messages to their loves ones and friends. This romantic and slightly sci-fi novel will appeal to those who remember the late 80s, 90s, and early 2000s with fondness and nostalgia. Gen X and elder millennials will relate to this book!
At its heart, this novel is a second-chance romance for two people who are struggling in their marriage and their lives. Adam and Jules have been together 25 years; their adult children are living at home, and they are blaming each other for their lost dreams and lapsed careers. Things come to a head when they attend a party of a successful friend and get into a big fight. You can tell they are in a cycle of “what ifs” and blaming each other. Right after that, Adam listens to a mix tape from the early days of their romance, and he somehow goes back in time, living in that moment when he gave Jules the first mix-tape he ever made for her.
Once he shares the secret with Jules, they are all-too-tempted to find out where things went wrong in their lives by traveling back in time and trying not to ruin the multiverse. They promise each other they won’t change anything, but of course, they are tempted…
Playing with something they don’t understand could have consequences in the present time. Will they regret the choices they’ve made? Is reliving your past something that will bring love and joy or chaos?
You & Me and You & Me and You & Me is set in Brighton, England. There are lots of British-isms and references to pop culture and British culture. While that may confuse some American readers, you can also learn some new things, especially about new bands or music artists you’ve never heard of.
I will also say that when I read the first few chapters, I wasn’t connecting to the characters. It was rough going because Adam and Jules were miserable and stuck: unhappy in their lives, careers, and with each other. However, I am glad I kept reading, because I ended up relating to the characters, enjoying the way they not only relived the years they fell in love, but also looking back, they saw moments in their roles as parents and friends and learned about enjoying the moment more. They realized memories can be false and appreciated new things about their lives they’d taken for granted, but it wasn’t corny or anything. There were lots of funny moments when Adam and Jules were making some trainwreck decisions and the end of the book felt truly suspenseful!
Thank you to Putnam and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
You & Me and You & Me and You & Me asks the question, what would happen if your favorite mix-tapes and CDs, made at the height of your love story, could transport you back in time to those lovely days?
You & Me and You & Me and You & Me is for those readers who love music and nostalgia, who spent hours curating playlists on cassette tapes and mix CDs, writing titles in sharpie and to send messages to their loves ones and friends. This romantic and slightly sci-fi novel will appeal to those who remember the late 80s, 90s, and early 2000s with fondness and nostalgia. Gen X and elder millennials will relate to this book!
At its heart, this novel is a second-chance romance for two people who are struggling in their marriage and their lives. Adam and Jules have been together 25 years; their adult children are living at home, and they are blaming each other for their lost dreams and lapsed careers. Things come to a head when they attend a party of a successful friend and get into a big fight. You can tell they are in a cycle of “what ifs” and blaming each other. Right after that, Adam listens to a mix tape from the early days of their romance, and he somehow goes back in time, living in that moment when he gave Jules the first mix-tape he ever made for her.
Once he shares the secret with Jules, they are all-too-tempted to find out where things went wrong in their lives by traveling back in time and trying not to ruin the multiverse. They promise each other they won’t change anything, but of course, they are tempted…
Playing with something they don’t understand could have consequences in the present time. Will they regret the choices they’ve made? Is reliving your past something that will bring love and joy or chaos?
You & Me and You & Me and You & Me is set in Brighton, England. There are lots of British-isms and references to pop culture and British culture. While that may confuse some American readers, you can also learn some new things, especially about new bands or music artists you’ve never heard of.
I will also say that when I read the first few chapters, I wasn’t connecting to the characters. It was rough going because Adam and Jules were miserable and stuck: unhappy in their lives, careers, and with each other. However, I am glad I kept reading, because I ended up relating to the characters, enjoying the way they not only relived the years they fell in love, but also looking back, they saw moments in their roles as parents and friends and learned about enjoying the moment more. They realized memories can be false and appreciated new things about their lives they’d taken for granted, but it wasn’t corny or anything. There were lots of funny moments when Adam and Jules were making some trainwreck decisions and the end of the book felt truly suspenseful!
Thank you to Putnam and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2025
If you loved the movie Everything Everywhere All At Once, then you will definitely love You & Me and You & Me and You & Me by Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees. This book is what happens when you take the emotional core of the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once (the messy, imperfect beauty of love and family) and swap googly eyed bagels for mixtapes and vintage stereos.
Adam and Jules are twenty five years into marriage, deep in that comfortable but slightly stale rut, when an old box of mixtapes cracks open not just nostalgia, but literal time travel. And here’s where the book hits that EEAAO sweet spot: the idea that there are infinite versions of us, infinite paths we could have taken, but the real question is... what version of us do we choose to fight for?
Like EEAAO, this story balances absurdity (yep, rewinding life with cassette tapes) with emotional depth. On the surface, it’s fun and quirky, like mixtapes as wormholes! Flashes back to the dizzy high of first love! But beneath the clever conceit is something raw and real: the terrifying temptation to rewrite your past, to fix mistakes, to make things smoother, easier, less… human. Just like Evelyn in the film, Adam and Jules have to face the chaos and mess of their actual lives, and decide whether the “what ifs” are worth more than the “what is.”
And the brilliance of it is that it doesn’t shy away from showing how addictive regret and nostalgia can be. There’s a universality in that tug of war, like how often do we think, “If I had just done one thing differently”? But the book, much like the movie, gently nudges us toward the radical idea that love is choosing someone again and again, even when it’s hard, even when it’s flawed, even when laundry piles up and conversations stall and taxes are due.
Where EEAAO gave us martial arts and multiversal chaos to deliver its message, You & Me and You & Me and You & Me uses humor, music, and time travel romance to land in the same place: that the most extraordinary choice is to stay, to see your partner as they are, and to embrace the messy, glorious now.
It’s heartfelt, funny, and unexpectedly profound. If Everything Everywhere All at Once left you clutching tissues and whispering “I would’ve chosen you in every universe,” then this book is its quieter, more romantic cousin, the one that will have you dusting off your old playlists and hugging your person a little tighter. I highly recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley, Josie Lloyd, Emlyn Rees, and Putnam for the eARC of this book.
Adam and Jules are twenty five years into marriage, deep in that comfortable but slightly stale rut, when an old box of mixtapes cracks open not just nostalgia, but literal time travel. And here’s where the book hits that EEAAO sweet spot: the idea that there are infinite versions of us, infinite paths we could have taken, but the real question is... what version of us do we choose to fight for?
Like EEAAO, this story balances absurdity (yep, rewinding life with cassette tapes) with emotional depth. On the surface, it’s fun and quirky, like mixtapes as wormholes! Flashes back to the dizzy high of first love! But beneath the clever conceit is something raw and real: the terrifying temptation to rewrite your past, to fix mistakes, to make things smoother, easier, less… human. Just like Evelyn in the film, Adam and Jules have to face the chaos and mess of their actual lives, and decide whether the “what ifs” are worth more than the “what is.”
And the brilliance of it is that it doesn’t shy away from showing how addictive regret and nostalgia can be. There’s a universality in that tug of war, like how often do we think, “If I had just done one thing differently”? But the book, much like the movie, gently nudges us toward the radical idea that love is choosing someone again and again, even when it’s hard, even when it’s flawed, even when laundry piles up and conversations stall and taxes are due.
Where EEAAO gave us martial arts and multiversal chaos to deliver its message, You & Me and You & Me and You & Me uses humor, music, and time travel romance to land in the same place: that the most extraordinary choice is to stay, to see your partner as they are, and to embrace the messy, glorious now.
It’s heartfelt, funny, and unexpectedly profound. If Everything Everywhere All at Once left you clutching tissues and whispering “I would’ve chosen you in every universe,” then this book is its quieter, more romantic cousin, the one that will have you dusting off your old playlists and hugging your person a little tighter. I highly recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley, Josie Lloyd, Emlyn Rees, and Putnam for the eARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
How often do we ask ourselves "What if I could go back and do that over? Make a different choice? Stop that bad thing from happening? Would everything be better now if I did?"
"You & Me and You & Me and You & Me" is a time travel romance about a middle-aged couple that have been married for 25 years and are feeling like their relationship is flat and their lives are stuck.
When Adam, now in his fifties, plays an old mix tape that his wife Jules made him when they were younger, he finds that his old Sony boombox is a time machine. He excitedly tells Jules and convinces her to try putting one of the tapes he made her into the player. And then? They're both hooked. What starts as a sweet and exciting time of reliving memories, turns into an opportunity to make adjustments to choices they made over the course of the last 25 years.
Time travel is a tricky thing to mess with, and the fallout from making changes to their past affects them both in some heart-wrenching ways. The domino affect of consequences stemming from Adam or Jules altering a moment here and there in their past brings them to a reality that shows them that what they thought they wanted isn't actually a better, perfect, or more beautiful life than the one they have now.
The couple of decades they have spent with each other, growing and changing and building their family, might actually be the most perfectly imperfect life of all. I adored their story and loved getting to experience their memories with them.
As a married woman myself, I found the premise of this story incredibly relatable and could feel the emotions and regrets each of them carried.
Truly, their love story was eye-opening and sobering in a achingly beautiful way. It gave me some real perspective on my own marriage, and choices I've made over the course of my life. As I finished the last chapter I felt tears brimming, and experienced a warm feeling of peace and clarity. I love that, like Jules, I have a man who will love me forever. Warts 'n' all.
The authors of "You & Me and You & Me and You & Me" are Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees, and what I find extremely cool is that they are married and wrote this book together!! I LOVE that. We get both POVs as Adam and Jules play with time, which makes for a really engaging experience as each of them get a taste of their pasts. I will definitely be rereading this one!
Thank you to Putnam for the ARC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own, as always.
"You & Me and You & Me and You & Me" is a time travel romance about a middle-aged couple that have been married for 25 years and are feeling like their relationship is flat and their lives are stuck.
When Adam, now in his fifties, plays an old mix tape that his wife Jules made him when they were younger, he finds that his old Sony boombox is a time machine. He excitedly tells Jules and convinces her to try putting one of the tapes he made her into the player. And then? They're both hooked. What starts as a sweet and exciting time of reliving memories, turns into an opportunity to make adjustments to choices they made over the course of the last 25 years.
Time travel is a tricky thing to mess with, and the fallout from making changes to their past affects them both in some heart-wrenching ways. The domino affect of consequences stemming from Adam or Jules altering a moment here and there in their past brings them to a reality that shows them that what they thought they wanted isn't actually a better, perfect, or more beautiful life than the one they have now.
The couple of decades they have spent with each other, growing and changing and building their family, might actually be the most perfectly imperfect life of all. I adored their story and loved getting to experience their memories with them.
As a married woman myself, I found the premise of this story incredibly relatable and could feel the emotions and regrets each of them carried.
Truly, their love story was eye-opening and sobering in a achingly beautiful way. It gave me some real perspective on my own marriage, and choices I've made over the course of my life. As I finished the last chapter I felt tears brimming, and experienced a warm feeling of peace and clarity. I love that, like Jules, I have a man who will love me forever. Warts 'n' all.
The authors of "You & Me and You & Me and You & Me" are Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees, and what I find extremely cool is that they are married and wrote this book together!! I LOVE that. We get both POVs as Adam and Jules play with time, which makes for a really engaging experience as each of them get a taste of their pasts. I will definitely be rereading this one!
Thank you to Putnam for the ARC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own, as always.
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