This Changes Everything

by Danielle McKechnie

An aspiring actor caught on the Hollywood roller coaster is torn between following her dreams and choosing between two of her own leading men—her childhood sweetheart and the one who got away, or the fellow actor who understands just what she’s fighting for. A funny, sexy and heartfelt romance for readers of Yulin Kuang, Rebecca Serle and Emily Henry.

Ellie McCain has always dreamed of a bigger life, so when she’s accepted into a prestigious acting school in New York City, she packs her bags—even if it means leaving her family, her friends and Rory Campbell, the boy who held her heart for years, behind.

At first, life in New York is even better than she’d dreamed it would be—she loves her classes, she gets a position at a fancy production company and she’s even falling in love with her classmate-turned-roommate-turned-best friend, Ben. But soon the shine starts to wear her boss has made it clear that the only role he’ll be casting her in is “Unpaid Intern #3,” and while she’s happy that Ben’s career is starting to take off, she’s struggling to stay afloat. And it doesn’t help that everyone around her seems to be passing her by—even her childhood sweetheart, Rory, is living out his dreams as a professional golfer. But when she runs into Rory for the first time in ten years, she starts to wonder what exactly it is she’s running from, where she’s going and who is running with her.

Told in alternating timelines of the past and present and moving between Vancouver, New York and Los Angeles, This Changes Everything is the story of love—first love, one-that-got-away-love and true love—and asks if maybe, just maybe, all those loves can be one and the same.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Ebooks

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 8, 2026

Reviews

[Esme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC📖
5⭐️!!! I really enjoyed this one!

This story follows an aspiring actor who leaves her family and childhood sweetheart heart behind in Vancouver to chase her dreams in New York. Her story is told over alternating time lines from the then and now and then everything after. She has BIG dreams and feels a great need to prove herself to everyone back home. As she moves through life she experiences two great loves- Rory and Ben. The author wrote both of these relationships so well for where she was in life and her age during each one. I feel like overall this was more about Ellie discovering herself and learning who she really is apart from her childhood dreams and wishes. We see her during very messy times in her life and we see her in very fun and exciting moments, it all feels so nostalgic while reading. Give this a go if you’re an Emily Henry fan. Overall a 5⭐️ read for me!!!!

[Sb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so lucky to get an advanced copy of this gem of a book, I've already read it twice!

This book effortlessly weaves humour, vulnerability, spice, and heart. 

The visceral feeling of first love to last love is so alive in Ellie's story. As a reader, I want to stand by her side as she navigates who she is in the world and who she loves without compromising her dreams. I was gutted when I finished reading, it left me wanting to stay in her world a little longer. 

The book has a similar vibe to Emily Henry or Abby Jimenez, yet still feels uniquely its own. I can't wait to read this again and whatever comes next.

[Stefania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating of ARC received by publisher

[Brooke Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel was fantastic! It was such a great story that I truly didn’t know what I wanted to happen because I loved all the characters! This book made me laugh out loud with all of the banter between the friends, I wish I had friends like these.
There are some heavy topics so I feel like this should have some sort of trigger warnings. The FMC suffers attempted grooming as a teenager and workplace s&xual abuse from her bosses as she is trying to make her way in the entertainment industry. This is all happening on the page in real time, not flashbacks.
Thanks so much to Harper Perennial for the advanced copy!

[Nadine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This Changes Everything desperately wants to be something it’s not. It wants to be deep, emotional, and messy childhood friends-to-lovers with a love triangle. Unfortunately, This Changes Everything only ever scratches the surface with an inevitable ending and a journey not worth the ride.

This Changes Everything lives under a constant cloud of misogyny, sexual harassment, and child sexual harassment. Trigger warnings. McKechnie, again, only scratches the surface of these topics with the conclusion being that this is the way Hollywood operates.

This Changes Everything follows Ellie as she moves to New York City to pursue an acting career after a messy ending with her longtime best friend, Rory. Once in the city, she meets Ben and falls for him.

The novel is weird and crude. A moment that is meant to forge a connection between Ellie and Ben is mind bafflingly weird. Ellie gets a piece of dried paint stuck under her nail and instead of going to urgent care, she files her nail off with Ben as emotional and physical support.

The characters and their dialogue are just plain crude. After Ellie and Rory get hot and heavy at a night club, one of her friends says something like she’ll find her own pleasure at the memory of them.

Ellie and Rory’s relationship lacks depth. Rory disappears from her life for two years because she decides to stop going to the place they met because of the unwanted older male attention she received.

Those wanting something comparable to Carley Fortune or Emily Henry will be severely disappointed.

Overall, This Changes Everything lives under a constant cloud of misogyny and sexual harassment with a love triangle that’s outcome lacks depth, emotion, and is inevitable.


*** I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Rene Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely took my breath away. Exceeded all expectations. Instantly became a forever favorite. The amount of highlights I have is insane, and maybe my highest ever?

THE YEARNING.

The right person / wrong time always gets me but like, this one destroyed me.

I am not exaggerating when I say I will think about this book all the time. November Rain by Guns N Roses will forever remind me of Ellie and Rory 🥹🥹

⛳️ “There are billions of people in the world, but I think you only get three big loves. The first love, the one that got away, and the true love. Ellie, you’re all three.”
✍🏼 “I think we became who we were always meant to be because we were apart. And the people we eventually turned into . . . turns out they were always meant to be together.”

[B · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lmao absolutely not. This was so childish and the dialogue was EXTREMELY stilted and I just cringed the entire time. I didn’t even care about Ellie and Rory’s supposed childhood romance cause I didn’t feel a damn thing. And then it was fine that she and the other dude had been together for TEN YEARS and just said fuck it let’s be friends? I’m crying with laughter at how utterly stupid this was.

[Sam Maciag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hooked from the first chapter, Rory and Ellie had me INVESTED. The up and down of Ellie’s life and relationships, rooted in supportive strong female friendships: it was believable and relatable. This Changes Everything is a cozy, funny, spicy read that will leave you smiling with warm fuzzies.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book - it was a page turner and I just wanted to know what happened next! I read this in two sittings (only stopped for sleep).

This Changes Everything follows Ellie as she grows up from being a girl with big dreams to her journey to achieve them and finding her place. Her story is definitely messy, chaotic, and hard as we see her discover and experience the dark underbelly of the entertainment industry and question herself and her path.

As she goes through life, Ellie experiences two great loves: Ben and Rory. Rory and Ellie are childhood sweethearts and each other's soulmate. The story goes through time jumps from when they were teens and young adults to when they are 29/30: the "before" and "after" a pivotal moment in their relationship. Their "before" relationship was definitely so messy and filled with frustrating misunderstandings and miscommunications, but their relationship was also hard to look away from (like witnessing a disaster). They each undergo a lot of character development and by the time the story time-jumped to their "after," they are both so much more mature, confident, and intentional with each other.

Ben was there for Ellie when she first moves to NY as a bright-eyed novice, and he was definitely what she needed at that time as she transitioned from a kid to an adult. He was Ellie's first real mature relationship and he really grounded her and supported her. I thought the love triangle was done so beautifully: there was definitely some jealousy but there was also understanding and a great amount of love even after the triangle ended. There were no bad guys, and I thought that each guy gave Ellie what she needed at that time in her life. Sure, it's heartbreaking to let go of the one that you love, but sometimes it's not a bad thing, and maybe that's just what you need right now to grow.

I loved this book and 100% recommend. It was funny at times, but it didn't shy away from the emotional and the hard parts of life. Ellie is such a good character: she gets knocked down a lot and she gets discouraged, but she has a lot of grit and is able to scrap her way back. She's unapologetic about her goals in life despite the naysayers and the obstacles that are placed in her way. She follows her heart in everything she does, even if it's painful, and it was a joy to watch her finally find her role in life and her right person at the right time.

Thank you to Harper Perennial and Netgalley for the ARC!

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

"This Changes Everything" by Danielle McKechnie is a second-chance romance about a woman named Ellie (FMC) who, at the age of 14, decided that she wanted to leave her hometown in Vancouver, Canada, to lead a bigger life and become an actor in the States. She and her best friend, Rory (MMC), have had a "will they, won't they?" relationship for years that came to a head the night before she left for the States. Things happened, things were said, and she left Canada broken and alone. Ellie enters into a two-year intensive actor's course in New York City. There, she meets Ben (MMC), who becomes Ellie's roommate and fast friend. As the months pass, Ellie loves living the "actor life" in New York. She feels like she's finally where she belongs in the world. She and Ben eventually enter into a relationship as they book gigs (however small) and learn the acting craft. As Ben's star rises, Ellie's seems to fall as she's only able to book smaller background parts. She starts to wonder if she made the wrong choice by leaving Canada... and so much more. Let's get this out of the way first. My main complaint about this book is the pacing. It feels unnecessarily long, with many of the plot lines elongated for the sake of upping the page count. I think a little more editing was needed because some of it felt repetitive. Other than that, I enjoyed this one. The strongest aspect of this story is the yearning between both Ellie and Rory and Ellie and Ben at different times in her life. I loved getting glimpses of Ben and Ellie as they gallivanted around New York trying to make it as actors, as well as seeing how Ellie and Rory grew up with one another, playing golf, being friends, slowly falling for each other when they were kids. The angst between Ellie and Rory early on is quite good, even when it was frustrating to watch unfold. I can kind of forgive a little bit of their initial immaturity because these characters were pretty young and making these big, grandiose decisions with "forever" implications. I will say that Rory did make me mad a few times throughout this story with his absolute immaturity. This book is definitely geared more towards the TikTok crowd (aka the youths) and not a 40-year-old-oldie like me, but I did find some stuff to like in this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Danielle McKechnie, and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[amazenreads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you so much to HarperCollins Canada and NetGalley for the eARC!

I really wanted to love this one...

The premise was so good, and I think it could've been a great read! There were just some things I couldn't look past, unfortunately. :(

Review: ★ ★

This story follows Ellie, whose dreams are much bigger than her hometown of Vancouver. Just across the border, in NYC and LA, is where she believes her dreams of becoming a successful actress lie. We get to follow her from ages 12 to 29 and witness all the self-growth that comes with that.

I loved how real the author was about heavy topics (definitely check the TWs!) and how Ellie's experiences as a woman in the acting industry are, unfortunately, not novel. I also loved seeing Ellie grow as a person and realize that dreams can change and that doesn't make them any less valuable.
Even though this is a love triangle (which I usually hate), I found it pretty clear who she was going to end up with (and I was very happy with that outcome). I actually think the trope was necessary and pertinent to Ellie's story because it showed another facet of how she was trying to shed her old identity, who she was in Vancouver versus who she was trying to become in NYC and LA. I'll also always love Canadian representation! We need more stories about the girlies up north. <𝟑 .ᐟ

Like I said, I think this story had so much potential, but the one thing I couldn't get past was the writing style. It could very well just be a matter of personal taste, but I found both the dialogue and the prose to feel disjointed. Many of the lines read almost like point form. It's not that they were incomplete or underdeveloped; it was more that there weren't smooth transitions between ideas or dialogue. Some of the things the characters said also felt really out of left field and almost juvenile. I get that people sometimes say out-of-pocket things, but I had a hard time believing that fully grown 29-year-olds would be saying half of what the main cast did. Because of this, it was unfortunately difficult for me to really get immersed in the story.

Overall, this book has good bones, and I can definitely see others loving it! It just unfortunately wasn't the one for me. :)

Thank you again to HarperCollins Canada and NetGalley for the eARC!

[Yolanda | yolandaannmarie.reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

[arc review]
Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This Changes Everything releases August 18, 2026

“For so many years we hadn’t known what to do, so for all those years we had done nothing. And that’s what we did now. Nothing.”

This book gave me so much secondhand embarrassment, it’s a miracle I even finished it. Everything felt so exaggerated, veering into caricature territory. Instead of things flowing naturally, the comedic efforts drew attention to the forced prose, making things come across a level or two more juvenile than intended.

The romance infuriated me. Rory and Ellie were in love with each other, yet didn’t have the wherewithal to communicate a single thing in over a decade. They were two deers caught in headlights, stuck at an impasse, expecting a relationship to solidify itself on a silver platter without having to lift a finger. The sheer angst and tension that comes from a right person wrong time/it’s always been you trope is utterly delectable to read, however, the fact that they never tried to take action until the ship had sailed and the doors were literally sealed shut, ultimately became the breaking point for me. It came to a point where I felt like they didn’t have the right to be so dramatically emotional and distraught over something ending before it even began.
And then, when I realized the people in their friend group were just as incompetent at conveying their feelings, I truly lost it.

Being Canadian never felt like something to be proud of in this book, which was a real shame.
The concept of Ellie needing to escape Canada in order to attend an arts school and pursue a career in acting, was laughable and befuddling to me, when Vancouver, aka Hollywood North, has a huge film industry. Am I seriously supposed to believe that her job as an unpaid intern at a film production company in New York couldn’t have been achieved at home in Vancouver? That she had zero opportunities or access to resources?

Through every change of location and time period, the only true constant in this story was the use of workplace harassment and sexual assault as a plot device.

[Krissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Canada for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Ellie McCain has dreamed of becoming an actor and moving to LA since she was a little girl. When she is 20 years old she gets herself accepted to a reputable preforming arts school in NYC. So she packs up her life and says goodbye to her life in Vancouver determined to chase the dream.

In NYC she quickly meets Ben Winters from Seattle attending the same school. They become roommates and best friends and on her 21st birthday she opens her heart and they become more. On that same night a ghost from her past Rory Campbell shows up from Vancouver trying to right his past mistakes and finally get the girl. She and Rory met when they were 12 and have danced around each other for years but she is not willing to blow up the life she has carved for herself to pursue what almost was. Over the years life gets complicated, she makes it to LA but her life goes in directions she did not expect and along the way she loses herself. When she is 29 and struggling she gets a chance meeting with ones of her great loves that may finally ground her and help her find her way.

If I could find a way to tattoo this book onto my heart I would. I absolutely loved this book. The author did an incredible job writing a love triangle, a trope I almost always hate. This book had me by the throat. The chemistry between the characters was off the charts. The YEARNING was almost unbearable, it had the perfect level of angst. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and most of all I fell in love with every aspect of this story. The characters were messy but so so so authentic I felt like I lived this story alongside the characters. I would love to see a movie version of this book. The book does not shy away from discussing some of the glaring issues within the entertainment industry especially for women. I am truly so excited to read anything I can get my hands on by this author.

[Laura Vaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! I requested this book for one reason alone: the line in the description that said, “Rory is living out his dreams as a professional golfer.” As someone who loves golf, I was instantly intrigued—honestly, that’s kind of my dream too! Thankfully, this book absolutely did not disappoint.

One of my favorite parts was getting to watch Ellie and Rory grow up. Following them from preteens on the golf course, to teenagers, and eventually into adulthood made their journey feel incredibly rewarding. Watching their story unfold over the years was one of the strongest aspects of the novel, and it made me feel invested in both of them from beginning to end.

The beginning took me a little while to get into, but I think that’s mostly because I’m not typically drawn to younger YA-style stories. Even so, those early chapters built such a strong foundation for the characters and their relationship that I quickly understood why they were so important. It’s more of a personal preference than a criticism, which is why I rounded my rating up to five stars.

Once I settled into the story, I was completely hooked and couldn’t put it down. The timeline was easy to follow, and every chapter added another layer to Ellie and Rory’s relationship.

One of my favorite quotes was:

“I think we became who we were always meant to be because we were apart. And the people we eventually turned into… turns out they were always meant to be together.”

This story beautifully explores growing up, chasing your dreams, and discovering who you are along the way. The emotional journey felt authentic, and I loved seeing how the characters evolved throughout the book.

I also appreciated that the story wasn’t afraid to tackle meaningful real-life challenges alongside the romance. Those moments added depth to the characters and made the story feel even more grounded.

I’m excited to read whatever Danielle McKechnie publishes next because I was a huge fan of this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Danielle McKechnie, and Harper Perennial for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[DeeG Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Changes Everything follows Ellie as she leaves her life in Vancouver behind to attend acting school in New York City. As she tries to build the career she has always dreamed of, she finds herself struggling while everyone around her seems to be moving forward. When she reconnects with Rory, her childhood sweetheart, she begins questioning the choices she has made and what she truly wants from her life.
This book was fine, but I found it much more drawn out than it needed to be. The alternating timelines helped show Ellie’s history with Rory and Ben, but there was also a lot of repetition. The same feelings and conflicts were revisited so often that the story began to lose momentum, and I struggled to stay interested.
I also wasn’t a fan of how the entertainment industry was portrayed. The story seemed to exist under a constant cloud of misogyny and sexual harassment, as though that was almost all Hollywood and acting had to offer. I understand why those subjects were included, but the way they appeared throughout so much of the book became frustrating and overwhelming after a while.
I did enjoy the relationships between the characters. I liked Ellie and Rory together, but I also enjoyed Rory’s friendship and relationship with Ben. Those connections gave the story some of its strongest and most heartfelt moments.
The ending was satisfying, and I was happy with how everything eventually worked out. Unfortunately, the repetitive storytelling and slow pacing made this a difficult book for me to finish.
Overall, this had an interesting story about ambition, first love, and figuring out where you truly belong, but it didn’t completely hold my attention.
Thanks to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the free book.

[Summer T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Harper Collins, NetGalley and author Danielle McKechnie for the eARC and the opportunity to read and review this early.

I am a sucker for a book that makes me feel things. This book took me on a freaking journey!

I started off the story feeling so unsure. I realized I had never read a love triangle trope before and thought maybe it wasn’t my thing. As a sucker for “childhood friends to lovers”, I was immediately rooting for Rory and not Ben. The dual timeline felt very classic, as it cut between 20-21 year old Ellie developing her relationship with Ben and 12-20 year old Ellie and her background with Rory.

As soon as I hit 50% and realized the timelines were shifting and suddenly we were getting 29 year old Ellie’s perspective, my mind was blown! I was not expecting that!

The amount of times this book had my stomach tied up in knots was wild! The miscommunications, the inability to process feelings, the drunken confrontations. I felt anxious, as if I was in these scenarios. I felt the warm and fuzzy feelings of the childhood flashbacks. I felt the sheer sadness and confusion as Ellie had to work through her own boundaries and trauma. I genuinely found I had no idea who I was rooting for quite often!

If I were to relate this book to any others I have loved, I would say it felt like the lovechild of Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren and Into The Blue by Emma Brodie, while also being completely its own.

Coming out August 18th in Canada and September 8th in the US.

I am looking forward to seeing Danielle McKechnie in Toronto in September for further conversation about this story!

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Changes Everything was an absolute 5-star read!

To describe this book as simply a RomCom with a love triangle would be doing it a disservice. Yes, there is a love triangle, but this story is about so much more than that. At its heart, it’s about the FMC’s journey of self discovery, finding her voice, embracing her strengths, and pursuing her passions despite the obstacles in her way.

One of the things I loved most was how well the book balanced her personal life with everything she was navigating professionally. The entertainment industry is portrayed as both exciting and brutal, and the FMC constantly finds herself having to defend her decisions and prove herself. Despite the challenges, she remains passionate about her work and determined to build the future she wants for herself.

The relationships were also incredibly well developed. The dual timelines worked really well here, providing valuable context and helping the reader understand not only who she loved, but why she loved them. Every relationship felt meaningful and added depth to the story.

While the book tackles heavier themes, including sexual harassment in the workplace, it never loses its sense of humor. It balances the difficult moments with genuinely funny scenes, creating a story that is both emotionally impactful and entertaining.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a romance that offers both heart and substance.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Pia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grab this book! If you like Emily Henry or Carly fortune, you will fall in love with Danielle McKechnie’s new book.

This Changes Everything is a beautiful romance that balances heart, humour and ambition. I absolutely fell in love with the characters in this book Ellie McCain is the kind of heroine you root for, she is ambitious, messy, hopeful, and painfully real. Her journey from wide-eyed dreamer to someone forced to confront the realities of the acting world felt so honest. I loved how the story didn’t shy away from the quieter struggles—feeling left behind, questioning your path, and wondering if the life you imagined is still the one you want.

The love triangle is so well done—both relationships feel meaningful and fully developed, which made the emotional tension hit that much harder. Rory, the childhood sweetheart, brings all the nostalgia and “what if” energy, while Ben, the fellow actor, offers something deeply romantic and exciting.

Funny, heartfelt, and undeniably romantic, this book captures the complicated nature of love and ambition in such a compelling way. It’s about growing up, letting go, and figuring out what—and who—truly feels like home.
Perfect for fans of character-driven romances with emotional depth. I devoured this book! (FYI- would make a great book club read)

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book so fast! An aspiring actor, Ellie, moves to New York to follow her dreams. She leaves behind her family and friends and Rory, her childhood sweetheart. Then in New York she meets Ben, a fellow actor and classmate who turns into one of her best friends and becomes her roomate and eventually her boyfriend. Meanwhile, she watches from afar as Rory also gets to live out his childhood dream as he becomes a professional golfer. Her acting career on the other hand, isn't taking off and she is starting to feel lost. After years, and a move to Hollywood, she sees Rory again and feelings immediately start rushing back. This causes her to question things - what she wants in life, and who she wants to do life with.

I really liked the alternating timelines, moving between past and present, as well as the three different locations - Vancouver, New York and Hollywood. The main characters were great and I liked their growth. The secondary characters were also enjoyable. Ultimately, its a story about love. We get to journey with the characters as they experience first love, the love that got away, the heartbreak that comes from loving someone, and rekindled love. It was a really good story! Special thanks to the publisher, Harper Collins, for my early review copy.

[Emilie]

Unfortunately, I couldn't get into This Changes Everything. There were several things that happened that felt unbelievable to me. For example, the paint scene felt too ridiculous for my taste. Instead of sending Ellie to urgent care, the teacher tries to remove it with a needle and calls her babe? That completely took me out of the story. I also found the magician in the bathtub storyline really out there, and it messed with the flow of the writing. From what I saw, I liked Ellie's friends; however, I wasn't a fan of how quickly they seemed to become friends.  It felt like we jumped straight into those relationships without much buildup. I wanted a more gradual relationship development instead of immediately being thrown into Ellie's relationships. I enjoyed the flashback chapters from Ellie's childhood with Rory. I thought the author wrote younger Ellie well. I found myself more invested in the childhood storyline compared to the NY one. Ultimately, I just couldn't get into the writing and didn't want to continue on past the 20% mark. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC. 

[Olivia Moses · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received from NetGalley

Perhaps some spoilers.. proceed with caution?

I REALLY wanted to this be a four/five star book and it was most definitely going to be. The yearning feeling was there! The mushy gushy awww yay hearts in the eyes yadda yadda WAS THERE. Alas, the dirty male in the work place, predator to child on the golf course was such a heavy addition to an otherwise story for the ages love story. Not to say that those things don’t happen - and maybe this is personal to the author - but it was overdone in that every next step for her she encountered sexual assault to some degree or another. I loved Rory and Ellie’s growing up together - I loved Ellie and Ben together - I loved that so much of this felt like real life, but I didn’t love how drawn out her career choices were and how she wanted something so badly but kept putting her career above all else. It was like .. the best love story … with so much repetitive negative stuff thrown in throughout.

Because of how good the love story felt to read - hello giddiness - I do recommend reading!

[Adina Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This Changes Everything" is exactly the kind of book that makes you stay up until 2 AM because you simply cannot put it down. I loved it!!

This book has everything I look for in a contemporary romance: witty banter, electric love story, sexy, and deeply heartfelt. The dual timelines kept me hooked, and the tension between the main characters was captivating from start to finish. I felt like I stepped into their world and couldn't put the book down. With "laugh-out-loud" moments, authentic relationships, and the perfect amount of spiciness, this book is now one of my favourites!

If you’re a fan of Emily Henry’s witty dialogue and emotional depth, you are going to absolutely devour "This Changes Everything". I'm recommending all my friends to put it on their summer TBR list because this is the perfect book to dive head over heels into.

Thanks Danielle for creating this beautiful novel! Is there going to be a sequel though? I sure hope so!!

[Jennifer Termaat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story consumed me in the best ways possible. It is much more than a rom com - it is heartwarming and emotionally devastating at the same time. McKechnie's writing style flowed so naturally between Ellie's "before" and "after". Ellie, Ben and Rory were extremely well-developed characters and it was impossible to not feel like you were living their lives alongside them. The characters matured and grew as the story unfolded. They experienced real life challenges and heartbreak that anyone who has been in love or experienced hard decisions in a relationship will relate to.
I had to force myself to stop reading at times to make this book last as long as possible. This is the perfect book to binge in the best kind of way possible.
This is much more than a 5 star book. I will recommend this one to every single person I can as a must read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for this ARC. I cannot wait for Danielle McKechnie's next book!

[Stefanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The summer sun beat down on her shoulders as she walked through the place that held many memories for her. There was pain, there was heartbreak, there was love and care, but most importantly the memory of him.

This Changes Everything is a romance following Ellie who wants to become an actress and moves to NYC to pursue her dream. She leaves behind everything, including the boy she loved.

This book sounded like it had the ingredients for a classic heart-wrenching romance, but sadly fell so short for me. I didn’t feel the connection between Ellie and either of her love interests. The dialogue was forced and unrealistic. The character’s chemistry was severely lacking and a few sections gave me the ick. I can see the potential for this author and I can see the makings of some future good books, but this one just did not work for me.

Read if you like:

• Coming of Age
• Acting/Hollywood
• Love Triangle
• Dual Timeline

[Barbara Cesar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Changes everything is a different approach to a love triangle featuring childhood-to-lovers with roommates to lovers in a second chance story.

Ellie always dreamt of moving to Hollywood to become an actress. As a Child she meets Rory at the golf Club, he instantly becomes her best friend. He always knew she was destiny to move and achieve her dreams. When she moves to NYC to start her path Ellie meets Ben, who becomes not only her roommate but also her best friend in NYC. The story has two time lines at all times.

I enjoy growing up with Ellie in the past and present. I was very nice see how Rory and Ben were both fundamental to Ellie at one point in her life.
Even if this is a love triangle I feels lighter as Ellie is not competing between both but they are equally important to her.
All three go to a journey, that was very nice to follow with Ellie's Eyes.

Thank you HarperCollins Canada, the Author and NetGalley for the Advance digital copy.

[Yasmine Shateri · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

“There are billions of people in the world, but I think you only get three big loves. The first love, the one that got away, and the true love.
Ellie, you're all three.”

I was hooked from the prologue. Like Ellie and Rory and then Ellie and Ben, both couples gave something to Ellie and were her life and love. When Ellie was with Rory, I wanted her to end up with Rory, when she was with Ben, I wanted her to end up with Ben. It was a great second chance, childhood friends-to-lovers, but also allowed for Ellie to be something without her great loves as well.

The found family is a large one, and can be a little tricky to keep up with. Also the jumping back and forth would’ve done better with giving us a month just to better keep track of when are they meeting in the past and present.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed their love story. And really want Blair, Cameron, Hannah and Zara’s love stories to come to light too!

[Allison M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was enthralled with Ellie's story from the opening pages of This Changes Everything. Danielle's humorous writing style had me engaged and laughing out loud from the beginning, and the emotional depth of her characters kept me coming back for more. This book feels like a blend of Meghan Quinn's humor and witty banter, along with Abby Jimenez's emotional angst and feels. I couldn't put it down and ended up staying up far too late finishing it so I could find out how the story ended. Danielle's writing made me FEEL the emotions of these characters. I fell in love with Ellie, Rory, and Ben and wanted all three of them to find happiness.

This book isn't just a romance; its a story of personal growth, friendship, learning to stand up for yourself, and figuring out what makes you truly happy in life. I absolutely loved this book and am grateful I was able to read an early copy!

[Rebecca]

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy.

Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me, and I ended up not finishing it. The cover and synopsis immediately caught my attention, which is why I was so excited to send a request, but the deeper I got into the story, the harder it became to stay invested. I never really connected with the main character, and I found myself having to force myself to pick the book back up rather than looking forward to reading it.

I think if I were 15 years younger, this might have been more my style. I can definitely see a younger audience enjoying it, even if it didn't quite work for me. (As the kids say... it might "eat" for readers under 30. 😂)

I still love the cover and the title, they're what drew me in, but the story itself just didn't hold my attention. With so many books waiting to be read, I decided it was best to move on.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this dual timeline, contemporary romance debut by Canadian Danielle McKechnie. It follows Ellie McCain who has big dreams of making it big in Hollywood but it means leaving her first love, Rory Campbell behind in Vancouver. Set in Vancouver, New York City and LA, this love triangle, will they or won't they story is both a romance and a coming of age tale of chasing your dreams and dealing with all the shit women have to put up with in Hollywood (ie sexual misogyny and abuse/assault). I loved both Ben and Rory (the two main love interests) and all Ellie's female friends. A fast, transportive read that is sure to delight fans of authors like Christina Lauren and Joss Woods. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and physical copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book genuinely had a bit of everything, and I loved it!

It follows the main character through her early love life onwards, across different cities and different phases of her life, and it felt comfortingly familiar while also being such a happy, uplifting read. Those early years of love are sappy and intense and dramatic in a way that instantly takes you back, while the later chapters capture the excitement of finding new love when you know yourself a little better.

And the book is FUNNY! I laughed out loud more than once at the awkward moments and painfully relatable moments. Add in genuinely cute, swoony scenes and just the right amount of spice, and it really does have everything.

I devoured this, closed it smiling and honestly missed it the second it ended.