The Do-Over

Gr 8 Up–This hilarious and swoon-worthy YA rom-com has main character Emilie reliving the worst Valentine’s Day over and over again. After surviving her teenage nightmare of watching her boyfriend cheat on her, she seeks comfort in a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and her loving grandmother—only to discover when she wakes up that she must do it all over again, and again. On top of bearing witness to Josh’s infidelity, she can’t seem to stop running into, sometimes literally, the mysterious yet charming Nick, who has her puzzled in more ways than one. No one writes YA enemies-to-lovers quite like Painter. She perfectly balances witty banter with heart-melting moments. A time loop trope is often difficult to navigate in YA because the characters are largely relied on to drive the plot; Painter executes this flawlessly as she creates characters that are well developed and relatable. With many Taylor Swift references and a not-so-subtle nod to Gilmore Girls, this story will appeal to romance readers of all ages.