Written By: Elena B.

Hello, readers! I’ve recently come across a roller coaster of a book and want to share my thoughts on it! The Do-Over was a blast to read, and I’m excited to add it to my ever-growing collection! Read my spoiler-free review below.

Quick Synopsis

---

BUY THE BOOK HERE – AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOKS A MILLION

---

What’s it all about?

In this riotous young adult romp for fans of Recommended for You and A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, a teen girl has the worst Valentine’s Day ever—only to relive it over and over again.

After living through a dumpster fire of a Valentine’s Day, Emilie Hornby escapes to her grandmother’s house for some comfort and a consolation pint of Ben & Jerry’s. She passes out on the couch, but when she wakes up, she’s back home in her own bed—and it’s Valentine’s Day all over again. And the next day? Another nightmare V-Day.

Emilie is stuck in some sort of time loop nightmare that she can’t wake up from as she re-watches her boyfriend, Josh, cheat on her day after day. In addition to Josh’s recurring infidelity, Emilie can’t get away from the enigmatic Nick, who she keeps running into—sometimes literally—in unfortunate ways.

How many days can one girl passively watch her life go up in flames? And when something good starts to come out of these terrible days, what happens when the universe stops doling out do-overs?

See Goodreads for more

---

The Do-Over Review

I almost pre-ordered this book because I loved Better than the Movies (spoiler-free review here) so much, but I didn’t because I didn’t want to be stuck with a book I didn’t like. But I LOVED it, and wish I had, so I could own it right now! I think the fact that I finished this in less than 24 hours says a lot about how much I loved it–probably more than actual review will, but I’ll try anyways.

Characters – 7/10

These characters were so cute!

Emily and her arc were really interesting. She definitely grew into herself as the story and confidence progressed, which was cool to see. Emily went from bending over backwards for everyone to being a total bad-ace and going after what she wanted. She and Nick are comfort characters now.

Nick Stark is one sexy man. He’s really dark and brooding, but he, too, begins to chase what he wants. The banter between them is adorable! It’s the right amount of snark and sarcasm, while still being wholly realistic. I definitely want a Day of No Consequences with him, and I’m suddenly partial to purple unicorn cake.

Josh was actually surprisingly dynamic for being a side-ish character. I didn’t mind him, honestly. He’s really good and handling situations calmly, even if he’s too preppy for a 17 year old male.

Chris and Roxanne were AMAZING friends! The friendship dynamics in this book were pretty well-written. Sometimes the friendship falls to the side so the romance can take center stage, and that didn’t happen in this book. Chris was gay, which was something we didn’t see in Better than the Movies.

Atmosphere – 7/10

This atmosphere was pretty typical of YA contemporary books, but it wasn’t bad in any way. Pretty average, but I felt a lot of emotions while reading this book.

WRITING – 8/10

Lynn Painter is very quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I think I’ll pretty much pre-order anything she announces. Her writing is so unique. She has her own style and it lifts her books above others of its kind. Every character has their own personality and the plot drives forward at a good pace. I wasn’t sure if time-loop would feel repetitive, but it never did! The ending was a little abrupt, but I still squealed. Lynn Painter writes incredible kissing scenes, too. She gives you enough to feel satisfied, but not so many that it feels over-the-top. She’s definitely an amazing slow-burn writer.

PLOT – 8.5/10

This plot was SO FUN! I was really excited about this book because of the time-loop, and it definitely gave Groundhog Day meets Ferris Bueller’s Day Off vibes.

INTRIGUE – 8.5/10

I was literally never bored, and I was really invested! I would’ve died if I couldn’t have finished it, though I was pretty sure I was going to have a heart attack while reading it.

LOGIC – 7.5/10

Obviously time-loops aren’t real, but I’m willing to suspend reality a little for the sake of a good book. I wish we could’ve had a little more explanation as to why the time-loop happened, but we did get some, so I’m not complaining. It all came together in the end.

ENJOYMENT – 8.5/10

This was just SUCH an adorable read, and I’ll definitely buy and read it again!

---

Trigger Warnings

Language – 4/5: There was less swearing than in Better than the Movies overall, but this book had 17-18 F-bombs, which was a lot more than some of her other books. Some of them were definitely unnessesary, and Nick said most of them. I neglected to count the other swear words, but it really wasn’t too in-your-face.

Drugs – 0/5: One mention of the smell of vaping

Sexual Content/Innuendoes – 0/5

---

Recommended: 7.5/10 for 13-14+

One Word Summary: A Blast (yes, I know that’s two)

Movie Rating: TV-14

Recommendations based on this book: 

Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter (read my spoiler-free review here)

Chat with us about The Do-Over!

Have you read The Do-Over? We’d love to hear your thoughts on anything, so chat with us in the comments below! Or connect with Elena or Maddie on Goodreads!

Pin This!