Book Review: The Do-Over by Lynn Painter

Emilie Hornby has the perfect Valentine’s Day planned—the gorgeous outfit, great gift for her boyfriend Josh, and armed with her first I-Love-You just for him. But it all goes wrong from the moment she crashes her car into another—belonging to a boy from her Chemistry class, Nick Stark—who then gives her a ride to school, where her soon-to-be fellowship gets pulled out from underneath her. On top of that? She catches Josh kissing his ex-girlfriend in a car. Stealing away to her grandmother’s house—the only place she feels solace from her divorced parents and their separate values and lives. Only, when Em wakes up the next day, it’s Valentine’s Day. Again. 

Convinced she’s destined to keep watching herself get cheated on, ruin her car and get on her families nerves, Em relives the day over and over again, wishing it would end. But the more she lives the day, the closer she gets to Nick Stark. Once barely strangers, she grows to find him funny and even charming, somehow something about him feeling older—more mature. And on one day spent blowing up her entire life—just to let loose and do whatever she wants, no repercussions, since the day will surely start all over again—Em convinces Nick to ditch with her. Not that he needs much convincing. They explore, laugh, share secrets and dig deeper into both their troubled hearts. It’s in that day when Em feels something for Nick that she’s never quite felt before, even though it’s only been one day (well, not for her, at least.) And when it’s clear he feels the same, she can’t believe he won’t remember the wreckage she made of Valentine’s—but the pieces she put back together in someone else’s heart. Or will he?

Overall, The Do-Over made me feel. I laughed (Lynn’s books are downright hilarious!!) swooned, and really resonated with Emilie. Her life has been so torn as a child of divorced parents, and though her feelings toward love are slightly distorted by how they came to be separated, she still believes in love at it’s core—and I thought that was beautiful. She was such a strong, loveable character that I would love to be friends with. And as for Nick . . . Wes Bennett has competition! He was just everything you want in a love interest, and I loved how Nick and Em were like magnets—drawn to each other, destined to be in some way. It felt so emotional reading how a part of them somehow healed as they found comfort in their mutual pain. This was the best Valentine’s Day gift of all. Thank you for making my entire year with another stunning read, Lynn! An obvious five-stars! (BRB, off to listen to the book’s playlist!)