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nathandre's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book it's so cute I love Emilie character development and her relationship with Nick even thought some of his decisions frustrate me.
sarahlouise88's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely loved this one, was hooked from start to finish. Such a fun concept. Had me laughing out loud in parts.
spenkevich's review against another edition
4.0
I’m in my rom-com era (aka living my best life) and Lynn Painter’s The Do-Over made for a sugary sweet dose of joy that warmed my heart in these chilly winter months. When a perfectly planned Valentine’s Day descends into a heartbreaking mess of car wrecks, crushed dreams and cheating boyfriends, Emilie Hornby just wants to go to sleep and start the next day fresh. But when she awakens she discovers that it is Valentine’s Day…over and over and over again like death by a thousand cuts with her dreams repeatedly dashed despite her daily attempts to avoid disaster. Filled with a lot of charm, Taylor Swift references and perhaps an overabundance of cuteness, The Do-Over is a delightful time-loop story that manages to mostly balance out the over-caffeinated plot and underdeveloped supporting cast with its exploration into heavier themes of fractured families, and the pressures of expectations from society one’s own self. It gleefully charges into chaos but it polishes up real nice in this touching story about confronting your own life and living for yourself as well as a romantic collision with love where you least expect it.
‘This wasn't about boys and girls and love and attraction, this was about a human soul needing to feel seen.’
I have a soft spot for rom coms and while I think I still preferred Painter’s Better Than the Movies which still lingers like a tattoo kiss, this made for a perfectly cute Valentine’s Day read. Its cozy like a warm embrace of like an old cardigan under someone’s bed. The Do-Over reads like an adorable time-loop blend of Groundhog’s Day meets Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with the casting budget of a teenage after-school special so don’t expect too much from the side characters. I did enjoy the brief subplot about her friend trying to get with the boy from his cross country team but most of the cast is fairly ornamental since you can’t have too much character development in a time-loop story. Even the main cast is a bit flat, though we do see some growth with Emilie as she goes from the rather stereotypical follow-the-rules teen to embracing her own destiny. Emilie has seen this story before and she didn’t like the ending, but each day she keeps trying to avert the inevitable to no avail, yet her morning car-wreck with Nick each day seems to point towards another path her life could take, even if he is a bit of a prick (but a prick with a devilish smile, that James Dean, daydream look in his eye and scent of..*checks notes* clean soap). I found Nick frustrating but I did enjoy that he has only been pretending to not know Em out of a shyness and his fear of vulnerability makes him rather thorny, something my former teenage self can certainly empathize with.
‘Josh was the perfect boyfriend for me on paper…but I didn’t realize until I watched him kiss Macy that the paper didn’t always translate.’
I enjoy that, like Better Than the Movies, this story explores how life can’t be perfectly packaged and planned because life will always throw the unexpected. And while these surprises can bring heartache—her parents divorce, the recinded program, Nick’s grief over his brother—they can also open doors to greater joys than we ever imagined. Em lives by checklists and checking boxes but the road not taken looks real good now that she’s caught in an endless loop of downfall.
This is a story about accepting the unexpected and living for you. I do have to admit the Day of No Concequenses being referred to as DONC in the text and speech (do they say the letters or pronounce it “donk”?) was irritating, but I liked the idea that Em decided to rip the Band-Aid off and skiptown school like an asshole outlaw. Her and Nick embracing the chaos and living free for themselves was cute as they have a marvelous time ruining everything. And they come together when her reputations never been worse so he must like her for her.
But also. Painter does something with names in her book. Em Hornby + Nick seems a reference to rom-com writer [a:Nick Hornby|2929|Nick Hornby|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1422915487p2/2929.jpg] much like how in [b:Better than the Movies|55710822|Better than the Movies (Better than the Movies, #1)|Lynn Painter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1618150545l/55710822._SY75_.jpg|71767711] the couple adds up to a reference to Elizabeth Bennet from [b:Pride and Prejudice|1885|Pride and Prejudice|Jane Austen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320399351l/1885._SY75_.jpg|3060926].
While a bit more a great romantic concept than actual execution, The Do-Over is a heartwarming, cuddly good time with lots of laughs. I felt the relationship was well orchestrated even with the aspect that Nick never remembered the previous runs through the recurring day and they remain to each other a stranger whose laugh they could recognize anywhere. I also really loved the insertion of confessions at the start of each chapter that gave hints into the loneliness Em tries to swallow down. But i suppose if this story is over why am i still writing pages, so in conclusion, this is a cute book full of fun.
3.5/5
‘This wasn't about boys and girls and love and attraction, this was about a human soul needing to feel seen.’
I have a soft spot for rom coms and while I think I still preferred Painter’s Better Than the Movies which still lingers like a tattoo kiss, this made for a perfectly cute Valentine’s Day read. Its cozy like a warm embrace of like an old cardigan under someone’s bed. The Do-Over reads like an adorable time-loop blend of Groundhog’s Day meets Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with the casting budget of a teenage after-school special so don’t expect too much from the side characters. I did enjoy the brief subplot about her friend trying to get with the boy from his cross country team but most of the cast is fairly ornamental since you can’t have too much character development in a time-loop story. Even the main cast is a bit flat, though we do see some growth with Emilie as she goes from the rather stereotypical follow-the-rules teen to embracing her own destiny. Emilie has seen this story before and she didn’t like the ending, but each day she keeps trying to avert the inevitable to no avail, yet her morning car-wreck with Nick each day seems to point towards another path her life could take, even if he is a bit of a prick (but a prick with a devilish smile, that James Dean, daydream look in his eye and scent of..*checks notes* clean soap). I found Nick frustrating but I did enjoy that he has only been pretending to not know Em out of a shyness and his fear of vulnerability makes him rather thorny, something my former teenage self can certainly empathize with.
‘Josh was the perfect boyfriend for me on paper…but I didn’t realize until I watched him kiss Macy that the paper didn’t always translate.’
I enjoy that, like Better Than the Movies, this story explores how life can’t be perfectly packaged and planned because life will always throw the unexpected. And while these surprises can bring heartache—her parents divorce, the recinded program, Nick’s grief over his brother—they can also open doors to greater joys than we ever imagined. Em lives by checklists and checking boxes but the road not taken looks real good now that she’s caught in an endless loop of downfall.
‘No matter how it turns out—good or bad—I’m going to start living for me and what I want, instead of for other people and what I think they want me to do.’
This is a story about accepting the unexpected and living for you. I do have to admit the Day of No Concequenses being referred to as DONC in the text and speech (do they say the letters or pronounce it “donk”?) was irritating, but I liked the idea that Em decided to rip the Band-Aid off and skip
But also. Painter does something with names in her book. Em Hornby + Nick seems a reference to rom-com writer [a:Nick Hornby|2929|Nick Hornby|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1422915487p2/2929.jpg] much like how in [b:Better than the Movies|55710822|Better than the Movies (Better than the Movies, #1)|Lynn Painter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1618150545l/55710822._SY75_.jpg|71767711] the couple adds up to a reference to Elizabeth Bennet from [b:Pride and Prejudice|1885|Pride and Prejudice|Jane Austen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320399351l/1885._SY75_.jpg|3060926].
While a bit more a great romantic concept than actual execution, The Do-Over is a heartwarming, cuddly good time with lots of laughs. I felt the relationship was well orchestrated even with the aspect that Nick never remembered the previous runs through the recurring day and they remain to each other a stranger whose laugh they could recognize anywhere. I also really loved the insertion of confessions at the start of each chapter that gave hints into the loneliness Em tries to swallow down. But i suppose if this story is over why am i still writing pages, so in conclusion, this is a cute book full of fun.
3.5/5
zoer03's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Engaging, hilarious at times wincing but also lovable cast of characters and some you wish you could shake. Emilie and Nick are the cutest.
manhaa's review against another edition
4.25
I am in love with Lynn Painters books. Em is an amazing main character. I totally relate to the fact that my mom takes away my books to punish me 🥲. I'm so glad that in the end Nick admitted he was wrong and apologize, but I would've like some more groveling from him tbh.
mdlopez37's review against another edition
5.0
Why was this book sooooooo cute?!?!!??! I love Emilie and Nick!!! They are so adorable! This is literally one of my new favorite books!!
lashack's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
katrenia's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
A fun “Groundhog Day” type story of a terrible day in the life of a high schooler.
oliviabennet56's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is the second Lynn Painter book that I have read and she does not disappoint! The Do-Over was really MADE for the hopeless romantics like me and that made the characters in this story so incredibly special to me. This book really taught me to be hopeful and that my chance for love would eventually come, it would just take longer than in the novels. If you want to escape into the world of Valentine's Day over and over again, the good and the bad, then read The Do-Over by Lynn Painter.
luu_hbr's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5