e-Audio, 08:42:29
Narrated by: Logan Rozos & Caitlin Kinnunen
Release Date: February 13, 2024
Published by: Spotify Audiobooks
Read from: February 29 – March 5, 2024
Stand-alone
Source: Library’s Libby
TW: Transphobia, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Outing, Vomit
For Readers Interested In: Romance, LGBTQ+ (Queer, Trans Rep), Multiple POV, YA, Irregular Timeline (Told in a Day)Dash & Lily meets Ferris Bueller’s Day Off in Edward Underhill’s new whirlwind rom-com about two queer teens who spend one life-changing day together in New York City.
Abby Akerman believes in the Universe. After all, her Midwest high school marching band is about to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City—if that’s not proof that magical things can happen, what is? New York also happens to be the setting of her favorite romance novel, making it the perfect place for Abby to finally tell her best friend Kat that she’s in love with her (and, um, gay). She’s carefully annotated a copy of the book as a gift for Kat, and she’s counting on the Universe to provide an Epic Scene worthy of her own rom-com.
Leo Brewer, on the other hand, just wants to get through this trip without falling apart. He doesn’t believe the Universe is magical at all, mostly because he’s about to be outed to his very Southern extended family on national TV as the trans boy he really is. He’s not excited for the parade, and he’s even less excited for an entire day of sightseeing with his band.
But the Universe has other ideas. When fate throws Abby and Leo together on the wrong subway train, they soon find themselves lost in the middle of Manhattan. Even worse, Leo accidentally causes Abby to lose her Epic Gift for Kat. So to salvage the day, they come up with a new mission: find a souvenir from every location mentioned in the book for Abby to give Kat instead. But as Leo and Abby traverse the city, from the streets of Chinatown to the halls of Grand Central Station and the top of the Empire State Building, their initial expectations for the trip—and of each other—begin to shift. Maybe, if they let it, this could be the day that changes everything, for both of them.
*MY THOUGHTS*
This was ok, but I fear it was just basic. I don’t know why I wasn’t as pulled into it as the last one. I think it was the things they did, but I’m not sure. I just can’t honestly say this was super fun for it to be told in one day.
Ok so I guess my biggest gripe about this is the fact that it was told over one day, but they didn’t actually do anything fun? I THINK the fact that it mentioned Ferris Bueller was the undoing for me. I am old enough to know what that movie is and how fun it was. And this was not fun. It was sad and they were mad at each other a lot of the time. Granted they are teens so I’m sure they were surly, but this makes me all the more mad that they decided after one day they’d do long distance when grown people can’t come to this decision lol
The characters were ok. I wish I was less on edge throughout this whole book. I didn’t want either one of them to be hurt. They were both just sort of finding themselves and finding themselves as queers and it just didn’t seem like they had made it to the happy bits yet. But I also related a bit too much to Abby. She was really into like this book and I just kept thinking, “is this how I sound when I’m waxing poetic about a book?” lol But we definitely differed in some ways too. Because she put too much faith in the universe. I believe in the universe, but I’m also a believer that I have to do the work in order for the universe to recognize me. And I just felt like she was far too old to not have heard that before. That lady could seriously not be the first person to tell you that lol And then there’s Leo. I felt for him because his family were all assholes, but I also didn’t think that gave him reason to be mean to Abby. And then for him to fall first felt a little out of left field because he was the one being mean to her? lol Idk enemies to lovers is not my favorite genre. I really don’t get the “I’m mean because I like you” bit lol
As someone who is not Queer or trans, I will not comment on the rep. The author is trans tho, so I’m assuming it’s based off of some of their experiences. I do know that not every person who is trans is a monolith, so please understand when I say I enjoyed listening to Leo’s monologue and I had big feelings about his family because I felt for him so much. The rep will not be accurate for everyone, but I did enjoy what i did read.
I think this was ok for what it was, but it was so sad that I spent most of my time listening on edge. I think it would have made a more enjoyable read for me if they did something fun or funny that made them or the book stand out. There was none of that in this and I ended up not liking anyone, the main characters included. Also, can I read a romance where they are actually together for more than 10 seconds please? Lordt I get the angst of the slow burn, but just once can I get a romance book where we see them together for at least 50 pages? I’m begging at this point.
Overall, I give this
