Thank you to St. Martin's Press, the author, and NetGalley for the gifted copy of Where It All Lands! All opinions in this review are my own.

Drew and Shane have been best friends since they were kids, but when Stevie moves to town everything changes. Both boys instantly fall for her. In order to save their friendship, Drew flips a coin to determine who can ask Stevie out. But who does the coin land on?

I like how this book is structured because you get to see what happens in both scenarios of the coin flip. Where It All Lands was much heavier than I was expecting. Shane is still grieving the loss of his father and Drew is struggling to accept his father's abandonment of their family to start a new one. This is no light-hearted YA romance.

Stevie Rosenstein is no stranger to starting over. She is forced to move every few years for her father’s high profile job. Her dream is to stay in one place longer than a year, now living in Suburban New Jersey after moving from Seattle. Starting at yet, another new school, she continues to follow her passion of music and joins the marching band.

Stevie meets best friends Drew and Shane, who historically use the flip of a coin to make decisions in their friendship. In this case, the coin is flipped to see who can ask Stevie out on a date. The book is divided into two sections, each section reflecting how the coin landed. If heads, Drew can ask Stevie out, if tails Shane can ask her out. Each section is broken down into chapters told in alternating first-person perspectives between Stevie, Drew, and Shane.

I really enjoyed this book, I tend to like this style of writing. Different timelines, different perspectives. . All three main characters were genuine and realistic.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the review copy, all opinions are my own.

I wasn't so sure about the love triangle but Wednesday books rarely lets me down so I decided to check it out. It actually was a great love triangle, and even though it was a main part of the story, it somehow wasn't the focus/purpose of the story. This is more a story of self growth, what ifs and how a decision can change the course of your life. This was a lot like Sliding Doors and I think today's teens will enjoy a fresh take on the story. The characters are perfectly high school; you can find the struggle of friendships, the changing feelings, family issues etc. within all the characters. I'd definitely recommend this to my students.

I loved the premise of this book, but ultimately it just wasn't a fit for me. I had trouble sympathizing with any of the characters. As a reader, I really need a dose of humor with my heavier topics and this book didn't have that, so I get that it's a me thing. I also think this is a YA book that will resonate more with teens (the obvious intended audience) than adults like me since the characters did seem young.

Oh how I adored this book. I thought it was going to be your typical YA love triangle book. It was anything but.

I don't want to recap the book itself, the author does that so well with the summary, but I truly adored this book. The friendship between Shane and Drew, oh it is such a beautiful friendship. You don't really read about male friendship like this. This is a tender sweet story about friendship and love.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Wexler presents a YA novel with a more serious edge to it, compared to the flood of rom-coms that have been published recently. Centering around two possible outcomes for a love triangle between two best friends and the ‘new girl,’ we hear from Drew, Stevie, and Shane. Some of the emotions and outcomes are inevitable, no matter how it starts, and while there is some romantic elements, it isn’t swoony and there isn’t really an HEA.
I would rec this to my patrons that are looking for something a little emo, a little grey-area, a little bit thought provoking. Not so much for a teen reader looking for a romance. Lots of friendship psychology and, as often seen in YA, some very well developed, thoughtful, wide teens who conduct very involved inner dialogues. Great for helping a teen find empathy for kids who move a lot, who have parents that are work-focused and absent, have bullies, have lost a parent or a close friend.

Thank you to Netgalley and St.Martins Press for the e-arc of this book.

Unfortunately, this was a book that I wasn’t grabbed by, and felt rather disappointed as I was reading it. The concept was innovative and cool, but the overall story didn’t really do much for me.

Where It All Lands is a story about two best friends who fall for the same girl. A classic, right? Well, this book has a unique twist. At the start, the boys both want to ask Stevie on a date, but being best friends, they don't want to step on the other's toes, so they decide to flip a coin to determine who asks her out. The proceeding story is told in two parallel timelines, showing us the results of each side of the coin toss. I loved this format and found it to be very well crafted. The little things that remained the same or differed in each one were almost as compelling as the big differences and I honestly had a hard time deciding which timeline I liked better. I loved both Drew and Shane, and their friendship, and getting to read from both of their perspectives gave us so many different layers and discoveries about their characters. Stevie was the constant throughout both timelines and seeing how her relationships with both boys altered her in different ways was fascinating. There was a depth to all of these characters that impressed me and gave the book a serious yet youthful tone. It really makes you think about life's choices and how seemingly little ones can make a big difference, leading your life down a new path. This book packed an emotional punch that I was not expecting but fully appreciated. I came in anticipating a teen love triangle romance but came out with a really beautiful and thought-provoking story.

This is a go to read for fans of Jenny Han, Emma Lord, and Sarah Dessen. Quick, fun, romantic. Great book.

I will admit that when I first read the blurb for Where It All Lands, I was very worried about a love triangle. I usually avoid those at all costs, but I'm so glad I took a chance on this story. Because of the dual timelines of the book, I'm hesitant to even call what unfolded a love triangle. There isn't overlap or wishy washy back and forth, but rather a series of what ifs and an exploration of how decisions (big or small) can impact our lives in unexpected and sometimes tragic ways.

I really enjoyed this YA novel with a unique twist on a love triangle. Stevie moves often due to her dad's job as an NFL coach. On her first day at a new school, she meets best friends Drew and Shane, who both want to ask her out. They flip a coin to avoid fighting over her, and we get alternate timelines for each outcome. I was 100% team Shane and enjoyed the second half of the book more, but even in the beginning, I couldn't put this book down. Stevie, Drew, and Shane all deal with really hard things and it's YA so expect drama and big emotions, but there's also so much hope in their story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early digital review copy!

I definitely liked this book! But there's something I can't quite put my finger on that prevented me from rating it higher. The structure of the book made it hard to really fall into these characters. Overall, it was a good read, and a strong debut: emotional and interestingly structured, but could use more character depth.

"Every action has its equal, opposite reaction"

Based on the cover I knew I would like Where It All Lands, but I didn't realize how much I would ADORE this novel.

Dual timelines, a love triangle, emotional turmoil, and dreams on the line all coalesce into Jennie Wexler's emotionally gripping novel Where It All Lands---a story about three teens on the verge of something beautiful, or something utterly tragic. Highly recommend this book as its take on choices and consequences will resonate deeply with readers.

Back to Newton and Hamilton: When a coin flip between two best friends determines the fate of three teens, no one can predict the intensity, the gutwrenching twists, and finality of a simple choice.

Drew and Shane are the best of friends, brothers really, and have each others' backs always. Until the new girl, Stevie Rosenstein shows up with her red saxophone strap. Both boys are instantly drawn to her and decide to flip a coin to decide who gets to ask Stevie out. NOW HOLD UP BEFORE YOU JUDGE THE GUYS TOO HARSHLY! A coin toss is a way Drew and Shane have historically settled any disagreements before they turned into fights. This toss is not for the ownership of Stevie, but a way for the guys to let fate decide who gets to ask her out. Stevie still has full autonomy here. She can and does say no to the boy she is not interested in at first...

What's remarkable about this story is that both possibilities playout for the reader and we will never know which one was the *real* timeline. There is a monumental twist around the halfway point and will leave you breathless.

We have all contemplated it - how our lives would be different if we had made one choice over another. We come across so many of these life-changing moments over the course of our lives, and it is easy to get caught up in the "what-ifs." What if I hadn't taken that job? What if I didn't agree to that first date? What if I hadn't picked up the phone that day? What if I had left the house 5 minutes later? What if I chose one guy over the other? That's the what-if explored in Jennie Wexler's debut YA novel, Where It All Lands, a book that examines the choices of three New Jersey teens.

Where It All Lands begins with a coin toss after two best friends, Drew and Shane, both lay eyes on the new girl, Stevie, and want to ask her out. Of course, they both can't, so they flip a coin to determine who will receive the honor. That coin toss alters the trajectory of all three of these teenagers' lives, which is the premise of this novel.

It helps to have some understanding of the book's arrangement before going into it. The first half of the novel spotlights what would have happened had the coin landed on "heads," giving brooding and mega-rich heartthrob Drew the opportunity to ask Stevie out. The latter part of the book highlights what would have happened if the coin had landed on "tails," and Shane, the sensitive and gifted musician, had received the chance to go for Stevie. Just who will Stevie choose by the end of both of these stories? And how big a part does our everyday choices play in our destinies?

The concept of Where It All Lands is really interesting. It made me think and consider my life choices, and also opened my eyes to the numerous possibilities awaiting at the end of every "what if." On the other hand, I didn't really care for the characters, especially Drew, who was volatile, pretentious, and spoiled. Stevie wasn't much better, constantly lamenting over her dad's job as a NFL coach. The book reeks of privilege, and Stevie and Drew come off as whiny and ungrateful. The plot was also not the most compelling, focusing on typical teenage fare - friendships, relationships, and problems with parents - without offering up much to provoke the senses. But the coin toss makes it interesting and turns this story into something more than a typical teenage love triangle. If you are looking for a unique storyline format, then you may quite enjoy Where It All Lands.

This book is such an interesting concept but it totally works!! I loved the multi POV, which is something I look for in books.

I enjoyed Drew, Shane, and Stevie and learning about their backstories. The multi POV really lets us see into their world and get to know them.

This book is bittersweet and sweetly moving!

I love a story with an alternate timeline. The “what could have been” is one of my favorite kind of stories, just like in “Sliding Doors”. Where It All Lands was a pleasant surprise. It was a cute, fun, and quick read. It took me two sittings to read, and that is only because I had to eat. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

This book threw me for a loop halfway through, as I went into it a bit blind. What had started out as a feel-good be-careful-what-you-choose kind of novel, turned into one that showed just how impactful one small choice can be, and just how much can potentially change because of it.

The second part of the book shows what would have happened if one action had resulted differently. And then readers get to see both play out in the end.

A lesson I took away from this book: Sometimes there are things outside of our control, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be mindful of the choices we do make in life.

A quick note: I really enjoyed this story, but I didn’t personally enjoy the audiobook. The voices came across as breathy and as though they were trying to seduce you at times, which just felt awkward since the story wasn’t one of sexual nature. Just my personal preference here, but I thought I’d share!

This book was a lot heavier & much more of a downer than I was expecting for a YA romance. It actually made it more difficult to read because everyone more or less spends the whole book unhappy. I also thought the epilogue was completely unnecessary & really felt like it was tacked on because the book needed a couple of extra pages. I did, however, like that we got a lot of the “Heads” story and then a lot of the “Tails” story instead of switching off every chapter as other “what if” books I’ve read have done.

Jennie Wexler’s debut YA contemporary novel Where It All Lands is one of the more unique stories I’ve read recently. It’s a story about love, friendship, missed opportunities and second chances, and it’s about how something as simple as the flip of a coin can alter the course of a person’s journey.

The story follows three teens: new girl Stevie Rosenstein and Shane and Drew, who have been best friends forever. Both Shane and Drew find themselves drawn to Stevie and want to ask her out. They don’t want to step on each other’s toes though and have a girl come between their friendship, so they do what they always do when they need to resolve something and move on – they flip a coin. Whoever wins the coin flip gets to ask Stevie out and the loser steers clear.

It’s here that the story takes a unique turn because the author presents the rest of the story in a dual timeline: in one timeline, Shane has won the coin toss and becomes involved with Stevie and in the other timeline, Drew has won and it is he who gets to ask out Stevie. I have to admit I was a little nervous when I realized it was somewhat of a love triangle, but I really loved how the author presented the relationships in each timeline. She really fleshes out all three characters and shows how sometimes even the smallest choices people make can have a huge impact on their lives and the lives of those around them.

Even though it was the unique concept of the love triangle/coin flip dual timeline that drew me to this story, what really made me love it was the cast of characters. I adored Stevie, Shane, and Drew. I was particularly drawn to Stevie because she had spent her whole life moving from city to city because of her father’s job. Every time she makes friends, she immediately has to pack up and move. She’s lonely and at this point in her life is hesitant to even bother trying to make new friends. I felt so bad for her and was immediately rooting for her to find some great friends and convince her dad to settle in one place so she can put down roots.

I also adored Shane and Drew, especially because of their friendship. They’ve both been through so much and no matter what, have always been each other’s number one support system. I didn’t want them to let a girl, or anyone else for that matter, come between them, so I was anxious to see if they would really be able to abide by the rules of their coin toss or if the tension would come to a head and cost them not only Stevie, but also their lifelong friendship. Wexler does a wonderful job creating tension and straining these relationships to the brink. I don’t want to give away any spoilers but I’ll say that this book also had me in tears a few times. I just became so invested in these characters that when tragedy strikes (also presented in a dual timeline with different outcomes) I was immediately a wreck.

Even though there’s definitely quite a bit of heartbreak sprinkled throughout, overall Where It All Lands is still a heartfelt and hopeful book. If you enjoy unique stories that feature love, friendship, trust, second chances, and possibilities, you’ll want to check out Where It All Lands.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Stevie is new to town, again, after her family relocates for her father's new job. Her first day she meets Shane and Drew, two best friends who use coin tosses to settle everything. Both boys see potential relationships with Stevie and flip a coin to see who gets to ask her out.

The story is told in 3 parts: heads, tails, and after. The concept of the book is so intriguing of a ripple effect of what changes when one or the other outcome happens. I found myself enjoying the first perspective, but not loving "repeating" the story in another way.

The characters are definitely what you would expect from YA, but they learn and grow so much throughout the story that they become endearing. Stevie has a lot of growth of learning that life is more what you make of it than your situation.

I recommend this book to music lovers, band geeks, fans of dual timelines, and hopeless romantics.