You know how some books, and especially some authors, just stick with you and you would read just about anything by them because you know you'll probably end up loving it? Well, I'm hear to tell you Edward Underhill is 100% one of those authors for me. But that's not at all why I ended up absolutely loving this book. Let me explain. I read "Always the Almost" (Edward's debut novel) last year and a part of me has been forever changed by that. Not having any friends that are trans, I knew next to nothing about what that experience could be like for a person. And before reading ATA, I had never read a trans story before. That book taught me so much in such a short read and the sheer JOY in that book had me equally crying and laughing so much I just about needed 3-5 business days to recover. Edward's writing paints such a beautiful picture of his characters, their environments and the way the people they meet and the experiences they discover along their journey help grow them so much as people. It's a true talent and I'm grateful to be able to experience his stories.

Now... "This Day Changes Everything?" It's so many things. Comfort, strength, joy, humor, and magic. It has me smiling every time I think about it and all i want to do is go back for a reread so I can chase that feeling again. I can already tell Abby & Leo are going to hold such a special place in my heart because I've never fallen in love with two characters as quickly as I did them. It goes past their unique grumpy x sunshine dynamic (which is SO cute and a personal fave of mine), but it's the way they somehow discover so much about themselves and each other while being physically lost together that makes their relationship stick with you. It's the way Edward wrote these two characters, their day in New York and the people they meet along the way that has left a mark on me. Tears have never poured so hard down my face as they did during the "you exist to me" scene. I felt "𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨" in that moment, too.

Overall, this book was the slice of warm joy I needed this snow day, and not-so-unrelated, I will be buying a plane ticket to New York asap (sorry, can't do a nineteen hour bus ride like these marching band kids can). Also may or may not have written "The Universe is what you make it" and stuck it at my desk so I'm reminded of that little nugget of wisdom everyday.

I absolutely should've read the blurb before requesting this book and that's on me. I love a queer story as much (or possibly more) than the next person, but this one just didn't quite hit for me. I think part of it was that I was expecting for there to be a time loop, but also there wasn't really any conflict. I loved seeing New York and watching Abby and Leo fall in love with their queerness and each other, but apart from that I was kinda meh on it.

*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

This book is so wholesome and sweet! There's just something about YA romance, especially one that takes place in less than 24 hours.

The representation in this book was wonderful. Abby and Leo are two queer teens struggling with their identities who stumble upon each other when they both get on the wrong train during a marching band trip to New York City. As a former band geek, I loved the band references because they brought me back to all the great times I had with my friends in band, especially the trips and bus rides. Seeing the growth in not only Abby and Leo, but the growth and acceptance from their friends and family too, was so sweet and wholesome and just made me hopeful for generations to come.

Overall, this was just such a cute, feel good book that I loved!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Move over, Nick and Nora! This is the falling in love in new york story for the next generation. Underhill’s book is pure queer joy, particularly trans joy. I will admit, it fell into a trap I hate: where a girl who’s attracted to both girls and boys starts leaning sapphic…but ends up with a man. True, we need more trans love stories. But why do most queer love stories tend to shake out this way? Still, the book has irresistible charm and offers an important take on the need to learn how to live with uncertainty. We may never be sure what the right choice is. That doesn’t mean we can’t keep making them.

I adored "Always the Almost" so I had very high hopes for this one. I'm afraid I didn't love "This Day Changes Everything" nearly as much as the author's first book, and I just didn't feel the chemistry between the two main characters--if I didn't know it was a romance I would have thought they would end up as friends. I'd still recommend it for readers seeking a cute queer YA romance with strong Christmas/Hallmark movie vibes, and it was an easy read (which is always a compliment from me).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Leo and Abby are both struggling. Leo just wants people to see him for him, but his parents want to keep things from the extended family, saying he’s a tomboy. Abby wholeheartedly believes in true love but she’s gay and no one knows it. She’s also in love with her best friend, who doesn’t know how she feels. Then they get lost on the New York subway together. Can they help each find themselves? I enjoyed this one very much! A lovable story with two sweet protagonists! I loved the way Edward Underhill approached difficult topics in their book and the depictions of loneliness and finding someone who helps you see freedom! A story about finding who you are and where you fit in the world! Highly recommend! Can’t wait to read it again!

I'm a 40+ something adult, so YA books aren't always my cup of tea, but when it comes to queer YA books that bring queer joy, I've found that this author brings a smile to my face.

This Day Changes Everything is Underhill's sophomore book and he obviously had fun with the adventure he took us on. This story reminded me a little bit of Dash and Lily combined with a little bit of Today Tonight Tomorrow. It was like a fun scavenger hunt put on in NYC in 24 hours and I got to follow along on the ride with Abby and Leo as they discovered more about themselves in one short trip to a big city than they have in their years in high school in their small towns.

Abby and Leo travel to NYC with their high school marching bands to perform during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. When they end up getting separated from their groups, they end up on the wrong subway together and while they have very different outlooks on life and their trip to the city, they end up making the most of their day.

Abby is living her life with a supposed crush on her best friend and in love with a book that she has read a million times. And the book happens to be set in NYC, so this trip has been built up to something huge in her mind. It's her time to come to terms with who she is and coming out to her best friend. Leo meanwhile is not looking forward to this trip. He is the boy that has become the "Logistical Headache". He is constantly misgendered, his parents just keep calling him a tomboy and his marching band still places him with the girls because they just can't wrap their heads around that he identifies as male. It's like he can't just BE. But with Abby, he is just Leo and their day ends up being more successful than either of them can imagine.

With a great cast of characters and a fun adventure around the city, I enjoyed following Abby and Leo getting lost around NYC. I got to see them start one way and evolve over the course of the day they spent together. They got to just be 2 queer teenagers existing in the world without being singled out. I enjoyed the way that Edward Underhill gave these teens a sense of community while also allowing them to just enjoy being in the moment. From beginning to end, this story was well paced and the characters brought the story to life. This is the sort of book that you want to land in the hands of a queer teen that needs to see that there is joy to be had, even if you have to work at it and even if things get muddled along the way. But this isn't just a story of queer romance, it's also a love letter to romance stories in general. Because love stories make us see the possibilities are endless in this Universe and we must capture the moments.

Overall, this was a joy to read and brought a smile to my face. And now I want to go back to NYC and have my own (mis)adventure.

First, thank you to the publishers for letting me receive a copy of this ARC. I was instantly drawn to the cover and title of this book. Unfortunately, the actual book was a little more young adult than I was expecting and not entirely my cup of tea. I tend to gravitate more to fantasy novels or adult fiction rather than romance. Overall, the story itself is cute and characters are developed. I would say this book is pretty average. The plot does engage the reader and I can see some readers feeling connected to the story. 2-3 star book for me. I will round up for this one.

Edward Underhill does it again. I adored this coming of age and romance story set in New York City over the span of about two days! It explores figuring out your queerness, and having the courage to take a chance and risk it all for love.

4.5 stars - it took me a minute to get into this book, but once we were in the train with our two main characters, I couldn't put it down. Absolutely loved these two (grumpy sunshine is a favorite trope of mine) and I thoroughly enjoyed their growth and finding out their feelings.

Let me start by saying that I absolutely love the queer representation!! It was exactly what I could have used when I was in high school.
I loved getting to know the characters and watching them find themselves throughout NYC. I relate to Abby in so many ways that I almost felt like I was finding myself all over again. Abby and Leo are so cute. This was an amazing book. All queer you deserve an epic love story and to also see it represented. This book is exactly that.

such an utterly cute read like?? my gosh leo and abby go so well together and while the story is semi fantastical (or at least implausible) the characters are so grounded and real. thanks for the ARC

I am withholding my review until the end of the SMP boycott in solidarity with the communities that have been harmed

I'll be honest, there's almost an entire star solely for how much queer and trans joy in finding yourself there is on the pages and how much it had me grinning for that.

As a YA queer-coming-of-age, it's great, taking a lot of teenage angst and experiences and putting it through the pressure cooker of a band trip. My favorite part was definitely the scavenger hunt in the bookstore, with Leo and Abby getting to experience other people just accepting them and letting them be and having fun.

As an adult, however, I definitely had a lot of anxiety about the two of them skipping out on so much of their planned trip and making their friends cover for them, and the realizing from both of them that they were in love with the other after a day did feel rushed, but hey. Teenagers.

I did love Leo's description of when everything clicks into place during a marching band performance - it's how I always feel during a good chorus performance, and it was nice to see it reflected here.

This book was perfect start to finish. I didn’t like some of the characterization, but that was more of a personal preference than a general opinion. I thought the plot was original and well executed, and the characters were so cute. Abby and Leo definitely have my heart, and I loved the natural discussions of gender and sexuality without too much awkward exposition. This is definitely something I’d reccomend to younger queer audiences.

Leo and Abby are both traveling to New York with their high school marching bands for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. While on their sightseeing tours, they end up together on the wrong subway and ultimately decide to spend the day together going around Manhattan.

This was a really cute story about two queer teenagers falling in love with each other. They only know each other for one full day, so it is very instalove, but cute nonetheless.

Near the beginning, Leo says his phone is crappy and the battery is at 30-something percent. Yet he's still using it often to text, facetime, and use Google maps and the phone somehow does not die for an entire day. That's even more unrealistic than instalove.

Dash and Lily meets Ferris Bueller is a very good comparison for this.

I look forward to Edward Underhill's next book.

CW: mentions of transphobia and homophobia, mention of deadnaming

Rep: queer main character, trans character, ace side character, queer side characters, nonbinary side character.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

this book delivered on exactly what it claimed to be! a short, sweet insta-love about finding your place in the world as a queer teenager, complete with a dramatic final make-up and make-out scene, gratuitous descriptions of new york city at christmas, and a satisfying ending. not anything groundbreaking, but it didn’t need to be - there are 20 billion books with this exact plot and heterosexual couples. the gays deserve a win here.

<i> I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. </i>

I will be withholding all reviews and promotion for St. Martin's Press titles and their imprints until the publisher addresses the concerns of BIPOC and Muslim creators who are being stalked, harassed and feel unsafe due to the actions of a racist employee.

I wish I could submit a review for this book as trans voices need so much support but I will be withholding my review until SMP and Wednesday books meet the terms of the boycott and address the harm their employee has caused.

I adored Edward Underhill’s ALWAYS THE ALMOST so I happily accepted the opportunity to read THIS DAY CHANGES EVERYTHING. I love how Underhill incorporates music into his work, in this book the focus is high school marching band. As a former marching band geek, I thoroughly enjoyed that aspect and was more than a bit jealous that these bands got to play at the Macy’s parade in NYC. But the heart of this story is friendship, romance, and the universe (fate versus coincidence).

Abby is questioning her sexuality after developing feelings for her best friend Kat, while Leo is going through a tough time trying to be seen and accepted as a boy. Abby and Leo get on the wrong train and end up on a whirlwind adventure in NYC. The reader has to suspend disbelief at some of the turn of events, but I found it to be an enjoyable queer fantasy for two teenagers learning more about themselves and each other over the course of a day.

THIS DAY CHANGES EVERYTHING is a sweet YA story with a positive message, and a book that could change everything for young readers.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending an eARC.