This was a quick and quirky read loved that they got to navigate around together finding themselves. Would recommend this one

Thoughts and Themes: I started reading this book and ended up putting it down for a bit because I couldn't get into it. I am really glad that I picked it back up and decided to give it a try. I really wasn't invested in the story until a little over 30% into the book so I am glad that I kept reading. I got invested as Leo and Abby meet each other on the train and wanted to k now more about what happens next for them.

I loved the way that this story unfolds and becomes a love story about Leo and Abby instead of what we originally thought we were getting. I loved following them all throughout New York City and this book made me want to go out to the city and experience it myself.

Characters: In this book you are introduced to our main characters, Leo and Abby, along with some of their friends, Kat and Evan. Throughout the book you get to meet some side characters and have a bit of interactions with Leo's sister as well.

I love the relationship between Leo and Abby and how this develops all within a day. I love the way this shifts from them being closed and guarded off from the world and each other to them seeing pieces of each other that others don't get to see. I appreciate how the author manages to show each of their feelings about the other and their confusion over those feelings.

Writing Style: This book is told in first person going back and forth from Leo and Abby's perspectives. I liked that we got to see both sides of the story and hear how they were both interpreting things. I appreciated how the author shared both of their feelings as things were unfolding.

Abby is in love with her best friend Kat. And when her school band travels to New York to play in the Macy’s Day Parade, she is going to tell her.
Leo is also in New York with his band. And while his extended family thinks he’s “just a tomboy”, they are about to learn the truth.
After a subway mix up, Abby and Leo find themselves on an epic adventure, spending one magical New York City day together.

This was a story of two teenagers figuring out who they are and navigating a society that doesn’t always accept them. From exploring and expressing new feelings, to finally letting people see who you really are, Abby and Leo’s story did not disappoint.

This felt like a queer version of Nicola Yoon’s The Sun is Also a Star, and I am here for it.

This is a cute, quick read that will appeal to lovers of sweet YA romance. I enjoyed Leo and Abby's trek around NYC as they learn about each other and explore not only the city but the possibilities of the future. Lots of wonderful representation. Overall, a likeable enough set of characters, plot, and conclusion.
A few times the flow of the narrative seemed stalled because a character steps outside of the action to explain something rather than letting the reader figure things out.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the eARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the eARC of This Day Changes Everything! All opinions in this review are my own.

This Day Changes Everything is part Dash & Lily and part The Lizzie McGuire Movie. While I can see it being a really fun read for a teen, it stressed me out as an adult that Abby and Leo were wandering around the city (and yes, I do recognize I'm not the intended audience for this book). I did really like how Abby and Leo navigated their way through both their adventure and their budding relationship. The author does an excellent job of showing the range of queerness and characters who don't want to be defined by labels. The scene in The Strand where Abby and Leo find a group of people they feel like they truly belong with was sweet. Overall, this is a fun teen adventure in New York City. The author shows both the good and the bad of New York, and created truly loveable characters.

This book was sweet but probably not something I will be thinking about frequently. The rom-com element was whimsical but there were parts that took that a little too far or where the characters were oblivious ending in missed opportunities and the plot dragging on. In the end, though I did enjoy the story and loved all the representation!

I want to read this and support the author so badly but SMO has still not addressed the boycott or Readers for Accountability so this one will just have to wait.

<i>I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Edward has done it again! This book is beautiful and I adore it.

Leo is a grumpy trans boy and Abby is a chaotic maybe-queer ball of sunshine. They're teenagers who feel like teenagers. They're messy and young and searching and determined to stick up for themselves. They may not have the words to describe themselves (or like the words available to them) but they're so earnest in their pursuit of understanding. They want to belong and you can feel it in every word.

I fell in love with NYC again while reading this book. I've lived here for years and years, I've been to all the sites Leo and Abby visit. I've worked those Thanksgiving buffets for parade members. But seeing all the little ways the vibe here helps Leo and Abby feel comfortable, how they learn and grow? It's amazing and heartwarming. I love how fully Edward captured that feeling.

Once again, I'll be shouting at everyone I know to go read this ASAP!

Some parts of this book felt like it was made for me. As a former band kid, as someone who looks back on my HS choir trip to NYC with fondness, as someone who was queer and from a small town in high school, as someone for whom <i>Ferris Bueller</i> is in my top five films, I think I was set up to love this. I loved these aspects of the book: the parts where we got to see New York and band kid mischief.

However, I didn't realize going into this book that it's not a contemporary, but actually a romance, which was disappointing to me. I think this book could have had so much potential if it was telling the story of a life-altering friendship and the important of queer friends: instead it turned towards insta-love, which won't bother everyone, but definitely bothered me. I felt that the romance cheapened the messages of the book when a different approach could have underscored some of the themes that were otherwise present. It was still a fun vibe and a fun audiobook, but I just saw so much more potential in this story and in these characters.

I liked Edward Underhill's debut, but his second novel? Probably loved it even more, especially as a new New York City commuter - could definitely relate to the confusing train system and getting lost in the beauty of the city. Read in one day and have no regrets

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free review copy! I loved Edward’s second novel just as much as his first. Delightful and so much fun!

Sweet and fun and just so, so GOOD. I loved every moment of this, there is nothing better than a story of queer joy.

This was quick read, but a great slow burn queer romance. Im not a big fan of slow burn romance, I wish some time it was a little more rushed.
Would definitely recommend. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC, all of my reviews are my own opinion. I thought this book was cute. It did feel a little off reading this into the new year. This should most definitely be read at Thanksgiving time as so much of the story is set against New York in the fall at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I read thoroughly on vibes so I really had to ignore a lot of the detailing and scenery to just take the story in. But that's me. Like I said though, this is a very cute story about first loves and being queer in small towns and things not going the way you intend. I would definitely recommend this book, but just making sure that it's read in November.

This was an interesting story of two bands performing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade and both of the main characters are from small towns and identify on the LGBTQ spectrum. They wind up missing trains and are separated from their schools when they recognize each other from the hotel and start on an adventure.

This one was a great quick queer read! I loved the main characters and can definitely relate to that lost feeling. I unfortunately wasn’t into the slow burn with this one and kept wanting something more to happen. It felt very hallmark but make it queer.

This Day Changes Everything is so cute. I loved Abby and Leo. The idea of two teens meeting while their bands are participating in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was perfect. I was really invested in the story and it was just fun. I would absolutely read it again. This might be a fun Thanksgiving day tradition.

“I think I want to be out, eventually, but mostly…I just want to exist.”

“You exist to me.”

QOTD: have you ever been to New York City?

AOTD: I have! I’ve been a few times and got to see all the sites, and two Broadway Shows 🤩

I absolutely loved this #yanovel by @edwardunderhill ❤️ I was a big fan of his first novel, so when I was saw he was writing a new #romance I knew I would be picking it up.

All I kept thinking while reading this one was that I felt that it was love letter to youth, to queerness, to New York, and to the power of friendship. I got lost in the whirlwind trip through NYC and the epic love story between Leo and Abby is not to be missed 😍 Add on the gorgeous coverart by @peaches.obviously and this this #book has it all!

Thank you to @netgalley for my #gifted copy to read and review.

This was a pretty cute, mostly plot-less road trip romance that takes place with NYC as it's backdrop. I loved seeing both Abby's and Leo's journeys particularly with their queerness. I didn't love love this one as much as I loved the author's last book but it's a pretty solid read for teens! I think I just usually like a bit more plot with my books but this was a short and enjoyable read.

"This Day Changes Everything" is an insanely cute YA romcom! Enjoyed it even more than I thought I would. Leo and Abby are in New York for their high schools' marching band marching in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade-- and when they both end up on the wrong subway train, they spend the day exploring around New York and figuring out that the universe might not work the way they expect it to, but sometimes it's even better.
I loved the writing in TDCE, it's sweet and fun to follow as the two leads make their way through the story.
The trans rep and sexuality questioning was well written and felt very realistic for sixteen year olds learning about themselves.
While it is a little too insta-lovey for my personal taste, that's how high schoolers can be and the whole overall tone of the story was hopeful and sweet.