The Do-Over

From the very first chapter, Lynn Painter sets the scene for a young adult contemporary romance. The main character has a specific, yet faulty, view of love that will change by the end of the novel. Additionally, the promise of love to come also implies that the teenage protagonist will discover vital things about herself in the process.

Painter hints at Emilie’s internal conflicts in these early chapters. When she mentions splitting time between her mom’s and her dad’s houses since their divorce, she admits to still feeling like “just a nomad in the way. At both of their houses” (7). This internal wound Emilie nurses regarding her family dynamic suggests the oncoming turmoil her father’s promotion and eventual move will have on Emilie’s feelings. The lack of reaction to her car crashes every morning of the time-loop also demonstrates the distance between her and her parents, and the loneliness she feels as a result. Her parents do not answer her phone calls or contact her in any way, other than when she acts in a way that disappoints or angers them. Though Emilie attempts to make herself feel better by reasoning that her parents not calling her back was nice because “it postponed the immense amount of trouble [she] was about to be in” (16), she can’t help but be hurt by their lack of concern for her.

The novel’s incorporation of a time loop, a narrative device often found in speculative fiction where the same timeframe repeats, sets the novel apart from the traditional contemporary romance genre. The time-loop element also aids Painter in exploring the novel’s key themes. The time-loop plot device enables Emilie to repeatedly experience the consequences of her actions and decisions, offering her multiple opportunities to reassess her priorities and values and demonstrating The Futility of Excessive Planning. The time loop also serves as a metaphor for the idea that personal growth and self-understanding often require revisiting and reevaluating past experiences.

Painter also thematically explores The Reality of Imperfection in Emilie’s failed attempts at exercising control over her life, especially the doomed time loop. Emilie’s approach to love—choosing a partner based on a pre-drafted pros-and-cons list—illustrates her attempt to manage her emotions logically to avoid the mistakes her parents made. However, as Emilie comes to learn, love can be messy and uncontrollable. The series of unfortunate events on Valentine’s Day, including the car accident, the loss of her fellowship, and Josh’s betrayal, shatter Emilie’s illusion of control. The time loop effectively reinforces the theme, showing that life is inherently unpredictable, and perfection is unattainable. Chasing perfection, as Painter demonstrates, will only bring failure and unhappiness to Emilie. She must learn how to embrace the messiness of life and relationships and accept that she cannot plan or control love and happiness to the extent she believes.

In Chapter 3, Emilie admits that her friend Chris “always said [she] had serious issues with needing people to like [her]” (24). This statement reveals Emilie’s struggle with genuineness and introduces Painter’s thematic exploration of The Importance of Authenticity. Emilie’s journey of self-discovery involves distinguishing between what she truly wants and what she believes she should want. It also hinges upon her desire to people-please, which often prevents her from acting upon her desires. Her grandmother’s advice in Chapter 5 is a pivotal moment:

“Sometimes I don’t understand why you don’t open your mouth and say the words that are on your tongue,” my grandma said, walking over to the kitchen and turning down the stove. “I get the privilege of hearing you let loose with your anger. Others should, too. You are not the people-pleasing mouse you purport yourself to be. Burn some cities down with your rage! […] Quit worrying about making everyone else happy” (37).

The scene establishes that Emilie’s arc will involve learning to be more authentic to herself. The repetition of Valentine’s Day is therefore a mechanism that allows Emilie to confront her fears about speaking her truths, ultimately leading to a more genuine understanding of herself. It is through this forced, repeated process of self-actualization that Emilie will learn from the past and come into her true authentic self.