MY SECOND IMPRESSION OF YOU

A magical app gives Maggie insight into the hearts and minds of her friends and family.

Maggie Scott thinks she’s meeting her boyfriend, Theo Kallis, for a promposal only to be dumped because he’s tired of all the drama in their relationship. Leaving the coffee shop, she falls and breaks her foot. The injury sidelines her from her current and upcoming dance and stage performances, a fact that’s devastating to Maggie, who’s working toward a career in musical theater. Almost as bad is that her accident is witnessed by Theo’s best friend, Carson Lockwood, whom she can’t stand. Maggie decides to try to get Theo back—she hopes to glean ideas to rekindle his interest by remembering what originally brought them together the previous summer. A mysterious text takes her to the Best Day app, which, through simulations that follow the structure of a play, transport Maggie back in time. It also grants her access to people’s inner thoughts, including those of her parents, brother, and best friend as well as Carson and Theo. As a result, Maggie uncovers uncomfortable truths, including about her own behavior. Maggie is a well-developed character whose journey to self-knowledge is believable and earned. Her relationships with her family members are given equal weight as those with friends and romantic partners. Main characters are cued as White; Maggie’s best friend is Dominican and Irish American.

Equal parts sweet romance and thought-provoking story of self-discovery.