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The Day Tripper
The right guy, the right place, the wrong time.
It’s 1995, and Alex Dean has it all: a spot at Cambridge University next year, the love of an amazing woman named Holly and all the time in the world ahead of him. That is until a brutal encounter with a ghost from his past sees him beaten, battered and almost drowning in the Thames.
He wakes the next day to find he’s in a messy, derelict room he’s never seen before, in grimy clothes he doesn’t recognize, with no idea of how he got there. A glimpse in the mirror tells him he’s older—much older—and has been living a hard life, his features ravaged by time and poor decisions. He snatches a newspaper and finds it’s 2010—fifteen years since the fight.
After finally drifting off to sleep, Alex wakes the following morning to find it’s now 2019, another nine years later. But the next day, it’s 1999. Never knowing which day is coming, he begins to piece together what happens in his life after that fateful night by the river.
But what exactly is going on? Why does his life look nothing like he thought it would? What about Cambridge, and Holly? In this thrilling adventure, Alex must navigate his way through the years to learn that small actions have untold impact. And that might be all he needs to save the people he loves and, equally importantly, himself.
It’s 1995, and Alex Dean has it all: a spot at Cambridge University next year, the love of an amazing woman named Holly and all the time in the world ahead of him. That is until a brutal encounter with a ghost from his past sees him beaten, battered and almost drowning in the Thames.
He wakes the next day to find he’s in a messy, derelict room he’s never seen before, in grimy clothes he doesn’t recognize, with no idea of how he got there. A glimpse in the mirror tells him he’s older—much older—and has been living a hard life, his features ravaged by time and poor decisions. He snatches a newspaper and finds it’s 2010—fifteen years since the fight.
After finally drifting off to sleep, Alex wakes the following morning to find it’s now 2019, another nine years later. But the next day, it’s 1999. Never knowing which day is coming, he begins to piece together what happens in his life after that fateful night by the river.
But what exactly is going on? Why does his life look nothing like he thought it would? What about Cambridge, and Holly? In this thrilling adventure, Alex must navigate his way through the years to learn that small actions have untold impact. And that might be all he needs to save the people he loves and, equally importantly, himself.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published March 19, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
February 22, 2024
Time travel is one of my favorite tropes, so I was sadly disappointed when this book did not work out for me. I did not like how it started at all. There was no world building. When you are going to be jumping around every single chapter, you need to prepare the reader for this somehow, or have such compelling writing that they want to stick it out to see if things are revealed. Neither of these were present. The writing fell flat for me on several levels. As stated, there was no world building, and the protagonist, Alex, was one-dimensional and an unappealing character. Not only did I not connect with him, but I plain did not like him. I also found the pacing to be slow, which was counterintuitive as we were jumping through time every few pages.
I think that in concept this book could have been great, but the execution was severely lacking.
Thank you to the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing, Mira and Netgalley for this e-arc.
I think that in concept this book could have been great, but the execution was severely lacking.
Thank you to the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing, Mira and Netgalley for this e-arc.
March 13, 2024
I love the time travel trope in stories. Especially when it comes to traveling through times in one’s own life. Having the chance to fix mistakes and realize things you’ve taken for granted. That is what drew me to this book.
After reading it, I’m honestly a little surprised I haven’t seen higher rated reviews for it! I really enjoyed it! I will agree that it wasn’t necessarily sophisticated in the way I’ve seen in other time travel novels. But I don’t mind that.
Alex’s life was in a spiral and heading down a dark and dangerous path. Through his journey, he learned to cherish those he was taking for granted. He learned to accept responsibility for his actions. He learned to put petty grievances behind him and see what was really important in life.
I thought the story was heartwarming and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio for the chance to listen to and review this audiobook.
After reading it, I’m honestly a little surprised I haven’t seen higher rated reviews for it! I really enjoyed it! I will agree that it wasn’t necessarily sophisticated in the way I’ve seen in other time travel novels. But I don’t mind that.
Alex’s life was in a spiral and heading down a dark and dangerous path. Through his journey, he learned to cherish those he was taking for granted. He learned to accept responsibility for his actions. He learned to put petty grievances behind him and see what was really important in life.
I thought the story was heartwarming and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio for the chance to listen to and review this audiobook.
January 6, 2024
"Change comes about from a commitment to making a difference."
I have always been fascinated by time travel stories; from the original Back to the Future movies, to the TV series Quantum Leap, and the books The Time Travelers Wife, The Midnight Library, and Oona Out of Order. Each of these stories have their own plots, problems, and solutions. The thing that they all have in common is that you are unsure how it will all work out until the end.
In The Day Tripper, the main character, Alex Dean, is definitely living his life out of order. Each day he wakes up he is a different age. One day he is 20, the next 35, and the day after that 43, then 23, and so on. (I'm sure you get the picture). He finds himself in the same city with some of the same people, but his memories can't seem to catch up with him.
This story is ingenious, thought-provoking, and kept me entranced. It started out slow, but once Alex became caught up in his daily time switch, I was reeled in, I could feel his frantic confusion and his frustration while trying to figure out what was happening to him.
He begins to realize that small changes to parts of his life have caused "updates" to other areas of his life. A cause-and-effect type of scenario. He starts to "own up" to his mistakes and learns how to bring about change and improvements, but also finds out that he can't change everything. The story ultimately becomes a testament to the power of love and leaves the reader asking themselves, If I could change something in MY past would I, and what would it be?
This book is a "must read' for fans of time travel novels, but I would also recommend it to just about everyone. This might be a good discussion book for book clubs also.
My sincere thanks to BookBrowse.com and the publisher, MIRA, for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. Publication date: March 19, 2024.
I have always been fascinated by time travel stories; from the original Back to the Future movies, to the TV series Quantum Leap, and the books The Time Travelers Wife, The Midnight Library, and Oona Out of Order. Each of these stories have their own plots, problems, and solutions. The thing that they all have in common is that you are unsure how it will all work out until the end.
In The Day Tripper, the main character, Alex Dean, is definitely living his life out of order. Each day he wakes up he is a different age. One day he is 20, the next 35, and the day after that 43, then 23, and so on. (I'm sure you get the picture). He finds himself in the same city with some of the same people, but his memories can't seem to catch up with him.
This story is ingenious, thought-provoking, and kept me entranced. It started out slow, but once Alex became caught up in his daily time switch, I was reeled in, I could feel his frantic confusion and his frustration while trying to figure out what was happening to him.
He begins to realize that small changes to parts of his life have caused "updates" to other areas of his life. A cause-and-effect type of scenario. He starts to "own up" to his mistakes and learns how to bring about change and improvements, but also finds out that he can't change everything. The story ultimately becomes a testament to the power of love and leaves the reader asking themselves, If I could change something in MY past would I, and what would it be?
This book is a "must read' for fans of time travel novels, but I would also recommend it to just about everyone. This might be a good discussion book for book clubs also.
My sincere thanks to BookBrowse.com and the publisher, MIRA, for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. Publication date: March 19, 2024.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2024
This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024 and it didn’t disappoint me at all. I kept giving my kindle a hug. I didn’t want the book to end so I tried to read it slowly. But that didn’t last
Changing to a new day each day sometime in his life, he tries to figure it out or try to go back to his old life. I loved the theories of what time is and how it works. Those were some of my favourite parts of the book.
I can’t wait to get a hold of a physical copy of this. This is my favourite book of the year.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and James Goodhand for an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Changing to a new day each day sometime in his life, he tries to figure it out or try to go back to his old life. I loved the theories of what time is and how it works. Those were some of my favourite parts of the book.
I can’t wait to get a hold of a physical copy of this. This is my favourite book of the year.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and James Goodhand for an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
April 21, 2024
The first few chapters of this book left me cold, completely unable to engage. I can't tell you how close I came to walking away and finding something else. But somehow I stuck it out, determined to persevere because the unique time traveling premise had so much potential.
Now I've just finished and I'm sobbing. In my six decades of life, only a handful of books have ever touched me like this one has. The Day Tripper realized that potential and then grew into something unparalleled and deeply inspiring. Those last ten chapters were some of the most satisfying I've read in years.
Don't let the time-jumping chaos and life wasting away on alcohol put you off. It's necessary, and all part of the unflinching process. If you're expecting something jaunty like Groundhog Day, look elsewhere. The Day Tripper offers second chances and redemption, but first we must jump through the hell of a life of addiction, an abusive parent, and misguided motivations in order to even identify where to begin.
Spring's renewal is most beautiful after enduring the harshest of winters.
Now I've just finished and I'm sobbing. In my six decades of life, only a handful of books have ever touched me like this one has. The Day Tripper realized that potential and then grew into something unparalleled and deeply inspiring. Those last ten chapters were some of the most satisfying I've read in years.
Don't let the time-jumping chaos and life wasting away on alcohol put you off. It's necessary, and all part of the unflinching process. If you're expecting something jaunty like Groundhog Day, look elsewhere. The Day Tripper offers second chances and redemption, but first we must jump through the hell of a life of addiction, an abusive parent, and misguided motivations in order to even identify where to begin.
Spring's renewal is most beautiful after enduring the harshest of winters.
March 16, 2024
ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.
James Meunier does a fantastic job with the narration on this book! He effortlessly tells this story and made me feel like I was right there with the characters, running around England for answers. I really enjoyed the plot and love the spin the author puts on a time travel story! I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes science fiction mixed with romance and heartbreak!
James Meunier does a fantastic job with the narration on this book! He effortlessly tells this story and made me feel like I was right there with the characters, running around England for answers. I really enjoyed the plot and love the spin the author puts on a time travel story! I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes science fiction mixed with romance and heartbreak!
March 20, 2024
4.5*
While Day Tripper started out a *little* shaky for me, I ended up absolutely devouring it, and feeling so glad I stuck with it because it is incredibly worth the payout! When we meet Alex, he seems like a pretty typical guy, nothing crazy. But as we begin to jump around to various points in his life, we can see that as he aged, he kind of started to suck. It was depressing, and Alex was none too pleased with how he'd apparently chosen to live his life. Good news is, he keeps getting various chances to make differences.
I don't want to say too much, because this is best experienced for yourself, but it is incredibly thought provoking. What little changes in our daily lives would or could change its trajectory? And what would you change if given the chance? The story was lovely, watching Alex grow and develop and try to figure out what kind of man he wanted to be. I was so, so glad I stuck with it, it was truly a heartfelt journey.
Bottom Line: This one got me right in the feels, and was entertaining to boot!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
While Day Tripper started out a *little* shaky for me, I ended up absolutely devouring it, and feeling so glad I stuck with it because it is incredibly worth the payout! When we meet Alex, he seems like a pretty typical guy, nothing crazy. But as we begin to jump around to various points in his life, we can see that as he aged, he kind of started to suck. It was depressing, and Alex was none too pleased with how he'd apparently chosen to live his life. Good news is, he keeps getting various chances to make differences.
I don't want to say too much, because this is best experienced for yourself, but it is incredibly thought provoking. What little changes in our daily lives would or could change its trajectory? And what would you change if given the chance? The story was lovely, watching Alex grow and develop and try to figure out what kind of man he wanted to be. I was so, so glad I stuck with it, it was truly a heartfelt journey.
Bottom Line: This one got me right in the feels, and was entertaining to boot!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
December 20, 2023
4 stars Thank you to BookBrowse and Mira for a copy of this ARC. This review is my own refection. Publishes March 19, 2024
Do you have trouble remembering what day it is? How would you like to wake up to a morning in 2014 one day and then a morning in 1998 the next day? Quite confusing. That is the life of Alex Dean. You wake up not recognizing your surrounding, not knowing who you are. A happily married man, a drunken homeless bum, a man married to a woman he doesn't love, the man holding the hand of his dying mother. Who will you be? What year will it be? How do you survive?
I was not sure that I was going to like this book, but I ended up loving it. Once I got with the rhythm of the story, and the reasoning behind the year changes, I settled in for a good story telling. A bit historical, a bit futuristic, a lot of cause and effect, a bit of time and space alignment, but all in all a good book.
My first by this author and I am anxious to see where he goes from here.
Do you have trouble remembering what day it is? How would you like to wake up to a morning in 2014 one day and then a morning in 1998 the next day? Quite confusing. That is the life of Alex Dean. You wake up not recognizing your surrounding, not knowing who you are. A happily married man, a drunken homeless bum, a man married to a woman he doesn't love, the man holding the hand of his dying mother. Who will you be? What year will it be? How do you survive?
I was not sure that I was going to like this book, but I ended up loving it. Once I got with the rhythm of the story, and the reasoning behind the year changes, I settled in for a good story telling. A bit historical, a bit futuristic, a lot of cause and effect, a bit of time and space alignment, but all in all a good book.
My first by this author and I am anxious to see where he goes from here.
January 8, 2024
This book owes a huge debt to one of my favorite novels--The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. While here again we have a protagonist living an "atemporal" life, his circumstances are a bit different than lovely Henry, Niffenegger's time traveler. While Alex starts off as a promising young man, as soon as he starts moving through time, waking up at a different point in his life every single morning, he quickly proves himself to be not so appealing.
He's a desperate man. He never went to college, is almost constantly broke, dirty, hungover, and in the grip of a fierce alcohol addiction. He is trying to reconnect with the love of his life, but is unreliable in almost every way. I get it, he has issues I don't. And, I also get that this is a redemption tale. But, ugh, this guy wasn't a lot of fun to spend time with!
I did think the book picked up a bit of momentun as it moved towards the conclusion. BUT, Niffenegger wisely never really tried to explain the cause of Henry's time travel. The explanation that Goodhand eventually posits is offensively dumb. Just let it be a leap of faith, dude!
He's a desperate man. He never went to college, is almost constantly broke, dirty, hungover, and in the grip of a fierce alcohol addiction. He is trying to reconnect with the love of his life, but is unreliable in almost every way. I get it, he has issues I don't. And, I also get that this is a redemption tale. But, ugh, this guy wasn't a lot of fun to spend time with!
I did think the book picked up a bit of momentun as it moved towards the conclusion. BUT, Niffenegger wisely never really tried to explain the cause of Henry's time travel. The explanation that Goodhand eventually posits is offensively dumb. Just let it be a leap of faith, dude!
March 26, 2024
GIve this book a minute. When it started it was charming. Then it gets into truly depressing territory as you watch Alex make the same horrible mistakes over and over. One night seems to send his life spiraling, quite literally. He is left jumping around like Sam Beckett except he is always himself at different parts of his own life. At first he just wastes his life with one drunken mistake after another. Like most alcoholics, you wonder if you will ever see him hit bottom or if he was just going to spiral forever. When he meets a mysterious doctor who seems to know what is going on, he starts to think about what he is doing. After about a third of this book, I could simply not put it down. Alex is pathetic but he wants to be better. Can he change a life he is living out of order?
August 7, 2023
What a fun novel that really makes you think. Can’t wait until this one’s available for everyone to read!!
January 28, 2024
One of the dangers of writing books that play with time is that the story almost always becomes subservient to the concept, which rarely results in a good novel.
Such is a lot of the problem in The Day Tripper, which is so fixated on bending time that it sacrifices plot to the cause. I don’t mind fantasy novels that see characters traveling straight back or forward in time to participate in or alter an event, but that’s not what’s happening in this book, which is far more concerned with the manipulation of time than the events encountered.
The other major issue with this book is that it’s tragedy porn, which I find dull and manipulative. I was bored while reading for most of the story, endlessly waiting for something intriguing to happen and instead encountering nothing but story at cost of concept and a lot of wallowing in a depressing sequence of tragic events.
The writing itself is fine if a bit flat, and I always appreciate an author who tries to put a new spin on an old concept. This just wasn’t a successful attempt to do so.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Such is a lot of the problem in The Day Tripper, which is so fixated on bending time that it sacrifices plot to the cause. I don’t mind fantasy novels that see characters traveling straight back or forward in time to participate in or alter an event, but that’s not what’s happening in this book, which is far more concerned with the manipulation of time than the events encountered.
The other major issue with this book is that it’s tragedy porn, which I find dull and manipulative. I was bored while reading for most of the story, endlessly waiting for something intriguing to happen and instead encountering nothing but story at cost of concept and a lot of wallowing in a depressing sequence of tragic events.
The writing itself is fine if a bit flat, and I always appreciate an author who tries to put a new spin on an old concept. This just wasn’t a successful attempt to do so.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
December 21, 2023
An emotional, character-driven time travel story, this book captures your heart.
Alex Dean isn't living his life in order. After a fateful injury, he begins randomly experiencing days from his life. One moment, he's in love and about to go off to Cambridge, the next moment he's years in the future, living in a dump and getting visits from his parole officer. Alex's desperate search to find out what went wrong and why he lost Holly will give him the chance to save his life.
I fell in love with Alex and Holly, despite Alex's terrible, but understandable, choices. The moments with he and Holly in the beginning were so sweet, which made it so bitter once the reader - and Alex himself - realized that he lost it all. As he started to put the pieces together, I was rooting for him so hard to find a way to change the course of his life.
Part love story, part reflection on the impact of our decisions, this book kept me hooked from the moment Alex woke up in his dreary future.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy of this book.
Trigger warnings: alcoholism, sexual abuse
Alex Dean isn't living his life in order. After a fateful injury, he begins randomly experiencing days from his life. One moment, he's in love and about to go off to Cambridge, the next moment he's years in the future, living in a dump and getting visits from his parole officer. Alex's desperate search to find out what went wrong and why he lost Holly will give him the chance to save his life.
I fell in love with Alex and Holly, despite Alex's terrible, but understandable, choices. The moments with he and Holly in the beginning were so sweet, which made it so bitter once the reader - and Alex himself - realized that he lost it all. As he started to put the pieces together, I was rooting for him so hard to find a way to change the course of his life.
Part love story, part reflection on the impact of our decisions, this book kept me hooked from the moment Alex woke up in his dreary future.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy of this book.
Trigger warnings: alcoholism, sexual abuse
March 23, 2024
Time Travel. Check.
Second chances. Check.
A plethora of what ifs? Check.
Alex Dean's life in 1995 looks like it's destined for great, happy things. Then all of the sudden it isn't. Until, maybe it can be?
This book jumps back and forth between time, focusing on one solitary random day in Alex's life. Sometimes he's 43, sometimes 33, sometimes 23. What lead him to the despair he finds in those times and is there anything he can do to change them? To undo what has been done?
There were times in the first half of the book that I felt that the alcohol abuse became monotonous, but it definitely picked up a faster and more emotional and satisfying pace from there.
If you're a fan of books about redemption, about how the tiniest change can alter the course of history, and of happy endings I highly recommend this one.
Fans of Midnight Library should definitely pick this one up.
TW: Alcohol and drug use. Domestic abuse in the form of controlling, manipulation and verbal abuse. Violence. Brief description of sexual assault of a child.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher/author for the advanced copy. This was a fantastic read.
Second chances. Check.
A plethora of what ifs? Check.
Alex Dean's life in 1995 looks like it's destined for great, happy things. Then all of the sudden it isn't. Until, maybe it can be?
This book jumps back and forth between time, focusing on one solitary random day in Alex's life. Sometimes he's 43, sometimes 33, sometimes 23. What lead him to the despair he finds in those times and is there anything he can do to change them? To undo what has been done?
There were times in the first half of the book that I felt that the alcohol abuse became monotonous, but it definitely picked up a faster and more emotional and satisfying pace from there.
If you're a fan of books about redemption, about how the tiniest change can alter the course of history, and of happy endings I highly recommend this one.
Fans of Midnight Library should definitely pick this one up.
TW: Alcohol and drug use. Domestic abuse in the form of controlling, manipulation and verbal abuse. Violence. Brief description of sexual assault of a child.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher/author for the advanced copy. This was a fantastic read.
March 12, 2024
James Goodhand's 'The Day Tripper' was a captivating 5-star read. As a Doctor Who fan, I'm naturally drawn to anything wibbly wobbly timey wimey, but this book transcends its SciFi roots. Delving into a complex narrative where the timeline is all jumbled up so readers are treated to a multi-layered experience. Amidst the temporal chaos, a love story unfolds, themes of solving a murder, reconciling familial bonds, and grappling with protagonist Alex's tumultuous past and personal demons, including battles with both adversaries and addiction. 'The Day Tripper' is a masterfully crafted journey that transcends genre boundaries, offering a compelling narrative that will resonate with readers of many genres.
March 16, 2024
This book was incredibly difficult to follow. The author used a ton of British Slang which for me caused me to stop and figure out what it meant. That took away from the story for me.
When added to unlikeable and one dimensional characters, that tipped this novel over the line and into an almost DNF category for me.
If you are familiar with British slang then I say give this one a try.
I received a ARC of this book, all opinions are my own
When added to unlikeable and one dimensional characters, that tipped this novel over the line and into an almost DNF category for me.
If you are familiar with British slang then I say give this one a try.
I received a ARC of this book, all opinions are my own
April 15, 2024
I was intrigued by the premise and ultimately enjoyed this poignant time travel novel featuring MMC Alex Dean. Each day after he is almost beaten to death, Alex wakes up in a new decade further from the life he imagined for himself and his love, Holly. He works to figure out how to make small but meaningful changes in order to save himself and the people he loves. The audio version was a bit slow for me at times with a single narrator. Overall a satisfying book, despite heavy themes and a dark overtone, thanks to a hopeful/happy ending. ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
March 11, 2024
I love a good time loop/atemporal reality story, unfortunately I think this one tried too hard to be a bit too much like The time traveler's wife and wasn't able to live up to the excellence that was that book.
I felt empathy for the main character who finds his life derailed with no memory of what happened only to slowly work his way through time trying to change the past and failing again and again.
It was okay on audio but definitely left me a bit disappointed if I'm completely honest. For fans of books like Oona out of order or Wrong place wrong time by Gillian McAllister.
CW: alcoholism
I felt empathy for the main character who finds his life derailed with no memory of what happened only to slowly work his way through time trying to change the past and failing again and again.
It was okay on audio but definitely left me a bit disappointed if I'm completely honest. For fans of books like Oona out of order or Wrong place wrong time by Gillian McAllister.
CW: alcoholism
November 27, 2023
A time travel-y book done quite well!! I really enjoyed Alex's story--waking up every day at a different point in his life, trying desperately to alter his disastrous life to be. Such a unique story that I think many will enjoy. My only complaint was that while the story was immensely enthralling, I didn't care so much for the main character which created some disconnect from the story as a whole. Still, that didn't prevent me from devouring every page.
February 28, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
The Day Tripper.
Time travel themed novels are tricky.
The narrative can get confusing and strange, and let's not forget the strangeness of everything and how it all depends on the reader's ability to suspend disbelief.
My biggest issue(s) include how:
1. The narrative dragged, especially with the time tripping.
I understand in these novels, the main character needs to figure out what is happening and why and the only info provided is each reiteration of themselves in different timelines but it got boring fast
2. I didn't care about Alex and Holly's love story, so his desire to find out what happens to her and where she is in each timeline wasn't important to me.
I was more curious as to why he was experiencing these time slips.
The author placed too much work and effort on establishing Alex and Holly's relationship in the beginning and from those descriptions I knew the narrative was going to be slow.
3. I'm still not exactly sure how the ending is the way it is, or why it 'worked out'
The writing is fine, and the premise had great potential but Alex isn't a compelling or interesting character and the narrative became repetitive very quickly.
Time travel themed novels are tricky.
The narrative can get confusing and strange, and let's not forget the strangeness of everything and how it all depends on the reader's ability to suspend disbelief.
My biggest issue(s) include how:
1. The narrative dragged, especially with the time tripping.
I understand in these novels, the main character needs to figure out what is happening and why and the only info provided is each reiteration of themselves in different timelines but it got boring fast
2. I didn't care about Alex and Holly's love story, so his desire to find out what happens to her and where she is in each timeline wasn't important to me.
I was more curious as to why he was experiencing these time slips.
The author placed too much work and effort on establishing Alex and Holly's relationship in the beginning and from those descriptions I knew the narrative was going to be slow.
3. I'm still not exactly sure how the ending is the way it is, or why it 'worked out'
The writing is fine, and the premise had great potential but Alex isn't a compelling or interesting character and the narrative became repetitive very quickly.
September 11, 2023
This was a very interesting read! I feel like it had a bit of a slow start, but once the main story really kicked in, I was hooked. Alex Dean is involved in a fight in his 20's and wakes up many years later. He keeps spending a few days in different years of his life, and then wakes up in another year.
I liked seeing how he grew and seemed to change his life. I kind of wish there was more, but I definitely looked forward to picking up the book and diving in again. You know I liked it, because I finished it in about 3 days. being an American, it was fun and interesting to read all the British slang and way of talking. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!
I liked seeing how he grew and seemed to change his life. I kind of wish there was more, but I definitely looked forward to picking up the book and diving in again. You know I liked it, because I finished it in about 3 days. being an American, it was fun and interesting to read all the British slang and way of talking. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!
March 18, 2024
Following a brutal encounter in 1995, The Day Tripper follows Alex Dean through time as he wakes up seemingly uninjured but having lived a hard fifteen years since the fight. As Alex grapples with the unsettling reality of having lived a decade-and-a-half in a single night, he is forced to navigate the uncertainties of his past, present, and future. And every night’s sleep thereafter hurls him through time, where each day brings a new year.
One of the hangups with any time-travel plot whose themes are centered on non-sci-fi ideas like exploring a deeper sense of self and your impact on others, à la It’s a Wonderful Life (which is the best Christmas movie ever, hands down), is that often from the outset it’s fairly evident where a character like Alex is supposed to end up, like Oona Out of Order or The Midnight Library, two books where the execution didn’t quite elevate the stories above the predictable and ordinary.
But I ended up being pretty surprised by and drawn into Goodhand’s novel. As the entire conceit depended on his ability to properly carry out the plot, I think he did a great job. Any predictability made the book feel familiar, and yet I was often unsure about what was to come next or what impact Alex would be able to have on his out-of-order life.
My few complaints center on two main areas: the present tense and the pacing. While I certainly understand the inclination to unfurl a plot-driven narrative with present tense, this can sometimes create a rushed and claustrophobic atmosphere, which detracts from my overall experience. Also, while the pacing may falter slightly here and there, perhaps mirroring the erratic nature of Alex's journey, it does feel like it serves as a reflection of life itself. Some days are profound, etching themselves into memory, while others pass by unnoticed, their significance revealed only in hindsight.
Almost unlike any other sub-genre, time-travel books are often defined by how they interact with other time-travel stories. Here, Goodhand plays with time on a continuous but nonlinear line. Everyone’s actions impact their future, but Alex has the benefit of seeing the effects years into the future, the very next day — as well as the chance to make changes in the past again and again. Like Toby from The Witch Elm, whose actions may or may not have led up to this life-altering event, his path was profoundly redirected following the attack. Drawing parallels to The Lost Weekend, where addiction is the struggle, Groundhog Day, which explores self-understanding, and Quantum Leap, questioning purpose and change, The Day Tripper explores the complex relationship between cause and effect. In the realm of time travel, is it a blessing or a curse, a path to redemption or ruin? Raising huge questions about destiny and free will, Goodhand managed a superb balance that made the unusual way Alex was living seem strikingly similar to an ordinary life. No one is promised a tomorrow.
Overall, while I didn’t fall in love with it, I appreciated the ways Goodhand explored his themes and I kind of miss Alex. In the realm of time-play stories, The Day Tripper stands on its own with a thought-provoking exploration of what it means to live your life.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.
One of the hangups with any time-travel plot whose themes are centered on non-sci-fi ideas like exploring a deeper sense of self and your impact on others, à la It’s a Wonderful Life (which is the best Christmas movie ever, hands down), is that often from the outset it’s fairly evident where a character like Alex is supposed to end up, like Oona Out of Order or The Midnight Library, two books where the execution didn’t quite elevate the stories above the predictable and ordinary.
But I ended up being pretty surprised by and drawn into Goodhand’s novel. As the entire conceit depended on his ability to properly carry out the plot, I think he did a great job. Any predictability made the book feel familiar, and yet I was often unsure about what was to come next or what impact Alex would be able to have on his out-of-order life.
My few complaints center on two main areas: the present tense and the pacing. While I certainly understand the inclination to unfurl a plot-driven narrative with present tense, this can sometimes create a rushed and claustrophobic atmosphere, which detracts from my overall experience. Also, while the pacing may falter slightly here and there, perhaps mirroring the erratic nature of Alex's journey, it does feel like it serves as a reflection of life itself. Some days are profound, etching themselves into memory, while others pass by unnoticed, their significance revealed only in hindsight.
Almost unlike any other sub-genre, time-travel books are often defined by how they interact with other time-travel stories. Here, Goodhand plays with time on a continuous but nonlinear line. Everyone’s actions impact their future, but Alex has the benefit of seeing the effects years into the future, the very next day — as well as the chance to make changes in the past again and again. Like Toby from The Witch Elm, whose actions may or may not have led up to this life-altering event, his path was profoundly redirected following the attack. Drawing parallels to The Lost Weekend, where addiction is the struggle, Groundhog Day, which explores self-understanding, and Quantum Leap, questioning purpose and change, The Day Tripper explores the complex relationship between cause and effect. In the realm of time travel, is it a blessing or a curse, a path to redemption or ruin? Raising huge questions about destiny and free will, Goodhand managed a superb balance that made the unusual way Alex was living seem strikingly similar to an ordinary life. No one is promised a tomorrow.
Overall, while I didn’t fall in love with it, I appreciated the ways Goodhand explored his themes and I kind of miss Alex. In the realm of time-play stories, The Day Tripper stands on its own with a thought-provoking exploration of what it means to live your life.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.
April 10, 2024
I wanted to like this more than I did. Very similar in concept to Oona Out of Order, I couldn’t help but compare the two and find this lacking. While the point of the book is clear (we get it, good actions beget good outcomes) the journey is unpleasant.
It’s 1995 and Alex Dean is 20 and living his best life when he gets knocked out in a fight and wakes up in 2010. After a bewildering and depressing day he falls asleep and then wakes in 2019. He soon realizes that he is living life out of order and that his future appears to be very bleak. However when he realizes that the changes he makes in his behavior impacts the future, he wonders if maybe he can change what the future holds for him.
There’s just so much tragedy and woe-is-me in this and it takes forever for the story to actually pick up and be interesting. It felt like the author thought I wasn’t bright enough to get the hints so he had to repeatedly bash my over the head with it - drinking caused a lot of his issues, unwillingness to accept his mistakes led to consequences, he was bad and so bad things happened to him. I got it. This is an interesting book but it just didn’t live up to what I was hoping for.
It’s 1995 and Alex Dean is 20 and living his best life when he gets knocked out in a fight and wakes up in 2010. After a bewildering and depressing day he falls asleep and then wakes in 2019. He soon realizes that he is living life out of order and that his future appears to be very bleak. However when he realizes that the changes he makes in his behavior impacts the future, he wonders if maybe he can change what the future holds for him.
There’s just so much tragedy and woe-is-me in this and it takes forever for the story to actually pick up and be interesting. It felt like the author thought I wasn’t bright enough to get the hints so he had to repeatedly bash my over the head with it - drinking caused a lot of his issues, unwillingness to accept his mistakes led to consequences, he was bad and so bad things happened to him. I got it. This is an interesting book but it just didn’t live up to what I was hoping for.
March 18, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for this ARC
——————
It’s 1995 and Alex has the perfect life. He has a spot at Cambridge and the love of his life, Holly. But after a night out where Alex was brutally attacked and left to drown, he wakes up 15 years later in 2010 in a bedroom he does not recognize. The next day he wakes up another 9 years later in 2019, the next day it’s 1999. Each day he wakes up paints a bleak picture of what happened to his life after the attack. Never knowing what day he will wake up to next, Alex realizes that making small changes can impact what happens in his life that he lives the next day. Unhappy with how his life is in the future, Alex sets out to make changes and grow as a person to get the future he know he deserves.
I very much enjoyed the time travel aspect of this book. I enjoyed the lack of control he had of when he would be waking up as well as the fact that every day was years apart. Although I do see the other reviewers feedback that waking up everyday decades apart was confusing, I found that as a fun part of the puzzle. I enjoyed getting to work out that their was a pattern to how and why he woke up on the days that he did. I felt that there was a lot of character growth in the book and you got to watch him confront his demons in such raw and real ways. I don’t think this book would be for every reader but I loved the concept and felt it was well executed.
Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for this ARC
——————
It’s 1995 and Alex has the perfect life. He has a spot at Cambridge and the love of his life, Holly. But after a night out where Alex was brutally attacked and left to drown, he wakes up 15 years later in 2010 in a bedroom he does not recognize. The next day he wakes up another 9 years later in 2019, the next day it’s 1999. Each day he wakes up paints a bleak picture of what happened to his life after the attack. Never knowing what day he will wake up to next, Alex realizes that making small changes can impact what happens in his life that he lives the next day. Unhappy with how his life is in the future, Alex sets out to make changes and grow as a person to get the future he know he deserves.
I very much enjoyed the time travel aspect of this book. I enjoyed the lack of control he had of when he would be waking up as well as the fact that every day was years apart. Although I do see the other reviewers feedback that waking up everyday decades apart was confusing, I found that as a fun part of the puzzle. I enjoyed getting to work out that their was a pattern to how and why he woke up on the days that he did. I felt that there was a lot of character growth in the book and you got to watch him confront his demons in such raw and real ways. I don’t think this book would be for every reader but I loved the concept and felt it was well executed.
March 25, 2024
4.5 stars...thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this audio arc...it was a great story. I enjoy a good time travel story and this one definitely delivered. I felt all the feelings listening to this book. I laughed, I cried...a few times, I felt like I was on an adventure through time. I am glad the author gave the protagonist the choice to better his life after the main event that threw him into a time travel paradox. I would definitely recommend this book for sure.
March 23, 2024
I’m usually not a fan of time travel novels but this one was actually so heartwarming. definitely check content warnings but I loved the way this author touched upon more serious subjects
also Holly and Jazz and Alex’s mom all made me cry
also Holly and Jazz and Alex’s mom all made me cry
January 1, 2024
This is one of my favorite books in a while. I love how the main character gets to live his life “out of order”, in a different type of time travel reading experience. It’s hard to say much without spoiling anything, but non linear books and time travel novels are among my favorite genres, so a book that somehow manages to combine both is just perfect.
April 17, 2024
Honestly I am not sure if I loved or hated this book.
March 4, 2024
The Day Tripper by James Goodhand. Thanks to @hive_htp for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s 1995 and Alex Dean is on a date with a woman he loves. When he sees an old childhood buddy, they get in a fight and nothing is the same. He begins waking up at different time periods.
I loved Oona Out of Order and this sounded similar. It was but it was a male protagonist. I enjoyed the time travel aspect and how everything came together and was resolved. I didn’t connect with the romance subplot that much and felt there could have been more of a deeper relationship show than an infatuation. The best part of this story was the time travel and seeing Alex develop and grow, out of linear time.
“We are all eternally surrounded by our own past and our own future.”
The Day Tripper comes out 3/19.
It’s 1995 and Alex Dean is on a date with a woman he loves. When he sees an old childhood buddy, they get in a fight and nothing is the same. He begins waking up at different time periods.
I loved Oona Out of Order and this sounded similar. It was but it was a male protagonist. I enjoyed the time travel aspect and how everything came together and was resolved. I didn’t connect with the romance subplot that much and felt there could have been more of a deeper relationship show than an infatuation. The best part of this story was the time travel and seeing Alex develop and grow, out of linear time.
“We are all eternally surrounded by our own past and our own future.”
The Day Tripper comes out 3/19.
January 29, 2024
How do the decisions we make affect our daily lives? What do we have control over, and what is simply out of our hands?
The Day Tripper is the story of Alex Dean, a 20-year old budding musician, in love with his girlfriend Holly and recently accepted to Cambridge. The future looks bright for Alex, until he runs into Blake Benfield, a nemesis from the past who still has beef with Alex. Blake gets the better of Alex, leaving him to nearly drown in the Thames river.
Upon awakening, Alex discovers it is 15 years later, and he has no recollection of anything that has happened since his skirmish with Blake. His life is not nearly what he had hoped, or expected.
As Alex wakes each day to a random new time in his life, he begins to discover the power of cause and effect. With the help of Dr. Paul Defrates, a teacher that he has befriended, he realizes that good decisions beget good decisions, and maybe it’s never too late to change your future, or your past.
I really, really enjoyed this book. My unfamiliarity with British slang slowed me down a bit, and reading the book in far too small of a font size slowed me down much more (my fault), but the writing and subject material were on point. This book made me laugh, and it made me cry. The author approached the subjects of addiction, bullying, sexual abuse, trauma and grief very well in my opinion, and even managed to convey some of Einstein’s concepts on time without sounding overly scientific and breaking the mood of the story. I will definitely be re-reading this in the future, and I definitely recommend it to…well, pretty much everyone!
I would like to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley, and the author (James Goodhand) for the ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest review. This one was definitely a pleasure!
The Day Tripper is the story of Alex Dean, a 20-year old budding musician, in love with his girlfriend Holly and recently accepted to Cambridge. The future looks bright for Alex, until he runs into Blake Benfield, a nemesis from the past who still has beef with Alex. Blake gets the better of Alex, leaving him to nearly drown in the Thames river.
Upon awakening, Alex discovers it is 15 years later, and he has no recollection of anything that has happened since his skirmish with Blake. His life is not nearly what he had hoped, or expected.
As Alex wakes each day to a random new time in his life, he begins to discover the power of cause and effect. With the help of Dr. Paul Defrates, a teacher that he has befriended, he realizes that good decisions beget good decisions, and maybe it’s never too late to change your future, or your past.
I really, really enjoyed this book. My unfamiliarity with British slang slowed me down a bit, and reading the book in far too small of a font size slowed me down much more (my fault), but the writing and subject material were on point. This book made me laugh, and it made me cry. The author approached the subjects of addiction, bullying, sexual abuse, trauma and grief very well in my opinion, and even managed to convey some of Einstein’s concepts on time without sounding overly scientific and breaking the mood of the story. I will definitely be re-reading this in the future, and I definitely recommend it to…well, pretty much everyone!
I would like to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley, and the author (James Goodhand) for the ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest review. This one was definitely a pleasure!
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