If Chris O’Brien can share a perfect first kiss with his crush, Andy, he’s sure that he can finally break the time loop that has had him repeating his high school graduation day … well … repeatedly. It makes pefect sense to Chris since Andy is a great girl but she’s been weirdly hesitant about taking their relationship to the next level. Surely, this is the thing to break the loop.
Except Chris keeps fumbling the actual kiss.
Then there’s the fact that Alicia Ochoa has been stuck in this loop for much longer. The nerdy valedictorian is running out of ways to break the monotony of the loop even with chasing fleeting internet fame, dramatic mic drops at graduation, and avoiding all of her baggage with Chris.
Former friends who grew apart when Chris chose the cool crowd and swim team, now Chris and Alicia have to work together if they want to make it through graduation and move onto whatever comes next in You and Me on Repeat (2025) by Mary Shyne.
You and Me on Repeat is Shyne’s debut graphic novel. It was a finalist for the 2026 Morris Award. Chris is white and Alicia is latine with additional diversity in the supporting cast. Shyne’s monochrome illustrations make use of color throughout to convey the passage (or lack thereof) of time with flashbacks in blue and different iterations of the time loop going through the rainbow.
Moving through the time loop gives both Chris and Alicia ample space to contemplate their previous friendship, the reasons they grew apart, and what should come next. While Chris is desperate to get out of the time loop as quickly as possible, Alicia is less sure about moving forward with a future mired in responsibilities that include numerous family obligations that haven’t given her much room to think about her individual wants and hopes.
While Chris and Alicia are fully-realized characters, their chemistry as a couple doesn’t always translate well onto the page with both characters lashling out meanly at certain points in the story. Motivations for other secondary characters can feel similarly opaque alongside a frustrating lack of consequences for Mr. Landau–a teacher described in the story as cultivating inappropriate relationships with his students.
Shyne’s impressive artwork makes excellent use of colorwork to convey time and place within a restricted palette. Varied panels and page design create dynamic spreads filled with movement–especially as Chris and the swim team help Alicia craft a viral video during one graduation day. The depiction of adult characters is also somewhat confusing with many seeming much older than their stated ages (Chris’s coach is born in 1988 but looks more like a senior citizen than her actual 37 years assuming the book is set in 2025 when the story is first published).
You and Me on Repeat is a visually stunning time loop story where Shyne’s artwork shines while reminding readers of the value of taking things one day at a time (whether that day is being repeated or not).
Possible Pairings: Dreamover by Dani Diaz, Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield, Tripping Over You by Suzana Harcum, A Star Brighter Than the Sun by Kazune Kawahara, Hitomi-Chan is Shy With Strangers by Chorisuke Natsumi, The Kiss Bet by Ingrid Ochoa, The Do-Over by Lynn Painter, See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon, Flip by Ngozi Ukazu, Fall in Love You False Angels by Coco Uzuki
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*
Miss Print 