I was so excited to receive this ARC, because I love a time loop romance. Any Groundhog Day situation, I eat it right up (with the exception of Groundhog Day, ironically).

The title, the synopsis, the cover art: I was ready. So I was disappointed to discover that The Deja Glitch is not loop-y at all. With the exception of the prologue and epilogue, the entirety of the novel takes place in one single time loop iteration. That takes away a lot of the fun for me: I enjoy reading about how characters' choices can alter the timeline. But we don't get that here.

I give props to the author for telling the story from a new perspective--Gemma is unaware of the loop, so that is unusual for the trope. However, her confusion is underwhelming and when she's experiencing deja-vu, the word "familiar " is used one too many times. I also found the book oversaturated with descriptions--it felt like every place or object was accompanied by a lengthy simile. Other than that, I thought the writing was pretty good. It had a strong upbeat tone.

The characters and their relationships felt a bit shallow. By the end of the book, I still don't really know anything about Jack other than 1) he's uber-attractive and 2) he's in love with Gemma (despite never getting past the first-date-basics of knowing her....). The key to breaking the time loop is of course for Gemma to fall in love with Jack--in a DAY--meaning the righting of the space-time continuum depends on a case of insta-love. Jack and Gemma's exes were caricature-y as villains, and the eccentic physicist friend felt too convenient add-on plot device. Most of all, I don't like the message that you must have a relationship with your family. Gemma is shamed and pressured into reconciling with her father. There's nothing wrong with giving second chances, but everyone's reasoning for it is "because he's FAMILY." I thought we as a society had agreed that the whole blood/water thing had been disproven, at least symbolically.

Overall, for me, this was 2.5 stars. I love the concept, but the relationships and the situation in which the characters found themselves did not feel fleshed out.

Thank you to James and NetGalley for the ARC.

Gemma is at her best friend’s birthday party when she runs into a cute guy named Jack at the bar. At the end of a really good night as he’s walking her to her ride, he says he’s going to test a theory, and he kisses her. That kiss starts a chain of seemingly familiar events for Gemma. She has a feeling of deja vu the next morning and then when a guy runs into her at the coffee shop, it’s Jack, and he tells her they’ve been stuck in a time loop for months. Gemma has a hard time believing him at first but she sort of remembers the kiss from the night before. Then, Jack tells her that to break the loop, he has to get her to fall in love with him. The time loop in this story is evident from the very beginning, so the readers are thrust right into the action. The time loop is a fun addition to the story, but it’s not overly explained with science fiction level rules. The main focus is Jack and Gemma and their budding relationship. The insta-love, social media live streaming, and airport love confessions are a bit cringey, but ultimately this romance is an enjoyable, quick read.

4.5⭐️

This was a cute one! I’m a sucker for a good romcom with a dog—though I really would have enjoyed a lot more Rex in this story—it still hit the mark for me.

What I look for in a story is for something to happen that is outside of the realm of my daily life and to suck me in and entertain me for the hours I spend with it—Holly James’ The Deja Glitch did just that.

Gemma—is a girl still dealing with blow from a relationship that left her heartbroken and convinced that there are no good men in the world.

Jack is reliving the same day over and over trying to get the woman he has fallen for to remember him so they can bust out of this time loop.

There was some predictability in the plot—I mean it’s a groundhogs day reimagining so it stands to reason that there would be—and there were a couple things that were a little…hmmm…the time loop takes the story to magical realism but I really want the realism aspect in my magical realism and there is an airport scene that just didn’t hit that realism element for me—out side of this the story was a wonderful escape from real life that kept me clicking the button to turn page after page.

***I want more Lila! Lila was an amazing character that I think could carry a full novel as a MC! Also wouldn’t mind more Patrick—I feel like with the plot we really only got to scratch the surface of this side character with MC potential.

There were aspects of this book that I really enjoyed, but overall, it was just OK for me. The biggest challenge I had with it was that I didn’t feel like there was a lot of chemistry between the two main characters. It was a really challenging premise for a good relationship - he has been falling in love with her for five months, and she feels like she just met him today. I just honestly didn’t buy into her eventually overcoming that and falling in love with him. He did some nice things for her but it didn’t seem like they were really very connected.

I liked the LA and entertainment industry aspect of it, and the relationship among Gemma and her family.

After Holly James’s debut, I was primed to love this book. Her characters, her writing style, and that slight whimsical touch that gets added to her romance? All right up my alley. So of course I couldn’t wait to read this one. And it wound up kind of being like a cross between Groundhog Day and 50 First Dates.

I’ve read a few time loop novels at this point, enough to know that this one differs in a couple of important ways. First of all, time loop stories are usually told from the POV of a character who is aware that they are in the time loop, but in this case, Gemma is the one who has to be convinced that she’s even in a time loop at all. Secondly, each time loop novel that I’ve read provides multiple iterations of the same day. But in this book, the entire story is told over the course of a single day.

Those differences don’t make this any less enjoyable of a novel. In fact, I really liked the unusual structure of the story. Instead of going in unaware and having to figure out that they’re stuck, having to find the sticking point and addressing it, Jack is already aware of all of this and has the difficult job of convincing Gemma.

Gemma isn’t a tough character to like. She’s easy to identify with, even if a lot of the problems in her life are of her own making, and she just isn’t seeing it. Despite a lot of people trying to gently guide her towards better choices, she isn’t just stuck in a time loop, she’s stuck in her life. Until Jack comes along and turns everything upside down.

Jack is also a really likable character, even if he would seem very strange if I was in Gemma’s shoes. He does come off as pretty stalker-ish in the beginning of the book—Gemma is consistently telling him she doesn’t know him and leaving, and he follows her around insisting that she knows him and they’re meant to be together. Now, that’s definitely red flag behavior in any normal situation. But … since this isn’t a normal situation, Jack isn’t actually a stalker but a guy who has had months to fall in love with her, and Gemma has to condense all that emotional development into one day.

I really found this story, once we got past the stalkery parts, to be a really good one. The development of the relationship between Gemma and Jack was cool to watch develop, as she got to know him, and see how much he really knew about her and was already invested in them as a couple. The plot was predictable in the typical romance fashion, but since I already expect that, it wasn’t an issue.

This story is so much more than simply a romance. There’s family drama, finding a place in one’s family, learning to finally speak up for oneself, and making a decision to move on from hurt feelings that one has held on to, all of which are addressed throughout the story. I especially loved the friendship bond between Gemma and Lila, and how much the two of them lean on each other for support. Overall, this was a great, clean romance, and it’s earned James a place on my “authors I adore” list.

The Deja Glitch was super cute. Very Groundhog day meets Nora Ephron RomCom. I loved that we got it from the perspective of the love interest and not the person reliving the day. It gave the concept a new twist that was really refreshing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to Penguin Group: Dutton for the digital review copy!

What I Liked

I loved that this story is so much more than just a romance. Gemma has a lot to learn besides just how to fall in love again, and we see her growing and making choices to repair a variety of rifts that have left her life in a metaphorical and actual standstill.

The plot line with her father really stuck out to me, and I found myself invested in seeing what happened there. For me, this was really the emotional core of the story.

I also loved her influencer best friend, Lila, who makes for a pretty entertaining side character. I'll never say no to a woman whose social life centers around getting home to care for her dog, either, so Rex was another favorite for me.

What I Didn't Like

This book does something a little different with the time loop setup, since we're firmly in the mind of someone who hasn't been living it the entire time. Because of this, the story was missing a little something I expect from this type of story, since we didn't actually get to repeat the day with Gemma and Jack.

I also felt like the ease with which several characters accepted the time loop premise was a bit of a snag for me personally. I appreciate that we got to see a different perspective on this trope, but I do think it was a harder sell to see it through the eyes of a character who only vaugely remembers repeating some events of one day.

This also made it a little hard for me to buy into the romance, since so much of what happened to build this connection was "off screen" so to speak. I was more invested in other aspects of Gemma's story than I was in her love story with Jack, even though that was supposed to be the main attraction.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Déjà Glitch. It was a cute story with some good emotional heft, even if it did feel like it was missing a little something for me personally. I think fans of a good love story with a slightly off-kilter premise that isn't questioned will enjoy this one.

This is a romance about two people, Gemma and Jack, who are stuck in a time loop to repeat the same day over and over. Jack remembers every day of the time loop, but Gemma does not, until Jack decides to take a chance that Gemma needs to fall in love with him to break the loop and kisses her. Between psychics and physicists, messy family affairs, rock stars and diva-like Hollywood celebrities, Jack and Gemma experience an eventful day in the time loop where Jack tries to get Gemma to remember him and to convince her that love might be the trick to escaping their warped reality. Jack was very sweet about his feelings for Gemma, but also a bit stalker-y. But after experiencing the same day over and over for five months maybe I would have been a little desperate too. I also thought it was frustrating that Gemma's best friend would record her private(ish) conversation with Jack to have a viral video. I would have been so mad and it was definitely weird in my opinion.

Also, for those who prefer romance books without any smut, this one does not have any.

I’m not sure I have the words to fully articulate how much I loved Déjà Glitch by Holly James.

Normally I’m wary when it comes to time loops, but Gemma and Jack’s story was told in such a beautiful and moving way that I couldn’t put it down.

I was hooked almost instantly and already wish I could read this for the first time all over again.

I will definitely recommend Déjà Glitch to my friends and an excited to read other titles by Holly James.

“That even with everyone in here, he’s looking at you like you’re the only person in the room”

This was book was a total gem (hehe)! Such a fun, heart warming time loop story. Gemma and Jack collide at a coffee shop when deja vú hits Gemma. Jack who is aware of this loop tries to win Gemma over again and again until they can break the loop. Such a perfect rom com read! Release date: August 1st!

Thank you net galley and author Holly James for providing me with the e-ARC of this book!

The Deja Glitch came up with a fun way to add a little twist to the traditional time loop trope, and it really made it feel fresh and different for me. Jack and Gemma are stuck in a seemingly endless time loop. Jack knows and is aware, but Gemma has no idea of the loop or who Jack is. Rather than joining the story at the beginning of the time loop, we are brought in on day 147 of the time loop – where Jack is striving to get out of the time loop and get Gemma to remember him.

I really enjoyed that rather than reliving the day over and over with him, we were brought in during the midst of the ongoing loop. I really enjoyed Jack and Gemma together, and felt like the author did a wonderful job of layering in a fun magical realism type layer (with the time loop) with a sweet love story. I also appreciated that although the book was a light, fun, and fast read – it still touched on some heavier and meaningful topics as well. I honestly read this one in a day, I just wanted to know what would happen.

A perfect light fun summer read and definitely ones I’ll recommend for fans of time loops or that slight magical realism element in a love story. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy. My first by the author, but definitely not my last – all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and freely given.

I really loved this story! It was a sweet twist on the time loop trope with Jack already knowing Gemma & figuring out how she’s part of the key of getting out of the loop. Like with this trope, there’s a bit suspension of belief necessary, but I thought Jack’s persuasion & Gemma’s deja vu was realistic in getting her to believe him.
They have such a sweet romance as Gemma catches up to Jacks place in their relationship. He is so sweet & patient & does his best to not scare off Gemma while also making his thoughts and feelings clear. Gemma is a sweetheart! She deserves so much happiness & I’m love her love story with Jack!
Just a sweet, fun, quick read that I absolutely loved! Thank you for the ARC!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the Advanced Copy of The Deja Glitch by Holly James. It's definitely a second round purchase for most libraries

Things get weird for Gemma after she kisses a guy at her friend's birthday. When she wakes up the next day, people seem to be acting too familiar, as if she could predict even what they'll say. Then she meets Jack, who ends up telling her it's not a case of déjà vu, but that the day has been repeating itself for months now, and that their kiss the previous night may have made her finally notice it, even though her memories are very vague about it all. To make it even more overwhelming, he tells her them falling in love might be the key to get out of that loop.

I like Holly James's style for building a plot. It kept me interested to the end, and she had the funniest plot twists, even for a trope that's been used ad infinitum, the twists surprised me. It was also interesting that she picked the point of view not of the person who consciously got stuck in the endless day, but of the romantic interest, before she even knows who the other one is. Surprisingly, the blooming love seemed convincing on Gemma's part. It's probably because that day seemed endless with so much happening, but it worked, it's within hours that she falls for the weird guy who seems more like a stalker, but turns out to be a victim of a time loop, but it convinced me it's not instalove.

And yet, I wasn't a fan of the romance. Yes, I did buy the development even though it literally happens in the span of one day (in Gemma's perspective, but if Jack says she's the reason his days are repeating then it was also like that for him, he just didn't realize it). However, I didn't feel the thrill of a romance. It's like the book left out all the magic you want from a romance, all the falling in love. This is fine for other genres, but end up missing the very reason we got the book. And it didn't help that as much as we knew Jack was in a loop for months and so he's gotten desperate, he was very stalker-ish. I'm not so convinced his love for Gemma is real and not just something he got into his head. It's probably what we miss for getting the other person's POV, but I would have been even more freaked out with him than Gemma was. And then, probably upset there were events he could have stopped from happening but just sat and watched. Is he some god or parent to teach her a lesson? So yeah, Jack isn't the ideal partner and we missed the swoonworthy moments that would usually blind us from characters' flaws "because it's all worth it."

This is an entertaining story, from a fresh perspective of a beloved trope, but it's lacking in the romance department, and it doesn't make up for it in the rest, although it's not like I was expecting something genius to explain or stop the time loop, so it doesn't deduct points, but it doesn't compensate the romance ones either.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

This was a really cute fantasy romance, I’ve never read about a time loop before.
The book starts at Gemma’s friend’s birthday party where she meets jack but feels like she’s met him before. They end the night with a kiss and then we move on to the next day, or so you think. Gemma meets jack again, literally running into each other outside a coffee shop, where he breaks it to her that they are in a time loop. Jack says that this has been going on for 5 months and she has to fall in love with him to get reality back on schedule.
Gemma ends up running with him following time and again while he tries to convince her that it’s real and her doing everything to deny it. She ends up working thorough a lot of fear and baggage over the course of the day. It did get emotional at times throughout the book, especially when working through Gemma’s baggage and also at the resolution of the book. I did enjoy the second half of the book and flew through it fairly quickly.

In “The Déjà Glitch” Holly James takes the idea of “what if you got stuck in a groundhog situation” and turns it on its head. Instead of focusing on multiple days and seeing how much you can get away with James focuses on one singular day and Jack’s 147th attempt to break the loop. The book is told from the perspective of Gemma, the object of Jack’s affection, and through the story you see Gemma coming into the person she always hoped she could be but never thought she could. The day begins on the morning “as it has for 146 times” and throughout the day we see how Gemmas different decisions lead her to a different ending. James does a good job of riding the fine line between choice and fate and how they intersect. If you are looking for a cute beach read/girls trip read etc. look no further! This is the book for you! I laughed at several points during the book and was surprised by the twists that got thrown in. I would look at my percentage left and think “where else could this possibly go” and then James would surprise me!

Thanks to Holly James and Dutton Paperback for allowing me to read this book!

I devoured Holly James' "Nothing but the Truth" and was so intrigued by the first chapter of "The Deja Glitch" that I had to try to get an early copy. I was thrilled to see it on NetGalley and received a copy. I found Gemma so relatable with her personal struggles and her relationships. Jack had so much patience, but maybe that's something he learned over time. I bet he continued to self reflect and make himself better during this process.

I know the story is fiction, and I know the whole premise is fanciful, but I had such a hard time believing this all happened in one day. That's it. That's my only complaint.

I loved the ending and how things resolved for Gemma with the men in her life. I'm not usually a fan of books without some sexy times, but honestly I didn't miss it in either of Holly James' books. I feel like she's taking crazy movies (Jim Carrey in Liar Liar and Adam Sandler in 50 First Dates) and giving them a modern spin. I'm excited to continue to read the author's work!

What I loved about this book was that we get to see a time loop from the Point of View of someone NOT actually aware they are in a loop. Does Gemma realize she has met Jack before? How else can she kind of know the song he mentions, or he knows her favorite song and so much more. Although I think certain elements of the story could have been revealed sooner, it was a creative and fun read.

Time loops are really fun, this is the first book I've read like this and I really enjoyed it. The chemistry between the two characters was spot on, and this book was great!

Let me start by saying I WANTED to love this book. And in some parts, I did. But not enough for more than 3 stars.

Gemma meets a guy at her best friends birthday party. There’s something about him, she finds herself drawn to him. They kiss, she leaves,

She wakes up the next morning like any other day, but she has a feeling of deja vu, and can’t figure out why.
Until she runs into a stranger at a coffee shop. One look at him, and she knows that she’s seen him before. But she can’t remember where.
Until he tells her they HAVE met before, every day for the last five months. They’re stuck in a time loop and he thinks she’s the key to freeing them.

Crazy right? But maybe not.

Overall, this was cute. VERY predictable, even the small things. I had trouble getting interested and then about 4 or 5 chapters in, it started and continued to flow well.
Gemma is fun, Jack is a cliche lover boy, Lila is my favorite.

If you’re into cheesy romances, this is good. But honestly I probably wouldn’t read it again.