3.5 stars - First, thank you so much to Berkley Romance and Ace for the free book - all opinions are my own! This was such a fascinating concept and I was beyond intrigued by the possibilities that could happen with this one.

What I liked: The diversity and representation of the characters was absolutely top notch. I liked the inclusivity and how accepted everyone was for exactly who they were. The time travel/multiverse aspect of the story was really cool and I felt like it was so unique and made the story a lot of fun. The writing was also beautiful and touching.

What I didn't like so much: I was confused more often than not and it got to be a bit frustrating. I totally accept that a book with time travel and theories about multiple universes and realities wasn't going to be straightforward but this was tough to get through at times. There was so much exposition and explanation I found myself skimming quite a bit. There were also a LOT of supporting characters which was a bit distracting. I also was never totally convinced of why Tressa Fay and Meryl even liked each other - it seems like they had a mutual infatuation with how hot the other one was and I never got much more depth beyond that.

Overall, while this wasn't something I deeply connected with I can see how this will be a hit with other readers.

2 stars = Just okay.

Tressa Rae is settled in for the night, but a text from a wrong number leads to an impulsive decision to meet up with a flirty stranger only to be ghosted? or is something else going on?

First.- this book isn't bad. interesting concept, writing perfectly okay, LGBTQ+ representation. Romance with some spicy parts. time-travel, parallel universes.

Why, 2 stars then - Well, I didn't really enjoy it, the first half was fun. flirty banter, bit of a mystery. but then things got really bogged down with the multi-universe explanations. and all the characters were hard to keep track of, particularly due to them all having the same voice in the story, making it tough to differentiate between them. Tressa's dad, Phil, was the best of them all. I guess my expectations were more of an adventurous, lighthearted rom-com, and this was a bit more complicated and emotional. Making it much more complex than I liked, and honestly, I started to skim through sections just to get to the end.

There are lots of other reviews with great feedback, though, so we are going to chalk this up to an- it's me, not the book - experience.

I received an advanced digital copy. Review is my own thoughts and opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing a DRC of this title.

Delightfully twisty romance that explores love across the multiverse-- really enjoyed the characters, found family, and sense of place. Would definitely recommend for fans of queer romance with a sci-fi twist!

DNF @55%

This was so boring. It went onlong tangents about things I didn't care about. The characters were one-dimensional and I didnt like the instalove.

Tressa Fay and Meryl are in love-except they'e in different time lines. Fans of multiverse will like this sapphic romance that sees Tressa Fay's friends help her to leap the five month gap with Meryl's life. Others might like me, find themselves a bit at sea. I liked the romance part and the characters but not so much the sci fi parts. Thanks to Netgalley for the arc. Over to others.

This was a different kind of read than I normally do.
It was interesting as the characters struggled to find a time continuum they could share.
It was both amusing but also sad because I inserted if they would ever get there.
The characters were effusive and engaging.
I think there are elements in the reading for all: love, struggles, joy, and connection.

3.5 stars ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Annie Mare, and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon by Annie Mare is about two women that fall in love but just so happen to be in worlds 5 months apart. Tressa and Meryl meet in a twist of events and end up discovering that they are in different timelines. The biggest problem? Meryl ends up disappearing in Tressa’s timeline. The two of them and their group of friends work together to try to prevent Meryl’s disappearance and create a world where they are together at the same time.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the book for me. If it wasn’t an ARC, I would’ve DNF’d it. This was a very slow, dense read and it just felt like it was dragging on. I felt like I was constantly trying to keep up with what was going on between the different times and characters. If you’re looking for a read that requires all your concentration, then this may be the one for you. I really wanted to like it as the storyline was right up my alley, but it was just way too much for me.

A moment for this cover please. 🙏

This book IMMEDIATELY grabs you. It’s witty, a little kooky, and gay as hell. If you love a little weird time blips in your romance, this is definitely for you.

I did feel that the plot kinda got lost by the end but the characters are super lovely and I thought the emotional journey was very satisfying. A great summer romance read with that added fun sci-fi twist.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! This book hooked me right from the beginning and kept my interest through the acknowledgments. Meryl, Tressa Fay, and the whole cast of characters were so interesting and nuanced. I loved the glimpses into other timelines and wondering about what could have been. I’m grateful to NetGalley for the ARC and looking forward to reading more by the author.

I went into this book blind, & I genuinely don’t think there’s a better way to begin. However, a review is still necessary to praise the beautiful, beautiful work that this is.

What a way to look at life. What a new perspective to romance. To fate, to friendship, to family, to time. I felt so much love & acceptance radiating from the words on the page. I felt so seen & connected to each & every character.

This was a queer-celebrating, cat-loving, multiverse-accepting masterpiece. What a stunning moment in time that I’ll be thinking of forever.

"What a gift it was to live every day not knowing what would happen tomorrow."

Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon takes inspiration from movies like Arrival, Interstellar, and Everything Everywhere All At Once, but makes it wholly new. I absolutely loved this book's take on the multiverse theory. It's hard to do this genre justice but Annie Mare nailed it!

This story is a celebration of love in all its forms. Romantic, platonic, familial, and even the love between client and worker. Love is everywhere for us to feel and see and experience. The universe is queer and this is a reminder of that.

The romance itself felt so good! I really felt Tressa Fay and Meryl's chemistry. I was kicking my feet and giggling one minute then blushing the next, then before long I was tearing up. Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Salon accurately captures the complexities of romantic relationships while keeping it enjoyable to read.

I felt that some of the side characters fell a little flat for me - Tressa Fay, Meryl, and Phil are the most fleshed out and the only ones who felt truly unique. Despite this, everyone had their purpose to the central plot and their own story and I appreciated that. This is a bit of a nitpick but I also felt that names were used far more than what was necessary. It made for a bit of a stilted read at times.

Overall this was a really interesting and unique story told in a very captivating way that I am so happy I read. Easily one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen as well.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy!

I LOVED the romance story. I didn't think the characters were super...noteworthy but the Romance was soooo wonderful. I love the concept of two souls who are so entwined and so....meant for each other that no matter what world, universe, whatever they are going to find their person.

Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon is a wild, genre-bending ride through space, time, and the tangled strands of fate—literally and figuratively. With a premise that fuses time travel, parallel universes, and an epic soulmate romance, this story is bursting with ambition and originality. It’s definitely not your typical love story.

Tressa Fay, our multiverse-traveling heroine, is sharp, funny, and endlessly likable. I found myself rooting for her as she fought through the chaos of alternate realities in search of something more—something meaningful. She carries the story with charisma and heart.

That said, the writing style took a while to click for me. It’s not a book you can just coast through—you really have to stay mentally tuned in, which isn’t a bad thing, but it did slow me down at times. The pacing dragged here and there, and I found myself wishing for a little more snappiness in the dialogue and narration to match the spark of its concept.

Still, I have to give credit where it’s due—this book dares to be different, and I loved the mind-bending exploration of love that stretches across dimensions. It’s not a perfect read, but it’s certainly a memorable one. A solid three stars for its creativity, emotional core, and Tressa Fay’s fierce journey through the multiverse.

I really wanted to love this, because it sounded like a story that would be so much fun and have so much heart, but I was sorely disappointed. It just fell flat for me and I wasn’t enjoying any of my time reading this. I didn’t connect to the characters at all, which is a massive part of reading for me.

2.5 stars.

Unfortunately, this book was a disappointment. It sounded great in theory, but failed to really engage me. Every character sounded exactly the same -- no one had a unique or interesting voice or point of view. There were great long monologues about love and quantum physics and time travel, and I honestly ended up glossing over them because it read like word salad.

This novel immediately intrigued me with its fusion of science fiction and lesbian romance. I’ve always enjoyed stories that explore the multiverse, and this one had a compelling concept. The story follows Tressa Fay, a popular hairdresser, who receives a mistaken text from a stranger. After a playful exchange, she impulsively suggests a meetup—only for Meryl to never show. Tressa brushes it off until Meryl’s sister and friend arrive at her salon, demanding answers. As it turns out, Meryl has been missing for months. Soon, they realize they are dealing with a parallel universe and must figure out how to prevent Meryl from disappearing entirely.
As the story unfolds, the timelines grow increasingly complex. While this adds intrigue, I found them difficult to follow and eventually just went with the flow, which allowed me to enjoy the romance more. The novel has a lot of heart, and the chemistry between the two main characters is compelling. However, the story dragged at times, and I wished the characters were more distinctive. The weight of Meryl’s disappearance looms over the narrative, which makes sense given the plot, but I found myself wishing for more lightness, humor, and hopefulness.
Ultimately, Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon is a thought-provoking novel that explores the idea of two women destined for each other across universes. While I think the story could have been tightened up for a smoother read, its unique premise and emotional depth made for an engaging experience.

rating — 4.5 out of 5 stars.

and the award for best title goes to…

i mean, seriously. is that not a killer title? it drew me in immediately, and i only became more intrigued when i learned that this book is a sapphic romance in which our two main characters are separated not by distance, but time. months, in fact. naturally, this begs the question: can true love truly conquer all? even time traveling and multiverses?

this was such a promising, unique premise, and i’m very pleased to say that it delivered. watching meryl and tressa fay fall in love was a delight, and i really enjoyed getting to know their inner circle, too. there were a few moments that really, genuinely touched me, and surprisingly enough a couple of those moments involved tressa fay’s dad! annie mare did an excellent job of fleshing out the entire cast, not just the main characters, which i appreciated a lot (i love a strong supporting cast).

if any fellow CMQ stans are reading this, it reminded me a bit of one last stop! it had a similar star-crossed time-traveling vibe to it, which is a very niche feeling; if you’re looking to scratch that itch yet again, i would definitely recommend reading this. anyone looking for a unique premise, a lovable cast, and a great romance should add both to their TBR!

thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: A wrong number text gets very confusing when it turns out the sender is in another time, maybe even another multiverse?! Our MC's quickly fall for each other through text, and along with their friends they have to figure out how they can be together in the correct time.

Vibes: Cozy Sci-fi

Thoughts: First, Cosmic love at the Multiverse Salon is an incredibly fun title and the cover art is beautiful.
Second, I've never read an LGBTQ+ romance before but this will definitely not be the last!
I really enjoyed the diverse cast of characters. I want this lovely friend group to accidentally fall through a rip in time so I can solve a cosmic mystery with them!
The love unfolding between Tressa Fay and Meryl is heartwarming and sweet. It was all made sweeter still by the queer friendly world that Annie Mare built. This book oozes COZY vibes. With every chapter I fell more and more in love with this found family.

Favorite Quotes: "The whole world is queer. The whole universe is queer. It always has been. It always will be."
"The point is to love each other like we don't have enough time"

Spice: 3/3 - A few detailed w/w scenes.
(My rating scale: 0/3 no spice is talked about, 1/3 closed door scenes, 3/3 detailed spice)

I read an epub ARC from Netgalley.

I absolutely ADORED this book. The concept was so unique and immediately had me engaged and never wanting to leave. Tressa & Meryl had such beautiful chemistry, their dialogue made me EMOTIONAL so many times. Overall, this was such a remarkable book, I truly believe everyone should read it!!

Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon reminded me a little bit of Sliding Doors but was vastly superior because (1) No Gwyneth Paltrow (2) queer and (3) left the characters, ultimately, in charge of their own destinies. Because the world is big and weird and impossible and probable and fate and self-determination can co-exist, run parallel, and trip over one another if you give them the chance and open yourself up to opportunity.

We all have ideas of how our life should go. Sometimes, should and want intersect. Sometimes, they run parallel. Sometimes they can’t even see one another through the static. Tressa Fay and Meryl and their friends/found family, their efforts to find one another and keep one another no matter what the multiverse has in store for them, reminds us that if we hold on to the want, hold on to dream, hold on to impossible, and improbable, then the should doesn’t matter because it will become the will. Maybe not the way that we expected. Maybe not even in the way we want. But in the way we need? Absolutely and without fail. Because there are no mistakes; there might be missed opportunities and missed connections. There might be things we forget or ignore or don’t see. But if those things are important, if we need them, they’ll come back around again.

I really loved this one. It was lovely to get into something hopeful, especially now. Definitely recommend.