Time Loops and Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau is a sweet and fun take on the Groundhog Day trope. After eating dumplings at the night market, Noelle Tom finds herself stuck in a time loop. She keeps living June 20th over and over again, with no reason as to why. The only clue she has comes from the lady who sold her the dumplings at the stall, saying that eating them would give her what she needed most. As Noelle relives the same day, she becomes introspective, taking a journey of self-discovery: making herself pause and reflect on everything from her career aspirations, to her familial relationships, to her love life.

Along the way, she meets a lovely stranger named Avery who is stuck in the same loop, and a brewery owner named Cam, who she keeps bumping into in various locations throughout the day. As she grows more attached to him, she wonders if she'll ever make it to June 21st or if they'll ever have a shot at something real.

I liked that Noelle was not trapped in the loop alone, with her and Avery being stuck in it together and their friendship being a prominent part of the novel. I also enjoyed Noelle and Cam's meet cutes throughout the repetitive Fridays. There were times where he almost remembered her, but not quite. I enjoyed how Noelle and Avery took risks, were present in their lives, and open themselves to finding new paths toward happiness. I enjoyed how the time loop wrapped up; a fun, full-circle conclusion to a cute story.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley #AtriaBooks #TimeLoopsAndMeetCutes

4.5 stars. This was such a fun and engaging read.
Time loops & meet cutes is about Noelle, a 30 something who does what she is supposed to do, is stuck in a job that doesn't pay her enough and has an OK relationship with her family. However, her life takes an abrupt 180 when after eating some "magic dumplings" she finds herself repeating the same day (June 20) over and over again. The first time she goes through the mentions as she did the day before but once she figures she is in a loop she starts testing the boundaries of what she is "supposed" to do and realizes that she has been sleep walking on her life. While figuring out how to get out of the loop she keeps running into the same guy (Cam) and while she is starting to develop feelings, every day resets and he forgets everything about her!

I loved everything about this book, the premise, the main characters, the emphasis on family and what is really important in life (def not your job) and that probably some people are meant to be together despite life obstacles.
This book also made me ponder a lot what would I do if I was stuck in a time loop or if there is a moment of my life that I would like to have on repeat.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria for the ARC. Views and opinions are my own.

Such a beautiful story about love and life and relationships. I read this in one sitting and genuinely never wanted ro put it down. Feel so connected to Noelle and where she is at in her life that this was such a lovely story to dive into!

I adored Avery and Cam and the relationships we saw grow and change over the course of the book. Everything felt very raw and real, I went from crying to laughing throughout the entire book! This felt like a warm hug and receiving needed advice over a cup of tea and I recommend it to anyone but especially anyone who feels like they might be in a rut.

The romance was beautiful, the humor was honest, and the little bit of mystery aspect kept me so engaged the entire time. Wanted to give Noelle and Avery a big hug this whole book I just love them so much! Loved the premise and it is always fun to explore what makes life worth living and how important genuine human connection is!

I was completely captivated by how the story weaves fate throughout. The characters were compelling and brought so much heart to the journey. Overall, this was a fantastic read.

“I don’t feel like I’m held together by duct tape anymore. I know things won’t always be easy; I know bad times will happen. But I have an inner strength I didn’t have before, and with that— as well as the great people around me— I can make the most of my life. I never expected a fairy tale of my own, but I feel like I got one nonetheless.”


ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

I'm always fascinated with books that deal with time loops and a little time magic. And this one was no exception. It was really interesting the way the loop had noelle think about everything that wasn't really working for her and was holding her back. It also allowed her to meet avery who was also in a path of change and betterment of her life.

And it also brought her to cam, such a beautiful sould, thoughtful, funny, cute man who was absolutely perfect for noelle, to complement her in the place she was at the beginning and also at the end of her journey, when she is also starting her new chapter.


“With Cam, I’m not just some person who fades into the background, who keeps her head down and does her work. I don’t know exactly how he sees me, but I like it. I like—”

The book had some really exciting moments, a ton of humor, and I loved the characters, especially the new ones who kept getting added to the loops. But it started to feel a bit repetitive and boring, especially since Noelle keeps reliving the same loop with Avery or Cam. But when the loops finally broke, it was both a relief and super cute!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing the ARC.

This was a really cute story! I really love stories that have a bit of a timey-wimey plot and this one is no exception. Noelle was really a delight of a character and I absolutely loved her inner monologue as she navigated her time loop. It ranges from happiness to despair to righteous indignation and you will find yourself rooting for her the whole time. I loved her relationships with Avery and Cam, even as she tried to break herself out of the loop. Avery became a friend that is bonded by more than circumstance, and Cam is just an amazing book boyfriend, even if he doesn't remember her.

This book was a delight and I can't wait to read more from Jackie Lau.

5 ⭐️
🌶️.5

If I had to describe this book with two movie references I would say it's like groundhogs day meets 50 first dates but with a workaholic fmc and the softest mmc I've ever seen.

The plot was by far one of my favorite I've read in a romcom this year with the originality to it. Noelle and Cam will definetly have a spot in my heart for the foreseeable future because these two truly were meant for eachother.

Wow, this is probably the best time loop story I have ever read or seen. I am not a huge fan of the Groundhog Day x live the same day theme. However, this book hits every one of my notes. It is perfect. I need a physical copy now.

The time story is about Noelle, who often overworks and doesn't take risks. One day, she goes to a night market and eats dumplings from an unmarked stand. Similarly, Avery eats the same magic dumplings, and both women end up in a time loop. This loop forces them to relive the same day over and over. Enter, our male MC, Cam, for short. He is a brewery owner and very attractive. When Noelle keeps meeting Cam in different versions of that same June day she ate the dumplings, something else magical happens,

The magic dumplings are supposed to give people the things they need most. For Noelle and Avery, it's something different that readers will just have to read to find out what it is.

This book had compelling conflicts, generational issues in Asian culture, and a lot of food references. It was right up my alley. There is not too much of the time loop, so it doesn't seem repetitive. And the author ties in much more than romance. It's about other relationships to, including your boss.

I will certainly be looking for my paperback copy at my local indie. Thank you, Netgalley and the Publisher.

Thanks to Atria for letting me read and review this book early. All thoughts are my own!

Time Loops and Meet Cutes is a magical story about Noelle, who, upon eating some mystical dumplings, finds herself reliving the same day over and over again.

I really enjoyed this book, even if I ended up with more questions than answers. I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing though. I mainly just wanted to know more about the magical elements. The first half was a little slow, but once it picked up its was really fun. I really enjoyed following Noelle while she traveled through each iteration of the day and discovered new things about herself.

Noelle working through fixing her dynamic with her sister was one of my favorite parts, even after she woke up and had to figure out what was wrong. I am a sucker for complicated family relationships in books, especially when it actually is a part of the story, so I really enjoyed that aspect of this book.

I think Cam and Noelle were really cute, but I had a hard time with their relationship since Cam kept forgetting everything. Once we got out of the time loop it was better, but his POV left a little to be desired. I think it might’ve been better to just have one POV or give us Avery’s POV since she’s also in the time loop. They were really sweet together, and I really enjoyed their connection, particularly after we left the time loop. I just think it was harder for me to connect to Cam since we got most of his point of view chapters towards the end of the book.

I loved Noelle and Avery’s friendship through this book. I wished we got some chapters in Avery’s point of view since she was also stuck in the time loop. I found myself wanting to know more about her, and I’m happy she was there.

This book was truly such a fun, magical, lovely time, and I will be reading more from. Jackie Lau so soon!!

I LOVED THIS. I felt for this FMC deeply. She gets stuck in a time loop and as a routine oriented engineer it is not fun. And so incredibly frustrating for someone who feels like they could figure anything out, who feels like they have every person in their life in their neat little boxes. Noelle is that kind of character that isn't the most sympathetic but it almost makes you overcompensate for a reader as you slowly watch her grow coping skill and be a support for others. She's the kind of family member who is a workaholic out of love and desire for financial safety, ready to help a family member monetarily without judgement. But has to realize that people also appreciate quality time and vulnerability.

The romance. Omg I loved this man. It broke my heart when the day reset, but there was always that special something about him. I have nothing more to elaborate on that I just loved them together!!!

I also liked the take this book had on friendship. Noelle meets a stranger stuck just like her and they become friends. It's a total side plot journey that really helped this from veering on too angsty. This friend wasn't just a vehicle to show Noelle's growth, she was also really interesting in her own right.

The worldbuilding of this magical realism made sense to me so that was great. I don't think that hard about these things, but sometimes it just sticks out and this one I thought was really clever actually with certain chapter changes.

Thank you so much to Atria for the eARC!

One of my favorite short stories is "the Map of Tiny Perfect Things" by Lev Grossman. A similar concept regarding changes in time, and the need to make change within ourselves before moving on. <i>Time Loops and Meet Cutes</i> is like that story for grown ups. Trapped in a time loop, Noelle has an unknown amount of time to replay a day and contemplate her life.

After working late, Noelle ends up at a night market and eats a magic dumpling from an old woman who says it will give her what she needs. Apparently, she needs to relive June 20 over and over again. Noelle meets another woman trapped in the loop, Avery, and unexpectedly finds her best friend. She also keeps meeting the adorable Cam, and somehow he almost remembers her.

Noelle and Avery go on a journey together, and it isn't always pretty or happy, it's exhausting and frustrating. They keep trying to find ways to break the loop, find whatever it is they are supposed to have needed, and what they would do if they ever get out of the loop.

They do...and they follow through.

I don't want to spoil anything, but the way the time loop is conceptualized and explained was great. I love books with time travel and things like this, so I very much enjoyed Jackie Lau's take on the concept and how it was deployed for the plot. Noelle and Avery are both very relatable, and you want them to succeed. I also appreciated that while love was one of the plots, the subplots around family, friendship, and acceptance have just as much depth, evolution, and closure.

I saw "time loops" and oh I was READY! SIGN ME UP! And boy did this book not disappoint. I can never say no to a book where time travel or something with time is involved, where the main character will probably learn a lesson. I loved the concept of it, it gave a Freaky Friday/50 First Dates type of feel. It was funny, cheesy and that yearning love! I'm not gonna lie I teared up and my heart hurt in some of the most desperate parts of the book but it wrapped up nicely and I enjoyed the ending.

This is a charming, easy to read Romance that takes a lot of inspiration from Groundhog's Day and 50 First Dates. Noelle wakes up one morning to realize that she keeps repeating June 20th over and over again. She tries all the different things people stuck in time loops do: cuts her hair, spends money knowing there won't be any consequences, stopes going to work, etc. She also meets a guy over and over again because she really likes him, but the only problem is that he never remembers her. Sometimes Noelle makes progress--like when she makes a friend named Avery who also is stuck in the same time loop. They meet up regularly to try to figure a way out. It does get a little tiring going on dates with Cam and Noelle over and over again. There's a cute metaphor here about being stuck and realizing that you need to be brave to be unstuck.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ever since reading Ashley Poston's The Seven Year Slip, I have become obsessed with finding another worthy time travel romance to fill the void left behind and so far the results have been middling at best. Time Loops and Meet Cutes was absolutely everything I was looking for.

If Groundhog Day was set today and filled with fun characters and plenty of magical dumplings, you'd have Time Loops and Meet Cutes. Featuring beautiful writing, Jackie Lau makes this story about so much more than just romantic relationships and I really enjoyed the POVs.

What a delightful book with some intriguing elements.

Noelle unexpectedly finds herself trapped in a time loop, reliving June 20th repeatedly. The most pressing question is: how and why?

I was captivated by the journey of Noelle’s growth and her gradual realization of her true needs in life.

The ending brings a wild and unexpected revelation that rounds out the story.

Thank you NetGalley, Jackie Lau, and Atria Books for the ARC!

Noelle Tom really shouldn’t have eaten those dumplings at the night market... But the old woman at the stall said they’d give her what she needed most Unfortunately, now Noelle is reliving that day again and again and again- will no end in sight. I really enjoyed this story. I found the characters charming, full of heart, and the changing focusing from "Girl Meets Boy" to "Boy Meets Girl" engaging. Fans of Lunar Love and Freaky Friday will enjoy this time-bending tale of love, loss, and finding what we need most.

OMG, I have a special like for time loop stories, I don't know why but I enjoy them. This one lived up to that for me. Noelle finds herself reviving the day over and over again. Her connection with Cam was absolutely adorable I liked how you get to see them get to know each other. The second half of the book was not what I was expecting but I loved how it just worked. Noelle was definitely finally getting her "Treat Yo Self" moments, imo.

Noelle Tom had no idea a trip to the night market and an order of dumplings would set her in a time loop. Reliving the same day over and over could have its advantages, until you finally meet the right guy. Noelle wishes Cam would remember her, yet why hasn’t the time loop ended? Determined to figure out how to move past June 20th, Noelle needs to find out the reason this keeps happening.

This was a cute novel! Noelle is a relatable character and I enjoyed seeing her confidence grow. I don’t want to give anything away, but Cam isn’t the only character Noelle finds companionship with during the time loop. I wasn’t expecting it and it added to the story. This is a slow burn story, yet I liked how the author made sure actions and reactions weren’t repetitive given the time loop concept. Food is a big aspect of the novel. I was craving dumplings, Pocky and all the yummy foods mentioned in this story!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC.

After I finished Cherry Pies for a romance books club, I went to NetGalley to see if I could get this book. I then read the 2 books in the Donut fall in love series, and finally today read this book. Once again, we have are in Toronto as Noelle Tan eats some dumplings from a night market stand on the summer solstice. She ends up in a time loop where every day is June 20th.
Why has this happened, and how is she going to get out of it? She keeps running into Cam Huang, and as she relives the day, she is frustrated that he never remembers her. She finally meets another woman, Avery, who is also stuck with her.
This is an interesting take on "Groundhog Day,"and it makes you think of what you would do in the same situation.I enjoyed this book immensely, and as in her other 3 books I have read, it really makes me want to go to Toronto and visit Chinatown myself.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. I will be recommending this book to all my bookclubs.