Based on other reviews, I’m glad some people like/love this book. For me, it was rough. I normally dislike time loop stories, but I have read some done well. This was not it.

I can’t get too specific without revealing spoilers, but some things that didn’t work for me:

-the absolutely flattest characters ever
-Cam’s POV felt useless
-time loop where literally nothing happens. I felt like I was reading the same chapter over and over again
-Avery’s purpose in the novel felt forced
-explanation for the time loop was way too convenient
-elementary writing style
-juvenile plot but weirdly spicy
-soooo much telling not showing
-did not believe Noelle’s growth

It’s a fun premise, and I love the inclusion of culture and all the delicious food, but this is a pass for me.

Imagine eating dumplings, then waking up to the same day again, and again. But the main character doesn’t even need to imagine it, Noelle, our main character is living it. I liked that the heroine wasn’t stuck alone; this story is not just about romance but also touches on friendship and family. I thought the author found a good balance with Noelle and Avery, her fellow time looper, enjoying living consequence free and trying to get. out of the loop. The same good balance is found with the romance; I enjoyed the humor of all the meet cutes and felt the sorrow of having to reintroduce yourself again and again. It was a nice read—sometimes funny, sometimes sad—about the value of relationships and the need to take a risk sometimes.

Having previously read Book One of the Kwan Sisters series, I was looking forward to seeing the characters Jackie brought to life in Time Loops and Meet Cutes. Her knack for writing realistic, relatable protagonists is what drew me to pick up another book by her, and I’m so glad I did. Time Loops and Meet Cutes reminds us how often we can get in our own way - how the idea of consequences and repercussions can stop us from making choices, putting yourself out there, and fully experiencing all that life has to offer.

Life as a mechanical engineer may be demanding, but Noelle wouldn’t have it any other way. The hours are long, and the extra work she takes on to “help” her mentee (a nepo-baby, no less) might frustrate others, but this is what she knows. As the reliable, steady, and predictable sibling, she understands what’s expected of her and does her best to avoid rocking the boat. She’s even got her post-work routine down to a science - until one particular Friday, when her body decides to go completely off script. Hungry and desperate to silence her grumbling stomach, she finds herself veering toward the market instead of heading straight home to raid her fridge.

Scouring the vendors, Noelle stumbles upon a dumpling stand with no line. Dealing with the eccentric woman running it and her cash-only policy feels like a small price to pay for what turns out to be the best dumplings she’s ever had. What Noelle doesn’t realize is that these dumplings are about to change her life. She finds out just how much when she wakes up the next morning to discover it’s Friday, June 20th - again. And again. And again.

No matter what Noelle does, every time she falls asleep, the day resets to the morning of June 20th. She’s the only one who remembers anything from previous interactions. At first, life without consequences feels strange and unsettling, but it doesn’t take long for it to become liberating - until she meets Cam.

While Noelle has an endless number of chances to make a first impression, it doesn’t seem to matter when he can’t remember her the next day. Except, he doesn’t completely reset. Cam starts to remember fragments - her preferences, fleeting moments of déjà vu - and Noelle becomes convinced that he’s the key to breaking out of the loop. She just needs to figure out how.

This was such an interesting concept! What I loved most was at one point in the book, Jackie has the characters address exactly what I’d been wondering - if they’re stuck in a time loop, what’s happening with everyone else? And where do they fit in the timeline if they manage to escape?

When I first started reading, I thought Cam was trapped in the loop too, but it quickly becomes clear that he’s moving forward in time - which only raised more questions.

At that point, I was completely hooked, but Jackie was in a tough spot. If she didn’t address the questions she had her characters bring up - questions her readers were undoubtedly wondering too (along with a plethora of other potential plot holes waiting to happen) - the book would risk falling flat.

I want to say she triumphed, answered all the questions, and beautifully tied the story together - but she didn’t. Instead, she took two different cop-outs.

Beyond that slight setback, I was completely fascinated by this book and the amount of time Noelle was stuck in the time loop. I loved how Jackie paired Avery and Noelle because it created a perfect mix of best-case and worst-case scenarios. This balance of the best and worst keeps each character grounded in reality while driving them to focus on the lessons they need to learn to finally break free. While I may have felt let down by the resolution of the time loops, I have to applaud the transformation and lessons experienced by the characters.

Speaking of surprises, Jackie definitely caught me off guard with the spice in this book! I was pretty convinced it was going to stay a closed-door romance - until suddenly it wasn’t! Having forgotten that I’ve read one of the books in her Kwan Sisters series, I really should have known better. Her scenes are hot yet sweet, and they’re written in a way that feels realistically beautiful.

Time Loops and Meet Cutes is a call for reflection and reassessment. For those who truly absorb the message of this book, it serves as a gentle push to step back and evaluate where we are - and whether it’s truly where we want to be. Are we standing in our own way? Are we the roadblock to a richer, more fulfilling life? Simply put, are we settling for comfort and predictability? If we could remove the obstacle of consequence - the paralyzing fear of risk and retribution - what would our lives look like? Would we be braver, more willing to take chances, if we had the safety net of a redo button?

Spoilers have been removed.

I loved this book. It is different from most time-loops I have read. Noelle is thrown in to a time loop after eating "magical" dumplings at the night market. She is hoping after meeting Cam, multiple times during this loop after different places, that he may be the key to getting her out,but how.
I enjoyed every thing about this book, Noelle, Cam, Avery, and of course even Cam grandma's.

4 stars

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!