This was a really cute story! Noelle eats some delicious dumplings at a night market on June 20th and then wakes up in a time loop, repeating that day over and over.

The first half seemed like it dragged out a bit and the second half went much faster. I liked the magical aspect of it even though it was incredibly farfetched. I felt bad for my girl Avery because she def got the crappy end of the time loop deal.

Overall a cute read! Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

In this charming and heartwarming Groundhog Day-adjacent romance novel, readers follow Noelle Tom after eating strange but delicious dumplings at the night market that promise to give her what she needs the most. Reliving the same Friday morning, the Wordle is always the same, the work she does is erased every time she wakes up, and the attractive brewery owner Cam forgets her every time they meet in a different place. Convinced he is the answer to getting un-stuck and finally experiencing Saturday, Noelle can’t figure out why he is the key even though she steps out of her comfort zone, gets attached to Cam, and starts to live her life on her terms. With great characters, an emotional storyline, and a fun setting, readers will love the magical and time loop elements that get the story rolling. Noelle is a fun and relatable character who readers will empathize with, and her continued growth and willingness to push her own boundaries will really draw readers into the story. Her changing understanding of her dynamic with Cam and other characters is really interesting, and readers will absolutely love the emotional and entertaining nature of this latest romance novel from Jackie Lau.

I could organize my notes into a coherent review, but it’s been a long week, so I offer you my thoughts on TIME LOOPS & MEET CUTES in the form of a survey.

YOU DON’T STRIKE ME AS A REGULAR ROMANCE READER. YOU’RE KIND OF A HATER. WHY DID YOU WANT TO READ THIS?: I’m a sucker for everything in the timey-wimey, soulmates-in-any-timeline, alternate-realities, reliving-past-lives genre.

A TIME LOOP ROMANCE DOES SEEM TO FIT THE BILL. WHAT’S THIS ONE ABOUT?: Noelle eats magical dumplings at a night market and gets caught in a time loop designed to “give her what she needs the most.”

HOW’S THE WRITING?: Fine in the first half, but bad in the second half. When I read a romance I’m not expecting to be blown away by craft, but I do want the sentences to make sense and the pacing to be reasonably quick. In literary genres you can get away with slow pacing if there are other things to engage with, like deep character work, form, or the writing itself. But a fluffy romance with nothing else going on? Come on. This book is excruciatingly slow at times and FOR WHAT? It’s also about 75% tell, 25% show in the second half, which is a pet peeve of mine that transcends genre.

WHAT IS THE FMC LIKE?: Boring.

HOW ABOUT THE MMC?: Slightly less boring, but only because the chapters from his POV are a relief from the endless monotony of Noelle’s chapters.

ISN’T ENDLESS MONOTONY THE WHOLE POINT OF THE TIME LOOP TROPE? MAYBE THE AUTHOR DID IT ON PURPOSE.: Respectfully, I don’t care if it was intentional or not. There are ways to show a character’s frustration and boredom without frustrating and boring your reader. Of course a Groundhog Day plot is going to be repetitive, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring.

OKAY, FINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH HAD HAPPENED?: My answer to this question is a spoiler (insofar as it will confirm something that does not happen), is that allowed?

SURE, LET’S JUST PUT THE SPOILER ON THE NEXT LINE AND HOPEFULLY THAT GIVES ANYONE WHO WANTS TO READ THIS A CHANCE TO AVOID IT. LAST CHANCE!: I wanted Cam to get caught in his own time loop in the second half! I thought that was where this was going and was disappointed to find out I was wrong.

OH DAMN YEAH THAT WOULD’VE BEEN COOL. WELL… HOW WAS THE ROMANCE?: It was pretty cute. Plenty of angst. I was rooting for them. But honestly… something about it rubbed me the wrong way. If Noelle and Cam had met normally, they would have been the most boring couple to ever couple. I’m not convinced they would’ve fallen in love at all. Their entire love story is driven by the angst of the time loop. Noelle goes on dozens of first dates with Cam. She grows desperate and wistful and falls in love with him from the *drama* of it all. And Cam, at least in part, falls in love with Noelle because he senses a sadness in her and suspects there’s something she’s not telling him. So they long for each other. But the passion between them is due to, not in spite of, the situation they’re in.

UM, OKAY. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU DID LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK?: The plot twist at the end is super cute. The premise is great! I love the Asian representation and the attention the book gives to some of Noelle’s other relationships (although I would’ve preferred more scenes with Noelle’s sister and fewer with her friend Avery, whose own story was brushed off as an afterthought).

I THOUGHT WE WERE BEING NICE.: I thought so too. Oh, you know what I did actually really love about this book? The spice. The spicy scenes kept me going. I saw some other reviewers objecting to the spice in this book because it felt out of place, but that’s what I liked about it. You have this extremely boring FMC bumbling along being boring and then all of a sudden there’s a c*&k out.

WELP. ANY PARTING THOUGHTS?: This book is fine. It’s not offensively bad. I don’t think I’ll remember it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What would you do if every Friday came with a reset button?

For Noelle Tom, one bite of mysterious night market dumplings traps her in a time loop—reliving the same Friday again and again, her life on pause, her job erased, her Wordle stuck on “happy.” But then there’s Cam—a brewery owner with kind eyes and easy charm who keeps showing up like clockwork… even if he never remembers her.

✨This book is so much more than a fun twist on the Groundhog Day trope.✨

It’s about what it means to be vulnerable after heartbreak. About the quiet bravery it takes to open up again. About friendship, found family, and dumplings.

Noelle is such a beautifully grounded protagonist—thoughtful, cautious, and deeply human. Her transformation isn’t about becoming someone new, but about believing that she can change, that she deserves connection. And I loved how Cheryl Lau explored the emotional push-pull of being stuck in a loop: the thrill, the loneliness, the fear of what comes next.

And Cam! Getting his POV post-loop made the emotional payoff even richer. 🥺

💫 Full of humor, heart, and just the right dose of speculative magic, Time Loops & Meet Cutes is a charming, clever contemporary romance that asks: If life gave you a do-over, what would you risk?

Perfect for fans of Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie, cozy romances with a twist, or anyone who’s ever wished for a second chance that sticks.

I am a magical realism lover and the synopsis for this book promised something special. However, after having completed 36% of the book, I am left wanting. The story just did not deliver for me. While I typically enjoy a slow burn, the pacing was too slow. Too often, nothing was happening and that nothing was often repeated with no progress being made. The main character is stuck in life; she has no work-life balance and no social life to speak of and no sign that she would making any realizations of that at this point. I found that there was no depth to her character and I found that she lacked self-awareness. I felt like she should at least be starting to examine her life prior to being trapped in the time loop, other than trying to find a partner. I decided to stop reading after she had been stuck for 80 days with no progress to speak of. I also found that there was little chemistry between the main character and the love interest. After skimming ahead and seeing not much in the way of change, I decided that this book is not for me at this time.
Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for a digital advanced copy of the book. The opinions expressed are given voluntarily and are honest and my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Atria for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

For someone that loves magical realism, and was completely fascinated by the idea of time loops - this book did not deliver. It started off rather dull and the pacing seemed a bit off to me but I just went with it. However, the repetition of days, the lack of chemistry between characters... I never liked the main character as she was too whiny for me. So I think that for me this was never going to be a win.

Time Loops and Meet Cutes offers a fun twist on the time loop trope with relatable burnout humor and a touch of magical realism. The premise is quirky and engaging! It's a light, imaginative read with a satisfying (if predictable) conclusion.
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy this book.

I hadn’t signed into Netgalley in over a year when the author posted on Bluesky that this book was a read now there. I immediately signed in and requested this book and that was such a good decision because this book is a delight! I love a good time loop story and this had all the best elements!

Noelle is kinda stuck in a rut in her life, though I’m not sure she’d have admitted that if it hadn’t been for the time loop. She’s given up on love after her college boyfriend broke up with her and has fully embraced being a workaholic, convinced that this will get her ahead at work, while not seeing how this job is taking advantage of her (I really related to this part). The time loop does have the fun antics of trying new food, new styles, and some travel without consequences to her budget, but it also allows her to start questioning what she really wants in life and realizing her worth.

I loved her developing friendship with Avery, who’s also stuck in the timeloop. Both women needed a friend. I enjoyed how they brainstorm how to get out of the timeloop while also being supportive of each other.

The romance with Cam was deftly done. I liked that it took Noelle a moment to embrace that she does want a relationship with Cam, but also that she’s concerned with the ethics of dating him while she’s learning about him in the timeloop, and having the chances for do-overs, while he’s meeting her for the first time many times. It made watching the two of them fall for each other in different ways fun to read.

The explanation for the timeloop felt rewarding and a little sad at the same time. I’m so glad there was an explanation beyond magic dumplings!

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the advanced review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"Time Loops & Meet Cutes" is a triumph of modern romantic comedy. It's smart, funny, and incredibly sweet, offering a refreshing twist on familiar concepts. Whether you're in the mood for a lighthearted escape or a story that will leave you smiling, this one is highly recommended. It’s a perfect blend of humor, heart, and a touch of temporal paradox that makes for an unforgettable experience.

I love time loops and this one did not disappoint! This was a super fun read with enjoyable characters and has dual POVs, which I love.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an eARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Imagine waking up and reliving the same day repeatedly? It is much like Groundhog Day, but less chaotic.
Noelle Tom gets to go on a journey in this alternate universe. She meets Cam, a guy she thinks is the endgame (and the solution to everything that keeps repeating the day), and Avery, someone experiencing the same day along with Noelle. Avery and Noelle develop a sincere friendship. Each day gets increasingly tedious, until Noelle decides to switch things up. But if she continues to switch things up, will she ruin her time and possibility of being with Cam?

While I had a wonderful time with the story, I felt like there could’ve been less repetition in the first part. I understand that there was a point to it, but as a reader, it made me want to read this on faster and move on.

Thank you to Atria, the author, and NetGalley for the early ARC.

Huge thank you to the author & publisher for sending me an EARC. Super cute, time loop magical realism story! I haven’t read any time loop stories quite like this! I loved Avery & Noelle’s friendship and her connection with Cam. I really loved the way this story tied up and came full circle in the end. Made me very hungry for some dumplings, highly recommend!

I absolutely loved this book. The turmoil that she went through, trying to figure out how to not only keep herself but also Avery sane while also falling in love over and over again... beautiful story.

I wanted so badly to love this book. The idea is sweet and it had so much potential. However, somewhere in the middle, it started to really drag on. The repeated days didn’t do anything to push the story ahead and it was poorly paced. I gave it 3 stars because I liked the ending, but it was really hard to get through.

i liked this book a lot! Made me wish I was living a day on repeat in Toronto, because this one ends so well.

Have you ever wanted to go back and relive the perfect day? Or have you ever wanted to go back and redo a day you wish you could change? What if you could? Would you want to relive that same day - over and over again?

“I've lived June 20 so many times before, yet this has never happened. It's amazing how many possibilities there are in a single day.”

Time Loops & Meet Cutes is just that. Noelle is stuck in a loop of Friday June 20th for what seems like forever. She doesn’t know why she is there, outside of the vague statement she received from a stranger, and tries her hardest to figure out a way out of the loop. But there are some good things she discovers about herself and about what she needs in life if she ever makes it to June 21st.

Thank you Atria for this eARC copy to read and review. This is the first book I have read by Jackie Lau, but I enjoyed it so I will definitely be looking into her backlist to see some of her others. Time Loops & Meet Cutes is out now!

Repetition is avoidable in a time loop plot line but this one was, unfortunately, didn’t hold my attention. I didn’t really buy the chemistry between the main characters and found their conversations stilted and awkward. I didn’t even really understand the female friendship and it also read as awkward.

And we don’t ever really find out why the main character is stuck in the time loop in the first place. We know who caused but not why that person caused it.

I’ve read a lot of reviews that were very positive so obviously something is resonating with other readers but this one didn’t work for me.

INCREDIBLE. I've read a lot of time loop stories/ watched a lot of them and this is by far the best one I've read. It was so heartwarming and genuine. I loved how Avery and Noelle became friends because of the loop. I also like how it wasn't really explained why they were stuck in the loop! I appreciate that they didn't exit the time loop simply because they came to some big life revelation either. Not everything has to come to a conclusion in some big way. I appreciated the fact that I could see Noelle and Cam fall in love in real time through the second half. It wouldn't have been the same otherwise if Noelle exited the loop and then went to go see Cam again and it ends there. I think this book is perfect.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Time Loops & Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau

This charming magical‑realism rom‑com had me smiling from day one, on the same day. Noelle gets stuck reliving June 20 in Toronto after eating magical dumplings, and each loop brings fresh “meet‑cutes” with charming brewery owner Cam. Their chemistry is sweet, slow‑burn, and refreshingly fun.

I loved how the time loop gives Noelle space to grow, trying new things, exploring her city, making a friendship with fellow looper Avery, and rediscovering what she really wants in life. Jackie Lau handles the repetitive day brilliantly, weaving in humor and genuine emotional beats so that each reset feels purposeful.

Why 4 stars?
•✨ Adorable, inventive premise with heartfelt growth
•😊 Strong found‑family vibe through Noelle, Cam, and Avery

Overall, Time Loops & Meet Cutes is a feel‑good, thoughtful twist on a time‑loop romance. Cozy, clever, and full of heart, definitely one I’ll remember

I'm normally not a fan of books with a time-loop but this one made me reconsider. This book created suspense and I was constantly wondering if they would or wouldn't get together. I think I had 3.5 heart attacks while reading this. This is a good recommendation for anyone looking for a quick, fun love story!