3.5 stars ✨
This story was fun blend of cute, entertaining, and a bit ridiculous. I don’t really think anyone responded correctly to finding out about the time loop BUT it was very sweet and wholesome and i enjoyed myself.

3.5 / 5 Stars

I liked this cozy book that had a big dash of magic! In “Time Loops and Meet Cutes,” Noelle visits a dumpling stand where the owner promises that the dumplings she eats will help her get what she needs most. And that turns out to be a repeat of the same day over and over and over. What does one do with this repeating Groundhog’s Day? Cut your hair. Quit your job. Reconnect with her family. And run into Cam, a very attractive brewery owner, at multiple times throughout her repeating day. Cam feels like he knows her even if he can’t remember her and he seems to be the key to getting out of her time loop. How will that happen? And what will Noelle’s life look like if she does get out?

This was such a fun concept for a book. I felt like I asked myself what I would do if I was stuck in this type of time loop (probably freak out way more than Noelle did and then try to learn the physics of time loops? Or maybe just eat at every amazing restaurant?). It took me a bit to get into the book but once I did (when Cam and Noelle started interacting more regularly), I quickly devoured this book. I also loved all of the references to food – I felt like I was exploring and getting to know other food cultures throughout the book. I wish that the time loop explanation was a bit more satisfying but maybe that is part of the magic of not knowing.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.

This wasn't a good fit for me. I felt like the storylines were too scattered and I didn't find them compelling.

This was a cute story, but it fell short for me in a few ways. The biggest was the pacing. The first ~60% of the book was June 20th, and while I enjoy a good time loop, this one felt redundant. There’s a sweet spot between too few iterations and too many iterations that this book didn’t hit. I genuinely think this would’ve worked better as a novella. The writing style was also quite choppy and took some getting use to; it read like a translated novel, though I don’t believe it was. I also didn’t connect with the characters and didn’t feel their chemistry, which made it harder to stay engaged with the story. I did, however, like that we saw glimpses of Cam’s timeline throughout; that mystery kept me interested. And I appreciate that there was an explanation for the time loop starting and ending—many time loop stories fall short here! While I reasonably enjoyed the book (and am really craving dumplings now), I think it took itself a bit too seriously for a book about magic dumplings.

Thanks to Netgalley & Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the arc! Very cute! Liked the characters & the magical realism throughout. Will read more from this author.

Thank you so much Atria Books, and Simon & Schuster, Publishing & Marketing, for the beautiful opportunity for inviting me to read an ARC of Author Jackie Lau’s new upcoming Foodie Rom-Com Novel♥️🥢🥟✨
“TIME LOOPS & MEET CUTES”
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Read!! I am utterly obsessed over this gorgeous book!! I completely devoured and tore this entire book up from page-to-page-cover-to-cover!! I was instantly hooked and impressed just a few chapters in✨
The author's skills shines consistently, with expertly detailed crafted prose each page that engages & engrosses you deeply each time🤩Making you wish this book never ended! Which also shows a beautiful testament to Jackie Lau’s profound work as an author and her ability to beautifully write amazing characters who will always capture your heart & attention from the start!! Truly making it an amazing cinematic experience as we go through a journey of laughter and heart warming charms as the main characters navigate their delightful meet cutes with playful banters that sparks love and joy endlessly and new beginnings of adventure and friendship! That you will even find yourself giggling, & feet kicking back in forth in excitement as their captivating connections unfold and each phase reveals heartfelt growth🥹🤍✨

“TIME LOOPS & MEET CUTES,” Stars two main characters-
(♥️✨Noelle Tom And Cam Huang✨♥️
Jackie Lau, begins their journey when-
Endless Fridays constantly await for Noelle. Each reset brings a chance to relive moments, explore dreams, and rediscover joy, and with her life as an engineer vanishes, leaving room for adventure, that’s when the lovely Author introduces to my absolute favorite-
Cam, the charming brewery owner, who happens to also appear every Friday in Noelle’s time loop, with the cutest comedic Humor and a soft connection. Though he doesn’t recall their past meetings, each encounter brims with tenderness and joy🥹Noelle starts to sense he might hold the key to her whole escape. But as she navigates their growing feelings, she wonders if their love can blossom into something spontaneously beautiful or seek a way out? And the only way to find out how this beauty unfolds it’s by reading it ASAP!! But not only the author delivers us a great plot but she does for her main characters🤩

Noelle, my girlie🩷✨AKA my favorite!! embodies her character with sincerity and empathy, with a loving heart and smile that fully weaves hard emotional depth into her heartfelt character. She harbors such a compelling personality and a deep loving persona that always showers 24/7 when she’s with her lover boy or her dearest best friend who happens to also a deep favorite of mine!!🥹
Noelle makes you love her characteristics profoundly and even more!! with the touching love she carries for her-Cam🥹♥️It will forever be a treasured memory in my heart! Her experience of loving Cam, serves as a powerful reminder of the enchantments that can unfold when we fearlessly navigate life's challenges and stumble upon happiness in unforeseen places🥹✨

Cam, AKA my new everything & book boyfriend💋✨I loved and adored his character so much! He was crafted with such an unmistakable presence that's both cinnamon roll sweet and entertaining. His character enhances the story/ narrative alongside from his lover girl! Cam, sparks enthusiasm, brilliance, and with a smoldering hot tension! that will have you on edge craving more of the two of them!
Cam resonates powerfully with every chapter, particularly with his clever wit and charming, comedic humor that bonds with you at every step!!! And his soft spoken words will always be a favorite of mine!🥹♥️
I am so grateful to have read this amazing tale I’m so excited to read what the author has next to share🤩


Pre-Order
“TIME LOOPS & MEET CUTES”
Releasing May 6th 2025!!🥟🥢💋✨
ASAP for a foodie Rom-Com you will love and enjoy from the very beginning:) And you can do just that by visiting the author’s social media @jackielaubooks On IG and also get the chance to check out some of her previous work🤩

Very good book! This was my first book by the author. I’ll definitely read more from them! It was a good and also quick read

I received a free digital ARC copy of the book through NetGalley. All opinions are completely my own.

*4.5 stars*
I’ve been reading a lot of romance lately, so the time loop in this story made it refreshingly different. It’s definitely one of my favorite romance reads so far this year. We follow Noelle, whose life has pretty much been revolving around work, with no close friends or romantic relationships for a while. When she finds herself in a time loop, it gives Noelle an opportunity to leave her comfort zone without the fear of consequences, since everything will just reset at the end of the day anyway. It’s an interesting way to watch a character grow, build relationships, and try new experiences. It’s not surprising that at times things get a little repetitive since we are repeating the same day, but it makes the story feel authentic and relatable. The concept definitely kept me curious about what could have caused this phenomenon and how it might eventually end. I wasn’t expecting how much the story was able to surprise me at times. As for the romance, I thought it was very sweet (while still offering some spice). I could really feel how the time loop could make it freeing yet also frustrating. Bonus points for the friendship that Noelle finds along the way – I think I may have enjoyed that relationship as much as the romance! A big indication of how much I liked the book: when I finished it, I found myself wanting to read parts of the beginning again, just to see it from the new perspective of knowing how it ends.

I actually loved reading this. it was very intriguing to see how Noelle changed, and it kept me wondering how the girls were going to figure out this time loop, but we also got to see how time was moving in the real world with Cam. it was super interesting to me

Time Loops & Meet Cutes - 3.5 rounded up!
I love a time loop and magical realism/speculative fiction plot! As Noelle repeats June 20th over and over again, we see her friendship with Avery blossom while they try to solve their predicament and see Noelle try to build something with Cam while he forgets her every time her day resets. 
I loved that Noelle and Avery had each other. Their circumstances were so different, and I felt so much for Avery. They needed each other in this loop, but it was good to see that their friendship withstood something so crazy! Personally, I would have taken as many trips as possible - why stop at their two!? And Noelle and Cam - having Cam forget her every day was so heartbreaking! The little twist at the end was the perfect explanation for the book, but it felt like their connection was stronger on their first dates during the loop than the afterwards. I know a lot of that read of Noelle's nerves and anxiety about getting it all right and the pressure she was putting on herself, I just wanted her to come out of her time loop stronger than before!!
I recommend this one if you like a "groundhog day" vibe with strong friendships and magical romance! 
Thank you, Atria Books and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Jackie Lau is one of my favorite romance writers! She’s an auto buy author for me for sure and I recommend her to everyone! This was so fun and so different I really loved the time loop aspect. Noelle eats dumplings one day and then when she wakes up the next day she realizes it’s the same day and she’s in a time loop. I think people who liked. The invisible Life of Addie LaRue will enjoy this for sure. This novel shows how important it is slow down and to appreciate the little things in life. It’s an enjoyable and light read and I highly recommend it!

This book as a very interesting way of doing time loop. We've seen this many of times, but how do you make it different. You make a shy girl who likes rules and structure and stuck her in a time loop and force her to do things she doesn't normally do: be bold at work, be flirty, veg and binge watch shows, read, learn a craft, except all of her efforts are gone tomorrow. At first, that's fun, you can do whatever you want without consequences, except when it comes to Cam, cute guy she kept running into and thought maybe he's the key to breaking the loop. Noelle started to develop real deep feelings for Cam, and only to know tomorrow, they'd be strangers again and again, and again. That made her sad.

In the loop, Noelle has time to reconnect with siblings, with friends and also met a friend who is also stuck in the loop. Which is a blessing, because can you imagine you're stuck over and over and begin to go crazy.

At first, I wasn't too sure about the book, because time loop has been done before. But as we go, the twist and the friendship, the relationships she explore, rebuild. This might be seen as a romance, but truly is a rebuilding journey. I like the pacing and enjoyed it quite a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley & Atria Marketing for the ARC.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun new take on a groundhog day type plot. I think anything to do with time loops or different timing in books can be tricky to pull off, but I enjoyed this one!

This was fun! I don’t always love time loops/magical realism, but this was a delight!! Loved the characters, they were relateable and I had fun rooting for them. I definitely recommend this one!

Okay, it's been a few days and I keep finding myself sad that I've finished this book already and that I could read it for the first time again. So I really liked this one, not many books linger this much for me. I will definitely get the audiobook when this is released to experience that version of the book too!

Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.


This book started out really cute. The idea to have the FMC attend a fair, eat something from a vendor almost no one else remembered being there, and then have her end up basically living Groundhog's Day was interesting at first. She kept having to reintroduce herself to the MMC, in the hopes that something would spark, and he would finally remember her. Alas, I had to DNF at 57%. The repetitiveness of this book just became too much. Much like one of the side characters was ready to end it all to get out of her June 20th loop, I just couldn't live there anymore either. If the author's goal was to get the reader to become so frustrated by the redundancy, that they finally threw in the towel, then that mission was accomplished spectacularly.

The plot of this book is very cute.: workshops gets stuck in a time loop and the only way out is to.find what she really needs. I liked the interesting premise and thought the characters were likeable. I would have liked a bit more from the romance. Because she's stuck in a time loop the plot moves slowly and the relationship between the two main characters isn't very organic, affecting their chemistry.

I enjoyed this Groundhog Day-esque romance! When Noelle Tom has dumplings at a market that promise "to be the thing she needs the most," she ends up stuck reliving the same day over and over again. Noelle meets Cam, who day after day does not remember who she is, but with whom she starts to develop a relationship, although Noelle fears she will never actually know Cam as he is not reliving the same day.

Broken up into to parts, I liked the overall story. Noelle learns to take small risks and repair relationships while she's stuck in the time loop. Also while stuck, she meets Avery, another woman stuck reliving the same day. The two strike a friendship and I think their friendship was a major highlight of the story. I do think the first part starts to get repetitive and I found myself reading faster so I can move on in the story. The second half changes the story a little and there are some fun twists! I feel like Noelle and Cam's relationship is much more developed in the second half (although I did feel like there was more emotion in the first half). They had generally good chemistry, but I did wish for a little bit more depth to the relationship.

Overall, this was a cute romance and I enjoyed reading Noelle and Cam's story. The food descriptions throughout had my mouth watering and I immediately wanted every meal described. I liked how Noelle reconnects with her family and how she forms a new friendship through being stuck in the time loop. I would recommend to romance fans!

This novel is a fresh and heartfelt take on the time-loop trope, blending humor, romance, and self-discovery into an irresistible story. Noelle Tom, a dedicated engineer, finds herself stuck in an endless Friday after eating mysterious dumplings at a night market. What starts as an amusing inconvenience quickly spirals into an existential crisis—until she meets Cam, a charming brewery owner who just might hold the key to her escape, even if he doesn’t remember her.

What makes this story stand out is its perfect balance of wit, warmth, and emotional depth. Noelle’s journey is not just about breaking the loop but about breaking free from the expectations and pressures she places on herself. Her interactions with Cam are filled with chemistry and tenderness, making their budding connection all the more compelling. The novel also offers a unique exploration of work-life balance, the meaning of happiness, and what it truly means to live in the moment.

With its vibrant setting, lovable characters, and a romance that feels both magical and deeply real, this book is a delightful read that will resonate long after the final page. Fans of charming, thought-provoking love stories with a touch of whimsy will find this one hard to put down.

I thought this was super cute, and like most romances predictable in the way you want it to be. This definitely felt like a fresh take on a time loop romance, and I fully enjoyed it. Bonus .25 Star for the food descriptions on the dates. Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc.

let me introduce you to my next book obsession:

𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐬 & 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬 has all my favorite things:

✨ magical realism
✨ dumplings
✨ bingeable
✨ cozy

this one immediately sucked me in and I might’ve cancelled anything on my to-do list to finish it in one sitting.

Cam and Noelle were the cutest pairing and being able to see Noelle continually have different meet cutes with Cam was adorable.

Noelle was super relatable with being frustrated at her job, her struggles to connect with her family and having had her heart broken. Cam was the perfect counterpart to Noelle with his charm and wit and their chemistry was jumping off the page.

If you were a fan of Seven Year Slip then 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐬 & 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬 is for you!