i thought this was a pleasant read. it was pretty quirky and fast-paced, and there were definitely moments where i was super invested in the storyline. I think the concept of timeloops in romance stories is always so fun, I really feel like it adds this different element we don't typically get in romance books. All the "time loop" moments were super fun, especially the magical dumplings, and the set up of it all was clever. With that in mind, you can only time loop so much. So i did find myself losing the fun in the time loop aspect and wanting to get on with it haha! It didn't totally play out the way that I thought it would but it was definitely a good vibe at the beginning. I really enjoyed Noelle and Avery's friendship too. Those super fun and solid girl moments and friendships in romance books just make the storyline even more fun and also gives us more insight into our main character. I will say I felt that the romance connection was underwhelming but still cute! Again, overall this was a pleasant read.

🥟 Book Review 🥟

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Publication: May 6, 2025

Rating: Not for me

I’m bummed that I didn’t enjoy this more. The writing style hooks you in and I found that I would read a lot in one sitting. The plot was the biggest thing I struggled with.
Is it a romance or self discovery? I’m not sure the plot knows either. I think there were too many chapters focused on the time loop. I wish Cam was more fleshed out too and more time on the growing romance.

Overall, I look forward to another story from Jackie Lau but this one was a miss for me.

For fans of:
⏰ First person POV
🥟 Dual POV
⏰ Magical realism
🥟FMC in her 30’s
⏰ Engineer x Brewery owner
🥟Self discovery
⏰ Strangers to lovers

This was a mostly fun and easy read but there were too many plot holes for me. I get that there is a certain level of imagination that's needed while reading a time loop romance, but this just didn't fully work for me.
I loved reading Avery and Noelle's friendship but the best part was the food descriptions! I loved hearing about all of the different cuisines and dishes and how it connected so many people and stories.
The romance was fine. I usually love magical realism but this one just wasn't tidy enough for me.

Started a little slow for me in this Groundhog Day romance but after about a third of the book, I found myself enjoying the story for what it was. Nothing mindblowing but an enjoyable summer afternoon read.

I’m always a fan of a Jackie Lau and this one was no exception. A fast paced read, the book had short chapters (always a favorite for me) that made it easy to zip through. I love a time element so I was excited to see this authors take on one in the story.

A satisfying read with a cute main couple, I can’t wait to see what the author writes next. In the meantime, I’ve luckily got some backlist titles to enjoy.

I was initially drawn to this story because it offered a fresh take on the Groundhog Day trope. It was an intriguing concept that also sounded like my personal nightmare: repeating the same day endlessly, redoing all your work, no new Wordle puzzles, no progress. I expected to relate to Noelle, the protagonist, especially given the themes of burnout and routine. However, the story lost momentum quickly. The first quarter of the book was a slow read, with Noelle’s daily routine feeling too simplistic and repetitive. While this monotony was thematically appropriate, it made for an unengaging reading experience early on. As the plot unfolded, more characters were introduced and Noelle did begin to show some growth, but the pacing remained sluggish. The writing style, which was overly simple and frequently repetitive, only magnified this issue.

Noelle’s perspective dominates the story, and we experience the time loop entirely through her eyes as she struggles to understand what’s happening and how to break free. She soon learns she’s not the only one stuck: Avery, another woman trapped in the same loop, faces the added torment of waking up next to her condescending boyfriend every day and having to repeatedly end their relationship. Their evolving friendship became the emotional core of the book and, in many ways, its greatest strength. Watching Noelle and Avery lean on one another, the only two people who truly understand what the other is going through, gave the story depth. The portrayal of exhaustion and burnout was particularly well done and deeply relatable.

The romance subplot had promise and initially felt like a clever nod to 50 First Dates, but it ended up feeling rushed and underdeveloped. It leaned too heavily on insta-love and read more like a YA romance than an adult one. This mismatch between the characters’ supposed ages and the tone of their relationship was one of my biggest frustrations, as it made it hard to fully invest in their connection.

Ultimately, while the novel had an intriguing premise and some emotionally grounded moments—particularly in its depiction of friendship and burnout—the execution was uneven. With slower pacing, a simplistic writing style, and a romance that didn’t quite land, the story didn’t fully live up to its potential.

Time Loops and Meet Cutes is my first experience with Jackie Lau, and I really enjoyed it! This story has such a unique and fun premise - eating magic dumplings that throw you into a time loop with your best friend, causing you to experience the same day over and over again! At its heart, this is a story of friendship, self-discovery, and love. The time loops got a little repetitive, and the pacing felt a little slow to me at times, but overall this was an entertaining read with relatable characters and a very intriguing premise!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Such a great time loop story. Some stories drag but this one was so cute. I loved the main characters and the side characters.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun, cozy, and emotional read. Jackie Lau did such a great job blending the time loop element with a sweet romance and meaningful character growth. Watching the characters relive the same day while slowly building their connection felt so natural and charming. The chemistry was there right from the start, but I loved how the repetition allowed them to open up, become vulnerable, and really see each other in a way that felt earned and authentic.

The book also touched on grief and family in such a heartfelt way. The way food tied into memories and love really hit me, I could feel how much certain dishes brought comfort, nostalgia, and even healing. It actually made me think of my own family and how food carries so many special memories.

The twist toward the end was unexpected but added so much to the story. And honestly, it made me think: if I had to live the same day on repeat, reading books would definitely be one of my daily choices, sounds like a book lover’s dream, honestly.

If you’re looking for a romance that’s a little magical, full of heart, and leaves you smiling (and maybe a little teary), I highly recommend this one.

Thank you Atria Books for the eARC via Netgalley.

After eating a dumpling from a mysterious vendor at a night market, Noelle finds herself stuck in a time loop repeating June 20 over and over. In part one, Noelle is trying to figure out the why of the time loop and how to get out of it. During this time, she meets Cam in different situations, and she thinks he may be the key to getting out of her time loop. The relationship they develop is cute, regardless of their having to start over every day. Also, during part one, Noelle meets Avery, who is also stuck in the time loop. They develop a genuine friendship that is endearing.

In part two, Noelle and Avery are out of the time loop and discover that life has moved on without them. They have no memory of anything that happened while they were stuck in June 20. They use the lessons they've learned and how they've changed in the loop to progress their current lives.

I loved the premise of this novel and the characters. The part inside the time loops seemed to drag a little, even though the chapters were short and the story moved along. I think it had to do with the same setting/day for more than half the book. There are only so many things that can happen differently during one day. I was happy when they got out of the time loop just because it changed the timing and allowed the relationships outside of Noelle's and Avery's to move forward. I think this was a fun read that was unique.

As romance grows more popular among my library patrons, I’ve been reading more in the genre, which led me to Jackie Lau’s Time Loops and Meet Cutes. With its short chapters and accessible writing style, it’s well-suited for high school readers, and the Groundhog Day/time loop premise includes some clever, thoughtful twists. That said, the repeated day structure starts to feel a bit overdone, and I worry some younger readers might lose interest before finishing. The central relationship didn’t fully click for me—possibly influenced by a review I read beforehand that questioned how Cam could fall so hard for Noelle when she’s meeting him for the “first time” every day. That critique stuck with me, and I ended up finding their romance a little flat. While it has merit and certainly a place in a collection, it’s not a title I’d personally rush to recommend.

I guess it's a bit hard to write a book about a time loop without a bunch of repetition but part way through I got a bit bored. The way it ended was cute, I guess, but I wish we had gotten a little more info on the grandma and the time loop. I overall enjoyed this one and enjoyed the romance. I would say that no on in the history of ever uses the term "alas" as much as these two main character.

This is the kind of book I scour fanfiction sites for.

The romance? To die for. The tropes? Sublime. The chapters were easy and breezy too, which kept me coming back for more.

My only real critique is the pacing. Despite the chapter length, at times it felt a little slow and like I wanted things to speed up. Things just got a little repetitive, but overall I very much enjoyed!

Thank you Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for this ARC!

A cute read up until the ending with someone dropping the dreaded “sweetheart” which seemed entirely out of character. This always unnerves me because up until then the character will be behaving in a totally different fashion then bam all of a sudden calling someone sweetheart as if they were an elderly man trying to hit on a young woman. It just never fits.

The rest of the story was fine if not a bit messy at times. Did not care for how the plot was wrapped up in the end.

This was such a fun, feel-good read. I enjoyed the mix of romance and sci-fi - it added rarity without too much complexity. The time loop concept was handled in a way that felt *chefs kiss* but still easy to follow.

The main couple had great chemistry, and their conversations felt real and funny. I liked how the story balanced sweet moments with just enough emotional depth to make me care (not that it’s hard to do that!).

Overall, it was cute, clever, and left me kicking my feet and giggling. Definitely a great pick if you’re looking for something light but a little different.

After eating some mysterious dumplings at the night market, Noelle finds herself living through June 20th on repeat. As she navigates this new reality, Noelle meets a new friend, Avery, who is also stuck in the same loop and Cam, someone she can practice some meet cutes on and possibly her way out of this loop??

This book was so fun! I’m a sucker for time loops and I loved the time mechanics and situations Noelle found herself in. Noelle and Cam have such an ease with their relationship and a growing romance -- though some of the earlier meet cute attempts were pretty rough, especially with the second hand embarrassment (like purposely spilling boba on him lol). It was fun seeing them chat at Cam’s bar, eat around the night market, and go on new dates despite having to re-meet each other every time.

Friendship wise, I loved Noelle’s and Avery’s dynamics. Seeing the two treat themselves, travel, test out various theories to get unstuck, and even looking like questionable conspiracy theorists with their cardboard signs at the subway station had me cheering them on. They both had relatable struggles and I liked seeing them open up (though honestly poor Avery -- she had her period on REPEAT and was stuck in a dead end relationship).

The repetition does drag at points and you can see the inevitable spiralling, though I was very invested in their escape plan. I enjoyed the moments of growth, life lessons, Toronto backdrop, and Cam’s pov sprinkled throughout. Overall, this was a fun time loop read mixed with friendship, romance, and magical realism / mystery!

Thanks NetGalley and Simon & Schuster CA for the arc!

I was excited by this cover and synopsis but ultimately was unable to connect with the characters. Thanks for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for this advance copy!

This was a fun romance, focused on a woman who eats some dumplings and winds up in a time loop, destined to live June 20th over and over. I loved how Noelle approached the time loop and how she used it to take risks and become better and better at flirting with Cam, who keeps mentioning deja vu, but forgets Noelle as each day repeats. Noelle and Cam are adorable together as they keep going on first dates. Lau does a great job of having the characters grow and evolve while not having them completely do it together because of the timeloop. And timeloops can be so messy! Lau does a great job of creating rules that are flexible, giving Noelle more and more ways to stretch her legs with the loop.

In the end, the loop ends and they come together, and it's great and sweet. Maybe I could have used more chapters from Cam's point of view, but this was fun.

Time loops? Groundhogs day? Sign me up. I love books with these plot lines. And what's not to like about romance thrown in? Rhetorical question.

Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the advanced copy!

This was my first time reading a story involving a time-loop, but it definitely won’t be my last. Such a fun concept!

Our FMC, Noelle, eats some magical dumplings at a night market and ends up reliving the same day over and over again. She keeps seeing the same guy, Cam, and figures he must be her way out of the loop. It’s hard to execute a romance where one of the two forgets everything when the day restarts, but I loved the chemistry between Cam and Noelle and could’t put this book down! I really feel for Noelle after she came out of the loop and found out everything had changed. Can you imagine your sibling having a child and you missed everything?! I’m still a little confused by how/why Noelle ended up in the time-loop but this was a fun read and I enjoyed it a lot.

All in all, I would recommend this one!