I like the concept of this book but it was very slow. And I couldn’t really stay engaged in it. It took me many sittings it read it

This was a fun variation of the reliving the same day premise. I really enjoyed the first half of the book when the main character was dealing with the time loop and trying to get out of it. The second part was a little less exciting and fell a little flat but the ending was a great wrap up.

DNF at 28%. I love a well-done time-loop book, and have read great ones. And I love Jackie Lau, although her books have not been clicking for me this year. This was just so repetitive, and in some ways, that’s part of the charm, but I literally saw the chapter heading “June 20, Version 52-ish” and wanted to yeet myself from existence.

The description of the book sounded like so much fun, but it just never hooked me.

There are so many terrific reviews; it might just be a matter of timing. When I started this book, I was coming off of a read I didn't enjoy and felt like a slog, and I needed something to pull me in immediately. This just wasn't it.

Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Noelle Tom lives for her work- even if it means she is underappreciated, underpaid, and stuck cleaning up everyone else's laziness. When she stops at a night market and eats some dumplings, she doesn't think anything about it when the woman at the stall says they will give her what she needs.

When she wakes up the next morning to her 6:45 am alarm, it is Friday again and the Wordle answer is still happy- ironic given the situation. She cannot understand what is going on. She heads back to the market and cannot find the stall but ends up meeting Cam.

Every day she wakes up and it is Friday and she keeps meeting Cam. What does this all mean and can she get out of this time loop?

Why Jackie loves it

This is such a delightful romance that shows us sometimes we need a little push to get our lives right. In this case, Noelle had a lot of practice

4 stars

This is a great, creative romance that delivers on genre-specific expectations and brings a little more to the table, too.

Noelle eats some dumplings, and the next thing she knows, she's in a time loop, reliving June 20th without explanation. We've all had some delicious food that we've regretted and/or questioned later, but this is on another level. Noelle knows that the dumplings have come with a wild caveat: that she'll get what she most needs. The question is what is THAT? What will ultimately break this cycle, and how does this guy, Cam, fit into her bizarre new life?

I liked so much about this. The pacing is great (not always easy in a time loop!), the romance is intriguing, and the friendships and family relationships are more layered than expected. This is my second book by this author, and while I've enjoyed both, this one delivers something extra special.

This is a solid approach to romance, particularly for those who are not in it for the overly sappy moments.

I received an advanced copy of this book for review. This is my own opinion. Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

CW: mention of suicide

Two things I love in books: food bringing people together and time loops. And this book combines them!

Noelle and Cam’s relationship isn’t insta-love, it grows over months of repeated days. We see her job, her friends, her family, and the comfort of learning everything there is to know about someone but the discomfort of them forgetting you every day.

I read all but one chapter of this book in a day. It’s sweet and fast and easy to read. I love the setting and the night market especially. I think the ending realistically wrapped up an extremely unrealistic event in a satisfying way.

I’d definitely recommend this for fans of contemporary romance, like Rachel Lynn Solomon or Sarah Adams.

3.5
This was such a fun time loop book! I enjoyed how Noelle tried to change up her “Groundhog Day” and figure out how to get to June 21st. It took a while for the plot to progress past the time loop but once we moved into the meet cute plot, it picked up a lot for me.
*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the ARC of Time Loops & Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book had a really cute premise, but I struggled to maintain interest. The time loop concept maybe should have been a giveaway for me that I might struggle as books that are repetitive are not my jam. I will give the author kudos for mixing it up and really drawing the intrigue of how Noelle and Avery were getting out of the time loop. The gist is that Noelle finds herself in a time loop and quickly learns she is not alone when she meets Avery. Together they try to figure out how to get out of it. For Noelle, she thinks that the book she meets at the night market Cam may be the clue. Especially as he continues to be a common thread across her continually looping day. The end does give a nice surprise at just how connected they were, a spin I didn’t see coming. If you enjoy time loop books this one is for you.

10/10!! This book is going to make you HUNGRY!! Hungry for love, hungry for tasty Asian treats, hungry to explore Toronto and hungry to find a friend who gets you inside and out. I love a good time loop story and Jackie Lau was able to pen one with a fresh and unique spin. I really enjoyed that the first half has our main character, Noelle trying to find a way out of her never ending days of June 20th only for her to want to learn what happened in the second half when she does eventually get out. Definitely one of my new favorites by Lau and if you like time loop stories, books set in Toronto and hot Asian brewery owners, then you DO NOT want to skip this one!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and physical copy in exchange for my honest review!! Perfect for fans of authors like Farah Heron or Jacyi Lee.

thank you atria and netgalley for the arc <3 !! rtc in morning HAHA

4/10: i liked this book ! as someone who’s a big fan of the groundhog day / time loop trope (happy death day franchise ily) the synopsis of this book had me excited !!

i think the reason i gave this book 3 stars tho is because the first half of the book is the main character noelle going through these time loops living the same day over and over (and quite literally over) again

that at a certain point it felt almost repetitive in the way that i wasn’t sure we were going anywhere

but simultaneously what was interesting was the dual pov where while noelle was living the same day over and over, cam the mmc was moving forward in time but talking to his grandma

in part two to avoid too many spoilers in this review, it takes a turn on the time loop trope and honestly it was interesting to see

while i still have some unanswered questions, i think this book for what it is, was a very fun and cute read

it had the friendship, the self growth, and a romance that proved to stand the test of time (literally)

3 stars for the fun read !! would definitely tune in to more books from jackie lau !!

- amnesia
- deja vu
- wildest dreams
- washing machine heart
- the night we met
- risk
- tough love (avery)

You know what? I'm a big fan of time loops. I really am. And I LOVED Jackie Lau's take on one. I haven't read a physical book this fast in a long time. And I haven't stayed up till one a.m. reading a book in a long time. I was so happy while reading this and couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. I lived for the next time Noelle would see Cam! I kept coming up with theories of how the time loop would end and how her and Cam were connected. I kept singing "Invisible String" in my head while reading! All three (Avery must be included!) of the main characters were so loveable and easy to root for. I wish we got a little more in the end, but I get that it's not all supposed to be explained.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this one and recommend it! There was light spice only in chapters 23 and 36, so my mom can skip those and still enjoy this one ;)

I don't know what Jackie Lau's plans are but I'd love to hear Avery's story after the time loop! *nudge nudge*

Thank you Atria for inviting me to read Time Loops & Meet Cutes!

Thank you Atria books for this incredible eARC! When I tell you I was so fully fascinated by this book my whole way through. The idea of the time loop was interesting as hell then when the book introduced Cams’s POV from OUTSIDE THE LOOP??? Oh I was HOOKED. I loved her growth as a friend with Avery and her stretches to take risks with Cam and her job. Just such a refreshing take on the time loop idea I never would have considered!

I love a time loop story and Jackie Lau writes such cute romances, so I knew this book was going to be a winner. Noelle's journey from a workaholic who always plays it safe to someone willing to take risks and appreciates more of life felt very realistic. The loop itself had enough variation to never feel repetitive, and although I was initially confused by Cam's chapters and how those fit into the story, it made for a nice twist at the end. Noelle and Cam had great chemistry, and overall this was a fun and fast read.

As they saying goes, its just like it says on the tin. 'Time Loops & Meet Cutes' is about not one, but two young women caught in a time loop that is centered very much on the theme of 'relationship improvement'. Fun update on the Groundhog Day trope.

Ugh. I love this book. It gives what I love best. The red string theory/ souls destined to be together. Like that's what I love in a book 10/10

4/5 Stars - Once I started reading this book I was immediately hooked and couldn't stop, I devoured it in one day! I was desperate to know how Noelle and Avery would escape the time loop and to see if Cam would ever remember her and their time together. It was clear there were several parts of Noelle's life that she clearly needed to work on, and it was fun to be along for the ride and to see her try all the various ways to break the cycle. I also thought it was a nice touch that she did a few irresponsible and expensive things throughout her time stuck in the loop, because wouldn't we all if we knew there would be no consequences? Avery felt almost like a prop at places, she served a purpose but lacked a lot of depth. I was glad that Noelle had someone in the loop with her, but I do wish she felt more three dimensional. I did predict the connection between our characters, but it was still cute enough that I didn't mind it being predictable! After all, I was reading for the whimsy and romance, not the science!

Thank you Atria books and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What would you do if you woke up on Friday everyday for the foreseeable future? What if it also happened to be the same day over and over again? This is exactly what happens to Noelle, yet she can't figure out what thing she needs most to break this cycle. Is it friendship? Love? A night of romance or perhaps rekindling with her sister? Noelle isn't sure but she is about to find out.

I absolutely LOVED this book! Like I want to drop my tbr and read it all over again! Seriously so cute and so many things to talk about - I don't even know where to begin. The love interest, the friend with romantic troubles, plus getting to change hair everyday or eat around an entire food fair before it leaves (okay that part might be personal dreams but still). Would definitely recommend to literally anyone, I'm sure there's a loop in there for everyone.

Jackie Lau, I was not familiar with your game! (And I will be correcting that ASAP and reading everything else you've written.) While some readers might sniff at a seemingly been-there-done-that plot -- time loops?? in this economy?? -- I'm always eager to see a tried-and-true set-up taken into new directions. That's exactly what Lau does with this thoroughly original charmer.

It all starts with great writing and even better character development. I'm willing to follow any character anywhere as long as they are written in a way that feels true, and Noelle feels true. Even more than the promised time loops and meet cutes, I enjoyed getting to know Noelle and seeing her tackle both the mundane (her job is annoying!) and the fantastical (again, time loops!). She's a wonderful, rich heroine, and one befitting this story.

Small complaints? The looping (sorry) nature of the narrative is a bit confusing at times -- I love reading from Cam's perspective, but it takes awhile to settle into his sections and their place in the story -- though it pays off in the end. And here's something I never complain about: the spice level! Lau is wonderful at writing sexy, steamy love scenes, but due to the nature of Noelle and Cam's romance, we go a very long time before we get them, and then they seem to come a bit out of nowhere and at odds with the rest of the book's tone.

Still! What a delight, and what a fun book to recommend this summer!

I'm a big fan of Jackie Lau's books already, so it was no surprise that I loved this book. In this story, our main character gets stuck living the same day over and over after eating some dumplings from a dumpling stand that never shows up in the same spot for all of the time loops she lives through.

Through the time loops she learns a lot about how her life is not working for her like she thought it was but she also gets close with a man she keeps just running into. Thinking he might be the key to getting out of the loop, she keeps getting closer and closer to him (even though he keeps thinking they're first dates) but if she can't get out of the time loop will they ever be able to spend another day together?

This book surprised me because it definitely went to some darker places than I expected. The main character really has to take inventory of how she'd change her life if she could just stop waking up on the same June day over and over. I really enjoyed reading through the journey and wish I could read it for the first time again.