contemporary fantasy, rom-com, magical realism
I think this is my third timey wimey book of 2025 - in author Jackie Lau's version, it's a rom-com.
In Time Loops and Meet Cutes, we meet Noelle, a mechanical engineer who goes to the night market and eats some magical dumplings that the vendor says will give her what she needs most. Evidently, what Noelle needs most is to relive June 20 over and over and over again. That's right, Noelle is stuck in a time loop, where her actions don't have consequences and she has no idea how to move forward. As always happens in a time loop, shenanigans ensue.
Fortunately for Noelle, she meets another person who is also stuck in the loop. Avery notices some of the changes Noelle makes one day and they realize they have both eaten the dumplings and are able to become friends and support each other through the many frustrations of the loops. Noelle also meets Cam on June 20 and comes to believe that he is the key to breaking out of the loop because she keeps running into him at different places in her loop. Unfortunately, with each new June 20, he doesn't quite remember her as more than a sense of deja vu.
As expected, Noelle and Avery are eventually freed from the time loop and that's when things get particularly interesting. Unfortunately, that's also when I got most frustrated with Noelle. Where I had enjoyed the focus on their friendship during the loop and how much Noelle seemed to grow as a person, I was disappointed as she reverted to her lack of self-confidence and tucked herself back into her quiet pre-loop tendencies once time began to move forward again.
This is a rom-com, though, so I knew that Noelle's issues would resolve themselves including finding her happily ever after with Cam eventually. I mean, it's on the cover, right? It was a quick, easy read a would make a very fun vacation read when you're looking for a fun novel.
I read the book and listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Cindy Kay and Raymond J. Lee. This is the second book I've listened to by Cindy Kay and I enjoyed her voice work once again. I liked Lee's voice, but sometimes he sounded a little stiff.
In Time Loops and Meet Cutes, we meet Noelle, a mechanical engineer who goes to the night market and eats some magical dumplings that the vendor says will give her what she needs most. Evidently, what Noelle needs most is to relive June 20 over and over and over again. That's right, Noelle is stuck in a time loop, where her actions don't have consequences and she has no idea how to move forward. As always happens in a time loop, shenanigans ensue.
Fortunately for Noelle, she meets another person who is also stuck in the loop. Avery notices some of the changes Noelle makes one day and they realize they have both eaten the dumplings and are able to become friends and support each other through the many frustrations of the loops. Noelle also meets Cam on June 20 and comes to believe that he is the key to breaking out of the loop because she keeps running into him at different places in her loop. Unfortunately, with each new June 20, he doesn't quite remember her as more than a sense of deja vu.
As expected, Noelle and Avery are eventually freed from the time loop and that's when things get particularly interesting. Unfortunately, that's also when I got most frustrated with Noelle. Where I had enjoyed the focus on their friendship during the loop and how much Noelle seemed to grow as a person, I was disappointed as she reverted to her lack of self-confidence and tucked herself back into her quiet pre-loop tendencies once time began to move forward again.
This is a rom-com, though, so I knew that Noelle's issues would resolve themselves including finding her happily ever after with Cam eventually. I mean, it's on the cover, right? It was a quick, easy read a would make a very fun vacation read when you're looking for a fun novel.
I read the book and listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Cindy Kay and Raymond J. Lee. This is the second book I've listened to by Cindy Kay and I enjoyed her voice work once again. I liked Lee's voice, but sometimes he sounded a little stiff.
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