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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
It starts from Carter’s POV. Then we mostly get Mariana’s POV. We end with Carter’s. I found this to be an ODD way to write the book. It also felt disjointed and as if things were happening just to write them, not because they mattered.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very enjoyable time loop story. Enough psuedo-science to make things believable. Would recommend! I do wish there was more character development of Mariana and her relationship with Carter though.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Groundhog day trope but make it science!
I thought this trope couldn't be unique again, but I really liked what Chen did here. I won't share specifically what I liked because spoilers, but I was surprised and invested.
Chen's stories have a really great pace. I don't speed-race through his books like I do other stories, but it never feels slow. I'm interested the whole time and take everything in.
I liked these characters a lot. They're so different, but they had great chemistry. They handle the time loops and life in general completely differently, but they grow to understand how to support each other.
I'm already excited for his next book, even though this one just came out.
I thought this trope couldn't be unique again, but I really liked what Chen did here. I won't share specifically what I liked because spoilers, but I was surprised and invested.
Chen's stories have a really great pace. I don't speed-race through his books like I do other stories, but it never feels slow. I'm interested the whole time and take everything in.
I liked these characters a lot. They're so different, but they had great chemistry. They handle the time loops and life in general completely differently, but they grow to understand how to support each other.
I'm already excited for his next book, even though this one just came out.
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a heartfelt, engaging story, the wonderful amalgamation of whimsy and creativity, with just that tinge of melancholy, that Mike Chen does so well. Considering the structure and plotting of this story, the heft of the novel has to be carried by the characters, and our two primary leads are more than up for it. They are both interesting, quirky, and feel genuine. Plus, we get to see them grow and evolve in believable ways, and I really enjoyed spending time with both of them.
The story was very readable, I didn’t want to put it down and it read very quickly. But, that said, there is something to be said about whether we really need another time-loop story. There are various deviations of that plot device which have been explored over and again, and while this one did it expertly I am not sure how much it moved the needle, in any way. Two-thirds into the story Chen smartly takes some surprising swerves that keeps the story interesting, and I had fun the whole time. I actually wish I could have spent more time with the characters, and fallen deeper into their relationship. For plot reasons we only got to see little glimpses of their relationship as it grew and developed, and I do wish there could have been a little more, there, that’s where I felt coziest. And this story is definitely a cozy love story at heart, disguised as a near-future sci-fi romp. Not everything needs to shape the cultural zeitgeist, I suppose. The characters and story are fun, the homage to the many time-loop and time-travel stories of the past very firmly in place, and while it wasn’t very surprising I also never felt like it was derivative or repetitive. It was uplifting, entertaining, and I’m glad I had the chance to read it.
(Rounded up from 3.5)
I want to thank the author, the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story was very readable, I didn’t want to put it down and it read very quickly. But, that said, there is something to be said about whether we really need another time-loop story. There are various deviations of that plot device which have been explored over and again, and while this one did it expertly I am not sure how much it moved the needle, in any way. Two-thirds into the story Chen smartly takes some surprising swerves that keeps the story interesting, and I had fun the whole time. I actually wish I could have spent more time with the characters, and fallen deeper into their relationship. For plot reasons we only got to see little glimpses of their relationship as it grew and developed, and I do wish there could have been a little more, there, that’s where I felt coziest. And this story is definitely a cozy love story at heart, disguised as a near-future sci-fi romp. Not everything needs to shape the cultural zeitgeist, I suppose. The characters and story are fun, the homage to the many time-loop and time-travel stories of the past very firmly in place, and while it wasn’t very surprising I also never felt like it was derivative or repetitive. It was uplifting, entertaining, and I’m glad I had the chance to read it.
(Rounded up from 3.5)
I want to thank the author, the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Eh. This one dragged for me. I usually live time travel stories but I felt it lacked character development.