What do you think?
Rate this book
Not You Again
They have nothing but time...to hate each other.
In Julian, California, every day is April 23rd—and in a time loop, there are no rules. Eating endless slices of fresh apple pie? Yes. Partner swapping? Why not. Being trapped inside the plot of a sci-fi film would almost be inspiring for LA screenwriter Carly Hart…if she wasn’t waking up at her dad’s funeral every single day. Carly wants out.
Funeral director Adam Rhodes is equally frustrated. Every loop, Adam regenerates in the middle of a fight with his ex-wife. Her infidelity wrecked their perfect life together, and now Adam must relive her confession over and over again.
There’s only one solution to ending the misery: breaking the time loop. Easier said than done. And there’s another hurdle to overcome: Carly and Adam can’t stand each other.
Though strangers at best, Carly and Adam know they must work together to solve this cosmic mystery. But where Carly offers magical theories, Adam relies on facts and figures. When Carly wants to involve the local conspiracy theorist, Adam would rather work alone. The sooner they find a solution, the sooner they’ll never have to see each other again, yet somehow the tension between the two is hotter than a solar flare and as rare as the daily total solar eclipse. Maybe Carly and Adam are destined to be in each other’s orbit after all…
In Julian, California, every day is April 23rd—and in a time loop, there are no rules. Eating endless slices of fresh apple pie? Yes. Partner swapping? Why not. Being trapped inside the plot of a sci-fi film would almost be inspiring for LA screenwriter Carly Hart…if she wasn’t waking up at her dad’s funeral every single day. Carly wants out.
Funeral director Adam Rhodes is equally frustrated. Every loop, Adam regenerates in the middle of a fight with his ex-wife. Her infidelity wrecked their perfect life together, and now Adam must relive her confession over and over again.
There’s only one solution to ending the misery: breaking the time loop. Easier said than done. And there’s another hurdle to overcome: Carly and Adam can’t stand each other.
Though strangers at best, Carly and Adam know they must work together to solve this cosmic mystery. But where Carly offers magical theories, Adam relies on facts and figures. When Carly wants to involve the local conspiracy theorist, Adam would rather work alone. The sooner they find a solution, the sooner they’ll never have to see each other again, yet somehow the tension between the two is hotter than a solar flare and as rare as the daily total solar eclipse. Maybe Carly and Adam are destined to be in each other’s orbit after all…
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2025
25 people are currently reading
17057 people want to read
About the author
Erin La Rosa
7 books607 followersERIN LA ROSA is the author of Plot Twist and For Butter or Worse, and on her way to writing romance, she’s also published two humorous nonfiction books, Womanskills and The Big Redhead Book. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and four daughters (two humans, two felines). Find her on Twitter and Instagram @erinlarosalit and on TikTok @erinlarosawrites.
Be sure to follow Erin on BookBub for the latest sales as well https://www.bookbub.com/authors/erin-...
Be sure to follow Erin on BookBub for the latest sales as well https://www.bookbub.com/authors/erin-...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
Want to read
November 3, 2025
*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!*
I have a couple of this author's books in my tbr-list, but never found the right time to read any of them.
Can't wait to start from this one!
I have a couple of this author's books in my tbr-list, but never found the right time to read any of them.
Can't wait to start from this one!
September 10, 2025
Okay - this was pretty cute! I liked Carly & Adam’s forced proximity x strangers to lovers. I’m not a big fan of “multi universe / looping / repeat every day like Groundhog Day buuuut it still kinda worked. I felt like the “mystery” of all the looping kinda came to an abrupt ending without much explaining on how it worked imo, but enjoyable! Thank you CP for my earc!
Want to read
May 14, 2024I don't know what this is but I want it now, please.
Read
October 26, 2025DNF.
I really wish I could’ve finished this, but unfortunately it was just so bad, and I didn’t see it getting any better, so here we are!
I’ll start off by saying the one and only thing I liked about this book: I loved how deeply Carly felt about everything. Like, even the smallest things. I know some people might find that “quirky” or plain annoying, but honestly I think it’s beautiful to feel so much about the world around you. It gave her depth and made me relate to her somewhat. But… that’s where my liking for this book ends.
The biggest issue for me was that this was so boring. Like insanely so. I kept waiting for it to pick up, but it just never did. The third person POV didn’t help matters either—it made it hard to get to know the characters. Rather than being pulled into their world, I was an outsider, and that is NOT a good feeling when you’re trying to connect with a story.
I had really high hopes going in because I’m such a sucker for a time loop trope (seriously, I can’t get enough of them), but this? Yawn. It just wasn’t done well. Why was EVERYONE in the time loop? Where’s the fun in that?! It should’ve been just Carly and Adam—imagine the tension! But nope, every single person in this was stuck repeating the same day, and it completely killed the vibe for me.
Now I will give some credit where it’s due—the audiobook narrator was amazing! She really elevated everything and made it feel cinematic. But even her exceptional performance couldn’t save me from the overwhelming need to be rid of this story.
In the end, I just couldn’t find the energy to finish this. It had all the right ingredients for a stellar romcom, but it missed its mark.
NO HATE to the author EVER! This just wasn’t the right read for me.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 & 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠!
I really wish I could’ve finished this, but unfortunately it was just so bad, and I didn’t see it getting any better, so here we are!
I’ll start off by saying the one and only thing I liked about this book: I loved how deeply Carly felt about everything. Like, even the smallest things. I know some people might find that “quirky” or plain annoying, but honestly I think it’s beautiful to feel so much about the world around you. It gave her depth and made me relate to her somewhat. But… that’s where my liking for this book ends.
The biggest issue for me was that this was so boring. Like insanely so. I kept waiting for it to pick up, but it just never did. The third person POV didn’t help matters either—it made it hard to get to know the characters. Rather than being pulled into their world, I was an outsider, and that is NOT a good feeling when you’re trying to connect with a story.
I had really high hopes going in because I’m such a sucker for a time loop trope (seriously, I can’t get enough of them), but this? Yawn. It just wasn’t done well. Why was EVERYONE in the time loop? Where’s the fun in that?! It should’ve been just Carly and Adam—imagine the tension! But nope, every single person in this was stuck repeating the same day, and it completely killed the vibe for me.
Now I will give some credit where it’s due—the audiobook narrator was amazing! She really elevated everything and made it feel cinematic. But even her exceptional performance couldn’t save me from the overwhelming need to be rid of this story.
In the end, I just couldn’t find the energy to finish this. It had all the right ingredients for a stellar romcom, but it missed its mark.
NO HATE to the author EVER! This just wasn’t the right read for me.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 & 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠!
November 4, 2025
This was a really fun spin on a time loop romance! It’s not just the main characters stuck on April 23rd, but the entire town of Julian, California. And I loved that the story skips straight ahead to day 238 of the loop. The whole situation is already established, jumping right into the chaos!
I was very worried when I saw this marketed as a “horny time loop,” but it ended up being so much more than that. I really felt for both Carly and Adam. Carly is reliving the day of her dad’s funeral, while Adam, a funeral director, resets each loop in the middle of a fight with his ex-wife over her infidelity. Oof. Two terrible situations to be forced to repeat, that’s for sure.
It kind of had a doomsday vibe, which was so fun! I loved seeing Carly and Adam go from hating each other to partners trying to figure out how and why the loop is happening. Adam’s passion for astronomy plays a big role, and I liked the uniqueness of this leaning more science than magic.
Also, the town being completely trashed after hundreds of repeated days was hilarious to read about. The residents are basically running wild at this point, and honestly, I’d expect nothing less. There are some sweet little lessons too, especially about chasing your dreams and letting go of the past. It was a good time!
(heat level: 3 open-door scenes, explicit details)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I was very worried when I saw this marketed as a “horny time loop,” but it ended up being so much more than that. I really felt for both Carly and Adam. Carly is reliving the day of her dad’s funeral, while Adam, a funeral director, resets each loop in the middle of a fight with his ex-wife over her infidelity. Oof. Two terrible situations to be forced to repeat, that’s for sure.
It kind of had a doomsday vibe, which was so fun! I loved seeing Carly and Adam go from hating each other to partners trying to figure out how and why the loop is happening. Adam’s passion for astronomy plays a big role, and I liked the uniqueness of this leaning more science than magic.
Also, the town being completely trashed after hundreds of repeated days was hilarious to read about. The residents are basically running wild at this point, and honestly, I’d expect nothing less. There are some sweet little lessons too, especially about chasing your dreams and letting go of the past. It was a good time!
(heat level: 3 open-door scenes, explicit details)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 9, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up
1 for spice
Not You again is a Rom com romance with a fun time loop twist. It does have some family loss and cheating trope so just be mindful if you pick this book up. These characters start off on not a great foot, very uncomfortable situation.I liked how they have a history built up and really took time from them to change their friendship to something more. The ending was really different, felt rushed, trying to wrap everything up and left hanging on a couple things. There was a good mix of humor and complex emotions. The characters are unique, Adam was hard to get a read on but as the book went on he really grew on me. Overall, it was a fun book and I liked the change of the time loop being different and not just affecting one person. I would recommend taking a look if that interests you.
I received an ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.
1 for spice
Not You again is a Rom com romance with a fun time loop twist. It does have some family loss and cheating trope so just be mindful if you pick this book up. These characters start off on not a great foot, very uncomfortable situation.I liked how they have a history built up and really took time from them to change their friendship to something more. The ending was really different, felt rushed, trying to wrap everything up and left hanging on a couple things. There was a good mix of humor and complex emotions. The characters are unique, Adam was hard to get a read on but as the book went on he really grew on me. Overall, it was a fun book and I liked the change of the time loop being different and not just affecting one person. I would recommend taking a look if that interests you.
I received an ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.
November 7, 2025
ALC Review
Narration by Mela Lee. Normally I am a duet girlie, but I loved this narrator!!
This was a fun, & very interesting read. A strangers to lovers, stuck in time loop, romance. Very much groundhog day type story, but also sci-fi vibes. I really enjoyed the characters and their growth. Both of them are forced to live one of their worst days, over and over, while they go from disliking each other, to growing close & helping each other figure out what is going on.
This was a little different from my normal reads and at times it leaned more on the science side than I’m used to. However, I really enjoyed the mystery and emotional aspects of this book! I’m excited to read more from this author!
Thank you NetGalley, harlequin audio, and Erin La Rosa for this early opportunity!
Narration by Mela Lee. Normally I am a duet girlie, but I loved this narrator!!
This was a fun, & very interesting read. A strangers to lovers, stuck in time loop, romance. Very much groundhog day type story, but also sci-fi vibes. I really enjoyed the characters and their growth. Both of them are forced to live one of their worst days, over and over, while they go from disliking each other, to growing close & helping each other figure out what is going on.
This was a little different from my normal reads and at times it leaned more on the science side than I’m used to. However, I really enjoyed the mystery and emotional aspects of this book! I’m excited to read more from this author!
Thank you NetGalley, harlequin audio, and Erin La Rosa for this early opportunity!
October 2, 2025
This one hits all the notes I live for: a time loop setting that’s strange and magical without being confusing, a forced-proximity-meets-strangers-to-lovers romance, and a pair of leads who are so imperfect, you can’t help rooting for them. Carly and Adam are both carrying some heavy grief and seeing them walk through that, day after day, made their eventual closeness feel earned and real.
If I had one nitpick, I wish the ending had stretched out just a little more. There were some threads I wanted tied up or explained more fully. But even with that, the emotional payoff more than made up for it.
All in all, Not You Again is romantic, funny, a little bittersweet, and unexpectedly touching. If you’re in the mood for a rom-com that messes with time but nails the feels, this one’s for you!
Would I recommend this book to you? Yes
Expected Release Date: 11/25/2025
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the arc. All thoughts in this review are my own.
If I had one nitpick, I wish the ending had stretched out just a little more. There were some threads I wanted tied up or explained more fully. But even with that, the emotional payoff more than made up for it.
All in all, Not You Again is romantic, funny, a little bittersweet, and unexpectedly touching. If you’re in the mood for a rom-com that messes with time but nails the feels, this one’s for you!
Would I recommend this book to you? Yes
Expected Release Date: 11/25/2025
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the arc. All thoughts in this review are my own.
November 6, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. The premise was interesting, but after the first twenty percent the book begins to be full of plot holes and the way the time loop operates generally does not make sense. I also felt like Adam and Carly's situation was unrealistic in the end, given the reason they begin, and there's nothing really in the novel that explains how they are in the epilogue.
2 stars, simply because I enjoyed the premise and the beginning.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. The premise was interesting, but after the first twenty percent the book begins to be full of plot holes and the way the time loop operates generally does not make sense. I also felt like Adam and Carly's situation was unrealistic in the end, given the reason they begin, and there's nothing really in the novel that explains how they are in the epilogue.
2 stars, simply because I enjoyed the premise and the beginning.
November 13, 2025
More fun than I’ve had in a long time. Erin writes COMEDY, but it punches you with emotion in the back half. Nothing like a time loop to make you really take stock of your own life and imagine what you’d do if you got stuck that way. Highly recommend <3
October 18, 2025
Carly Hart couldn’t screenwrite a better plot: she gets stuck in a never-ending time loop in Julian, CA, where every day is April 23rd, caused by some weird solar eclipse phenomenon. Unfortunately, she only happened to be in Julian because of the funeral of her father. Funeral director Adam Rhodes is having an equally bad day: he just found out his soon-to-be ex-wife is cheating on him, so he starts the loop in the middle of their argument. Carly and Adam find each other insufferable, and the only way out of the time loop nightmare is to work together. Will their falling for each other only eclipse the time loop?
This was my first novel from Erin La Rosa and I have to say it won’t be my last! It was such a fun concept mash-up: the magical realism aspect of being stuck in a time loop from a solar eclipse & the amateur astronomer/funeral director meeting a woman at her dad’s funeral? It sounds wild, but I truly promise it works so well! The #EnemiesToLovers vibe totally works here, with Carly and Adam being polar opposites that end up attracting. They’re also both on their own journeys of self-discovery, with Carly mourning the loss of her father and Adam mourning the loss of his marriage; it adds some depth to their characters, and with their shared purpose of ending the time loop, it makes for a delightful romcom.
Reviewed as part of #ARC from #NetGalley and #FRC2025. Many thanks to HTP, Mira Books, and BookSparks for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read this book if you like:
🪄 magical realism providing the ultimate meet-cute romance
☀️ solar eclipses (or falling for astronomy nerds)
💫 the iconic 1996 film Wish Upon A Star
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
This was my first novel from Erin La Rosa and I have to say it won’t be my last! It was such a fun concept mash-up: the magical realism aspect of being stuck in a time loop from a solar eclipse & the amateur astronomer/funeral director meeting a woman at her dad’s funeral? It sounds wild, but I truly promise it works so well! The #EnemiesToLovers vibe totally works here, with Carly and Adam being polar opposites that end up attracting. They’re also both on their own journeys of self-discovery, with Carly mourning the loss of her father and Adam mourning the loss of his marriage; it adds some depth to their characters, and with their shared purpose of ending the time loop, it makes for a delightful romcom.
Reviewed as part of #ARC from #NetGalley and #FRC2025. Many thanks to HTP, Mira Books, and BookSparks for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read this book if you like:
🪄 magical realism providing the ultimate meet-cute romance
☀️ solar eclipses (or falling for astronomy nerds)
💫 the iconic 1996 film Wish Upon A Star
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
October 23, 2025
A big thank you to Harlequin Audio and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press for both the eARC and eALC of Erin La Rosa's latest book!
I absolutely loved La Rosa's previous magical realism novel (The Backtrack), so I was thrilled that she was publishing another one!
We have Carly (our FMC - who also shares a name with my sister), who is grieving her father's death on the day of his funeral who meets Adam (our MMC) whom is coincidentally the funeral director where said funeral is taking place. During the morning, she overhears some drama between Adam and his wife Shireen (I won't go into specifics!), and she decides to get out of there in order to clear her own head. All of that seems completely normal, except the next morning it happens the exact same way, again....but everyone knows that it has already happened.
How long can they keep redoing this time-loop, what is causing it, and can it be stopped?
I loved this one so much and can't wait to see what comes next!
I absolutely loved La Rosa's previous magical realism novel (The Backtrack), so I was thrilled that she was publishing another one!
We have Carly (our FMC - who also shares a name with my sister), who is grieving her father's death on the day of his funeral who meets Adam (our MMC) whom is coincidentally the funeral director where said funeral is taking place. During the morning, she overhears some drama between Adam and his wife Shireen (I won't go into specifics!), and she decides to get out of there in order to clear her own head. All of that seems completely normal, except the next morning it happens the exact same way, again....but everyone knows that it has already happened.
How long can they keep redoing this time-loop, what is causing it, and can it be stopped?
I loved this one so much and can't wait to see what comes next!
November 1, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin and Erin for the advanced copy of this book!
I’ll start by saying that this story had a good few elements that I don’t typically read or enjoy, so I was a bit nervous about it. But I’m so glad I gave this book a chance. I really enjoyed it.
Adam and Carly are stuck. In a time loop, in the same place and, unfortunately, with each other. Destined to constantly wake up on their worst days and to relive them. Or so they think. Working together to try to figure out what is going on, they realize that they may actually like each other (shocking!)
I loved getting to read about both of their days, and both of their theories (even if a lot of it went way over my head!) and seeing how they grew, and talked, and learned about each other. And about the things we would do, for the life that we want.
My only small demerit (this is probably a me thing) is I wish that had been written in first person. I typically have a hard time reading in third, and did feel that a couple times it almost took me out of the story.
All that to say that, even if the “sci fi” elements of this story feel like they may not be your typical cup of tea, give is a try anyway! I’m sure glad I did. If you’re even slightly on the fence, please read this one!
I’ll start by saying that this story had a good few elements that I don’t typically read or enjoy, so I was a bit nervous about it. But I’m so glad I gave this book a chance. I really enjoyed it.
Adam and Carly are stuck. In a time loop, in the same place and, unfortunately, with each other. Destined to constantly wake up on their worst days and to relive them. Or so they think. Working together to try to figure out what is going on, they realize that they may actually like each other (shocking!)
I loved getting to read about both of their days, and both of their theories (even if a lot of it went way over my head!) and seeing how they grew, and talked, and learned about each other. And about the things we would do, for the life that we want.
My only small demerit (this is probably a me thing) is I wish that had been written in first person. I typically have a hard time reading in third, and did feel that a couple times it almost took me out of the story.
All that to say that, even if the “sci fi” elements of this story feel like they may not be your typical cup of tea, give is a try anyway! I’m sure glad I did. If you’re even slightly on the fence, please read this one!
October 21, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for granting my request to read this e-ARC and provide my honest opinion.
When I read the synopsis for this book, I was a bit doubtful about how the author would pull it off (especially since I’d read Backtrack and it didn’t quite hit for me). There were a lot of themes—time loop, conspiracy theory, astronomy, total solar eclipse, small-town romance, grief, infidelity, enemies to lovers, opposites attract, even spice (which honestly felt unnecessary, just added for flair).
For me, I didn’t feel much pull toward Adam and Carly’s budding relationship. There wasn’t enough chemistry, so I couldn’t really connect to them.
But what I did love was the message I took away: choose yourself, every single time! Stop prioritizing everyone else at your own expense. And when things have run their course, have the courage to let them go.
Thank you once again for the e-ARC.
When I read the synopsis for this book, I was a bit doubtful about how the author would pull it off (especially since I’d read Backtrack and it didn’t quite hit for me). There were a lot of themes—time loop, conspiracy theory, astronomy, total solar eclipse, small-town romance, grief, infidelity, enemies to lovers, opposites attract, even spice (which honestly felt unnecessary, just added for flair).
For me, I didn’t feel much pull toward Adam and Carly’s budding relationship. There wasn’t enough chemistry, so I couldn’t really connect to them.
But what I did love was the message I took away: choose yourself, every single time! Stop prioritizing everyone else at your own expense. And when things have run their course, have the courage to let them go.
Thank you once again for the e-ARC.
November 7, 2025
I love a good time loop romcom and this one was unique and fun and had emotional depth with spice and lots of angst over how these two were going to escape (or if they were at all)! He works for his family's funeral home but loves astronomy and she's a screenwriter forced to relive her father's funeral over and over. Together can they solve the time loop and escape? Will there be a HEA at the end? There's also great ADHD rep (her) and it was good on audio narrated by Mela Lee. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.
Steam level: open door
Steam level: open door
September 15, 2025
If a book has a time loop, I’m reading it. Not You Again takes place in the small town of Julian where the WHOLE town is reliving the same day over and over again. This was such a fun premise where everyone in the book knows they are stuck in the time loop.
But the book focuses on Carly who is only in town to bury her father and Adam who runs the mortuary. Each time the day resets, Carly is at the mortuary with her deceased father and Adam is in the next room with his wife who he discovers was cheating on him with his best friend.
After over two hundred days Adam and Carly team up to figure out a way out of the time loop. And of course fall for each other in the process. The ending was not as satisfying as I wanted. I would have liked a bit more explanation of why the loop started and (spoiler) how it ended.
I liked all the wacky townsfolk. It reminded me a bit of StarsHollow. If you like your romances with open door spice and a little magic then this is the perfect book for you.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC.
But the book focuses on Carly who is only in town to bury her father and Adam who runs the mortuary. Each time the day resets, Carly is at the mortuary with her deceased father and Adam is in the next room with his wife who he discovers was cheating on him with his best friend.
After over two hundred days Adam and Carly team up to figure out a way out of the time loop. And of course fall for each other in the process. The ending was not as satisfying as I wanted. I would have liked a bit more explanation of why the loop started and (spoiler) how it ended.
I liked all the wacky townsfolk. It reminded me a bit of StarsHollow. If you like your romances with open door spice and a little magic then this is the perfect book for you.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC.
Read
October 23, 2025Thank you to Net Galley for the Arc of this title.
Unfortunately, I was not able to finish reading this one. It was just not a book I was enjoying. Karly and Adam find themselves in a time loop, waking up everyday in the same situation. I think the premise was there but the follow through was not. I did not like either main character and honestly I just could not focus on the story. I will not leave a rating for this one.
Unfortunately, I was not able to finish reading this one. It was just not a book I was enjoying. Karly and Adam find themselves in a time loop, waking up everyday in the same situation. I think the premise was there but the follow through was not. I did not like either main character and honestly I just could not focus on the story. I will not leave a rating for this one.
November 10, 2025
Finished reading: November 10th 2025
"Being stuck in a time loop had not been on her bingo card, and if she'd known such a thing was even possible, she'd have opted for a more comfortable bra."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Canary Street Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
REVIEW
September 1, 2025
☆4.25
“Despite the fact that you’re a pretentious asshole, I want to kiss you again. I liked kissing you.”
✨️Magical Realism Romance
⏳Time Loop
✨️Dual Pov
✨️Grumpy/Sunshine
✨️Forced Proximity
✨️Small Town
🌶️detailed spice scenes
✨️kissing in the library
✨️Literal roll in the hay
Carly is stuck at her father's funeral. Every day, you can do whatever you want. The whole town is stuck in a time loop. Every day is April 23rd. Which is awful - because of course, April 25th is the best day, I mean, it's not too hot and not too cold. All you need is a light jacket. That's beside the point. Every day, Carly restarts at the funeral home with her dad. Every day, she listens to the funeral home director and his soon to be ex-wife bicker (She left him for his best friend, yikes). Every day, there is an eclipse, and everyone resets in the morning. After 225 days, Carly really, really, wants to go home again. She (reluctantly at first) teams up with Adam, the funeral director, in hopes of breaking the cycle.
This book is listed as an enemies to lovers, I don't think it was that much. I use the grumpy sunshine troupe listing loosely, I think the characters are really more outgoing extrovert vs. introverts. Carly and Adam don't get along. Carly really doesn't like the small town and the people who live there. She really has to come around to the idea that the town was a special place for her father. The book kind of skips over a lot of the first days of the time loop- which I think I would have enjoyed reading, but I understand leaving it out for the sake of pacing. I liked Adam from the beginning. Maybe it's the introvert in me. Carly and Adam do start to figure out their feelings for each other when Carly believes that physical connection will shorten the ellipse and send them home. It all ends up being about trial and error until they can go home. There were a lot of science bits to this book that fit in well and didn't feel overbearing. I know so much more about the science of time loops now! I found myself laughing throughout this book, and for it containing such heavy subjects, it was all handled in a lighthearted manner. I quite enjoyed this book, I think if you enjoy the reluctant partners to spicy lovers in a magical realism setting, this book is for you.
This is an open-door spice book. It is detailed. I don't want to spoil everything, but there's some very spicy kissing in the library that left me blusshhhing.
Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin trade publishing for providing me with a copy to read and review honestly.
“Despite the fact that you’re a pretentious asshole, I want to kiss you again. I liked kissing you.”
✨️Magical Realism Romance
⏳Time Loop
✨️Dual Pov
✨️Grumpy/Sunshine
✨️Forced Proximity
✨️Small Town
🌶️detailed spice scenes
✨️kissing in the library
✨️Literal roll in the hay
Carly is stuck at her father's funeral. Every day, you can do whatever you want. The whole town is stuck in a time loop. Every day is April 23rd. Which is awful - because of course, April 25th is the best day, I mean, it's not too hot and not too cold. All you need is a light jacket. That's beside the point. Every day, Carly restarts at the funeral home with her dad. Every day, she listens to the funeral home director and his soon to be ex-wife bicker (She left him for his best friend, yikes). Every day, there is an eclipse, and everyone resets in the morning. After 225 days, Carly really, really, wants to go home again. She (reluctantly at first) teams up with Adam, the funeral director, in hopes of breaking the cycle.
This book is listed as an enemies to lovers, I don't think it was that much. I use the grumpy sunshine troupe listing loosely, I think the characters are really more outgoing extrovert vs. introverts. Carly and Adam don't get along. Carly really doesn't like the small town and the people who live there. She really has to come around to the idea that the town was a special place for her father. The book kind of skips over a lot of the first days of the time loop- which I think I would have enjoyed reading, but I understand leaving it out for the sake of pacing. I liked Adam from the beginning. Maybe it's the introvert in me. Carly and Adam do start to figure out their feelings for each other when Carly believes that physical connection will shorten the ellipse and send them home. It all ends up being about trial and error until they can go home. There were a lot of science bits to this book that fit in well and didn't feel overbearing. I know so much more about the science of time loops now! I found myself laughing throughout this book, and for it containing such heavy subjects, it was all handled in a lighthearted manner. I quite enjoyed this book, I think if you enjoy the reluctant partners to spicy lovers in a magical realism setting, this book is for you.
This is an open-door spice book. It is detailed. I don't want to spoil everything, but there's some very spicy kissing in the library that left me blusshhhing.
Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin trade publishing for providing me with a copy to read and review honestly.
August 8, 2025
STOP this was so stinkin cute!!! I've only ever read one other book by Erin La Rosa and it was set in a library so of course I loved it. At first I thought this was just going to be your average cutesy romance (absolutely nothing wrong with that), but the whole groundhog day thing was super interesting and really well done. I also really loved that it happened on the eclipse day, and that Adam was a mini nerd and trying to figure out those little waves in an eclipse. Having also experienced that curiosity, I also felt like a little Adam; I too would spend 200+ days trying to find a reason. Most people only experience a major solar eclipse once or twice in their lifetime, so to do it every day for almost a year would be SO cool.
The character and relationship development was so cute, it was the perfect amount of slow burn and realization of each other's feelings. When the spice was finally introduced it was well written. I sometimes find with romance books that authors just try to be super detailed and as crass as possible to add that extra oomph but this one was good!
There are a few questions I have after the ending though. Too many loose ends for me to give an absolute 5 star.
I think this would be an AMAZING movie, and if ever one was to be made I'd get release day tickets for sure. Now that my Erin La Rosa reads are both great experiences, I'm definitely going to keep her on my radar and look forward to what else she comes out with. Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC!!
Spice: 4🌶️
Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
The character and relationship development was so cute, it was the perfect amount of slow burn and realization of each other's feelings. When the spice was finally introduced it was well written. I sometimes find with romance books that authors just try to be super detailed and as crass as possible to add that extra oomph but this one was good!
There are a few questions I have after the ending though. Too many loose ends for me to give an absolute 5 star.
I think this would be an AMAZING movie, and if ever one was to be made I'd get release day tickets for sure. Now that my Erin La Rosa reads are both great experiences, I'm definitely going to keep her on my radar and look forward to what else she comes out with. Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC!!
Spice: 4🌶️
Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
November 14, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Canary Street Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review
In the small town of Julian, California, every person living there or passing through finds themselves stuck in a time loop. They start everyday in the same place, and have been stuck for over 230 days. The major event at the center of the day is a total solar eclipse, and almost everyone in the town has just taken to causing chaos, knowing there are no repercussions as everything will just reset.
Carly is in town attending her father's funeral, and the last thing she needs is to be stuck in the town her father retired to and where she knows nobody. Then we have Adam, the funeral director who starts every day in the middle of a fight with his wife about her infidelity with his best friend. They don't have the best first impressions of each other but they find themselves working together trying to break the time loop. It forces them to get to know each other and they find first impressions are not always accurate.
I think the premise was so fun, the author included a lot of details and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. The romance is very weak in my opinion, I did not feel the chemistry between the 2 characters. There was no pining or evolution of feelings, it feel into the camp of smut carrying the connection instead of good writing of romantic moments.
In the small town of Julian, California, every person living there or passing through finds themselves stuck in a time loop. They start everyday in the same place, and have been stuck for over 230 days. The major event at the center of the day is a total solar eclipse, and almost everyone in the town has just taken to causing chaos, knowing there are no repercussions as everything will just reset.
Carly is in town attending her father's funeral, and the last thing she needs is to be stuck in the town her father retired to and where she knows nobody. Then we have Adam, the funeral director who starts every day in the middle of a fight with his wife about her infidelity with his best friend. They don't have the best first impressions of each other but they find themselves working together trying to break the time loop. It forces them to get to know each other and they find first impressions are not always accurate.
I think the premise was so fun, the author included a lot of details and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. The romance is very weak in my opinion, I did not feel the chemistry between the 2 characters. There was no pining or evolution of feelings, it feel into the camp of smut carrying the connection instead of good writing of romantic moments.
October 10, 2025
One thing about Erin La Rosa, she knows how to write a perfect magical realism rom com!!! Every time I read something by her I find myself laughing so much and the deeper messages always punch me right in the heart (in the best way possible). I really enjoyed this book.
The magical realism being the characters stuck in a time loop on the same day is something I really find myself drawn to in a book. Erin did such a good job at explaining the time loop, especially when it was Adam exploring his interest of astronomy. I love when a character gets to find their passion in a book. The whole book was incredibly fun in that aspect.
On the other hand, we really do dive into some tough subject here. Trigger warning for death of both parents, mom off page and dad being on page. There were moments I found myself needing to take a breath through the tears. As i cannot relate to this subject, I think the author handles this topic with care and it very much ties into the overall plot.
I really recommended this if you love a magical realism book that explore space and time. Erin La Rosa is 100% an auto-read author for me, if she publishes it- I AM reading it.
Thank you so much to Harlequin Audio for the ALC. The audio book is very well done. I loved the voice of the narrator and could speed it up without getting lost. Highly recommend this on audio.
The magical realism being the characters stuck in a time loop on the same day is something I really find myself drawn to in a book. Erin did such a good job at explaining the time loop, especially when it was Adam exploring his interest of astronomy. I love when a character gets to find their passion in a book. The whole book was incredibly fun in that aspect.
On the other hand, we really do dive into some tough subject here. Trigger warning for death of both parents, mom off page and dad being on page. There were moments I found myself needing to take a breath through the tears. As i cannot relate to this subject, I think the author handles this topic with care and it very much ties into the overall plot.
I really recommended this if you love a magical realism book that explore space and time. Erin La Rosa is 100% an auto-read author for me, if she publishes it- I AM reading it.
Thank you so much to Harlequin Audio for the ALC. The audio book is very well done. I loved the voice of the narrator and could speed it up without getting lost. Highly recommend this on audio.
October 10, 2025
Not You Again is a dual POV enemies-to-lovers(ish) romance. Adam and Carly are stuck in the worst time loop ever. Every day aspiring screenwriter Carly resets at the funeral home where she’s alone on the day of her father’s funeral. Every day funeral director Adam resets in his office at the moment that his wife has informed him that she slept with his best friend. The entire town is stuck, and while some people embrace the “anything goes” chaos, Carly and Adam reluctantly team up to see if they can figure out what’s going on. Their animosity gradually develops into genuine feelings, but what happens if and when the bubble they’re living in finally breaks and real life intrudes once more?
I really loved this! I’ve never read a time loop story where a large group of people were all knowingly stuck in the same loop, so it was interesting to see how it affected the whole town. How Carly, despite starting each day at a funeral, had time to process her grief and connect with her dad. How Adam, despite starting each day in the middle of a difficult conversation was able to get past his anger and sense of failure and move on. I loved Carly and Adam’s bickering, and really loved when they got together. This was such a fun, sexy read!
I really loved this! I’ve never read a time loop story where a large group of people were all knowingly stuck in the same loop, so it was interesting to see how it affected the whole town. How Carly, despite starting each day at a funeral, had time to process her grief and connect with her dad. How Adam, despite starting each day in the middle of a difficult conversation was able to get past his anger and sense of failure and move on. I loved Carly and Adam’s bickering, and really loved when they got together. This was such a fun, sexy read!
September 14, 2025
Thank you to Mira Books/Canary Street Press for providing me with a gifted ebook copy of Not You Again through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Not You Again is a fun, rom-com that finds the residents of Julian, California, stuck on the same day, April 23rd, in an unexplained time loop. There are some of my favorite tropes in the story, including small town, opposites attract, loathe to love, and quirky side characters. Most of the story is lighthearted and fun, but I thought La Rosa balanced it well, with both Carly and Adam dealing with different family issues.
I did find that the transitions to starting and ending the time loop were both somewhat abrupt, and it affected the flow of the story. After a couple of introductory chapters, the book immediately jumps forward to the town already being over 200 days into the time loop. It definitely made me feel like I had missed some chapters and that La Rosa should have started the loop from the beginning. I also found the ending to be a bit anti-climactic and it wrapped up really fast, compared to the time that was spent in the rest of the book, on the repeating days.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Dual POVs
* Small Town
* Time Loop
* Opposites Attract
* Family Relationships
* Cosmic Mystery
𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
😉 (Mild)
If you like quick and easy romance reads, with fun humor and magical realism, then I would recommend Not You Again.
Not You Again is a fun, rom-com that finds the residents of Julian, California, stuck on the same day, April 23rd, in an unexplained time loop. There are some of my favorite tropes in the story, including small town, opposites attract, loathe to love, and quirky side characters. Most of the story is lighthearted and fun, but I thought La Rosa balanced it well, with both Carly and Adam dealing with different family issues.
I did find that the transitions to starting and ending the time loop were both somewhat abrupt, and it affected the flow of the story. After a couple of introductory chapters, the book immediately jumps forward to the town already being over 200 days into the time loop. It definitely made me feel like I had missed some chapters and that La Rosa should have started the loop from the beginning. I also found the ending to be a bit anti-climactic and it wrapped up really fast, compared to the time that was spent in the rest of the book, on the repeating days.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Dual POVs
* Small Town
* Time Loop
* Opposites Attract
* Family Relationships
* Cosmic Mystery
𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
😉 (Mild)
If you like quick and easy romance reads, with fun humor and magical realism, then I would recommend Not You Again.
November 3, 2025
I wish more would have been done with this premise and less with the insta love/hate to lovers vibe the characters had going on.
I love a great time loop/warp rom-com storyline. Typically in those stories we have one of the main characters aware that the time loop is happening. In this story, everyone is aware of the loop and everyone is aware that they are stuck and no one knows why, but also no one seems very interested in finding out why...I know I would have a million questions and would be going insane for a bit until I figured out this was my new life and I can just catch up on reading until life resets itself again.
I didn't love the characters as a couple. I struggled with this book a lot due to the seemingly acceptance of this phenomenon. No one was asking the right questions. I just cannot get past that nugget and hence why I didn't love this book.
This is my first read from the author, and I have another one on my queue. I am not sure yet if this is her typical setting, but I didn't care for it.
Thank you NetGalley for an e-arc and audio in exchange for an honest review.
I love a great time loop/warp rom-com storyline. Typically in those stories we have one of the main characters aware that the time loop is happening. In this story, everyone is aware of the loop and everyone is aware that they are stuck and no one knows why, but also no one seems very interested in finding out why...I know I would have a million questions and would be going insane for a bit until I figured out this was my new life and I can just catch up on reading until life resets itself again.
I didn't love the characters as a couple. I struggled with this book a lot due to the seemingly acceptance of this phenomenon. No one was asking the right questions. I just cannot get past that nugget and hence why I didn't love this book.
This is my first read from the author, and I have another one on my queue. I am not sure yet if this is her typical setting, but I didn't care for it.
Thank you NetGalley for an e-arc and audio in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️My review: Time loops are a great trope and I have read many books about looping. Not You Again is unique in that everyone in town is experiencing the same loop and they all know it. So how to end it? What if ending it ends everything they know?
Carly and Adam start off really not liking each other but slowly (after many many April 23rds) they realize they share an attraction and a desire to find out what this loop really is.
Admittedly, some of the science was a bit confusing (and maybe if I'm being honest, a little boring) eclipse times, shadow bands, and worm holes took up a lot of page space. I skimmed some of that. I did enjoy Carly and Adam's slow move toward each other. When you can't bring anything from yesterday to today, but you remember everything, can you move forward? They need each other to solve this mystery: Carly's positive do-gooder personality and Adam's scientific knowledge may be the only way to the other side.
Extra points for medium to not quite heavy spice and decent banter.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for an advance digital copy in exchange for my review.
Carly and Adam start off really not liking each other but slowly (after many many April 23rds) they realize they share an attraction and a desire to find out what this loop really is.
Admittedly, some of the science was a bit confusing (and maybe if I'm being honest, a little boring) eclipse times, shadow bands, and worm holes took up a lot of page space. I skimmed some of that. I did enjoy Carly and Adam's slow move toward each other. When you can't bring anything from yesterday to today, but you remember everything, can you move forward? They need each other to solve this mystery: Carly's positive do-gooder personality and Adam's scientific knowledge may be the only way to the other side.
Extra points for medium to not quite heavy spice and decent banter.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for an advance digital copy in exchange for my review.
November 2, 2025
How often does one get a do-over? Usually when one says or does something that they wish they hadn’t, life goes on and they just need to live with the results. In “Not You Again”, by Erin La Rosa, Carly Hart comes to Julian, CA, from LA for her father’s funeral. When the funeral director, Adam Rhodes, tries to comfort her, she snaps. When one of her father’s employees tries to help Carly, she pushes him away. Then the predicted solar eclipse happens and things change. Everyone in the town of Julian is caught in a time loop and the same 24 hours keeps repeating itself. The day always starts in the same place but how everyone reacts changes. Can they ever get out of this loop? What needs to happen to stop the loop?
Even though I like science fiction and romance, this book was hard for me to get into. I’d never heard of a time loop before, so this was a new concept for me. I was a little disorientated when the book started on Day 1 and then jumped to Day 238. What happened in between? How did everyone react at first? How did the characters adjust? What makes Day 238 so special? I enjoyed seeing how the story progresses and how different alliances and theories are presented, tested, and worked through. I liked that the main and secondary characters are forced to look at their lives through a different lens and assess where they are in their lives, what they’ve accomplished so far, and where they want to go in the future. Readers who enjoy romance with a touch of sci-fi will like this book.
I wish to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing for the complementary eARC of this book and for selecting me to review it on NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#HarlequinTradePublishing
#NetGalley
#TimeLooping
Even though I like science fiction and romance, this book was hard for me to get into. I’d never heard of a time loop before, so this was a new concept for me. I was a little disorientated when the book started on Day 1 and then jumped to Day 238. What happened in between? How did everyone react at first? How did the characters adjust? What makes Day 238 so special? I enjoyed seeing how the story progresses and how different alliances and theories are presented, tested, and worked through. I liked that the main and secondary characters are forced to look at their lives through a different lens and assess where they are in their lives, what they’ve accomplished so far, and where they want to go in the future. Readers who enjoy romance with a touch of sci-fi will like this book.
I wish to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing for the complementary eARC of this book and for selecting me to review it on NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#HarlequinTradePublishing
#NetGalley
#TimeLooping
November 13, 2025
3.5 stars
Thank you to HTP Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy for any honest review. Overall, I enjoyed this one. It was my first from the author and I liked the premise of a time-loop rom-com. Adam and Carly were characters who were relatable in trying to rediscover themselves after facing two different kinds of losses. I think the plot was okay, but I did want just a little bit more romance between the two characters and not so much focus on the science behind the time-loop. Overall, a pretty good story.
Thank you to HTP Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy for any honest review. Overall, I enjoyed this one. It was my first from the author and I liked the premise of a time-loop rom-com. Adam and Carly were characters who were relatable in trying to rediscover themselves after facing two different kinds of losses. I think the plot was okay, but I did want just a little bit more romance between the two characters and not so much focus on the science behind the time-loop. Overall, a pretty good story.
August 19, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!
I have a love and hate relationship with books that are romance and have a sci-fi aspect as it always leaves me wondering why things happened and I felt that a little here. I have read them in the past that I was able to overlook and love, being why I was excited to read this.
It was a fun quick read but the romance felt flat at times. A solid read!
I have a love and hate relationship with books that are romance and have a sci-fi aspect as it always leaves me wondering why things happened and I felt that a little here. I have read them in the past that I was able to overlook and love, being why I was excited to read this.
It was a fun quick read but the romance felt flat at times. A solid read!
October 3, 2025
Really cute, really funny time-loop romance. It also had more of an emotional impact than I expected, dealing with grief (for a parent, for a relationship, for life choices). I do wish there had been a more concrete explanation for the ending, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment. Thanks to Canary Street Press for the ARC.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews