This Time Around

by Marina Pirlimpou

Waking up 20 years in the past had not been on Maddy’s bingo card.

Nor dragging another guy there with her.

When Madison Pierce finds herself back in her childhood bedroom after an unexpected incident, she decides to act like everything’s perfectly fine and normal. Because what self-respecting introvert doesn’t want a second go at high-school life, right? Except, none of this is normal and she’s not alone in this mess.

Nate Keaton never thought he could land himself in such a bizarre situation, and all for trying to help out a stranger in need. Except, she’s not a stranger but someone he used to go to school with, who is a bit weird and adorable, can’t shut up, and barely reaches his shoulder.

Now they’re stuck together in 2006, renting movies from video clubs, and browsing CDs in music stores, and… getting hot chocolate?

Suddenly, the pull is stronger than it’s supposed to be and feelings are building up.

But why does it feel like the clock is ticking down?
And most importantly, what happens when they inevitably have to go back?

Perfect for fans of Lynn Painter’s Better Than the Movies, Elle Kennedy’s The Deal, and Ashley Poston’s The Seven-Year Slip, This Time Around is a contemporary, adult romance with a tiny hint of magic. It is the first book in a series of interconnected standalones. Prepare for a sizzling, swoon-worthy, slow burn romance that features strangers–to reluctant friends–to lovers, delicious tension and spice, banter for days, all the feels, and a time slip that will change their lives forever.

Genres: Romance, Time Travel, Slow Burn, Friends To Lovers

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 11, 2025

About the author

Marina Pirlimpou is a self-proclaimed book lover and a proud introvert who lives for dreary, autumn days, cozy blankets, and hot beverages.
You can find her reading in her favorite nook, listening to music, or writing about all things romance.
If you want to know all about her new releases or just looking for some new book recs, follow her on Instagram as @marinas_readingcorner.

Reviews

[Fairuz ᥫ᭡. · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★☆ (4 stars)
This Time Around by Marina Pirlimpou
a 2000s-tinted time-slip that made my heart soft and my soul nostalgic

Huge thanks to Marina Pirlimpou & Love Notes PR for the eARC!! 💌

this book? literally a warm hug disguised as a rom-com.

it’s giving 13 Going on 30 energy with a side of hot chocolate and accidental time travel. throw in a grumpy golden retriever boy, a chronically flustered girl with too much on her mind, and an entire playlist of early 2000s hits—and i was sold from page one.

💿 time travel magic
💗 opposites attract
💿 slow-burn angst
💗 reluctant friends → lovers
💿 he falls first, duh
💗 forced proximity galore

Maddy wakes up in her high school bedroom. in 2006. as a teen. again.
except she’s 35. and so is Nate, the tall guy she accidentally drags back in time with her.
neither of them knows what’s happening, but there’s comfort in chaos when it’s shared—and slowly, they go from awkward allies to something achingly tender.

the vibes? immaculate:
✿ banter that actually hits
✿ slow burn tension that made me kick my feet
✿ nostalgia so real I could smell the blockbuster carpet
✿ time slip magic but make it emotional
✿ a romance that earns its happy ending

this wasn’t just about falling in love—it was about second chances.
about healing, softness, growing up twice and choosing each other anyway.
there’s this quiet ache under the cute—Maddy’s bond with her family, Nate’s loneliness, the way they both carry their adult grief into teen bodies.
the way their love builds slowly but deeply, through burnt cookies and basketball games and late-night chats.

i only wish we got a liiittle more explanation about the time-travel stuff. just a bit. but honestly? the heart of the story was never the how. it was always the who.

and Nate Keaton? sir, you are the blueprint.

final thoughts:
this was cozy, clever, and genuinely sweet in a way that didn’t make my teeth hurt. if you like emotional slow burns with just enough spice to make your stomach flip, this one's for you.

4 stars. would time-travel again.
💿💗🥹

━━━━━━━━━━━⊱♡⊰━━━━━━━━━━

💿 𝒑𝒓𝒆-𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 💗🪩

okay wait—she time traveled… and accidentally dragged HIM with her??
i’m already obsessed and I haven’t even flipped a page yet.

high school throwbacks, CD stores, video clubs, hot chocolate dates??
this book is literally giving ✨2000s nostalgia✨ wrapped in a time-slip bow.

if Nate doesn’t fall hard for Madison while sharing a blanket and a DVD rental card, I’ll riot.
Manifesting swoony moments, chaotic banter, and a romance that messes with my heart in all the right ways. 🥹

I’m diving in now—catch me screaming in 3…2…1 💿🩰💗

[madi · Rating 2 out of 5]

this one had so much potential, but unfortunately it just didn’t work for me. i was interested in the concept of time travel and second chances, but the execution felt flat from the start.

maddy and nate were... fine. their dynamic had some cute moments, but i never really felt invested in them. the romance lacked the emotional depth i wanted and just sort of floated along without any real tension. it was hard to root for them when everything felt so surface-level.

the time travel aspect was the biggest letdown. they basically wake up in the past and immediately just... go about their day? no panic, no confusion. it made the whole thing feel low-stakes and underdeveloped. i wanted more from that angle—more emotion, more chaos, more anything.

the pacing was also a struggle. the bulk of the story takes place in the past, and it dragged a lot. once we finally return to the present, things wrap up way too quickly. it felt rushed and incomplete, like it needed several more chapters to really land. the ending was supposed to feel full-circle but just felt hollow.

i also have to say—the writing style wasn’t my favorite. nothing about the story or the characters stuck with me. sadly, this ended up being a forgettable read. i wanted to love it, especially with that cute cover and fun premise, but it just didn’t deliver.

♡ 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔 ♡

Strangers to reluctant friends to lovers
Stuck together in another timeline
Opposites attract
He falls first and hard
Protective MMC
Introvert FMC
Slow burn
Tension and Spice

thank you to love notes pr for the arc ♡

₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ the cover is so cute, and it sounds so good—really hoping the story lives up to it!!

[❋ Booked Out Today ❋ · Rating 4 out of 5]

◦ This Time Around ◦ by Marina Pirlimpou ◦
★★★★

◦: plot :◦
Madison and Nate are unexpectedly sent back to 2006, where old memories and new feelings collide as they navigate a second chance at high school. But with time running out, they must face what happens when they're forced to return.

◦: My Thoughts :◦
Time Travelling romance say no more!
High School romance yes please!
Nate and Maddy had the best chemistry.
Some parts of the book felt nostalgic.
Time Travel stuff didn’t get explained in dept.
Loved the little moments in the book.
The spicy chapters were fire. Kinda wish there were more of them.

◦: Tropes :◦
✧ Slow Burn
✧ Opposites Attract
✧ Time Travel

Thanks to Marina Pirlimpou & Love Notes PR for the eARC!!

Pour a hot drink, it’s book talk time.
Instagram
TikTok

[joni ౨ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was alr, a fun cutesy romcom with some... interesting moments + i think the ideal audience is people over 25 so keep that in mind 😭

rtc

𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 💌
this honestly sounds so good?!! the cover is so cutesy and I love the whole magical realism in romance so I hope this delivers!!


thank you to love notes pr for the digital arc

[The Sewist's Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐ 3.5
🌶️ 1.5
🥵 Spicy chapters: 37, 38, 39
📚 Tropes/Themes: second chance, time travel, texting, millennial Romance, opposites attract, soulmates, slow burn, friends to lovers, magical realism, He falls first and harder, protective MMC, introvert, nerd/jock
👀 Dual POV 3rd person
🛍️ Available: 6/11

💬 This was such a cute story! It's a quick & easy, low stakes/low angst read. I definitely had my high school crush in mind for the MMC as I'm reading lol. I wonder what ever happened to that guy 🤔😂

For the most part, I enjoyed reading it. The nostalgic references were great, although part of me wishes it was set more around 1999-2002 so I could relate more. (I'm determined to one day find romance novels set in the late 90s early 2000s that actually mimic my experience growing up without me having to write it 🤣)

The actual relationship between Nate and Maddy was so sweet with lots of swoon worthy moments which is my fave kind of romance. It sucked me in and I stayed up way too late because I was so invested.

That said, I feel like the characters were a little bit underdeveloped and a lot of things were only hinted at without much explanation or backstory. I wish there had been more about how or why they ended up in the past.

Along with that, there are scenes that happen/get introduced that I thought we're going to be important but then didn't go anywhere (especially when they went out with Stacie). Maybe this is the setup to a second book?

The pacing is off too. So much time is spent on them in the past that's everything after that feels rushed. I don't mean the continuation of their relationship, but how the story wrapped up. I was wondering almost all the way to the end if this was going to be a cliff hanger because what I assume is the third act drama was introduced and then was resolved three paragraphs later.

I really did enjoy the book but I think I could use another round of editing and polishing.

[Marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm 100% biased since I wrote this book and I love it to bits and all, but I just wanted to say that if you love it even a fraction of how much I do, thank you from the bottom of my heart. But even if you don't, thank you for giving my book a chance, nonetheless. 😊❤️
It's a piece of my heart and I'm happy to share it with you. 💛
Coming June 11th 💛

[Abbey ♡︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was everything 😍

A slow burn, opposites attract romance that had me grinning from ear to ear.
Nate & Maddy are thrown into their past high school days and end up falling in love while trying to navigate what on earth is happening.
Once they’re back to current times, they take the time to reconnect and learn about each other all over again.

I absolutely adored this book and if you decide to pick it up, I hope you do too!

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Time Around is a contemporary, adult romance with a tiny hint of magic and it’s the first book in a series of interconnected standalones. When Madison trips and starts to fall into oncoming traffic on a busy street, the man she bumped into grabs her and tries to keep her safe. At the last moment, she realizes that she recognizes him as someone she knew slightly back in high school, Nate. But what happens next is mind-blowing. Maddy wakes up in her childhood bedroom and gradually realizes she’s been transported 20 years back in time, to 2006! And when she goes to school (as her 16-year-old self) she finds out that Nate has also been sent back to 2006.

I really enjoyed this book! I found it hard to believe that this is a debut novel. It was such a great twist, to have two people suddenly sent back in time together. It was so much fun to watch them re-live their high school years with their adult brains. They each learned to navigate the situation and to treasure the moments they got to have with loved ones. They also re-learned to deal with 2006 life - like renting movies, and that flip phones made texting rather difficult. I enjoyed seeing them go from basically strangers to friends to possible sweethearts. The scenes of them sipping hot chocolate were so cute. I kept wondering if they were going to get stuck there or if there was some way to get them back to the present day. You’ll have to read it to find out!

This Time Around is a wonderful opposites attract/slow burn romance. (Warning: There are some spicy scenes near the end.)

Thank you so much to the author and to Literary Media Tours for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[❅ Karen ❅ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly I was not sure what to expect with this book. It was a plot I had never read before.
You follow Maddy and Nate, who are thrown back into each other's lives. They get to relive their high school years, meanwhile still remembering their adult lives.
This was such a fun little journey to go through with them. I enjoyed the pace of the book. Absolutely heartbreaking plot twist the author threw but still amazing nonetheless

🌶️/5

[Abigail Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ ARC Review ✨
This Time Around by @marinas_readingcorner

4 ⭐️ 1.5 🌶️

This Time Around was so good! And it’s a true slow burn, which I absolutely adore! Nate and Maddy are accidentally thrust into their past high-school lives and end up falling in love while trying to figure out what’s happening. When they’re suddenly back in their adult bodies, they take some time to reconnect and learn about each other again.

This books reminded me a bit of Lynn Painter’s The Do-Over, but it is still its own book and story! And honestly I loved the ending with them just moving in together and not the typical getting engaged. That was a nice difference from most romances these days!

You can read This Time Around on June 11th! It’ll be available on both KU and paperback!

[Vicky_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT. THE. EVERLOVING. CUTENESS. IS. THIS.

the banter? hilarious
the chemistry between MCs? *sigh* amazing
Maddy's inner monologue? 100% relatable
Nate's supremacy? 100% legit
Maddy's relationship with her parents and grandma? so beautiful
THE ROMANCE?
GOD. THE ROMANCE.
*kicks feet in the air for eternity*

Thank you so much to the author and her team for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book! 😍

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had the set up to be a great book - the blurb absolutely drew me in to want to read it. Unfortunately the execution was not good, to say the least. I did not gel with the writing style of this at all, so much I skimmed the last 30% at a rapid pace. I honestly should have DNF'd, I feel I only pushed through as I was gifted the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Two 30-somethings are one day transported back 20 years of their life to when they were 16. There was no explanation how they time travelled - the book just started with them back in the early 2000's. No questions asked by the main characters, no attempt to get back to their real life - it was just an accepted fact and then we spent 60% of the book just reading the day to day lives of teenagers. As a 30-something myself, reading about kids going to school then to the mall then hanging out themselves was not interesting, especially as we were not trying to work out how the heck we time travelled.

Then we got to part two and we're just back at present day, in the exact last memory they had before time travelling. And went on with life. Then 7 pages from the end we threw in a complication that was solved in 2 or 3 pages. Overall this needed a lot of editing and maybe it would have been good.. I feel bad writing such a scratching review but I don't know any positives to note. It felt like YA written by YA (maybe it was?) and YOUNG YA at that (except for a few semi spicy scenes).

[Dimitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Time Around 📚
Firstly,I want to thank Maria Pirlimpou and LoveNotesPr for trusting me with this ARC !💛

This time around can be summed up in 13 going on 30 yet,turn it around..
We follow Maddy and Nate into their own time slip,since falling asleep as adults and both waking up into their childhood bedrooms as highschoolers.Is that a chance to a new start or some twisted parallel getting tangled up with reality?
Yes,it is a trope that I am SURE you have never ever read again,yet you will seek it the moment you are over with the story.It was pure P E R F E C T I O N.
As a book it had an early 2000s' romance vibe,filled with love and always something getting on the way that somehow made Maddy & Nate even closer giving them the most unique romance.Pirlimpou's writing was magical for me.She made me not only not being able to stop,even to fall in love with the story so quickly!Girl,I was invested not only in the romance,but in what is about to happen,it felt,especially the first part,like it was in a constant cliffhanger because you literally did not knew what the next day would bring.
Her characters were all so ,so cute🥹.From the main ones relieving highschool and the reader being capable of seeing how is school from the eyes of a adult,to them that they suddenly had to do algebra-interesting,yet funny.-Plus,Nate is a full on hottie.
Added,it had smut.However,it was THE smut.Not meaning it was full on ,extra spicy or that explicit-which was true in some parts,yet you felt their love and passion even from their starters.This people were HUNGRY for each other.I mean guys how did that slip last time?You are meant for each other.
As you understood I LOVED IT *chef's kiss*
out on June 11th🥐
4⭐

[Arianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Love Notes for sending me an ARC!

As many have pointed out, this book is reverse version of 13 Going on 30, a very cute romantic rom com.

The vibes are pretty similar, so it was really enjoyable.

I didn’t like the constant mentions of HP references because unfortunately JK Rowling is really problematic, so nowadays she doesn’t deserve attention.

However, their story was really intriguing. A very cozy reading, sweet with a tad of spicy. The time travel trope is not really common, so it was pretty good.
A cute escape from reality!

3.5 🌟

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion

Who doesn’t love a good romance that has a slow burn, second chances, a lot of banter, great plot and fun characters, understanding and accepting oneself, and has time split in it? Oh, I didn’t know that I needed this book, but I am so happy that I got to read it because this book will hold a special place in my heart. I loved that it was full of the 2000's, with references to movies, books and of course music, it was like a blast from the past and I am all here for it.

I loved that Pirlimpou wrote a romcom with the normal stuff we would all see in everyday books, but she stepped it up so much, with her plot and the characters. I didn’t even feel “what am I reading, or ugh another romcom because it was so much fun reading this book. The author knows how to grab the reader’s attention and holds you there until the ending, and at the ending you will be wishing for a little more because you didn’t want this book to end. I started this book today on 6.11 and I finished it in 6 hours, that is how great it was. You will go on a journey, and I mean a journey…well you know because of the time split, lol with Maddison and Nate. They went to the same high school, different classes but they did see each other in the hall but never talked to each other, until one day when they’re adults and they run into each other… and poof. They end up waking up in their 16-year-old bodies and since they both were transported there, they only have each other to talk to and during these hanging out sessions and talking they have a chance to get to know each other.

I loved that this story didn’t just jump right into them falling in love, but you have a story that watches these characters get to know each other, understanding what they each want in life and what they don’t. You will see their slow burn romance unfold, the tension and chemistry between these characters felt real not rushed. I loved that we had a girl next, Maddison who is the sweetest and most caring person ever, you will meet Nate who has a heart of gold. He is caring, understanding and just wants a better life for his family. I loved getting to know their characters throughout the book was so much fun and I would love to know Maddison and Nate in real life. I liked that the characters were relatable and likable. The side characters were so much as well, I really hope that we get to know their story soon too. I don’t want to get into the story too much because I want you to read it and experience it like I did.

Just know that this book is amazing, cute, fun and different. I definitely recommend this book.

I want to thank Marina Pirlimpou and literary Media Tours for the opportunity to review this book.

[Brittany Rader · Rating 2 out of 5]

✨ARC review✨

For the most part, I did enjoy this book. The characters were very likable, the relationship was sweet, and I enjoyed the nostalgia factor of this book being set in 2006. There were a few “big picture” issues that I wasn’t able to look past, and they unfortunately ruined the book for me.

This Time Around follows 35-year old Maddy after a freak accident causes her to wake up as her 16-year old self in 2006. With no choice but to go with it (i.e., return to high school… yikes!), she soon discovers that Nate, a former classmate who was also involved in the accident has been sent back in time with her. Despite having had two completely different high school experiences the first time around — her, an introverted loner who spent all of her time with books, and him, a popular jock who barely noticed her — they are now working through this “do over” together and trying to do things better this time around.

Again, I really liked the characters and found their relationship to be really cute. Although they were in their 30s, they really immersed themselves in being 16 again so it felt like a YA story of teenage love. We got great insight into both of their personal lives (as 16-year olds), so they both felt really fleshed out.

The biggest issue I have with this book is that at the end of the day, they were 35 years old falling in love with each other… in their 16-year old bodies. Yes, their MINDS were compatible ages, but it felt really gross to read about them being PHYSICALLY attracted to each other when they were stuck in underage bodies (I almost DNFed when Nate described Maddy, in her 16-year old form, as “edible”). That disconnect between their brain ages and their body ages was really hard for me to look past and it almost ruined the book for me.

The other issue I had was that the accidental time travel plot was really underdeveloped. I can’t say much without spoiling the book, but it felt like it was used to set up the romance and then was completely disregarded. The overall effect was that the story felt confusing and incomplete.

Overall, this was a cute and quick read with fun, likable characters, but I don’t think I’d recommend this because of the weird age issues and plot weaknesses.

[Lisa Conant · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

So this was a quick, cute rom com with 13 Going on 30 vibes. But as it went on it just didnt connect for me. There is no explanation as to the magic that propels them to the past and why only them, whereas Big (movie) had the Zoltar machine, 13 Going on 30 had the magic dust. I can overlook that a bit since this is a fantasy after all, though some kind of loose cause would've been better.

You're thrown into it which was a bit backwards/disorienting. I would've liked them as adults first and also to see a bit more of them in their present lives to establish them as who they are and have a better comparison of who they are as teens.Their 16/17 year old selves felt too immature in their dialog sometimes to actually be 37 year olds (ie..saying "as if"). They fell into their past lives very easily too, just went with the flow. But I'm keeping in mind this is meant to be very light in tone. Then again, it felt like it was missing any real dramatic propulsion for most of it. Felt like any other high school love story for most of it.

Side characters felt very thin. The second act had a twist that didn't make sense and Mads (fmc) had a 10 second freak out moment that was unnecessary. Plot points felt loosely tied together in an effort to make a cute and sweet time travel love connection with two people who went to high school together and had no relationship then. I think it woulda been stronger if they had a past of some sort as teens. The idea is cute but it fell flat for me overall, like parts could work but not as a whole....it didn't even feel like a time travel story for most of the middle section. Like two ideas smashed together.

There's definitely an audience that will love this so i may be more of a minority, but I wanted moments of deepened drama with light moments mixed in ala "13 Going on 30" or "Big" (which i loved). The main characters needed more back story or fleshing out, plot points needed to feel more organic and with purpose and it didn't feel like a time slip story for most of it, just a teen jock and book nerd falling for the other.

[Andrea Cervantes · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Four time traveling stars!!

This is the perfect palate cleanser book, sweet as sugar, short and no third act breakup. I love Maddie and Nate, and come on going back to high school to fall in love and turn your life around is kind of a dream come true.

This is so well written that I could actually feel the time change in between the two parts of the book. And the steamy parts? Definitely worth waiting. I’m not usually a fan of slow burn but this was sooooo worth the wait.
10/10 would recommend reading this for a fun and sweet afternoon reading

[Kristin Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super cute, cozy little read. After a near fatal incident, waking up 20 years in the past. Finding your back in high school and the man who saved you was a fellow class mate who has traveled back in time with you. Their romance is adorable and I love Maddie’s quirky, weird character and Nate’s golden retriever personality. They go so well together. If you’re looking for a cozy, adorable romance with a smidge of spice this is for you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Maddy & Nate glow-in-the-dark stars

I never thought I would enjoy a book that would plunge me back to highschool this much.
But when I tell you I was hooked, I was hooked.
The references were spot on, the dynamics between the introverted, bookish Maddy and the athletic, grumpy Nate ranged from achingly sweet, to funny as hell, and then to extremely touching and romantic.
I could feel the romance like it was alive.
If I had been Maddy, I would have swooned about a dozen times like a damn Victorian lady.

Thank you to the author for providing me an ARC copy for my honest review. 💕

[Kimmie's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟 ARC review🌟

This Time Around made me smile the whole way through.
It was like a giant hug, a beautiful story about going back in time and coming face to face with your younger self but fully embracing it.
It feels like expreiencing a first love while in your mid-30s, which is exactly what happens to Maddy and Nate.
There are so many sweet scenes, but surprisingly they pack a punch.
There is so much nostalgia in this book and I loved all the 2000s crumbs here and there.
Overall, a great read.

Thank you to Marina Pirlimpou and her team for the Arc copy of This Time Around.

[maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

✨Huge thank you to Marina Pirlimpou and her team for sending me an ARC of This Time Around!✨

I time-traveled, fell in love, and now I want a Sailor Moon duvet.

Okay, I knew I was going to like this book from page one, but I didn’t expect it to completely own me the way it did. This Time Around is basically what would happen if 13 Going on 30 and Outlander had a bookish, sarcastic, cinnamon-roll-soul baby. And I am obsessed.

Madison Pierce wakes up in her childhood bedroom, complete with glow-in-the-dark stars and a Sailor Moon comforter—except, oops, she’s supposed to be 35. Cue the spiralling, the Sailor Moon nostalgia, and the hilarious internal monologue that had me laughing out loud like a lunatic.

But here’s where it gets good: NATE. KEATON. Sir, why are you so grumpy? Why do you have cheekbones like that? Why are you tossing around basketballs like you don’t know you’re the star of my teenage dreams? Their chemistry is everything—from the reluctant time-travel buddy vibes to the study-date-turned-soft-staring-contest in his bedroom (I see you, Muse CD and cookies), I was eating it up.

There’s so much warmth and heart in this book. The scenes with Maddy’s parents actually got me emotional in a way I wasn’t prepared for—especially her phone call with her dad (the “M&M” nickname? I cried). Marina writes about nostalgia and the ache of adulthood so well, it honestly made me want to call my dad, hug my high school self, and reread all my old fantasy books in one sitting.

Also, shoutout to the Evanescence ringtone, the flip phone, and the extremely correct opinion that Muse’s The Resistance is elite.

My only mini gripe is that I would’ve loved just a bit more world building around the “how” of the time travel. But honestly? That’s a tiny nitpick in an otherwise stellar read. Maddy and Nate’s growing connection pulled me right back in. Like…THE WALL SCENE. THE BASKETBALL PRACTICE. THE HAND-HOLDING? I need to lie down.

This book will steal your heart and possibly make you want to time-travel too—just maybe not to high school.

[flynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ / 5

TROPES:
- second chance
- jock x nerd
- golden retriever mmc
- time travel
- slow burn
- strangers to friends to lovers

** a lot of spoilers… oops! **

Nate & Maddy are the mmc and fmc of the book. Long story short, he tries to save her from a car accident and they both end up time traveling back to their high school years—Maddy is depicted as the quiet nerd and Nate the popular jock. That’s to be expected. It’s an almost second chance romance because I feel like them building that relationship in past tense and then going back into present day , taking a little time to go back to that high school feeling could qualify as second chance. I enjoyed the twos banter during their time travel high school time and the relationship building there seemed solid. I LOVED the scene where Nate and Maddy are in the bookstore:

“Do I look to you like someone who would do anything unless they actually wanted to?”“I-I suppose not,” Maddy stuttered. Why was she stuttering?“Besides,” he went on, an evil look on his face, “I’m curious to see the kind of book that you would like.”

Because I felt like it REALLY pulled together Maddy’s bookish personality and hinted that the mmc would care about it in the future. The scene where he takes her to a party and starts to regret it, and the way it’s written, seems very much like something Nate would say/think/act like. The care he put into it wanted Maddy to experience a high school situation she didn’t in the past felt right.

“He’d wanted her to have this experience, to go to a high-school party and get a feel of the atmosphere, blend in, people-watch, have a few laughs.

However, the reason this book isn’t a 5/5 is because a few things got in the way for me. I felt like Maddy and Nate were a bit rushed. Despite it somewhat “working” I feel like there could’ve been a better slow burn. I appreciated the banter and liked how Nate showed he cared for Maddy—and her interest in Nate, but, it also seemed a little fast. I think when we flashed back to the future as well, that storyline could’ve been flushed out a little more and I feel like it should’ve been the other way—Maddy forgetting Nate not Nate forgetting Maddy. And him trying to get her to remember. There was a missed opportunity of Maddy opening books from high school and seeing annotations from Nate. The other thing that got me was Nate’s character. For the most part he seemed like a playful golden retriever, and it created a persona for him. But this one scene:

“Now, there was mad and there was mad. And Nate was next level mad. Maddy felt as if the very air around them changed. Her heart, which up to that moment had beat calmly and steadily, now sped up as she took in Nate’s fury. Touch her again without her permission and I’ll make sure you won’t have a hand to touch anything else ever again.” Nate’s voice sent a shudder through Maddy, chills breaking at the back of her neck.”

Really was not Nate. I feel like there could’ve been some sort of party situation like this, perhaps shes talking with another guy and he pulls her away, or maybe this same situation happens but instead Nates already behind her and has similar but not this kind of described reaction. I understand that Nates dad treated his mom really bad, so he didn’t want to see a female (especially Maddy) be treated this way, but for Nates reaction, it had to have been a bigger situation or else it just doesn’t fit his character.

Despite my reason this book is not a five star, I think it’s a great book besides that! I haven’t read a romance book where the characters travel back, forage a relationship and then it flashes back to the future. You have to know what you’re going into when you start the book and have no expectations. It’s a cute basically almost closed door romance. I think it could’ve been a closed door romance actually if it weren’t for the end scene. I feel like we “didn’t build up” to that moment, it was a more “oh we should do this to have some sort of smut”. If there was a little more editing and character building I’m 99% sure it would’ve been a five star for me.

Song of the book; Feels Like - Gracie Abrams x So High School - Taylor Swift

[Gayathri Ganesh · Rating 2 out of 5]

A second-chance romance that had so much potential at its fingertips, but somewhere along the way, it lost the spark.
The book starts with Madison Pierce, who is on her way to work at a publishing house, going about her usual routine, when her life nearly ends in a road accident. She’s saved by Nate Keaton, someone she vaguely remembers from high school. That moment should have been the start of something, but not in the way you'd expect. One second, they’re staring down death together, and the next, they’re teenagers again, back in their high school days, while the world around them carries on like this is perfectly normal.
Only, it isn’t. And that’s where things started to fall apart for me.
When I first read the blurb and signed up for the ARC, I was very excited to read a time-travel, second-chance romance. The excitement was still there when I read the first few chapters, but as the story progressed, it no longer made sense and felt like all romance novel clichéss were force-fitted and the story was somehow developed to make it happen.
Madison and Nate seem to shrug off the biggest question of all. How are they back in time? Why aren’t they doing more to understand what’s happened? It came up once, and then it was brushed aside as though slipping into their teenage selves again required no explanation. I mean, if I were Madison, I’d want to run back to the present, but even if that’s not the case, I would still want to go look for answers and find my way out while experiencing all the things Madison did. I loved how their relationship developed back in time, but I feel like bringing in the reality check that this isn’t the present somewhere along the way would’ve felt more believable.
Their relationship, on the other hand, had its charm. I genuinely liked the way their friendship took shape the second time around. Their banter felt sweet, and the emotional bond between them had its moments. But even that couldn’t balance out the way the story drifted further from its core idea. At some point, the time-travel became more of a forgotten detail than a driving force.
Then comes the second part. Suddenly, we’re back in the present, and the story moves on like it’s picking up from where things ended, except it’s twenty years later. Still, no one asks why any of it happened. There’s a strange silence around the cause or meaning behind the whole event. It felt like a plot device left hanging mid-air.
By the time I reached the last stretch, I found myself skimming through the book rather than actually reading it because I was no longer hooked to know what happens next, since there wasn’t any suspense, just plain sight, predictable scenes, and romance novel cliches.
Rating: ⭐⭐/5
This could have easily been a great second-chance grumpy sunshine romance. It had all the right ingredients, but didn’t pull them together in a way that felt complete. If only the story had dug deeper, paused long enough to ask its own questions, or given the characters a reason to care that they were suddenly teenagers again, it might’ve been one of my favorites.

[Amber D’Ambrosio · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

This Time Around by Marina Pirlimpou had the makings of something really fun—a nostalgic, low-stakes time-travel romance that’s equal parts cute and swoony. And to some extent, it delivered. The relationship between Maddy and Nate was sweet, with plenty of swoon-worthy moments that pulled me in enough to stay up way too late reading. I even found myself projecting my own high school crush onto the MMC, which made the whole thing feel that much more personal.

Set in 2006, the story is packed with nostalgic details that 30-somethings will appreciate—though part of me wishes it leaned a little further into the late ‘90s/early 2000s for that extra hit of millennial relatability. Still, it was fun watching two adults relive their teenage years with the perspective of adulthood, and the high school "do-over" setup had a lot of potential.

That said, the execution didn’t quite live up to the premise. The story jumps straight into the time travel without any explanation or even much acknowledgment from the characters. They just accept it and... go to class? Go to the mall? There’s no real curiosity or urgency about what happened or how to fix it, which made the stakes feel nonexistent. For a plot that hinges on such a big twist, it felt oddly casual and underdeveloped.

Pacing was another issue. The book spends the bulk of its time in the past, so by the time we return to the present, everything feels rushed—especially the resolution, which wraps up major plot points in just a few pages. Scenes and side characters (like Stacie) are introduced and seemingly set up for importance, only to fizzle out without payoff, making parts of the book feel like filler or the setup for a sequel that may or may not exist.

Character-wise, Nate and Maddy are likable, and their chemistry works—but their development felt surface-level. I wanted more backstory, more emotional depth, more why. And while the romance was sweet, there’s an unsettling layer to the fact that we’re watching two 35-year-olds fall in love in 16-year-old bodies. Even with the mental age caveat, it’s hard to ignore the dissonance, especially when the physical attraction is described in ways that feel uncomfortable given their underage forms.

Stylistically, the writing didn’t always land. Some readers may find it hard to connect with the prose or feel compelled to skim. With another round of editing to tighten up the pacing, expand the plot mechanics, and clarify tone, this could’ve been something special.

Final thoughts:
This Time Around is a nostalgic, cute, and easy read with a sweet romance at its core—but inconsistent pacing, unresolved plot threads, and some uncomfortable age dynamics hold it back. If you’re looking for a low-angst romance with a dash of early 2000s vibes, this might still be worth a try—just go in with tempered expectations.

[𝓐𝓪𝓼𝓱 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Time Around by Marina Pirlimpou
⭐️⭐️⭐️½ | 🌶️ 1.5/5 | Nostalgia + Nerdy Soulmates + Time Travel Vibes? I’m in.

This Time Around is a cute, millennial-coded, low-angst time-travel romance with a swoony protective MMC and a sweet introverted FMC. It gives 13 Going on 30 energy but in reverse, with a touch of magical realism and a whole lot of “what if you could go back and do it differently?” energy. 🥹📱💫

Maddy and Nate are the kind of couple you root for from the moment their texting banter starts. He’s the protective nerd-turned-jock type, totally soft for her from the jump (yes, he falls first and harder), and she’s the introvert who never quite got closure on her high school what-could-have-been. So when they somehow—magically, with no real explanation—get transported back to high school, they get a second chance to finally get it right.

There’s something so nostalgic about this book—flip phones, awkward dances, those butterflies when your crush texts you back… It’s super relatable if you were a teen in the early 2000s (though I kinda wish it leaned even harder into that era, ngl).

What works:
✨ The vibes. Cute, cozy, and romantic.
✨ The texting scenes are ADORABLE.
✨ Dual POV in third person makes it feel cinematic.
✨ The slow burn + friends to lovers development = chef’s kiss.

What didn’t quite hit:
⏳ The pacing was a bit off—lots of time spent in the past, then things wrapped up super fast in the present.
🧩 Some scenes (like the Stacie one) felt like they were gonna matter but just fizzled.
📚 The time travel mechanics? Not really explained. Like… how did they go back? How did they return? Unclear.
👫 Nate & Maddy as adults needed more emotional unpacking before diving straight back into things.

Final vibe: This is the kind of romance you can devour in one sitting with a blanket, a mug of tea, and your high school crush living rent-free in your head. It’s charming and nostalgic, with a sprinkle of magic and some seriously soft MMC moments. Could it have used another round of edits and deeper character development? Yes. Did I still enjoy the ride? Absolutely.

⸻

⚠️ Content Warnings:
• Mild mentions of grief
• Emotional confusion from time travel
• Some past miscommunication

⸻

💫 Tropes & Themes:
• Second Chance
• Time Travel / Magical Realism
• Friends to Lovers
• Soulmates
• Nerd x Jock energy
• He Falls First (and hard)
• Protective MMC
• Dual POV (3rd person)
• Low Spice / High Swoon
• Millennial Romance / Nostalgia
• Quick & Easy Read

📖 Read it if you want a cozy, unique twist on a second-chance romance with low angst, texting cuteness, and a sprinkle of timey-wimey mystery.

Thank you The author agency for ARC.

[Sherley's Reading Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: This Time Around
𝐁𝐲: Marina Pirlimpou
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3.5 (Rounded to 4) ⭐
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 2.0 🌶️

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 was a cute, fun, quick read that I really enjoyed. I loved the concept of going back in time, back to high school, and getting a chance to do things differently. This book reminded me of 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒚 𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚 and 𝟏𝟑 𝑮𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝟑𝟎. It was very nostalgic because I was around the MCs ages back in 2006s when this story takes place. It was so cool seeing them go to a video rental store to rent a movie, and listening to CDs, and having a flip phone. I was transported back to my high school days while reading 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝.

I loved the MCs. Madison, the FMC, was so relatable. She was a quiet loner who loved to read while she was in high school and she reminds me so much of myself at that age. Nate, the MC, was the jock in high school, a popular basketball player that everyone wanted to be around, but he was the sweetest person.

I loved their funny banter, their constant texting, they had great chemistry, and I really liked that they got to enjoy life and have experiences and do activities that they never really got to do the first time around when they were in high school.

Overall, this was a lighthearted, nostalgic read with great banter and just a little bit of spice (no real spice while they are back in the high school days, but it does get spicy when they go back to the future…lol…it will all make sense when you read it). This was my first read by this author, but I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

🆆🅷🅰🆃 🆃🅾 🅴🆇🅿🅴🅲🆃
💛Second Chance
❤️Reluctant Friends to Lovers
🩵Forced Proximity
💛Time Travel / Magical Realism
❤️Opposites Attract
🩵He Falls First and Hard
💛Protective MMC
❤️Introvert FMC
🩵Slow Burn
💛2000s Vibes
❤️Banter for Days and All the Feels
🩵Swoon
💛Tension and Spice

🅵🅰🆅🅾🆁🅸🆃🅴 🆀🆄🅾🆃🅴🆂 / 🆂🅰🆈🅸🅽🅶🆂
💛 “It seemed that all Madison had to do was smile and Nate’s chest would feel like a balloon full of helium.”
⏱️ “He didn’t know why it always felt like they both existed in the pause between one breath and the next when they were together.”
💛 “He felt like a moth to a flame, a flame that burned bright, meant to consume him from the inside out. He was burning, slowly. Every moment he spent with her, she stole a piece of him. He didn’t want those pieces back. They were hers to keep.”
⏱️ “He was starving for her. She was closer than she could ever be and yet he was starving for her.”
💛 “She was a hunger he could not satiate, and as they moved together, Nate thought he would never even want to.”
⏱️ “You’re my point of reference. Wherever you go, I follow.”

[Lindsey Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️️⭐️/ ️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I cannot express how much I enjoyed reading this book. Marina Pirlimpou transported me back to the 2000s with ease and vividness. Think the reverse of the movie 13 Going On 30, but instead of moving forward in time, Marina takes our MCs back to their teens. This Time Around reminded me of a simpler time, one I took for granted at the time, while introducing me to an author that I will definitely be reading more of.

Maddy was easy for me to relate to. Her brain doesn’t seem to ever turn off, constantly running through things of that day, the past, and the future. When she wakes up in her teen bedroom, she isn’t sure how she got there. She’s 35, but back in 2006. How she got there, no clue. Even weirder, she brought someone with her. Nate is just as confused about what is happening. A golden retriever at heart, he hides it behind grumpiness. As these two try to find their way home, their working together breaks down walls and allows them to find something else entirely.

I loved that even though this book has romance, it is not the main point. Marina writes a story about second chances and seeing people for more than what is on the surface. As Maddy and Nate journey through the past to get back to the present, they start to realize what they want for their future as well. The popular saying is “live with no regrets”, but how often would you go back to change something? A tiny detail, one different choice. We all have at least once. This book lets our two MCs have that option, but this time they go through it together.

As the book comes to an end, the only question readers are left with is around time travel. While this remains a mystery, it doesn’t shadow the true reason for Marina writing this book. This is definitely a cozy read, with low angst and low tension. The story that Marina tells is heartwarming, touches your soul, and really does remind you to live each day to the fullest. But if you don’t, you have tomorrow. Let people in, let people see the real you, and let people love you for you.

As always, review any author notes before reading.

What to Expect:
💿Opposites Attract
💛He Falls First and Hard
💿Protective MMC
💛Introvert FMC
💿Grumpy, Except with Her
💛Slow Burn
💿2000s Vibes
💛Witty Banter
💿Close Proximity
💛Touch Her and 💀

[Dani Salinas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a very adorable attempt at a reverse 13 Going on 30 vibes but for me, it fell just a bit flat because of the timeline jumping. I loved the idea that this FMC crashes into an old acquaintance from high school and wakes up back in high school. She is given a second chance to relive these critical years and make another attempt at living life. It was adorable that she brought with her the MMC who barely knew her but had seen her around. He too is given another chance to relive these moments and maybe take a moment to breathe through the drama that was happening in his life at that time.

They both handle being thrust in the past fairly well, they don't throw too much of tantrum as they go about their day just like they had before. The biggest difference was that Nate takes the time to get to know Maddy and they create a bucket list to get through their time reliving high school. Their connection was adorable and grew into something more. And that is where my problem arose. They are clearly making new memories and having some big moments in high school only for it to stop because they wake up in their real time. I think I would have liked it more as a dream instead a change of reality because the connection they shared wouldn't have just ended.

It felt too rough when Nate finally realizes he had forgotten who she was. When they wake up after their accident and he has no clue was a little heartbreaking. But I loved that he was aware that he was missing something and couldn't quite figure it out. But then his friends remember that he had met Maddy in High School and then it stopped. It just felt off for me.

I loved their connection, I thought it was sweet and adorable. I just caught up the timeline and I know that in reality their connection at that age would have changed where they ended up in the future. I did love that when Maddy is back in high school she is allowed another moment with her Nona and family. I think getting a second chance to really enjoy family and their love was one of my favorite moments within the book. I loved that Nate was given another chance to appreciate his mom and have new memories over the holidays instead of the tainted memories he had. The small second moments were precious it as just the lapse of the timeline that brought me out of the story.

[Carmen Dieleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This time around

Ik mocht dit boek lezen voor een Arc en ik heb zo genoten van dit verhaal. Wat een lief en mooi verhaal was dit. Het was heel anders dan verwacht, maar een perfect verhaal. Je leest over Maddison en Nate. 2 personen die elkaar vaag kennen van vroeger gaan ineens terug in de tijd en worden wakker als 16 jarige. Ze hebben alleen elkaar en leren elkaar kennen.

Het verhaal is rustig opgebouwd en je leest vanuit alle twee de personages. Het is een slow burn, met spanning, liefde en chemie. Ze zijn zo leuk samen en ik was steeds benieuwd hoe het verder ging. Maddison is een lieve meid, staat voor wat zij is en trek zich van niets en niemand wat aan. Nate is een zorgzame jongen/man met een hart van goud. Ze zijn zo liefdevol samen dat ik smolt van hun verhaal.

De vrienden van Nate waren een super leuke toevoeging, echt geweldig. Als er ook boeken worden geschreven over hun dan ga ik die zeker lezen! Doordat ze terug in de tijd gingen zag Maddison haar oma ook weer, toen pinkte ik even een traantje weg voor het gemis van mijn oma. Dit boek had daarom echt alles en ik raad dit boek zeker aan om te gaan lezen!

I was allowed to read this book for an Arc and I enjoyed this story so much. What a sweet and beautiful story this was. It was very different than expected, but a perfect story. You read about Maddison and Nate. 2 people who vaguely know each other from the past suddenly go back in time and wake up as 16 year olds. They only have each other and get to know each other.

The story is quietly built up and you read from both characters. It is a slow burn, with tension, love and chemistry. They are so nice together and I was always curious about how it would continue. Maddison is a sweet girl, stands for what she is and does not care about anything or anyone. Nate is a caring boy/man with a heart of gold. They are so loving together that I melted from their story.

Nate's friends were a super nice addition, really great. If books are also written about them, I will definitely read them! Because they went back in time Maddison saw her grandmother again, I shed a tear for the loss of my grandmother. This book really had everything and I definitely recommend reading this book!

This Time Around by @marinas_readingcorner is coming June 11th!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ sterren
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