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In Time with You
A gripping speculative romance about one girl saving her first love's life by falling for the last person she ever should - his best friend.
Nieve Monroe is devastated after her boyfriend Carter dies saving her from drowning. Even worse she blames herself for his death… and so does his best friend, Max. He was there with them on that fateful day, and he’s never liked Nieve.
Unable to pull herself from her grief and wanting to hide from the accusation in his eyes, Nieve goes to stay with her grandmother, who has always had strange stories to tell of uncanny happenings, of magic and make believe. The next morning, Nieve wakes up on the first day of college, the year before.
This time she plans to make sure Carter never follows her into that river. She’ll do everything in her power to keep him safe, even if it means losing him in other ways. But the more distance she puts between her and Carter, the closer she gets to Max, drawn to him in ways she never expected.
But is she betraying Carter if the only way she can save him is to move on? And can she ever forget her past to embrace her future?
Kristin Dwyer’s In Time With You is a heartbreaking story of first love, loss, and one chance to change everything.
Nieve Monroe is devastated after her boyfriend Carter dies saving her from drowning. Even worse she blames herself for his death… and so does his best friend, Max. He was there with them on that fateful day, and he’s never liked Nieve.
Unable to pull herself from her grief and wanting to hide from the accusation in his eyes, Nieve goes to stay with her grandmother, who has always had strange stories to tell of uncanny happenings, of magic and make believe. The next morning, Nieve wakes up on the first day of college, the year before.
This time she plans to make sure Carter never follows her into that river. She’ll do everything in her power to keep him safe, even if it means losing him in other ways. But the more distance she puts between her and Carter, the closer she gets to Max, drawn to him in ways she never expected.
But is she betraying Carter if the only way she can save him is to move on? And can she ever forget her past to embrace her future?
Kristin Dwyer’s In Time With You is a heartbreaking story of first love, loss, and one chance to change everything.
384 pages, Paperback
Expected publication March 3, 2026
48 people are currently reading
18407 people want to read
About the author
Kristin Dwyer
3 books824 followersKristin Dwyer grew up under the California sun and still prays every day for a cloudy sky. When she’s not writing books about people kissing, she and her spouse can be found encouraging their four mischief makers to get into trouble. Kristin is a part-time hair model and wants you to know she is full-time TSA PRECHECK, and one time a credible news outlet asked for her opinion on K-pop (it was the best day of her life). Please do not talk to her about your fandom, she will try to join.
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Happy Publication day to this special one!!
The vibes alone on this book were phenomenal. If you love magical realism and are younger (like new adult), this should be added to your TBR immediately. It had depth, a cute romance, and a good message.
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
▹Format: 📱 eReader
*Another successful buddy read with Lina. Please check out her review—her reviews are always so thoughtful and balanced!
Thank you tremendously to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions. This comes out March 3.
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Nieve is lost in her grief after her boyfriend, Carter, dies trying to save her from a swimming incident gone wrong. When her grandma (Grandee) does something to set into motion Nieve going back to before she met Carter, she has to grapple with how every change we all make causes ripple effects. But what can she do, if anything, to ensure that Carter survives this time around? What will it be like to just be Carter’s friend this time? Or worse, what will it be like to watch him fall for someone else? What will it potentially be like to fall for someone else herself?
– FMC: Nieve. A 19/20-year-old who is trying her hardest to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself, and learning the very complicated rules of time travel (and self-forgiveness) along the way.
– MMC 1: Carter. Dies trying to save Nieve in the original timeline; very misguided and a bit privileged in the redo timeline—but will the redo save him?
– MMC 2: Max. Grumpy art TA and fellow student who seemingly likes everyone BUT Nieve. Or is there more to the story?
– Location: Non-descript fictional location / a private arts college
– POV: Single first-person
– Spice: 2-3 open-door / fade-to-black spicy scenes (somewhat explicit for this being tagged as YA)
– Tropes: magical realism, time travel/time loop, love triangle (ish), it’s always been you, new adult/early college years, grief
– Content warning: underage drinking, death (drowning), PTSD, child abandonment, feeling like you’re going crazy, animal death (not descriptive, but equally sad)
– Representation: LGBTQ+ minor character
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Second Lover by Noah & The Whale
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Books like Cassandra in Reverse and I Know How This Ends by Holly Smale, but you want something set for a younger generation
➼ Books with a happy ending, albeit bittersweet
➼ Sitting by the fireplace at your family home and knitting an heirloom blanket with yarn you made from your grandma’s sheep’s wool
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn————————✧———Slow Burn
Sweet—————✧——————Spicy
Light/Fluffy———————✧————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
I love magical realism. It’s quirky enough to feel like a dream, but not so far out there that you have to do a lot of world building (usually). I was very excited to read this one because I’m always looking for books to recommend to my teen nieces.
Based on the storyline alone, this book had everything one would want from magical realism. A character using time to both undo painful outcomes AND lessons about how actions have consequences. Add in the vibes from Kristin Dwyer’s writing poetic and descriptive style and a giggle-worthy romance between the characters? I did not want to put this book down. I was on the edge of my seat to see how Nieve was going to react to her ever-changing world AND juggle her past feelings for Carter, her relationship with her cousin (Linden), and her art project with Max.
One thing that Lina and I also discussed was 1.) that Nieve and Linden are the school’s founder’s great grandchildren so they get some sort of “legacy” standing, and 2.) the remaining characters are all dumb rich and part of an “inheritance club”— but neither adds much to the plot, in fact it felt distracting.
Another thing is the magical realism aspect. It did ask a lot from the reader. Not just a suspension of disbelief—which is expected with this genre—but there isn’t much by way of rhyme or reason and it had me feeling unstable and frustrated until about 75%. Once I just accepted that things happen just because they’re written that way, I was able to just let go and let Nieve do or undo whatever was necessary. That said, because I was expecting a huge “a-ha” moment, I do feel like the ending fell a bit flat for me.
Despite these points, I genuinely and thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be excited for more from this author.
Would I Recommend?:: Yes! It was so cute. but. While this has a “young adult” tag, I would probably wait to recommend it to them until they turn 18 (but to each their own!).
________________________
Pre-read thoughts: so happy to be doing another read with my gal Lina. She always has a way of making me see things from a different perspective.
I’m not huge into YA, but I have three “nieces” and I’m constantly looking for books that we can chat about. Crossing my fingers with this magical realism romance!
The vibes alone on this book were phenomenal. If you love magical realism and are younger (like new adult), this should be added to your TBR immediately. It had depth, a cute romance, and a good message.
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
▹Format: 📱 eReader
*Another successful buddy read with Lina. Please check out her review—her reviews are always so thoughtful and balanced!
Thank you tremendously to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions. This comes out March 3.
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Nieve is lost in her grief after her boyfriend, Carter, dies trying to save her from a swimming incident gone wrong. When her grandma (Grandee) does something to set into motion Nieve going back to before she met Carter, she has to grapple with how every change we all make causes ripple effects. But what can she do, if anything, to ensure that Carter survives this time around? What will it be like to just be Carter’s friend this time? Or worse, what will it be like to watch him fall for someone else? What will it potentially be like to fall for someone else herself?
– FMC: Nieve. A 19/20-year-old who is trying her hardest to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself, and learning the very complicated rules of time travel (and self-forgiveness) along the way.
– MMC 1: Carter. Dies trying to save Nieve in the original timeline; very misguided and a bit privileged in the redo timeline—but will the redo save him?
– MMC 2: Max. Grumpy art TA and fellow student who seemingly likes everyone BUT Nieve. Or is there more to the story?
– Location: Non-descript fictional location / a private arts college
– POV: Single first-person
– Spice: 2-3 open-door / fade-to-black spicy scenes (somewhat explicit for this being tagged as YA)
– Tropes: magical realism, time travel/time loop, love triangle (ish), it’s always been you, new adult/early college years, grief
– Content warning: underage drinking, death (drowning), PTSD, child abandonment, feeling like you’re going crazy, animal death (not descriptive, but equally sad)
– Representation: LGBTQ+ minor character
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Second Lover by Noah & The Whale
╰┈➤ ❝…I will love you in reality and dreams…❞
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Books like Cassandra in Reverse and I Know How This Ends by Holly Smale, but you want something set for a younger generation
➼ Books with a happy ending, albeit bittersweet
➼ Sitting by the fireplace at your family home and knitting an heirloom blanket with yarn you made from your grandma’s sheep’s wool
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn————————✧———Slow Burn
Sweet—————✧——————Spicy
Light/Fluffy———————✧————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
I love magical realism. It’s quirky enough to feel like a dream, but not so far out there that you have to do a lot of world building (usually). I was very excited to read this one because I’m always looking for books to recommend to my teen nieces.
Based on the storyline alone, this book had everything one would want from magical realism. A character using time to both undo painful outcomes AND lessons about how actions have consequences. Add in the vibes from Kristin Dwyer’s writing poetic and descriptive style and a giggle-worthy romance between the characters? I did not want to put this book down. I was on the edge of my seat to see how Nieve was going to react to her ever-changing world AND juggle her past feelings for Carter, her relationship with her cousin (Linden), and her art project with Max.
One thing that Lina and I also discussed was 1.) that Nieve and Linden are the school’s founder’s great grandchildren so they get some sort of “legacy” standing, and 2.) the remaining characters are all dumb rich and part of an “inheritance club”— but neither adds much to the plot, in fact it felt distracting.
Another thing is the magical realism aspect. It did ask a lot from the reader. Not just a suspension of disbelief—which is expected with this genre—but there isn’t much by way of rhyme or reason and it had me feeling unstable and frustrated until about 75%. Once I just accepted that things happen just because they’re written that way, I was able to just let go and let Nieve do or undo whatever was necessary. That said, because I was expecting a huge “a-ha” moment, I do feel like the ending fell a bit flat for me.
Despite these points, I genuinely and thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be excited for more from this author.
Would I Recommend?:: Yes! It was so cute. but. While this has a “young adult” tag, I would probably wait to recommend it to them until they turn 18 (but to each their own!).
________________________
Pre-read thoughts: so happy to be doing another read with my gal Lina. She always has a way of making me see things from a different perspective.
I’m not huge into YA, but I have three “nieces” and I’m constantly looking for books that we can chat about. Crossing my fingers with this magical realism romance!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4 / 5 Stars
I may not understand all of the logistics of time travel but I could not put this book down. Nieve’s boyfriend, Carter, passed away trying to rescue her from drowning. She blames herself for his death and she thinks everyone else does too, including his best friend, Max. When Nieve finds out that she can travel back in time, she has a chance to save Carter. She doesn’t expect to get closer to Max.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🖌️ New Adult Romance
🖌️ Magical realism (time travel)
🖌️ Ex-boyfriend’s best friend (it’s complicated)
🖌️ Exploration of grief, death, and guilt
🖌️ Complicated family dynamics
I am no physicist so I get the general gist of the Butterfly Effect and how changing one thing could mean that other things would also change in Nieve’s life but the actual details of that were pretty confusing. Kelsey and I kept trying to figure out what was a change due to the timeline and what was just an inconsistency and we couldn’t really do it. Usually it would bother me to not understand the “rules of the game” but the book itself was so compelling that I was able to look past it.
I thought the stakes were so incredibly well done. Not only does Nieve not want to fall for Max because of the grief and guilt she experiences, but if she does, she’ll alter things too much and affect other parts of her life (like her relationship with her mother). How heartbreaking is that! The constant push and pull and tension feels so much more intense because of it. And you can see why Max and Nieve would be drawn to each other and you want to root for them all the same.
I thought the exploration of grief was done well. Nieve is 18 years old and processes emotions in a way that is appropriate for an 18 year old. And she has to grieve different aspects of her life, not only Carter’s passing in the previous timelines but different versions of her life in the current one.
I will say that there was an explicit sex scene in this book which I did not expect because of their age. I don’t love reading spice when the characters are that young (even if they are technically adults). It is not the most graphic scene I have ever read but it was more graphic than I had expected so keep that in mind.
Overall, this was the type of book where I blinked and was 60% of the way through. It grabbed me and held me regardless of any confusion. If you like movies that involve time travel for love like “About Time” or “The Greatest Hits,” it definitely gives off those vibes.
And definitely check out Kelsey's review as well! She is a wonderful buddy read partner!
Thank you St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: March 3, 2026
____________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Excited for another buddy read with Kelsey! This one is magical realism where she is trying to save her boyfriend while falling in love with his best friend and I do feel like I will cry.
I may not understand all of the logistics of time travel but I could not put this book down. Nieve’s boyfriend, Carter, passed away trying to rescue her from drowning. She blames herself for his death and she thinks everyone else does too, including his best friend, Max. When Nieve finds out that she can travel back in time, she has a chance to save Carter. She doesn’t expect to get closer to Max.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🖌️ New Adult Romance
🖌️ Magical realism (time travel)
🖌️ Ex-boyfriend’s best friend (it’s complicated)
🖌️ Exploration of grief, death, and guilt
🖌️ Complicated family dynamics
I am no physicist so I get the general gist of the Butterfly Effect and how changing one thing could mean that other things would also change in Nieve’s life but the actual details of that were pretty confusing. Kelsey and I kept trying to figure out what was a change due to the timeline and what was just an inconsistency and we couldn’t really do it. Usually it would bother me to not understand the “rules of the game” but the book itself was so compelling that I was able to look past it.
I thought the stakes were so incredibly well done. Not only does Nieve not want to fall for Max because of the grief and guilt she experiences, but if she does, she’ll alter things too much and affect other parts of her life (like her relationship with her mother). How heartbreaking is that! The constant push and pull and tension feels so much more intense because of it. And you can see why Max and Nieve would be drawn to each other and you want to root for them all the same.
I thought the exploration of grief was done well. Nieve is 18 years old and processes emotions in a way that is appropriate for an 18 year old. And she has to grieve different aspects of her life, not only Carter’s passing in the previous timelines but different versions of her life in the current one.
I will say that there was an explicit sex scene in this book which I did not expect because of their age. I don’t love reading spice when the characters are that young (even if they are technically adults). It is not the most graphic scene I have ever read but it was more graphic than I had expected so keep that in mind.
Overall, this was the type of book where I blinked and was 60% of the way through. It grabbed me and held me regardless of any confusion. If you like movies that involve time travel for love like “About Time” or “The Greatest Hits,” it definitely gives off those vibes.
And definitely check out Kelsey's review as well! She is a wonderful buddy read partner!
Thank you St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: March 3, 2026
____________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Excited for another buddy read with Kelsey! This one is magical realism where she is trying to save her boyfriend while falling in love with his best friend and I do feel like I will cry.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
➳ 2 ☆! ☂️ spoiler free + mini review
⤷ i really wanted to love this
arc! @ netgalley
⋆˚࿔ 18th review of the year
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊
⤷ the prose and plot of this book seemed very interested and promising! unfortunately, for me, it didn't deliver like i thought it would. i didn't have a strong connection towards any of the characters and didn't feel sad?? this book is also marketed as 'ya' and i strongly believe it shouldn't!! there are suggestive scenes and lot of swearing. the characters are also past high school and in college! at the very least, i think it should be marketed as new adult and not appeal to younger audiences. by the 30% mark i even considered dnf'ing, but it wasn't SUPER unbearable so i pushed thru! i wish these characters well and im glad i had the opportunity to read the story! i can see why some may like this, gorgeous cover too. one more thing: i wish the magical realism was more prominent!! i would've liked more closure with that aspect.
tropes!
⋆ college romance
⋆ new beginnings
⋆ losing a loved one
⋆ artist x TA
₊‧꒰info!꒱ ‧₊
⤷ find my book review on goodreads @elliexreads
⤷ i recommend for new adult 16/18+
⤷ contemporary romance, but also felt like lit fic, FMC loses her bf and goes back in time. (magical realism)
⤷ look into trigger warnings before reading!
publish date: mar 3, 2026
₊‧ all ratings and opinions are my own ₊‧
⤷ thank you @netgalley and wednesday books for the arc in exchange for an honest review !🫂
---------
₊‧꒰2.4.26꒱ ‧₊
⤷ ayy thank you sm to @netgalley for the arc! i love a good emotional read + a tie in with magical realism! so stoked about this 💗🤞
⤷ i really wanted to love this
arc! @ netgalley
⋆˚࿔ 18th review of the year
"sometimes a broken heart can make you ignorant to the truths of the world."
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊
⤷ the prose and plot of this book seemed very interested and promising! unfortunately, for me, it didn't deliver like i thought it would. i didn't have a strong connection towards any of the characters and didn't feel sad?? this book is also marketed as 'ya' and i strongly believe it shouldn't!! there are suggestive scenes and lot of swearing. the characters are also past high school and in college! at the very least, i think it should be marketed as new adult and not appeal to younger audiences. by the 30% mark i even considered dnf'ing, but it wasn't SUPER unbearable so i pushed thru! i wish these characters well and im glad i had the opportunity to read the story! i can see why some may like this, gorgeous cover too. one more thing: i wish the magical realism was more prominent!! i would've liked more closure with that aspect.
tropes!
⋆ college romance
⋆ new beginnings
⋆ losing a loved one
⋆ artist x TA
₊‧꒰info!꒱ ‧₊
⤷ find my book review on goodreads @elliexreads
⤷ i recommend for new adult 16/18+
⤷ contemporary romance, but also felt like lit fic, FMC loses her bf and goes back in time. (magical realism)
⤷ look into trigger warnings before reading!
publish date: mar 3, 2026
₊‧ all ratings and opinions are my own ₊‧
⤷ thank you @netgalley and wednesday books for the arc in exchange for an honest review !🫂
---------
₊‧꒰preview ᝰ.ᐟ꒱ ‧₊ ☂️
₊‧꒰2.4.26꒱ ‧₊
⤷ ayy thank you sm to @netgalley for the arc! i love a good emotional read + a tie in with magical realism! so stoked about this 💗🤞
September 29, 2025
It seems I've been gravitating towards magical realism books lately, but luckily they are all good books so I'm not mad about it.
In Time With You is a story about a woman who loses her boyfriend in a tragic accident, suffocated by grief she seeks the help of her grandmother who is an eccentric old lady that knows all about the occult even if no one quite believes her. After that, Nieve wakes up on the first day of freshman year, the day she met her late boyfriend. She has a chance to save him, but she discovers fate is a fickle thing and the more she changes the past, her life starts to change with it.
There is a sentence that captures the story perfectly: "what if everyone changes but you feel the same?" (notice I have the review copy, so it could be changed in the final print.)
Kristin wrote one of my favorite romance books, some mistakes were made, so I wasn't surprised by the amazing writing and gut wrenching lines. In the beginning the book was a little confusing, but I soon realized I need to go with it because that's how magical realism usually goes.
The concept of all the choices you make changing drastically your life is so cool, but there are few times I felt so frustrated while reading a book. In a good way though. The ending was a little underwhelming I must say, but that's just because I was waiting for a big revelation that never happened.
Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday books for the ARC!
In Time With You is a story about a woman who loses her boyfriend in a tragic accident, suffocated by grief she seeks the help of her grandmother who is an eccentric old lady that knows all about the occult even if no one quite believes her. After that, Nieve wakes up on the first day of freshman year, the day she met her late boyfriend. She has a chance to save him, but she discovers fate is a fickle thing and the more she changes the past, her life starts to change with it.
There is a sentence that captures the story perfectly: "what if everyone changes but you feel the same?" (notice I have the review copy, so it could be changed in the final print.)
Kristin wrote one of my favorite romance books, some mistakes were made, so I wasn't surprised by the amazing writing and gut wrenching lines. In the beginning the book was a little confusing, but I soon realized I need to go with it because that's how magical realism usually goes.
The concept of all the choices you make changing drastically your life is so cool, but there are few times I felt so frustrated while reading a book. In a good way though. The ending was a little underwhelming I must say, but that's just because I was waiting for a big revelation that never happened.
Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday books for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I would like to thank Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARCs copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
While i didnt understand the logistics of this time travel i lived for the vibes and the romance.
Nieve, after a tragic death of her boyfriend for which she blames herself, time travels one year in the past before she met him. By doing things differently she hopes to save him but things keep changing out of control both in the past and future and she begins to fall for her (ex) boyfriends best friend Max.
Nieve is brave, loyal and passionate. She spends a good part of the book grieving and the topic is handled beautifully with care.
Max is your typical MMC yearner in the best way possible.
The side characters in this book were amazing and really well fleshed out it made me feel like i too was a part of their friendgroup. I especially liked Nieves grandma and her sheep who definitely stole the show in every scene they were in.
The narration was amazing and the sound quality was clear and smooth. The narrator did an amazing job portraying different emotions especially sadness and grief.
Its a beautiful love story about grief, loss and moving on as well as friendship and art. This book asks the question “What would you do for those you love?” and answers it beautifully in a way that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
While i didnt understand the logistics of this time travel i lived for the vibes and the romance.
Nieve, after a tragic death of her boyfriend for which she blames herself, time travels one year in the past before she met him. By doing things differently she hopes to save him but things keep changing out of control both in the past and future and she begins to fall for her (ex) boyfriends best friend Max.
Nieve is brave, loyal and passionate. She spends a good part of the book grieving and the topic is handled beautifully with care.
Max is your typical MMC yearner in the best way possible.
The side characters in this book were amazing and really well fleshed out it made me feel like i too was a part of their friendgroup. I especially liked Nieves grandma and her sheep who definitely stole the show in every scene they were in.
The narration was amazing and the sound quality was clear and smooth. The narrator did an amazing job portraying different emotions especially sadness and grief.
Its a beautiful love story about grief, loss and moving on as well as friendship and art. This book asks the question “What would you do for those you love?” and answers it beautifully in a way that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
September 28, 2025
For fans of Ashley Poston and Lynn Painter, this is a very classic magical realism YA romance. Short on details of world building, this is best read as you let go of trying to understand the time travel consequences and think of it as a journey towards trying to change the past to the “meant to be.”
Nieve lost her boyfriend Carter in a drowning accident. They are only sophomores in college and somewhat legacies, kids with money and connections. Nieve blames herself, and Carters best friend Max blamed himself. Very quickly into the narrative, Nieve wakes up a year earlier in her dorm at the start of freshman year before she met Carter and Max. She is determined to not let him get into the water this time, but seems to start to feel differently about Max.
This book is for everyone who has ever thought, “I couldn’t everything better if only I could go back in time.” This one is lighter on the spice but not entirely what I would consider closed door. Less sci fi and more magical realism, you won’t want to spend time hoping for lengthy explanations and world building, but enjoy the banter and characterization.
Most time travel stories are either “butterfly effect” or “final destination,” and this story explores them both. The heroines journey is a well paced one, causing Nieve to grow and mature to be able to understand both versions of herself, what she wants, and wherein lies her true north.
I also appreciated complicated storylines of light academia and deep family estrangement situations. Nieve has a close cousin and grandmother Grandee in both timelines.
Thank you to NetGalley and st martins press for the arc! Book to be published March 23, 2026
Nieve lost her boyfriend Carter in a drowning accident. They are only sophomores in college and somewhat legacies, kids with money and connections. Nieve blames herself, and Carters best friend Max blamed himself. Very quickly into the narrative, Nieve wakes up a year earlier in her dorm at the start of freshman year before she met Carter and Max. She is determined to not let him get into the water this time, but seems to start to feel differently about Max.
This book is for everyone who has ever thought, “I couldn’t everything better if only I could go back in time.” This one is lighter on the spice but not entirely what I would consider closed door. Less sci fi and more magical realism, you won’t want to spend time hoping for lengthy explanations and world building, but enjoy the banter and characterization.
Most time travel stories are either “butterfly effect” or “final destination,” and this story explores them both. The heroines journey is a well paced one, causing Nieve to grow and mature to be able to understand both versions of herself, what she wants, and wherein lies her true north.
I also appreciated complicated storylines of light academia and deep family estrangement situations. Nieve has a close cousin and grandmother Grandee in both timelines.
Thank you to NetGalley and st martins press for the arc! Book to be published March 23, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you SO MUCH, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, for sending me this ARC.
"Can she get it right the second time(line) around?
A gripping speculative romance about one girl saving her first love's life by falling for the last person she ever should - his best friend.
_
Kristin Dwyer’s In Time With You is a heartbreaking story of first love, loss, and one chance to change everything."
Honestly, I would give this book a million stars if I could. 🥹💞 I didn't expect to fall so in love with this book, but something about Kristin Dwyer's writing is magical. The words she chooses and phrases really have a way of sinking in and tugging at your heart. I haven't felt this connected, invested, and moved by a story's words in a long time. I loved the characters, the plot, and all the little twists along the way. And her grandmother? My gosh. a glimmering light for sure. Adored this one and highly recommend picking it up. I now must read Dwyer's other books because I am hooked.
Pub Date: Mar 03, 2026
As always, all thoughts are my own. ✨
"Can she get it right the second time(line) around?
A gripping speculative romance about one girl saving her first love's life by falling for the last person she ever should - his best friend.
_
Kristin Dwyer’s In Time With You is a heartbreaking story of first love, loss, and one chance to change everything."
Honestly, I would give this book a million stars if I could. 🥹💞 I didn't expect to fall so in love with this book, but something about Kristin Dwyer's writing is magical. The words she chooses and phrases really have a way of sinking in and tugging at your heart. I haven't felt this connected, invested, and moved by a story's words in a long time. I loved the characters, the plot, and all the little twists along the way. And her grandmother? My gosh. a glimmering light for sure. Adored this one and highly recommend picking it up. I now must read Dwyer's other books because I am hooked.
Pub Date: Mar 03, 2026
As always, all thoughts are my own. ✨
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
pre-read:
I already know this book is gonna rip my heart to shreds.
Thank you, Kristin.
____________________________________
another emotionally devastating banger from Kristin 😭🤌🏻🖤
It's been so long since Kristin's last book came out and I read it that I'd forgotten how addictive her stories are, this was no exception.
In Time With You is another winner.
Vibes wise this story is closer to SMWM than The Atlas of Us.
Out of her 3 books, this is her most mature book yet, even though they all cross over to the NA side, this is the one that is most firmly planted there.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the academic setting, I was in the mood for some dark academia before I started and somehow missed that this takes place at university, as her other stories usually take place during the summer.
If you've seen my reviews for her previous books, it's not surprising that I loved everything about this. The pacing was fantastic, I honestly couldn't read fast enough, as it's always with Kristin's stories.
Loved the magical elements—from the witch market to the whole time loop—all things I LOVE.
The side characters were great, but Grandee and the sheep were my fav. All of the sheep being named after Gilmore girls characters had me dyinggg 😂 love the fact that there was no Jess sheep mentioned ahahahaha (Kristin and I are both Logan girls 😌)
Max and Nieve were of course my fav and I couldn't get enough of them 😩🤌🏻 I love them soooo muchhhh—the yearning, the push and pull, the "I'll love you in every universe", and don't even get me started on Max's dreams 😩😩 every time the timeline reset itself after they were getting close I wanted to SCREAMMM. No one writes angst like Kristin, no one.
It's been 2 years since TAoU but In Time With You was totally worth the wait. I don't know how I'm gonna survive till Kristin's next book is out.
eternal gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC
all quotes are from an advance copy and may differ in the final publication
Thank you, Kristin.
____________________________________
"Thank you for coming after me. In this life and all the others."
another emotionally devastating banger from Kristin 😭🤌🏻🖤
It's been so long since Kristin's last book came out and I read it that I'd forgotten how addictive her stories are, this was no exception.
In Time With You is another winner.
Vibes wise this story is closer to SMWM than The Atlas of Us.
Out of her 3 books, this is her most mature book yet, even though they all cross over to the NA side, this is the one that is most firmly planted there.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the academic setting, I was in the mood for some dark academia before I started and somehow missed that this takes place at university, as her other stories usually take place during the summer.
If you've seen my reviews for her previous books, it's not surprising that I loved everything about this. The pacing was fantastic, I honestly couldn't read fast enough, as it's always with Kristin's stories.
Loved the magical elements—from the witch market to the whole time loop—all things I LOVE.
"I had a dream . . ." He never takes his eyes off my lips when he speaks.
"One of your nightmares?" Our voices are low, but we're so close I can hear him perfectly.
"No. A dream that you kissed me."
The side characters were great, but Grandee and the sheep were my fav. All of the sheep being named after Gilmore girls characters had me dyinggg 😂 love the fact that there was no Jess sheep mentioned ahahahaha (Kristin and I are both Logan girls 😌)
Max and Nieve were of course my fav and I couldn't get enough of them 😩🤌🏻 I love them soooo muchhhh—the yearning, the push and pull, the "I'll love you in every universe", and don't even get me started on Max's dreams 😩😩 every time the timeline reset itself after they were getting close I wanted to SCREAMMM. No one writes angst like Kristin, no one.
It's been 2 years since TAoU but In Time With You was totally worth the wait. I don't know how I'm gonna survive till Kristin's next book is out.
eternal gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC
all quotes are from an advance copy and may differ in the final publication
March 3, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review!
This book starts off immediately with heartbreak by Nieve grieving her boyfriend’s recent death, and whose death she blames herself for. When she finds herself time traveling to the beginning of her freshman year, she is determined to change things so he can live. Of course, accomplishing this isn’t easy and during the process, she finds herself getting closer to Max, her (ex) boyfriend’s best friend.
As someone that rarely cries over books, this had me tearing up several times. The way grief, loss, and moving on when you’ve lost someone forever. Losing someone is never easy and the way Kristin Dwyer describes it was both devastating and beautiful.
Nieve is so passionate, loyal, and incredibly strong. No matter how many times things got messed up, she never gives up on trying to make sure those she cares for are happy and safe. She’s the perfect example of it’s okay to cry and breakdown, as long as you get back up again.
Max is such an amazing mmc! I’m a BIG lover of man that yearn and he was exactly that. Every scene of him and Nieve made me feel so much, whether it was butterflies or my heart breaking.
The narrator did such an AMAZING job. Honestly, one of the best parts was listening to how wonderfully she put across what the characters were feeling. I could feel the pain in her voice, and it just made the experience so much better.
“Don’t become one thing. You are allowed to change as many times as you want.” is a line I’ll think about a lot in the future. There were so many great lines in this book and I cannot recommend this enough. Overall, it broke my heart, made me cry, and also gave me so many butterflies.
This book starts off immediately with heartbreak by Nieve grieving her boyfriend’s recent death, and whose death she blames herself for. When she finds herself time traveling to the beginning of her freshman year, she is determined to change things so he can live. Of course, accomplishing this isn’t easy and during the process, she finds herself getting closer to Max, her (ex) boyfriend’s best friend.
As someone that rarely cries over books, this had me tearing up several times. The way grief, loss, and moving on when you’ve lost someone forever. Losing someone is never easy and the way Kristin Dwyer describes it was both devastating and beautiful.
Nieve is so passionate, loyal, and incredibly strong. No matter how many times things got messed up, she never gives up on trying to make sure those she cares for are happy and safe. She’s the perfect example of it’s okay to cry and breakdown, as long as you get back up again.
Max is such an amazing mmc! I’m a BIG lover of man that yearn and he was exactly that. Every scene of him and Nieve made me feel so much, whether it was butterflies or my heart breaking.
The narrator did such an AMAZING job. Honestly, one of the best parts was listening to how wonderfully she put across what the characters were feeling. I could feel the pain in her voice, and it just made the experience so much better.
“Don’t become one thing. You are allowed to change as many times as you want.” is a line I’ll think about a lot in the future. There were so many great lines in this book and I cannot recommend this enough. Overall, it broke my heart, made me cry, and also gave me so many butterflies.
March 3, 2026
4.25 ★ This book took me by surprise with how much I loved it. I'm a huge fan of magical realism and time travel in books and I think this was done so well. The premise of the book was so interesting, with the FMC's boyfriend passing away and that being the catalyst for her wanting to turn back time. I really enjoyed how unexpected Nieve's plot was after she went back in time. It kept me glued to the pages and wondering what decision she would make next that might change her's and Carter's future. I thought how the time travel happened was really unique from other time travel books I've read, and I loved that her grandmother played such a big role in that. I really enjoyed the friendship group dynamics, the role art played, and the setting in this story. I really liked our FMC, too. Who the MMC was kind of took me by surprise but I was very happy about the direction the romance went. I think it made a lot of sense for Nieve and the whole purpose of her going back in time. This book was so fast paced, entertaining, and emotional. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough! Would definitely recommend this one. Thank you to the publisher for the arc in exchange for my review!
November 10, 2025
⌇ arc read ⌇ ݁
Pure emotional magic in, out, and all around this book.
You just know when a story becomes one of your favorites. When you can’t put it down, even if it completely wrecks the sleep schedule you’re dying to fix (not to talk about fucking dying). When every other chapter gives you that chilling wave of goosebumps…
In Time With You sounded like something right up my alley with its magical realism and time travel aspect.
This story has so many beautiful things to teach, so many deep emotions to explore.
It’s about art, friendship, grief, love—about looking at your life from a different perspective, and understanding how even the smallest things can change everything.
The romance absolutely wrecked me.
It’s impossible and inevitable all at once—the kind of love that feels like it’s existed before, in another version of the same life.
I’m absolutely blown away by this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the DRC!
⌇ ria’s romance rating scale ⌇ ݁
• plot 85/100
• writing 83/100
• characters 80/100
• giggle & feet-kick-ability 75/100
• general enjoyment 95/100
1/5 🌶️
total: 418
*500-451 - 6 stars
450-401 - 5 stars
400-341 - 4 stars
340-201 - 3 stars
200-101 - 2 stars
100-0 - 1 star
Pure emotional magic in, out, and all around this book.
You just know when a story becomes one of your favorites. When you can’t put it down, even if it completely wrecks the sleep schedule you’re dying to fix (not to talk about fucking dying). When every other chapter gives you that chilling wave of goosebumps…
In Time With You sounded like something right up my alley with its magical realism and time travel aspect.
This story has so many beautiful things to teach, so many deep emotions to explore.
It’s about art, friendship, grief, love—about looking at your life from a different perspective, and understanding how even the smallest things can change everything.
«The purple yarn is still on his wrist. Of course it is, because we are all skeptics, until we're not.»
The romance absolutely wrecked me.
It’s impossible and inevitable all at once—the kind of love that feels like it’s existed before, in another version of the same life.
I’m absolutely blown away by this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the DRC!
⌇ ria’s romance rating scale ⌇ ݁
• plot 85/100
• writing 83/100
• characters 80/100
• giggle & feet-kick-ability 75/100
• general enjoyment 95/100
1/5 🌶️
total: 418
*500-451 - 6 stars
450-401 - 5 stars
400-341 - 4 stars
340-201 - 3 stars
200-101 - 2 stars
100-0 - 1 star
October 14, 2025
“Change is what reminds us we are alive.”
3.5!⭐️ this read was very fast paced and I loved the concept because I am a sucker for magical realism and time travel! I really enjoyed how the author explored so many of these “what if” feelings we go through in life. I adore nieve and max <3
3.5!⭐️ this read was very fast paced and I loved the concept because I am a sucker for magical realism and time travel! I really enjoyed how the author explored so many of these “what if” feelings we go through in life. I adore nieve and max <3
Want to read
November 8, 2025I received an arc for this book in my email. Been seeing this cover a lot on my ig feed and each time I got more curious about it.
Can’t wait to start reading this soon!
Can’t wait to start reading this soon!
October 15, 2025
In Time With You is a story that will stick with you long after you've read it.
I received an early copy via Wednesday Books at St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and given freely.
I went into this one without reading the blurb and I would recommend doing so if you also enjoy reading this way. Do read the blurb if you need content warnings however. But I was just so captivated from the start, hanging on every word, up until the very end. And what a beautiful, emotional journey of love, loss, healing and self discovery it is. It's about ripple effects. What you would do for love. For those you love. It will have you yearning for answers. For how it will end. And I will admit, I teared up many times.
I just let this story take me on it's journey. With magical realism, and great art rep, along with a host of great side characters (including a wise gran and her sheep), I just loved every minute of it. There's romance, and a splash of open door steam, but the focus is on Nieve. It's her story. And it's one I couldn't put down. This is my first time reading this author and her writing style is so fluid and beautiful. It won't be the last time I read her! I highly recommend reading this upon release!
I received an early copy via Wednesday Books at St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and given freely.
I went into this one without reading the blurb and I would recommend doing so if you also enjoy reading this way. Do read the blurb if you need content warnings however. But I was just so captivated from the start, hanging on every word, up until the very end. And what a beautiful, emotional journey of love, loss, healing and self discovery it is. It's about ripple effects. What you would do for love. For those you love. It will have you yearning for answers. For how it will end. And I will admit, I teared up many times.
I just let this story take me on it's journey. With magical realism, and great art rep, along with a host of great side characters (including a wise gran and her sheep), I just loved every minute of it. There's romance, and a splash of open door steam, but the focus is on Nieve. It's her story. And it's one I couldn't put down. This is my first time reading this author and her writing style is so fluid and beautiful. It won't be the last time I read her! I highly recommend reading this upon release!
January 20, 2026
I’ve been meaning to read a book by this author for awhile and am glad I finally did. The story was so unique making it one I read in one sitting. Having some magical realism added in to a contemporary romance I find really enjoyable. In this case it was a mix of time travel and the butterfly effect. The fmc hopes for the chance to go back in time to save her boyfriend at the time from drowning. But when she goes back in time all the little decisions she makes have an impact on the past and future. She also gets to see all the people in her life from a new lense.
I wasn’t sure how the story would handle the fmc’s grief from losing her boyfriend and her falling in love with the boyfriend’s best friend in the new timeline, but it worked well because we get to see how the fmc works through it.
Oh and crying over a sheep in a book is a first for me. 🥲
🏫 college
⏰ magical realism (time travel)
🦋 butterfly effect
👀 ex-boyfriend’s best friend
single POV
4/5 stars ⭐️
1/5 spice level 🌶️
I wasn’t sure how the story would handle the fmc’s grief from losing her boyfriend and her falling in love with the boyfriend’s best friend in the new timeline, but it worked well because we get to see how the fmc works through it.
Oh and crying over a sheep in a book is a first for me. 🥲
🏫 college
⏰ magical realism (time travel)
🦋 butterfly effect
👀 ex-boyfriend’s best friend
single POV
4/5 stars ⭐️
1/5 spice level 🌶️
September 23, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was such a cute romance that was so enjoyable to read. The characters grappling with the butterfly effect was handled in a really cool and unique way. I was a little confused with the rules of the time traveling sort of scenario that was going on but considering this is a romance book i was t expecting sci fi level world building. I also wish that the main characters arc was a little more drawn out considering how central to the story it is. This was a super cute young adult novel and it is definitely one to keep an eye out for next year.
October 3, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Kristin Dwyer for this arc!
“Everything I do has a consequence. If time is just going to take what it wants, what’s the point of any of this?”
This is my first book by Kristin and I must say I am impressed. The description of this book immediately grabbed my attention because it had that sense of magical realism and I love the genre and will devour any book even remotely close to adopting it. I didn’t exactly know what I was getting myself into, though. If you’ve ever lost someone, recently or not, it definitely plucks at your heart a bit but it’s become one of my favourite reads this year.
I’ll be honest, by the time I got to the 70% mark, I was starting to get frustrated because every single move Nieve made messed with the timeline and I so badly wanted something to go right for her. I wanted her to get some version of happiness where all aspects of her life were good while also making sure her goal of keeping Carter alive remained intact. And, yeah, I was kind of holding out hope for her and Max. I was really starting to think there was nothing Nieve could have done to make them happen. But I’m so happy with the way the whole book tied together (with yarn, of course) at the end, I couldn’t have asked for a better ending.
I will definitely be checking out more books by this author if they’re anything like this one!
“Everything I do has a consequence. If time is just going to take what it wants, what’s the point of any of this?”
This is my first book by Kristin and I must say I am impressed. The description of this book immediately grabbed my attention because it had that sense of magical realism and I love the genre and will devour any book even remotely close to adopting it. I didn’t exactly know what I was getting myself into, though. If you’ve ever lost someone, recently or not, it definitely plucks at your heart a bit but it’s become one of my favourite reads this year.
I’ll be honest, by the time I got to the 70% mark, I was starting to get frustrated because every single move Nieve made messed with the timeline and I so badly wanted something to go right for her. I wanted her to get some version of happiness where all aspects of her life were good while also making sure her goal of keeping Carter alive remained intact. And, yeah, I was kind of holding out hope for her and Max. I was really starting to think there was nothing Nieve could have done to make them happen. But I’m so happy with the way the whole book tied together (with yarn, of course) at the end, I couldn’t have asked for a better ending.
I will definitely be checking out more books by this author if they’re anything like this one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
RTC
RTC
October 18, 2025
oh my goodnes, this book broke my heart, made me feel that love hurts and if you lose it, it hurts even more. It healed me and then made me believe in love again. What a beautiful but bittersweet story.
thank you St. Martin's Press and netgalley for opportunity to read this advance copy.
thank you St. Martin's Press and netgalley for opportunity to read this advance copy.
March 3, 2026
This was adorable! Love love love. Super cute romance and the magical realism was super well done. Full review to come.
December 24, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s press for the early copy of this book.
This book was a suspenseful rollercoaster the entire time. It was hard to follow but it was very rewarding. It kept me guessing the entire time to the point I wanted to go back to the beginning to see if I missed anything but I hadn’t. It was just time that had slipped by as intended and the timeline had changed.
Overall, it was a beautiful journey. It was so well written and the message itself was very beautiful. I’m a sucker for second chances and this was a very unique representation of that.
Beautiful story!
This book was a suspenseful rollercoaster the entire time. It was hard to follow but it was very rewarding. It kept me guessing the entire time to the point I wanted to go back to the beginning to see if I missed anything but I hadn’t. It was just time that had slipped by as intended and the timeline had changed.
Overall, it was a beautiful journey. It was so well written and the message itself was very beautiful. I’m a sucker for second chances and this was a very unique representation of that.
Beautiful story!
September 26, 2025
I really liked this premise.However, this book got boring about half way through. I lost interest in both characters and it was a chore to finish.
March 3, 2026
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the ALC.
I absolutely loathed this book. All of the below is my OWN opinion and if you loved this book, I am so happy for you. Unfortunately, that was not my experience and I am going to go through a bit on why.
This is a vibes book. If you want a book that makes sense, do NOT read this book. Essentially, this book makes "time" a "character" who decides randomly what to change in the timeline just for giggles. None of the changes EVER make any sense. She decides not to go to a meeting and suddenly, her mom died when she was 3. She does something else and her cousin suddenly is a fashion design major instead of dance. Oh but wait, now she's dance again later...
There are so many changes and contradictions to EVERYTHING in this book that make the "love story" hard to explain and understand. Time erased her sleeping with Max TWICE for.... who tf knows because she also says at the end "Maybe I was supposed to love Max and time was helping me." Yes, it helped you by erasing your sleeping together? Ummmm.... sure.
At one point she says that it wasn't about her and Max but it was instead about Carter and Alex (a girl she didn't even KNOW in the og timeline) and that made no sense either because why does erasing her sleeping with Max help that goal???
And the ending? ... God. So Max, Carter, and a sheep go into the river and the sheep dies because "someone had to die tonight." .... Slow clap. That is something else.
There are more and more examples of things I didn't like but ultimately, I am so over it. So there are the big things above and the rest I will erase from my memory because I really want to pretend I never read this book.
(Edit: I almost forgot the VERY EXPLICIT smut scene in this YOUNG ADULT book that I had to skip. Authors need to stop putting explicit smut in their YA books.)
Again, I am very happy for the people who liked this book. It just was not for me at all.
I absolutely loathed this book. All of the below is my OWN opinion and if you loved this book, I am so happy for you. Unfortunately, that was not my experience and I am going to go through a bit on why.
This is a vibes book. If you want a book that makes sense, do NOT read this book. Essentially, this book makes "time" a "character" who decides randomly what to change in the timeline just for giggles. None of the changes EVER make any sense. She decides not to go to a meeting and suddenly, her mom died when she was 3. She does something else and her cousin suddenly is a fashion design major instead of dance. Oh but wait, now she's dance again later...
There are so many changes and contradictions to EVERYTHING in this book that make the "love story" hard to explain and understand. Time erased her sleeping with Max TWICE for.... who tf knows because she also says at the end "Maybe I was supposed to love Max and time was helping me." Yes, it helped you by erasing your sleeping together? Ummmm.... sure.
At one point she says that it wasn't about her and Max but it was instead about Carter and Alex (a girl she didn't even KNOW in the og timeline) and that made no sense either because why does erasing her sleeping with Max help that goal???
And the ending? ... God. So Max, Carter, and a sheep go into the river and the sheep dies because "someone had to die tonight." .... Slow clap. That is something else.
There are more and more examples of things I didn't like but ultimately, I am so over it. So there are the big things above and the rest I will erase from my memory because I really want to pretend I never read this book.
(Edit: I almost forgot the VERY EXPLICIT smut scene in this YOUNG ADULT book that I had to skip. Authors need to stop putting explicit smut in their YA books.)
Again, I am very happy for the people who liked this book. It just was not for me at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2026
in time with you • book review ☔️🐑🔮
“time is a fickle thing. it moves and takes and shapes and carves out moments form our lives. and sometimes it gives” 😭 MY HEARTTTTTTTTTTTTTT OW.
ladies and gents, add this to the list of my favorite books of the year!!!!! magic realism is a genre i really should read more often because i always come away feeling like i should be doing more to add ✨whimsy✨into my life.
kristin dwyer did a fantastic job of weaving together the past, the present, and the magic that links everything in between. not only does this book explore the grief of its main character, nieve, after witnessing her boyfriends tragic death, but masterfully paints a picture of desperation as she tries to reverse the events of her past to save his life. this was both nothing like i expected it to be and everything i was hoping for in a book 😭💕
this story was as beautiful as it was tragic and by the end, i felt so sad that it was over.
rating: ★★★★★
Thanks to @macmillan.audio for the early audio copy 🫶🏼
#MacAudio2025 #arc #alc
“time is a fickle thing. it moves and takes and shapes and carves out moments form our lives. and sometimes it gives” 😭 MY HEARTTTTTTTTTTTTTT OW.
ladies and gents, add this to the list of my favorite books of the year!!!!! magic realism is a genre i really should read more often because i always come away feeling like i should be doing more to add ✨whimsy✨into my life.
kristin dwyer did a fantastic job of weaving together the past, the present, and the magic that links everything in between. not only does this book explore the grief of its main character, nieve, after witnessing her boyfriends tragic death, but masterfully paints a picture of desperation as she tries to reverse the events of her past to save his life. this was both nothing like i expected it to be and everything i was hoping for in a book 😭💕
this story was as beautiful as it was tragic and by the end, i felt so sad that it was over.
rating: ★★★★★
Thanks to @macmillan.audio for the early audio copy 🫶🏼
#MacAudio2025 #arc #alc
February 27, 2026
Thank you NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and Macmillan Audio for the gifted ARC and ALC!
4.5 stars rounded up. I read this one immersively and I’m really glad I did. I’ll be honest: I think the audiobook alone could get confusing. There are timeline jumps that happen mid-chapter without any clear indication, so if you’re only listening, you might have a few “wait… what just happened?” moments. This blends magical realism with a second chance at first love, which immediately drew me in. I didn’t realize going in that it was YA, but it didn’t read too young. Nieve’s grief and decision making felt authentic for her age, and the emotional weight carried the story.
The stakes are what make this compelling and the stakes are quite high. In trying to save Carter, Nieve risks altering every other part of her life. The tension between her and Max is layered with guilt and shared grief, which gives their connection depth. Overall, this is an emotionally driven, time-twisty romance about love, loss, and the cost of changing fate. I really enjoyed the story and how everything ended up turning out for the characters. It left me thinking about how even the smallest choices can reshape a life, and how sometimes trying to change the past reveals what truly matters for the future.
4.5 stars rounded up. I read this one immersively and I’m really glad I did. I’ll be honest: I think the audiobook alone could get confusing. There are timeline jumps that happen mid-chapter without any clear indication, so if you’re only listening, you might have a few “wait… what just happened?” moments. This blends magical realism with a second chance at first love, which immediately drew me in. I didn’t realize going in that it was YA, but it didn’t read too young. Nieve’s grief and decision making felt authentic for her age, and the emotional weight carried the story.
The stakes are what make this compelling and the stakes are quite high. In trying to save Carter, Nieve risks altering every other part of her life. The tension between her and Max is layered with guilt and shared grief, which gives their connection depth. Overall, this is an emotionally driven, time-twisty romance about love, loss, and the cost of changing fate. I really enjoyed the story and how everything ended up turning out for the characters. It left me thinking about how even the smallest choices can reshape a life, and how sometimes trying to change the past reveals what truly matters for the future.
January 24, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.
Real rating: 4.3 stars
I love the time travel-travel trope, but I cannot stand the time loop trope. This was a strange in-between that worked well, even at the times it frustrated me.
Most stories with time travel change two or three things and call it a day. But this book—this book changed /everything/. Multiple times.
Tiny ripples, they kept saying. Tiny ripples that would cause massive changes at the drop of a dime, written in a sort of blink-and-you-miss-it manner that had me feeling like I was going crazy.
There were moments when everything blurred together and I could not say for certain what the current timeline was and what events were still valid in that new reality. I guess, in a way, that’s a good thing, because it allowed me to empathize with Nieve more. I, too, was just as frustrated as her at times when the tiniest thing she’d do would cause such a massive change and she had no choice but to roll with the punches.
I mourned several versions of the same person. I’m just thankful that, in every reality, her grandmother was her constant.
Real rating: 4.3 stars
I love the time travel-travel trope, but I cannot stand the time loop trope. This was a strange in-between that worked well, even at the times it frustrated me.
Most stories with time travel change two or three things and call it a day. But this book—this book changed /everything/. Multiple times.
Tiny ripples, they kept saying. Tiny ripples that would cause massive changes at the drop of a dime, written in a sort of blink-and-you-miss-it manner that had me feeling like I was going crazy.
There were moments when everything blurred together and I could not say for certain what the current timeline was and what events were still valid in that new reality. I guess, in a way, that’s a good thing, because it allowed me to empathize with Nieve more. I, too, was just as frustrated as her at times when the tiniest thing she’d do would cause such a massive change and she had no choice but to roll with the punches.
I mourned several versions of the same person. I’m just thankful that, in every reality, her grandmother was her constant.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was such a unique and fun read! I loved the idea of the story and the vibe was immaculate.
I love the campus setting, the damn sheep, the working on art together. It had a wide variety of characters which was fun but some of them also stayed quite surface level and left me wondering if I had missed some explanation for their behaviour. Grandee was definitely a highlight and I would've loved to see more of her.
I do think the execution could've been a bit better. Thinking back on it, there are quite a few things that raise some eyebrows. I'm still a bit confused as to why anyone thought she was sane if she was switching between timelines and not knowing whether people were alive or in the picture lol. I also think it could've been wrapped up a bit better. We did get answers but it was all kept quite vague and just felt a bit rushed.
I really enjoyed the idea of this book but as soon as I started thinking more about it, it just didn't hold up for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Rock the Boat for this arc!
I love the campus setting, the damn sheep, the working on art together. It had a wide variety of characters which was fun but some of them also stayed quite surface level and left me wondering if I had missed some explanation for their behaviour. Grandee was definitely a highlight and I would've loved to see more of her.
I do think the execution could've been a bit better. Thinking back on it, there are quite a few things that raise some eyebrows. I'm still a bit confused as to why anyone thought she was sane if she was switching between timelines and not knowing whether people were alive or in the picture lol. I also think it could've been wrapped up a bit better. We did get answers but it was all kept quite vague and just felt a bit rushed.
I really enjoyed the idea of this book but as soon as I started thinking more about it, it just didn't hold up for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Rock the Boat for this arc!
November 10, 2025
2.5 stars, rounded up!
When I first read the description of this book, it immediately caught my attention. I liked it overall, but I found the shifting timelines a bit confusing. It’s definitely fast-paced, which I enjoyed, but I wish the romance between Max and Nieve had been fleshed out a little more since it felt a little quick for me.
Thank you to St. Martin's for the e-arc!
When I first read the description of this book, it immediately caught my attention. I liked it overall, but I found the shifting timelines a bit confusing. It’s definitely fast-paced, which I enjoyed, but I wish the romance between Max and Nieve had been fleshed out a little more since it felt a little quick for me.
Thank you to St. Martin's for the e-arc!
December 29, 2025
4..5⭐️
I received this ARC in a Goodreads giveaway and it was a well-paced, enjoyable YA story of love, loss, and second chances.
It didn’t take me long to get through this one. I didn’t want to put it down. I enjoyed all parts of this book,including the characters. My only real critique was that I was expecting more emotional damage from a story like this and I just didn’t connect to it the way I thought I was going to. It lacked the element of FEELING like I was going through it WITH the fmc, otherwise I would have given it a 5!
I received this ARC in a Goodreads giveaway and it was a well-paced, enjoyable YA story of love, loss, and second chances.
It didn’t take me long to get through this one. I didn’t want to put it down. I enjoyed all parts of this book,including the characters. My only real critique was that I was expecting more emotional damage from a story like this and I just didn’t connect to it the way I thought I was going to. It lacked the element of FEELING like I was going through it WITH the fmc, otherwise I would have given it a 5!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the E-ARC! Really enjoyed! Cute characters & loved the banter. Very fast-paced & even cried a couple times. Will read more from this author.
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