Just in Time

by Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund-Broka

Time travel weaves the past and present of two strangers together in this whimsical romance from beloved authors Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka.

For Gwen Bailey, taking a yellow taxicab in NYC is a magical experience. Literally. When Gwen hails any taxi and mutters a date in her past, she is transported to that time. As a perfectionist, it’s allowed her to achieve the perfect GPA, perfect performance reviews, perfect everything. And if she makes a mistake, well, Gwen can just hop in a cab and correct it. She’s never met anyone else with this ability…until Ian.

For Ian Knox, time travel is for helping the people he loves. He has infinite chances to look out for his family, to hang out with the brother who needs him more than his sibling lets on—even to prevent life-changing tragedy. So what if he overextends himself or feels himself losing touch with the present? There will be time for that too, right? But everything changes when he meets Gwen.

As Gwen and Ian run into each other across New York City an irresistible attraction forms, and the complications of time travel begin to spiderweb across their timelines. They’ll have to decide between an imperfect future together or a past free of heartache.

Genres: Romance, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Contemporary, Time Travel, Fiction, Adult Fiction

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication December 8, 2026

About the author

Emily Wibberley attended Princeton University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Austin Siegemund-Broka, with whom she writes books for for adults and teens.

Visit her and Austin's website at www.emilyandaustinwrite.com.

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just in Time by Emily Wibberley
and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Gwen Bailey takes the special yellow NYC cabs to go back in time so she can fix things to ensure her present is perfect. Not perfect in all her life but in her work life. Her personal life is pretty crummy but she mostly uses her time travel to erase any unpleasant people from her life rather than try to better things with them. She's extremely focused on making her work life perfect, though.

Ian Knox uses his taxi cab time travel skill to make the life of his family better. And by better, that can be keeping them alive. He is so focused on making sure things are okay for his brother and his parents that they become worried for him. His parents don't know what he's doing but they suspect something. His brother does know what he's doing and seems to resent him for doing it.

Then one day, Gwen and Ian meet and then they keep meeting. Gwen doesn't have time for this carefree, happy acting guy except she realizes she doesn't have to be "striving" all the time around him. She can relax around him. Ian has needed someone to understand what it does to him to be living for others so much he's not living for himself at all. They enjoy talking, visiting, being themselves together.

But by coming together they are messing with their ability to time travel. Can they bring themselves to give up time travel for attraction to another person? Can they let go and let fate happen to others while they learn to really live without their time travel crutch? I certainly wanted them to do so but then there is that dreaded third act blow up that ruins the good they had together. Things seem so hopeless after that but maybe one or both of them has grown enough to make things work without their crutch. Read and see what happens in this very interesting and different story. Be sure to check out Jayme and DeAnn's reviews because they time traveled with me.

Expected publication December 8, 2026

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC

[ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you so much to netgalley for providing this arc!

knew i was in safe hands with emily & austin but OH. MY. GOD. i adored this with my whole soul. it was one of those books where i knew it was going to be a 5 star read from the first 10 pages. i started this last night and had to force myself to stop so that i could sleep. i absolutely LOVE romance novels with sprinklings of magical realism, and in this one we have time travelling new york taxis - something i’ve never seen before that worked PERFECTLY. the third act conflict did most certainly aggravate me, and it felt a little out of character, but i still adored these two together. i finished this in just under 24 hours and i’ve already placed my preorder for a physical copy. highly recommend!

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

No surprise! My favorite husband/wife writing duo-Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka have just written another WHIMSICAL, MAGICAL book. They NEVER disappoint and every book that I have read by them has earned 4 or 5 stars.

🚕🚕🚕🚕

At the age of 16, Gwen Bailey, discovered that she could hail a yellow taxicab in NYC, ask the driver to take her to a date in the PAST and literally be transported back in time. It has allowed her to CORRECT mistakes, and to buy the extra time she needs as an overworked lawyer seeking a partnership, to juggle all of her clients, and to impress her boss.

But, sometimes changing the PAST backfires on her personally, and along the way, she has forgotten how to be HAPPY.

For Ian Knox, he uses his ability to time travel to help the people he loves-even preventing a life-changing tragedy once-but somewhere along the way, he has forgotten to ever choose HIMSELF.

A chance encounter (or FATE) has Ian exiting one taxi, as Gwen hails it, and soon after-running into her again at their favorite coffee shop from the past, DEJA BREW. ☕️

Neither one has ever met another time traveler before, which makes Ian curious to compare notes, but Gwen is initially more reluctant.

Eventually, Gwen realizes that Ian is the first person to see her the way she has wanted to be seen-and Ian realizes that Gwen may be the first person to actually hear him the way he has longed to be heard.

But as they spend time together, they notice some glitches in their ability to time travel.

If they CHOOSE each other, will they LOSE their abilities completely?

And, do they even still WANT the same things that they wanted before they met?

Told from the alternating perspectives of Gwen and Ian, I settled right into this CHARMING story from the very first page, and remained engaged and entertained throughout!

Mark your calendars for December 8, 2026 so you can pick this one up too! 🚕

And, be sure to watch for reviews from Marilyn and DeAnn for additional thoughts on this title!

Thank You to Berkley for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley! As always, these are my candid thoughts!

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

⏳🚕 4 stars

I’m officially convinced that if New York City taxis could actually take us through time, I’d never complain about traffic again. 😂 Just in Time is such a charming, clever take on time-travel romance, and coming from one of my favorite real-life writer couples, I knew I had to jump in.

Gwen and Ian couldn’t be more different. Gwen uses her ability to go back and fix every mistake, chasing an impossible version of perfection, while Ian keeps returning to the past to help the people he loves. Naturally, when these two start crossing paths through different moments in time, things get deliciously complicated.

What I loved most was how the romance slowly becomes more than attraction. Their shared secret gives them a kind of understanding nobody else can offer, and watching them realize that constantly rewriting life might actually prevent them from living it was genuinely touching. There’s plenty of humor and sweetness, but also some surprisingly emotional moments about regret, control, family, and learning to accept an imperfect life.

The time-travel mechanics occasionally made my brain do a little emergency reboot 😂, and I wanted even more romantic payoff in places. But the NYC atmosphere, the playful premise, and the emotional character growth kept me completely invested.

Basically: magical taxis + New York + two people who desperately need to stop fixing yesterday and start enjoying today = a very enjoyable romance.

I’m giving this one 4 stars and happily recommending it to anyone who loves whimsical romance with a little magic and a LOT of second chances.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this engaging romance from one of my favorite real-life writer duos in exchange for my honest review.

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[Patricia Rupell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this so much! I loved the concept and especially enjoyed that it was set in New York City. I really liked the characters, and liked seeing how they each handled their gift. There were also some really good life lessons woven throughout the story.

What didn't work for me was the third act breakup, and also the overuse of strong language, which I thought was unnecessary. That said, I loved how everything came together, and found the ending really satisfying. I will definitely be looking for more by these authors.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Berkeley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[annotated by Noi (in & out)]

The cover on ig got me here, and I am not ashamed to admit it

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Time Travel Romance

I enjoyed this unique time travel story with two main characters in NYC. How fun to jump in a yellow taxi and travel back in time! We meet Gwen, a driven attorney who uses time travel to constantly correct her mistakes. She’s determined to make partner at her firm. Then there’s Ian, who uses time travel to help his family and save them from accidents. Will he ever put himself first?

When Gwen and Ian meet, it seems that fate has put them on the same path. They’ve never met another time traveler, so they aren’t sure how to interact or if they will alter the world. Gwen and Ian become friends and then fight their attraction to each other. Being together seems to affect their ability to time travel, so maybe they shouldn’t be together. But they keep running into each other.

I really grew to like these characters and to root for them. Could they manage to find happiness with each other and not feel the need to time travel so much? I enjoyed this one as it alternated between both of their perspectives. An enjoyable read with a twist at the end that I wasn't expecting!

A fun buddy read with Jayme and Marilyn, be sure to see if this one enchanted them as well.

My thanks to Berkley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one. Scheduled to release on 12.8.2026.

[ahmeeka]

need this on my desk stat

[Anna (annareadit) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an amazing journey! I loved the story, I loved the characters, and I loved how throughout the whole book I kept wondering what I would do in their shoes if I had the chance to time travel.

The book gives off real The Time Traveler's Wife vibes.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Brenna (brennas_book_corner) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. Time traveling-sign me up!! Unfortunately this story was just okay for me. I was even set to give it 3.5 stars until the 89% mark. The dreaded third act breakup. It was just silly and didn’t need to happen.

What I did enjoy was the deeper effects that time traveling would have on an individual if they were granted this special ability. Ian was so caught up in making sure his family was always taken care of and safe, while Gwen was obsessed with perfectionism. At times it was a bit much and I found myself wanting to scream at them, “You need therapy to work through your issues!”

I wish the time travel had been explained. It just simply existed and there was no rhyme or reason for it. While I normally enjoy dual POV stories, I often found myself confused as to whose chapter it was in the middle of a chapter. Their voices sounded so similar at times.

Overall the romance for me was lacking. This felt more like two individuals working through their issues and the journeys of their time travel while making a friend along the way. I just never really felt the chemistry and growth of their romantic relationship. This surprised with a book written by a married couple.

I still enjoyed the premise and setting of this story, but overall I found myself wanting more. It would make for a good cozy Fall or Winter read.

Star rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Content Rating: R (language)
🔥Spice rating: 🌶️ (mild open door-1 scene)
🤬Language: over 40 f bombs which seemed excessive and unnecessary

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own.

[Gracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just in Time 🚕☕️🌃🗽💫
5 🌟
2 🌶️

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for the chance to read and love this gifted advanced copy!

📖 Tropes and TWs:
🚕 NYC Setting
☕️ Time Travel
🌃 Nurse x Lawyer
🗽 Fate
💫 Dual POV
🚕 Minimal Language
☕️ Open-Door Spice (1 scene)
🌃 Complex Family Dynamics
🗽 Car Accident
💫 Abandonment

Wow, this book was absolutely incredible and so special! When I visited NYC for the first time, I bought a second-hand copy of The Time Traveler’s Wife. From that moment, I associated the two of those things, and I fell in love with both of them individually and simultaneously. It’s funny how a book about time travel had the ability to send me back into that moment, in my memory, and reignited the spark within me for both.

This book had such a refreshing concept from the plot, characters, progression, and cadence of the storytelling. I admittedly read a LOT of romance, and this felt like something completely fresh and different within the genre, which I appreciated, while also tapping into my memories of my favorite parts of time spent in the city. I also felt a really heavy connection to Ian’s character, background, and development. As a female reader, I don’t feel like I often connect with a MMC more than a FMC, but I saw so much of myself in him, and it was a very cathartic experience.

This is truly a book that I can just *feel* is going to stick with me for a very long time, and I truly think that it has elements that everyone will feel a connection to in their own personal way.

[mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

a magical realism romance set in new york city. need i say more?
the only downfall to this was the third act breakup, because it was one of those that was genuinely so unnecessary and felt like it was thrown in just because, but the rest of the story was saurrrr phenomenal.

+ thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc! all opinions are my own <3

(day 29 of 30 books in 30 days!)

[felicia]

Magical cab rides with romance and time travel

[Papillon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love the time-travel trope, especially in romance. It’s so under-explored for a premise so intriguing and powerful.

Everybody wishes for a do-over at least once.

Ian and Gwen get infinite opportunities to do so. (Only in New York City yellow cabs, of course). Ian uses his powers to make the lives of those he’s closest to better. Gwen uses hers to fix the slip-ups and pitfalls in her own life.

These two time travelers, by pure happenstance or by fate, have their lives converge.

I enjoyed getting to know these two individuals as they walked through life—past, present, and future. My only real gripe is the unfortunate use of what authors believe is “miscommunication”, which it is not.

It is /lack/ of communication; it is using assumptions and self-deprecating thoughts to fill in the gaps of conversations that should’ve happened. I don’t enjoy that. I will never enjoy that. It is a lazy tool that is used to prolong a story, prolong reaching the destination of a happily ever after because, for some reason, authors believe readers don’t need to see anything else after that.

Well, I do.

I would love to, for once, read characters living in the happily ever after they fought to achieve for longer than just an epilogue. I want to read it for many chapters. And then, as a treat, I would like to drop in on them during a pocket of time in the future.

I suppose, in this book, it’s fitting in a way. The lesson is to learn to live in the present. So as the readers, we are left only with the here and now.

[emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

yay time travel!! rtc

[Pía · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, thank you, NetGalley and Berkley, for letting me get an e-ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

6/5 — stars

This is without a doubt one of my top 5 reads of the year. This is the type of book where, from the first sentence, I was hooked, but by the end of the first chapter, I was addicted. The type that makes you remember why you love reading.

The book follows Gwen and Ian, who can time travel by using yellow taxis in New York. Gwen is a perfectionist with abandonment issues who only cares about using time travel to work more efficiently and make partner. Ian, on the other hand, uses his time travel to help the people around him.

Their paths cross, and because they are the only time travellers they know, they become friends, much to Gwen's reluctance. Their friendship begins to make their time travel glitch, and they have to decide whether what they have is worth risking not only their friendship but also their ability to time travel.

Both of these characters have my heart. I love their personal growth so much, and their tension was exquisite. It's not surprising that the authors, Emily and Austin, are a married couple. Please stay together forever and never stop writing books.

This book is about time travel, but I feel like I was the one doing it. It's so short by my standards, but it felt like so much happened. The writing flows effortlessly, the tension was amazing, and honestly, everything about this book was perfect.

I recommend this book for the perfect cosy read. It also has a few Christmas and New Year's scenes, so it's perfect that it comes out in December, when people can read it during the holiday season.


- Friends to lovers
- Sunshine x grump - ish
- Time travel
- Set in New York

[Kat Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it’s safe to say that Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka have become auto-buy authors for me. Their last book, Seeing Other People, has been one of my favorite books I’ve read this year.

This book was also fantastic. It was a really interesting take on the time travel trope. Our FMC, Gwen, uses time travel to make her life as close to perfect as she can get it. Our MMC, Ian, uses time travel to help those he cares about. When they find each other, they realize they can learn a lot from each other - and may have to, since their time traveling abilities go haywire in each other’s presence.

Gwen was initially pretty unlikable to me. However, one of the greatest pleasures of this book was watching Gwen find her true self and start living more in the moment. I ended the book really loving her character.

The only thing I struggled with in this one was the third act break-up. There was a really big reaction for something that one of the characters MAY have done - but it was never even proven.

Overall, though, this was a fantastic read, and it has me diving for the rest of their backlist!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review. This one releases on 8 December 2026.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely ADORE books like this!

I had the best time reading this book. I was giggling and swooning one minute, and then all up in my feelings the next. This book had the right amount of fun, humor and heart. I am a sucker for a time-travel story when it is done like this. The nostolgia of the different times in this book was so fun too.

In this book, has the ability to travel back to any point in her life via a NYC yellow cab! She often is going back to fix big and little mistakes to perfect her life. But in the process of trying to achieve perfection she forgets to actually live her life. This book is her journey of finding perfection.

The message of this book really sunk deep into my brain and this is the exact reason I love to read. It made me feel an array of emotions, and I never wanted this book to end. I had to actually pause this book for a few days because I didn't want it to be over.

If you enjoy Cara Bastone and Ashley Poston books, I think you will enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the gifted digital copy of this book!

[Jennifer · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Just in time by Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegemund-Broxa is a cute romance following two NYC time travelers. When Gwen climbs into a NYC taxi cab, she can request not just the location but the date. She mostly uses this time travel super power to catch up on work for her job as a corporate lawyer, with the goal of making partner. Ian, a fellow New Yorker, is also out there time traveling, but he uses his powers to save his friends and family from missteps and disaster. When the two meet, their philosophies challenge each other, and their connection is undeniable. The closer they become, however, the more challenging it is to time travel. Gwen and Ian must decide if what they feel is worth the potential ramifications.

I absolutely loved this book until the last 80% when the authors threw in a miscommunication that just did not work for me at all. I get why there had to be conflict at that point in the story but it just didn't gel with the character development that had happened so far in the story, and even though there's a sweet HEA I couldn't get over how much I hated that last twist. However, the miscommunication trope is my personal pet peeve, so if that is not the case for you, I think this story is so fun. I loved the way the time travel worked, and the characters were really cute.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Berkley for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

NetGalley Review

This was such an exciting premise to evaluate how humans appreciate and utilize time.

Gwen and Ian have been given the gift of time travel…by NYC Taxi Cabs. Both given the gift based on traumatic events in their lives. They both use time travel in different ways, but both a result of the trauma they experienced.

What would you do with more time? That’s the question. And is the present enough? Do you need to have the comfort of being able to change the future or can you trust yourself?

These questions are woven into to the narrative as Gwen and Ian become mixed up in each other’s lives by fate.

“Maybe mistakes are better than nothing.”

[Kailey (kmc_reads) · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

This was fine- I don’t think this author duo is for me. It was cute but I didn’t really feel like the characters had much of a romantic connection, they lost me with the time travel instead of them like, actually spending time together? Hard to explain but I didn’t feel invested in this one.

[agathafeelingg.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for an early copy of Just In Time by Emily Wibberley; Austin Siegemund-Broka. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5
Release date: December 8th, 2026

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

Just in Time had a really intriguing premise. The idea of finding love through time travel immediately hooked me, but unfortunately, I don't think the execution lived up to the concept.

My biggest issue was with the time travel itself. It simply... existed. Gwen and Ian find themselves in deeply emotional moments, hop into a random NYC cab, and suddenly they're traveling back in time. That's pretty much all the explanation we get. I kept waiting for some kind of logic behind how it worked, why they were able to do it, and especially why the rules seemed to change once they met each other. Instead, the story asks you to accept it at face value, which made it difficult for me to fully immerse myself.

The dual POV also didn't work as well as I hoped. Gwen and Ian had such similar narrative voices that I often had to stop and remind myself whose chapter I was reading. Ian was probably the more compelling character for me. He's incredibly selfless, using his ability to revisit the past to help other people, even at the expense of his own present. He's so focused on fixing yesterday that he forgets to live today. Gwen, on the other hand, is fiercely ambitious and obsessed with perfection, to the point where I honestly found her stressful to read at times. She's constantly chasing an ideal version of her life, yet never seems happy with what she has.

While I found their romantic chemistry a little underwhelming, I did enjoy how they influenced each other's growth. Through meeting one another, and through all their attempts to rewrite the past, they slowly realized that happiness doesn't come from fixing every mistake. Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is let the past stay in the past and allow life to unfold as it's meant to.

Overall, I appreciated the message the story was trying to convey, but I wish the world-building had been stronger and the romance had packed a bit more emotional punch. It was an enjoyable read with a unique premise, but one that ultimately left me wanting more.

[Lynnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I read from Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka and I admit I have mixed feelings about it, but overall I enjoyed it.

Always a sucker for a time travel story, I was intrigued by the basic premise of Just in Time. Gwen and Ian are able to travel through time using New York's yellow cabs, each believing they are the only one with the ability until they meet each other out of time. Is it fate, coincidence, or something else entirely that keeps bringing them together through time?

I really loved the idea of taking a yellow cab back to a previous point in your life and I enjoyed the rules of time travel that Wibberly and Siegemund-Broka put in place; they were magical but still limited. Gwen and Ian did not have complete free rein over the past. I also generally enjoyed Gwen and Ian as characters, as well as most of the secondary characters, particularly Ian's brother Shawn.

I nearly abandoned this book early on however, and recognizing that I was reading an ARC, it's possible that this complaint may not be relevant by the time the final draft is published. But the first several chapters were, for lack of a better word, pretentious. The characters used ridiculously big words that no one would use in everyday conversation. I first laughed out loud at "perspicacity" in chapter 2 (and then grabbed my dictionary to make sure it meant what I thought it did). The SAT vocabulary words continued, but I'm hopeful that none of them will make the final draft as they tapered off significantly after chapter 4 - which is just about the time I was ready to give up on the book if they continued. I love vocabulary as much as the next person, but I read for fun, not a linguistic challenge. I only noted one other hilariously absurd phrase later in the book and because it was much later and by itself, I let it slide.

Still, I enjoyed Gwen and Ian's story through time. I did not enjoy the third act conflict as it felt forced and unnecessary, but again, I felt like the secondary characters came in and saved the day. I think that readers who enjoy a sweet time travel, or magical realism romance will find a lot to enjoy about Just in Time.

Just in Time will publish on December 8, 2026.
Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group, NetGalley, Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka for the advance reader copy.

[Alissa Dernetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5★

I’m obsessed with Gwen and Ian. Genuinely.

Made me cry. Finished in one sitting. There is something so incredibly enticing about time-travel romance, and finding your person in any time they may be.

I find Gwen much more frustrating as a character than Ian, and a lot of it is to do with the fact that she doesn’t have any connections and therefore didn’t feel like a real person the way that Ian did with his relationships to Shawn and his parents. I didn’t particularly like that Gwen didn’t have any solid female friendship, which made it difficult to like her until that was addressed in the plot, and I felt better about it. While Ian felt more real, he had less character development, so it was a bit of a trade off there.

I think the timeline is sticky and hard to keep track of, which I get is likely the point even though it’s something that bothers me. It’s hard to tell exactly how much time has passed in the present while they’re constantly hanging out in the past. It’s also difficult to nail down exactly when Gwen’s father abandoned her, which isn’t exactly important but if she’s 15 in 2006, and we know the book takes place in 2026, then she’s 35. But she keeps saying it’s been a decade since her father left, even though it’s mathematically been two, and somehow her father abandoned her as an infant but the custody hearing was when she was 15? Which also puts her father starting over again with a baby at 55 with a woman who is “a little younger” — objectively insane and it would have been texas chainsaw massacre in that fucking diner if I was Gwen. She’s better than me for letting that shit slide.

The plot twist was genuinely shocking to me, a fantastic pay off, though the result of said twist made me want to rip my hair out and also strangle everyone involved. The ending was incredibly satisfying, and immensely romantic, even if I (sort of) hated the way it came about. This is a deeply emotionally driven story, and even though I still have no idea what the fuck was up with their time-travel, that’s the beauty of it.

Couldn’t recommend this more. A new favorite.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE magical realism, so I was really excited about this one. I'm happy to say it totally delivered!

First off, I was really impressed by the writing. It's just so smart and beautifully done. There were times when I had to stop and reread a sentence because I was so impressed by how much depth the authors could pack into such a simple line. Additionally, the dialogue feels natural, the characters are interesting, and there's so much thought behind the story without it ever feeling like the authors are trying too hard. I loved the concept of traveling through time in NYC taxis, and I especially loved how differently Gwen and Ian used their abilities and what that revealed about each of them.

The twist! I genuinely didn't see it coming. I was so completely fooled that I actually went back to look at earlier parts of the book to see what I'd missed lol. I love when a story manages to surprise me like that, especially when I can look back and appreciate how cleverly everything was set up.

I genuinely thought this might be a five-star read for a while, but I did feel the pacing slow down a little as it went on. And while I really liked Gwen and Ian together, I wanted MORE romance. More tension, more yearning, more of those moments that make you desperate for two characters to finally get together. To be fair, Ian was yearning, but I felt like he controlled or explained away his feelings a bittt too easily for me. And while I didn't necessarily love eeeeevery choice in the third act, I could appreciate what the authors were doing, and it didn't take away from how much I enjoyed the story overall.

Such a clever, beautifully written story, and a really solid four stars for me!

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, and Berkley for the eARC!

[Rhiannon Green · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! I wanted to love it, and for a minute, I thought I did, but there were several things that kept this from being a 4⭐+ book for me.

First off, I adore time travel books. I think they are always so interesting. But they also often leave a lot of room for plot holes, things not lining up or writing the outcomes to fit in the plot rather than the plot flowing. That's some of what we saw here.

I thought the way this story was laid out, the limitations of the time travel and the view points of the travelers, Gwen and Ian, was really well done. I really enjoyed the development of their friendship and then romantic relationship and how they complimented one another. I loved the dynamics of their impacted personal relationships because of their time travel, including each other.

What I struggled with was the third act (SPOILER SO PLEASE STOP READING IF YOU DON'T WANT MINOR SPOILERS), and the third act break up. It was all so rushed. What started falling apart at 88% of the way through, should have been staring at 70/75% of the way through to allow ample time to develop what was happening. To me, we had all this build up of this really interesting story and then rushed the explanation, ending and resolution. I just would have really loved to see more during the ending of this book.

Regardless, I thought it was a great read and I didn't want to put it down for much of the book. I would recommend it especially if you're someone who likes time travel and magical realism elements in your romance books. I have pre-ordered this one because I will want it in my home library .

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read, romance with a little bit of magic.
It's hard to find books that aren't just another variation of something that's already been done, so this was something a little different. I'd still encourage people to pick it up.

SPOILERS.

I felt like there should have been more consequences for traveling.
Like I thought saving Ian's family from the accident, caused her father to be int he accident.... or some reason they were tied together..... then to be absolutely confused... how Ian was able to put all those pieces together so quickly, while I was still completely lost..... but then idk... future Gwen, who is still Gwen who doesn't feel good enough for anyone, lack confidences, expects her past self to lure a boyfriend away to keep a client? Doesn't seem like her personality. And she could have easily actually ran into "Vic" at the wedding... what then?

I do think you shouldn't put too much thought into these books, just a fun little escape, but it just didn't sit right with me, with her being so uptight and needing to control every little thing, it seemed just really careless and what if...

And I want answers, why did they get the power to travel, why did sleeping together take it completely away, yet, got one more trip right after... What if you accidentally dated someone who was a traveler and didn't know... I kept waiting for her bff to admit she travels too. Since no one is talking about it, it could be anyone!

[Payton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally don’t even know how to start this review because this book left pieces of my heart scattered within hundreds of NYC taxicabs throughout time.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The unfathomable longing. The incomprehensible uncertainty. The desperation and earnestness and endless scrabbling for a time that is always out of reach even when you’re in it.

Ian and Gwen’s very different (and yet - somehow similar) uses of time travel are such heartbreaking depictions of their own deepest fears. Gwen uses hers to try and become someone worth staying for. Ian uses his to give all of himself to everyone he loves. And they lose themselves in it over and over.

While Ian is eager to pull Gwen into his life as the first ever person who has understood him, she’s terrified to welcome him in for the very same reason. Because if you can rewrite yourself into someone perfect, how do you face someone who knows just how hard you’ve had to work to make that happen?

But inevitably, they come back to each other. Through years and cabs and time jumps and bewildering strings of fate and coincidence, they find each other at the eye of the storm again and again. And the bittersweet, agonizing, timeless homecoming is made all the more stunning - knowing that the person they’re choosing understands completely what it means to choose them back.

[Christine I. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was genuinely drawn in by Just in Time. Yes, it’s ultimately a romance, but what truly shines is the growing friendship between two people who share a rare ability: they can repeatedly revisit their own timelines and alter the outcomes, impacting their lives and the lives of others.

The premise raises compelling questions about responsibility, morality, and the emotional cost of rewriting your past. Where’s the line between helping and interfering? And how do you stay present when the past is always within reach? The book explores these ideas with a light touch, offering opportunities for deeper reflection without ever feeling heavy.

If you enjoy contemporary stories with a touch of magical realism, characters who evolve through introspection, and narratives that offer space for reflection without demanding it, this book is a lovely fit. It’s quick, engaging, and emotionally thoughtful. If you’re looking for a romance heavy plot with spice or strict realism, this one won’t align with your tastes.

Gwen’s internal dialogue occasionally felt repetitive, but it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the story and its themes.

I’m excited to read more from this wife and husband writing duo.

Rating 4.5/5 stars – rounded up

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing Group for providing an advance reader’s copy through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

[jill just reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a man who yearns so hard that he breaks the space-time continuum!!! One of my favorite tropes/character dynamics is the “I can do it myself” FMC and the caretaker MMC, and Gwen and Ian are definitely that! I loved how Emily and Austin used time travel to represent and amplify different parts of Gwen and Ian’s personalities and character arcs! I am a sucker for speculative romance novels, where the speculative element (in this case, time travel) is used to further the character arcs.

Gwen was so deeply relatable in a way that hit me right to my core. A few times, I found myself having to set down my book and stare at the wall for a few minutes because it resonated so deeply. Gwen is definitely for the burned out, people pleaser, perfectionist people!!!

I especially loved Ian’s relationship with his brother, Shawn, in the past and present. They have such an interesting dynamic that really highlighted Ian’s deeply ingrained need to take care of everyone else before himself, to his own detriment. If you want a yearner MMC, Emily and Austin has got you covered with Ian!! He falls first and falls HARDER!!! I love a down bad MMC!!!

Gwen and Ian had such good banter, and I loved how time travel kept throwing them together! I think they would have found each other, some way or another, in every timeline. Overall, I definitely recommend this one!!