The Minute Givers

by Christine Smonk

A woman uses her ability to rewind time to conduct her own investigation when her exes start mysteriously dying – in this irresistible debut novel that is part thriller, part mystery, part love story, all wrapped up in a clever speculative twist.

Click.

And for the eighth time in my life, my ability to rewind time gains a new minute.

Renee Carron can rewind time. Sixty seconds for every man she’s ever loved: A minute from her childhood pen pal, one from her most recent ex-boyfriend, and now her latest crush delivers number eight.

But when Renee loses a minute of her rewind powers, and then another, and another—each corresponding to a minute giver’s suspicious death—it becomes clear that someone is targeting her exes...and her.

As her powers dwindle, Renee must use what she has left of them to clear her name and track down a killer who seems intent on erasing all eight minutes and minute givers from existence. But beyond that, Renee has to reckon with the chaos her powers have wrought on her life and decide just how far she's willing to go for true love. In this universe of unlimited do-overs, can she create a perfect reality?

Genres: Science Fiction, Mystery, Adult, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Canada, Suspense

352 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication January 26, 2027

About the author

Christine Smonk is a writer and product manager based in Toronto. She graduated from Western University with a degree in media, information, and technoculture. When she’s not writing, she enjoys learning piano, playing video games, and orchestrating credit card points hacking schemes. The Minute Givers is her debut novel.

Reviews

[Hadyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book and cannot believe this is the author’s debut novel!

The story follows a flawed, (albeit like-able) character who has the ability to rewind time. Without the murder mystery, romance, or any of the additional plot I would have already loved this concept.

I went into this expecting an average read, and instead had a quick-paced love affair with a book that hasn’t even been released yet. I can’t wait to recommend this to people.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Viviana]

I won a NetGalley widget from Berkley marketing today.

[madisyn morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ For every man you fall in love with, you gain an extra minute of time to change the past?? Sign me up! And add in the fact that your minutes start to disappear and the men from your past begin to die, so it’s up to you to figure out who is behind this???? Double yes!

This was such a fun blend of genres—exploring romance and mystery with a twist of speculative fiction (also executed perfectly)! The balance was just enough of each to truly satisfy each respective part of the plot without trying to do too much. This book tackles a broad question/plot (“Who is killing my ex boyfriends?”) and does it with lots of grace. It had the ability to be overwhelming, but the author did a great job of explaining things in a seamless and effortless way, not confusing at all but left a slight mystery for you to uncover alongside the main character.

The growth Renee, our main character, experiences is such a gratifying part of this story. The person on page 1 is not at all who you see on the final page in the best possible way. She started out (and remained for most of the book) as one of those narrators that you can’t stand but also secretly love. Loved the way she was able to actually see the consequences of her special abilities (whether she intentionally caused these or not) and change was amazing.

I didn’t feel an overall emotional connection to Renee, but the plot and storyline really made up for this. And honestly, my reading experience was not impacted by this at all. I was so locked in and invested in this story. I found it incredibly interesting and really well thought-out! Def recommend

[Jensen McCorkel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 3.75 Rounded up

What if you could rewind time by one minute for every person you've ever loved? But when those precious minutes begin to disappear, you're forced to uncover why your ex-lovers are dying before your time runs out.

The mystery unfolds at a satisfying pace, striking a nice balance between suspense and emotional reflection. I especially appreciated that this wasn't simply a story about catching a killer. At its core, it's about regret, perfectionism, and the irresistible urge to replay every awkward conversation and life-changing mistake. Renee is a realistically flawed protagonist, and watching her grapple with the consequences of constantly chasing the "perfect" outcome made her easy to root for.

The blend of genres is another strength. Mystery, romance, speculative fiction, humor, and even a bit of behind-the-scenes movie-set atmosphere all come together seamlessly without feeling overcrowded. For a debut novel, Smonk handles multiple storylines with impressive confidence.

The speculative elements are fairly light. Rather than focusing on scientific explanations, the novel uses its central time-rewinding concept to drive the mystery, and that approach works well. That said, I never felt completely immersed in the world. Some of the supporting characters blended together, making it harder to form strong emotional connections, and although the ending tied everything together nicely, I would have liked a bit more foreshadowing leading up to the final reveal. I also found myself wishing the story explored the mythology behind Renee's gift in greater depth instead of asking readers to simply accept it.

Overall, The Minute Givers is an engaging speculative mystery with a fresh premise, compelling emotional themes, and plenty of suspense. While it didn't quite become an all-time favorite, it kept me turning the pages from beginning to end, and I'd gladly pick up another novel by Christine Smonk.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Minute-Givers was a fun read that kept me up past my bedtime for a couple of nights. I never would have guessed this was a debut novel, but Christine Smonk knocked it out of the park! The writing style is tight and easy to read/follow. Given the main character's ability to rewind time for a few minutes it would be easy to get lost with a less-skilled writer. But Smonk keeps the reader on track while also somehow allowing the main character to be confused.

The story is written in first-person - which is my preference - with a likable (if flawed) main character. The author manages to build in a lot of backstory and context as the story unfolds without giving the reader information overload. It all just flows pretty seamlessly, never seemed to drag, and it was easy to get caught up in Renee's story. I feel like we learn who the killer is right alongside the main character. I feel like we could have had a little more information around the real killer leading up to the reveal (although as I am writing this I am remembering there were a couple of very vague hints in hindsight...I don't want to spoil anything but I feel like at least one of the hints could have been developed a bit more). There is also a side character who ends up being an important component in the finale who I would have liked to see just a little bit more of - mainly because when her name was mentioned it took me a minute to remember who she was talking about.

The Minute-Givers has murder-mystery, light romance, sarcasm and wit, with a slight supernatural twist in Renee's ability to rewind time. The last chapter - which is really an epilogue - leaves the door open for a sequel or a spin-off, which I would love to read! I think this would also make a great movie - if only so we can get a glimpse of the movie being made during the story.

[Cameron Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do if you could turn back time, even just a bit?

I for one would try to avoid my F*** ups -- precisely in the way Renee Carron does, the messy, clever, dramatically self-concious protaganist does in this superb book. But guess what? As the author explores, trying to live your life perfectly -- even augmented with literal magic time powers -- doesn't end in perfection.

The Minute Givers is a rip-roaring mystery/thriller/sci-fi genre mashup that quite literally has something for everyone. It's even got a delightfully romantic B plot (and just a dash of spice, if you're into that kinda thing.)

While the time turning and murders are what I tuned in for, it was actually the setting on the C-tier film studio that I was most delighted by. The bizarre plot of the Christmas movie they're filming had me nearly as intrigued as Renne's investigation, and the author's detail-rich descriptions of production and the ins and outs of movie-making really felt written by someone with firsthand experience.

Suffice to say -- I loved it. Christine Smonk is a hell of a storyteller, and one fantastic world builder. Oh, and the descriptions of Renne's living area made me immediately go and tidy my bedroom lol.

[Kourtney MacDiarmid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a debut novel?! Consider me blown away.

Renee Carron receives the ability to rewind time one minute for every man she falls in love with. Unfortunately, someone is trying to get rid of all her minutes - by killing each of these men.

We join Renee on her journey to discover who is killing her former crushes/lovers but this book ends up being about so much more than a thriller revolving around finding a serial killer. It's about friendship, what it truly means to fall in love, and ethics surrounding how our "powers" should be used.

With the multitude of characters (Renee, her friends/coworkers, and her 8 former partners), this novel could have been so confusing for the reader, but Smonk's writing is straight-forward and easy to follow. I could have finished this in 2 days if it hadn't been my turn for multiple Libby holds...

PSA: Renee works on the set of a low-budget Christmas film. This was my least favorite part of the whole thing but I'm choosing to ignore it because I personally don't love reading books with Christmas settings outside of winter. That being said, I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a thriller option during jolly season!

[Karli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed this book more than I thought I would but I would not say this was a book that I was itching to pick back up. It was perfect for the summer (despite a Christmas movie being so central) and a beach read (as in it was fast paced and engaging enough).

The concept was quite interesting to me, Renee has had 8 crushes/loves in her life and can incidentally now rewind her life 8 minutes at a time. She does this generally in conversations so that she comes across as always saying the perfect thing. But suddenly she can only rewind seven minutes and it turns out that one of her ex's is missing and presumed dead.

This is definitely not a romance despite it being such a central focus of the plot but a thriller. I have to say that I did not suspect the killer at all so that was a pleasant surprise however I keep going back and forth if I thought who did it was satisfying or not. The killers explanation made sense and could argued as being a perfect fit for the books themes but also I was felt a bit like "okay but still why?".

Im in a bit of a reading rut but had no problem getting through this in a matter of days.

[Jes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Minute Givers was a delightful surprise. It isn’t a book I would have normally picked up on my own, but I’m so glad NetGalley introduced me to it.

This debut blends romance, mystery, and time travel into a story that kept me turning the pages. The murder mystery gave the plot momentum, while the concept of rewinding time had me completely captivated. I couldn’t help but daydream about what I would do if I were given the chance to go back and change a single minute.

The premise is imaginative, and the story moves quickly; it was an easy, engaging read that kept me curious to see how everything would come together.

One of my favorite parts of reading ARCs is discovering books I might have otherwise overlooked, and The Minute Givers is exactly that kind of book.

I’m grateful to have experienced this story months before its January 2027 release, and I’ll definitely be interested in seeing what this debut author writes next.

[Ria Camden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I even know what fun was before this book?

The Minute Givers, at first, had a pretty unhinged premise.

Renee Carron can rewind time. Literally gaining a new minute to her magical ability every time she has a crush.
Oh, and it's a murder mystery.

I picked up this book purely because I want to explore the magical realism genre at its fullest. But God, what a great surprise of a book this turned out to be.

I fell in love with the writing. With how cleverly Christine Smonk writes the ins and outs of her main character. The concept of the magic itself gets better and better the deeper we get into the story. By the end, I was just... satisfied.

This is a solid, clever, and—most importantly—fun debut novel.


A huge Thank You to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read this one early!

[Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the surface, The Minute Givers is a thrilling murder mystery with a supernatural twist. On a deeper level, it’s a thoughtful reflection on the relationship between imperfection, sense of self, and what it means to live authentically.

Renee Carron can rewind time one minute for every man she’s ever loved, a power which allows her to perfect every social interaction and erase any blunders. Throughout the novel we see the ways in which this power affects Renee’s connection and relationships with others, all while trying to keep up with a fast-paced, gripping mystery.

I recommend The Minute Givers to anyone who likes:
- A fast-paced, suspenseful murder mystery
- An opportunity for some self-reflection
- A Toronto setting
- A sprinkle of laugh-out-loud humour

[Sarah Harney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for an ARC of The Minute Givers via NetGalley.


At first glance the premise of this story was very interesting, but after finishing I'm not sure it was interesting enough to make an entire book out of. The rewinding of time was fun at first but quickly felt repetitive. I also really struggled with the fact that the main character was supposed to be in her mid to late twenties but her thoughts and conversations felt very immature, almost like a teenager, and as a result the book had a very YA feel to me. Overall, the best word I can use to describe this book is "fine", but I probably wouldn't recommend this to anyone except those who enjoy YA romance.

2.5 stars

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5

I really did get a kick out of "for the love of god, quiet on set." The film girlies understand. That's so real.

This felt like a unique take on a time travel/time controlling kind of story. And I really appreciated it. It did a while for me to truly understand how it worked, but I did feel like that was kind of on purpose. But I don't know how to explain that.

I did like that the time travel was used to solve mysteries and learn things, I did think that was really well done. And it kept my attention.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 rounded up. This debut is a fun blend of thriller, romance, and time travel. Some of the twists I guessed correctly, others I really didn't. I kinda love how Renee has clearly been negatively affected by her rewind powers, her maturity and sense of self stunted by the ability to fix even the slightest social faux pas. I'd like to think I'd be wiser and a more effective detective with the same powers, but honestly... I'd probably be worse lol

I received this ebook for free via Netgalley. This review is my honest opinion. The Minute Givers releases on January 26th, 2027.

[Tracey Workman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book through a reading retreat I participated in, and I’m so glad I did. This was a really fun read, and I especially loved the ending. The main character was funny and relatable, as were each of the side characters. The author did a great job weaving in some unexpected twists throughout the book, and I enjoyed the pacing. The storyline jumped around a bit, and at times, it made the story bit confusing, but I’ll still be recommending this one to all my friends. I look forward to following this author’s future works.

[Danielle Heptinstall · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Minute Givers By Christine Smonk is a speculation fiction thriller that will keep you reading late into the night! The way Renee has lived her life, is not like anything ever ever heard of! This book is full of suspense, wonder, hope, amazing characters, with a plot that will keep you flipping those pages late into the night! By the end of the book, Renee learns so much about herself & the true capabilities of her power! This was such an awesome book!

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an arc of this book.

The concept snagged my attention right away and it paid off. The murder mystery parts keep you guessing and I sped through the book in a couple days. There’s some great personal growth for the main character as she explores her relationships with others and herself.

Perfect for anyone who replays moments in their head.

[Stephanie Peterman · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty good debut, but definitely felt myself getting tired of renee's "rewinds" by the end of the book, which started to feel more like a party trick than a true magical ability. i could see this novel succeeding if it were billed as more of a YA thriller/romance with time travel magical realism elements given the MC's age and dialogue. thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Krysti · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Minute Givers is a whimsical blend of speculative fiction and mystery. The concept of gaining the ability to rewind time through the important people in your life was fun, and I enjoyed how the story balanced a twisty murder investigation with the consequences of time travel. A fun, fast read that stands out from the typical mystery/thriller.

[Mae B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars