June 12, 2023
With this cleverly constructed romance, James (Nothing but the Truth) puts a fresh spin on the concept of a time loop. The night after a handsome stranger kisses Gemma Peters at her best friend’s birthday party, Gemma wakes up to suspect that she’s reliving the previous day. She dismisses the feeling as déjà vu—until she collides with the same handsome stranger at a coffee shop, triggering even more flashes of memory. He introduces himself as Jack and claims the two of them have been trapped in a daylong time loop for a while. Though he remembers every iteration, this is the first time Gemma’s recalled anything about the previous go-rounds. He also has a theory about how they can break free: they must fall in love by the end of the day. Despite Gemma’s incredulity, she develops feelings for Jack as their paths keep crossing and he proves to understand her on a deep level. Meanwhile, she’s challenged to break out of her routine, let go of assumptions about her life, and even confront her estranged father. The focus is more on Gemma’s personal growth than the budding relationship, but Jack and Gemma still make a satisfying couple. This is a cute romp. Agent: Melissa Edwards, Stonesong.
January 1, 2024
Gemma crashes into Jack at a caf�, covering herself in coffee; he then tells her they're stuck in a time loop. By then, she's ready to call the whole day wasted. But Gemma wants to see what else this charming stranger has to say when he reveals the contents of a phone call that's yet to happen. After consulting both a psychic and a physicist, she lets herself believe enough to ask Jack how to solve the time loop. His theory: she has just one day to fall in love with him to break the cycle. This sincere closed-door romance proceeds with a laser focus and calculated pacing. Processing Gemma's relationships with her estranged father and peacekeeping brother is as much a part of the solution as her romance with Jack. James (Nothing but the Truth) balances Jack's actions with Gemma's agency, removing much of the awkwardness that comes with knowing someone before they know you. The Los Angeles setting comes alive as its own character, shaping plot and the protagonists' choices. Kristen DiMercurio shines as lead narrator, and Dan Bittner's cameo (for an interlude from Jack's point of view) is delightful. VERDICT A solid romance that lets readers believe in love in a single day.--Katherine Sleyko
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