Time and Time Again
Chatham Greenfield
Bloomsbury
Published July 23, 2024
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About Time and Time Again
Phoebe Mendel’s day is never ending—literally.
On August 6th, she woke up to find herself stuck in a time loop. And for nearly a month of August 6ths since, Phoebe has relived the same day: pancakes with Mom in the morning, Scrabble with Dad in the afternoon, and constant research into how to reach tomorrow and make it to her appointment with a doctor who may actually take her IBS seriously. Everything is exactly, agonizingly the same.
That is, until the most mundane car crash ever sends Phoebe’s childhood crush Jess crashing into the time loop.
Now also stuck, Jess convinces Phoebe to break out of her routine and take advantage of their consequence-free days to have fun. From splurging on concert tickets, to enacting (mostly) harmless revenge, to all-night road trips, Jess pulls Phoebe further and further out of her comfort zone—and deeper in love with them. But the more Phoebe falls for Jess, the more she worries about what’s on the other side of the time loop. What if Jess is only giving her the time of day because they’re trapped with no other options? What if Phoebe’s new doctor dismisses her chronic pain? And perhaps worst of all: What if she never gets the chance to find out?
My Review
A time loop romance is definitely not something I thought I needed in my life, and I will fully and freely admit I was wrong. Ha! I had so much fun reading this book. Phoebe and Jess make such a great pair, whether they’re getting up to mischief, reconnecting as friends, or exploring new territory altogether.
I also enjoyed both of Phoebe’s parents. They have flaws, but they show up for her in really important ways, sometimes ways that surprise even Phoebe. I also liked Jess’s relationship with her brother, Zahir, and his bandmates.
The time loop setup is great. It hits enough of the mundane stuff to give us a feel for how exhausted Phoebe is from reliving the same day over and over, but somehow, we continue to learn new things about her and her family, even in moments that have become so familiar, they feel like a joke we’re in on.
I liked that the resolution felt like something the characters had to work for, too. I’ve read books where the main character just has to WANT the solution badly enough in order to have it, and I don’t generally find those very satisfying. This one, because there was some real work involved, felt like it had a truly earned ending.
Both Jess and Phoebe have chronic illnesses. Jess’s is immediately visible because of her use of mobility aids, but Phoebe’s is no less debilitating despite being invisible. I liked that the author chose to include both a visible and an invisible disability in one book.
Readers looking to fit another fun romance into their summer reading will not want to miss this sweet, time-bending story.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 14 up.
Representation
Phoebe is plus-sized and chronically ill. Jess is nonbinary and has chronic pain. Both are lesbians and Jewish.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Some F-bombs used throughout. Other profanity used fairly frequently.
Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a girl and nonbinary person. In one scene, two characters remove their shirts and give and receive consent to have sex. (Intercourse happens off-scene.)
Spiritual Content
References to attending services and celebrating Jewish and Christian holidays.
Violent Content
A girl is hit by a car (no serious injuries.) References to fat-phobic comments. Descriptions of abdominal pain due to IBS.
Drug Content
None.
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