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Rinse and Repeat (Repeater)

by Amberly Smith (Goodreads Author)

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 151 ratings · 29 reviews

After reliving the same day sixty-two times, Repeater Peat Harris is about to give up on his latest case: saving Jake Schwinn. In the past, Peat has solved some seriously twisted crimes, caught the bad guys, and kept an emotional distance. But this time, his heart’s involved, a definite must-never-do on Repeats, and he can’t just walk away—even if that means putting himsel...more

Paperback, 210 pages

Published January 24th 2011 by Dreamspinner Press (first published January 23rd 2011)

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Feb 03, 2011 Tam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, other-paranormal, police-crime-mysteries

Peat is a repeater. He is sent to various places around the country to stop a crime or catch a criminal and until that happens, the day keeps happening over and over again. He is sent to Idaho to save Jake who keeps getting shot at a skate park. Everyday he tries to figure out who is killing Jake, and soon he starts trying to throw himself in front of the bullet and it's up to about day 60 and he still can't figure it out, but there's a problem, he's falling for Jake even though every day, to Ja...more

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May 23, 2013 Octobercountry rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've just finished Rinse and Repeat by Amberly Smith. It was difficult to choose a category in which to place this novel; it’s one of those stories that covers a number of genres. Mystery, paranormal, romance, sci-fi---what on earth would you call the book?

Well, I’ll settle for calling it excellent. No mistake---I simply loved this book. While similar ideas have been used in films and literature before, I’ve not previously seen this exact premise explored as it is here. And I appreciated how th...more I've just finished Rinse and Repeat by Amberly Smith. It was difficult to choose a category in which to place this novel; it’s one of those stories that covers a number of genres. Mystery, paranormal, romance, sci-fi---what on earth would you call the book?

Well, I’ll settle for calling it excellent. No mistake---I simply loved this book. While similar ideas have been used in films and literature before, I’ve not previously seen this exact premise explored as it is here. And I appreciated how the reader is initially left to figure out just what the heck is going on without too much explanation or background being provided. Let’s face it---I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, or the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree; usually I prefer having things spelled out for me. But even I was able to comprehend the gist of the plot before long, though about three-quarters of the way through the book we finally do learn at least a little more about Peat, and what being a Repeater is all about.

I really did feel for Peat, the anguish he feels when time and time again he isn’t able to save Jake, only to have the entire day start over with a fresh chance to figure out what’s going on, what he can do to make things right. Though---to make matters worse, he’s come to genuinely love Jake even as he’s trying to save him, and hoping that the day won’t end once again with the man dying in his arms (or with him taking the bullet for Jake instead). He tries to toughen himself against these feelings---during this Repeat it’s as if he’s known Jake for over two months, and it breaks his heart a little as every day dawns and Jake once again doesn’t know him.

However, this time things start to go differently--- as the Repeat drags on and on, Jake slowly begins to have flashes of memory from the alternate timelines of previous Repeats, something which has never happened before...

The book ends most satisfactorily, and in my opinion provides a good set-up for a continuing series. So far there’s only one short prequel story to this book, titled Closet Case , which is about Peat trying to come out to his mother while simultaneously working on another Repeat, but I haven’t read it yet. I have no idea if the author has any plans to write further novels about these characters, but I would buy them in a heartbeat if she does.

Recommended for fantasy/sci-fi fans!

(Oh, about the cover…. It isn’t terrible, but here’s some advice for artists/graphic designers: enough with the headless naked torso covers! This has absolutely been done to death---you can be more creative than this.)

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Apr 17, 2013 ARe Cafe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vals-picks

Rinse And Repeat by Amberly Smith is a suspenseful contemporary thriller built around an intriguing science-fiction idea. Certain people are Repeaters who discover upon turning nineteen that they must repeat random days in time for as long as necessary until they resolve a situation, which usually means solving a violent crime. They travel the country, doing this for strangers. The regular humans don’t know about the Repeaters, and even the Repeaters have no idea why, or for what purpose, they a...more Rinse And Repeat by Amberly Smith is a suspenseful contemporary thriller built around an intriguing science-fiction idea. Certain people are Repeaters who discover upon turning nineteen that they must repeat random days in time for as long as necessary until they resolve a situation, which usually means solving a violent crime. They travel the country, doing this for strangers. The regular humans don’t know about the Repeaters, and even the Repeaters have no idea why, or for what purpose, they are chosen.

Each must determine his mission by trying to influence the situation in every conceivable way, including taking a bullet to save the intended target. If the Repeater succeeds in resolving the situation, he survives and time moves forward into its normal course. If he fails, the day repeats until he gets it right. The normal humans have no memory of the Repeater upon each reset.

Withholding full information about the Repeaters could have been frustrating for the reader, but isn’t. Instead, it hints at sequels while increasing suspense as Peat the baffled Repeater fumbles through a heartfelt trial-and-error process to save the man he has come to love.

The story opens in Boise, Idaho with a short prolog introducing us to hot twenty-something skateboarder Jake who is speaking at the funeral of his best friend, recently shot to death by an unknown assailant. The first chapter puts us in the viewpoint of Peat, who is wrapping up his latest Repeater mission in Seattle. Inarticulate psychic urgings compel Peat to journey on to Boise where he meets Jake for the first time, only to witnesses a rooftop sniper gun him down.

In the weeks that follow, Peat lives through almost every conceivable scenario as he attempts to save Jake, and each variation of the day remains fresh and suspenseful. He realizes that Jake is attempting to use himself as bait to flush out the murderer who killed his best friend. Meanwhile, Jake and Peat become lovers. As the days reset, Jake begins to waken to a sense of déjà vu hovering around Peat, which turns into actual memories and a complete understanding of the situation. Now, the two of them work together to track down the murderer and fight for their possible future.

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Apr 05, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Peat is stuck repeating the same day over and over, but his goal is to save the boy he’s fallen in love with and there’s no groundhog in sight. Peat is a repeater and he’s been sent to save Jake’s life. However two months of repeating the same day has left Peat in love with Jake and black and blue from learning to skateboard but no closer to figuring out how to save Jake. As each day passes Peat falls more in love with Jake but also realizes he has to find a way to save Jake, somehow.

Rinse and...more Peat is stuck repeating the same day over and over, but his goal is to save the boy he’s fallen in love with and there’s no groundhog in sight. Peat is a repeater and he’s been sent to save Jake’s life. However two months of repeating the same day has left Peat in love with Jake and black and blue from learning to skateboard but no closer to figuring out how to save Jake. As each day passes Peat falls more in love with Jake but also realizes he has to find a way to save Jake, somehow.

Rinse and Repeat plays on the popular and well known theme of repeating a day over and over again until a specific goal is achieved. In this case Peat must fix something so destiny can continue and it’s not always saving the cute guy. Peat is determined to save Jake though and the story is action packed as Peat struggles to find the right clues. The writing keeps the story fresh and interesting each day and there is very little repetition, even considering the premise and point of the story. Instead the characters and events sweep you along quickly and never let your attention wander.

Part of this is due to the great characterization. Peat and Jake are three dimensional characters with a lot of depth. They have great chemistry and sparks fly between them. The story is very clever in building a relationship that essentially resets each day for Jake while Peat retains all his feelings and emotions. Yet there is no doubt that Jake falls for Peat as well over the course of the story. The final culprit is the more obvious one but the reasons for everything are unexpected.

One downside for some readers is that the plot is not the most original or cohesive with more details left out and ignored than actually explained. There are several gaps in the narration and leaps in logic but this still remains a very fun and satisfying romance. The main couple is adorable and you can’t help rooting for them to make it. The writing is instantly engaging and very entertaining. This is perfect for a light and enjoyable afternoon read. I easily recommend it.

Originally posted at http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...(less)

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Mar 15, 2011 Kassa rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars rounded up

Rinse and Repeat is a fairly interesting book with a clever hook. The idea of repeating a day over and over is not necessarily new, Groundhog Day made it famous, but the story has good pacing, decent writing, and two engaging leads that make it work. There are a lot of details left unexplained and the ending is one that could be cheesy but ends up slightly creepy instead. A mostly interesting read that moves quickly and has you rooting for the men to get their happy ending....more 3.5 stars rounded up

Rinse and Repeat is a fairly interesting book with a clever hook. The idea of repeating a day over and over is not necessarily new, Groundhog Day made it famous, but the story has good pacing, decent writing, and two engaging leads that make it work. There are a lot of details left unexplained and the ending is one that could be cheesy but ends up slightly creepy instead. A mostly interesting read that moves quickly and has you rooting for the men to get their happy ending.

The story opens with Jake at his best friend’s funeral, struggling to deal with Geo’s murder. Some time later Jake is in danger from the same killer and repeater Peat is sent to help. Peat repeats the same day over and over again until he gets something right. What that “right” element is varies from case to case (called repeats) and isn’t always about saving lives. The real purpose to these repeats is a vague sense of fate or destiny but the idea is largely unexplored and ignored. Instead the focus is on Jake and Peat as they struggle to find a way to save Jake’s life while Jake loses all knowledge of Peat each new day at midnight.

The narration is third person and alternates between Jake and Peet with equal time. Sometimes the point of view feels muddled and indistinct as Jake and Peet have nearly the same internal voice and style. Given that they’re both young twenty-somethings, this isn’t too surprising but if your attention wanders you may forget and get confused whose perspective is being highlighted. There’s an attempt to had distinctive tone to Peet with the British flavor but it’s too inconsistent and infrequent to feel natural and real. Instead it comes across as an obvious manipulation and artifact. The prose is also sometimes awkward and clunky. Not the majority but sometimes phrases are jumbled or the wrong words used.

The story however is very easy to read and the pace kept nice and fast. The days repeat but the story does a very good job in offering enough details and information without ever feeling repetitive. Each day has a new and fresh feel despite the fact it’s the same day over and over again and certain events have to occur. A variety of secondary characters help liven up the story and keep things new even as none of these characters are really necessary. Almost all of them could have been eliminated without changing the story much but they break up what could have been monotonous repetition. Thankfully the each repeat day is slightly different and never exactly the same.

The characters have a similar feel and they’re almost too much alike in their narration. They tend to blend together but that’s a minor point as the story and plot is engaging and mostly fun to read. I found my attention wandering a few times, even with as much as I like the main couple. However the fast action and enjoyable story makes up for this. I’m not sure I’d read this again but I’d definitely read more from this author and am likely to remember this book.
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Oct 09, 2012 Nichole (Dirty H) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Decent story, but the writing and editing were.... well.
The writing was uneven. The pacing got better in the second half, but in the first half it was like, set up the story, set up the story, bam, all of a sudden we're in Jake's room getting it on. Huh? And then it kind of took a step back and made more sense from then on but the first half was somewhat jarring and confusing. And then the resolution of the mystery was similarly odd. And there was a lot of POV hopping - it was written in third p...more

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Mar 01, 2011 Kioo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is the first book I've read by Amberly Smith and if her other works are anything like this one, she will be added to my automatic buy list. This is a book that I would definitely recommend for someone looking for a story which will engage your emotions and make you become emotionally invested in the characters. She really captured the intimate connection and emotional experience of our two heroes. I had no choice but to be right there with Peat in his anguish at the possibility of not being...more This is the first book I've read by Amberly Smith and if her other works are anything like this one, she will be added to my automatic buy list. This is a book that I would definitely recommend for someone looking for a story which will engage your emotions and make you become emotionally invested in the characters. She really captured the intimate connection and emotional experience of our two heroes. I had no choice but to be right there with Peat in his anguish at the possibility of not being able to save Jake and as he worried about not being remembered. At one point I was worried that the ending was moving towards Peat's death and I almost stopped reading due to my emotional investment in the characters. My heart just wouldn't have been able to stand anything but a HEA. Had I been reading a hard copy, I would have peaked at the ending to ensure things ended as I felt they should.

I found myself confused in some places as a sentence might pop up that seemed to contradict what I thought was occurring. For example, the first time we encounter Jake's death, beginning with Peat's description of Boise and his arrival to the skate park, we get a sense that this is Peat's first time as well. After we see Jake getting shot, "Peat just stood there. What? What was happening?" and later in the same section, "Please say this isn't my next Repeat." make it seem as though this is his first time, but in the the date and days passed as well as later statements, we know that this day has occurred four times. So then I assumed Peat must have witnessed the scene before. Then we get the statement, "It had taken Peat two days to get here and the initial day before it repeated." It took me some time to sort out what was happening, and I thought this could have been done in a way that was clearer to the reader. Another example of this confusion occurs when Peat is arrested. "It had been less that forty-eight hours..." I was confused because the repeats don't allow us to move beyond 24 hours so when I read this, I thought the day hadn't repeated or else that sentence wouldn't have been necessary. Any story involving the manipulation of time has potential to be confusing even if it seems straight forward to the author or someone who has read it multiple times. I think this is important to keep in mind when writing such a story.

I'm not sure that the character of Maddie was necessary to the story. Her minor influence on the plot could have been accomplished without her presence and we don't get to know much about her. I can't say that I like or dislike her because I don't know her well enough to make a decision. She seems superfluous.

The fact that I became so wrapped in what was happening and enjoyed the story so much allows me to give it five stars despite my problems. I read this book when it was lent to me on Kindle, but now I'm going to have to purchase it myself as I see this being a repeat read for me. (Sorry. I just had to with the pun.)
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Oct 02, 2011 Jess Candela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, read-in-2011

I loved the premise, and the way we gradually learned more about Peat, Jake, and the situation as the day kept repeating. My heart ached for poor Peat. And Maddie was great. I look forward to reading more by this author.

But I struggled frequently to figure out whose head I was in, as the shifts seemed to come at frequent but irregular and unmarked intervals. Usually I read other reviews complaining about head-hopping and think, "Really? Huh. Yeah, I guess so." but I was too caught up in the stor...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mm-romance, mm-paranormal

Rinse and Repeat was interesting and definitely unlike anything I've read in quite a long time. It took me a while (at least a few chapters) to get into the story, but once I got past that point I really enjoyed it. The blurb certainly intrigued me, and the Repeater theme felt a little like a cross between the TV show Tru Calling and the movie Groundhog Day. I loved Jake and Peat, I loved their interactions, and I loved the whole Repeater concept. I really felt for Peat - his fear of people cons...more

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Mar 18, 2011 Damon Suede rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a story that snuck up on me. The first 15 pages felt awkward and unfinished, but by the end I was reading by the seat of my pants and completely taken with the heroes as I raced towards the breathless finish.

Unabashedly high-concept, this book flails for its first few chapters trying to find pop-culture references to spoon-full-of-sugar its hook into the reader, but then settles into confident stride as a slam-bang, hyper-romantic thriller. Still, that's a quibble when the characterizat...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Kieri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Groundhog Day was fun the first time, but I'm not big on repeats...so almost didn't pick up the book. But the story turned out better than expected, with sweet relationship moments mixed in with a mystery to solve. Sometimes the back and forth between the characters viewpoints was hard to follow but overall enjoyable and written like it has sequels to come (if not, then Maddie as a character was a complete waste of ink), which I will eagerly read.

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Apr 23, 2012 Sassy Lane rated it 2 of 5 stars

I liked the premise and the author's writing was pretty good. You can see that from all the positive reviews the story received.

My problem was with everything the MC had to go through on a very regular basis. Having to watch a child raped, witnessing gruesome murders time after time, etc.

It was simply too much for me.

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Jun 26, 2011 Lynnebaby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, manlove

4.5! Fun thrill ride/whodunit and love story. Great characters. What a fun and intriguing plot. I couldn't put it down once I started and liked the build up to the big reveal. Nice writing. The only reason that it didn't get 5 stars was because of the reasoning of the bad guy. It was a bit out of the blue and just too "extra."

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Apr 06, 2011 Tamarrion Lash rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-romance

Очень славное и трогательное городское фэнтези. В некоторых местах, правда, видно, как автор старательно выжимает из читателя горючую слезу, но их не так чтобы много, и остальной текст с лихвой это искупает. Пит с его псевдо-английским акцентом совершенно чудесен.

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Feb 05, 2011 Chris rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, gay, ebook, paranormal, done, romantic-suspense

Excellent paranormal m/m romance about a guy who's a Repeater, stuck repeating the same day over and over again until he can change some key event from the day. Things are different on this Repeat, because he's started to care way too much about a skateboarder he's watched die far too many times.

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Sep 04, 2011 Liz Blue rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, cops-investigators-bodyguards, ebook, m-m-romance, scifi

Very enjoyable! Excellent worldbuilding which led to a plausibly complicated romance. This novel plays with the "re-do till you get it right" premise of Groundhog Day, with an interesting element of suspense, and without the irritating Andie MacDowell.

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Oct 10, 2011 Tara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, read-in-2011, paranormal-romance, paranormal-mystery

I really enjoyed this book.

Peat is a "repeater". Think of it like the movie "Groundhog's Day meets Tru Calling". Peat has to repeat a day until he fixes what has gone wrong. Although he doesn't always know what he's supposed to fix. This book follows one repeat where he he starts to break all his own personal rules while trying to solve the day.

I liked the lay out and I enjoyed the concept. I liked that the main couple each had a different path. Peat fell in love slowly over 2 months, while Jake...more

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Oct 20, 2012 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I liked this book. It was a little difficult to understand at first, but as I read it, I became more involved with the characters.

I figured out who the bad guy was 1/4 into the book, but that did not distract from the story.

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Feb 19, 2011 Meggie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The plot was really good, but it bored me a bit, too. The couple is sweet together and we get an happy ending. So everything is just fine overall. In general it was enjoyable read with complex and interesting story.

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Nov 16, 2012 thelastaerie added it

Shelves: dnf

DNF 30%
Interesting premise but confusingly executed. 30% into it, I still don't really care for the characters or find out about the killings.

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Aug 30, 2012 Jessica Davies rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was 20 pages in before i got the joke of the MC's name. Ok, so i'm a little dopey this week.

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May 12, 2011 Tracy's Place rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

3.75 out of 5

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May 18, 2013 Valerie ~Varuca~ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Valerie ~Varuca~ by: Cassandra

Shelves: books-read-2013, m-m

3.5*

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Feb 22, 2012 Anja rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m

2.5

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Oct 14, 2011 Lily rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, free-arc-gifts-contest-wins, m-m, fantasy-paranormal, what-i-read-in-2011, challenge-books-2011

I really liked this well-written story. It's interesting and fast-paced with likable characters and a mystery/suspense plot that worked well. As a plus I loved the "repeater" theme as much in this book as in Groundhog Day which I've seen many times.

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Aug 07, 2011 Harper rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, m-m-romance, mystery-suspense, contemporary, romance, paranormal, publisher-dsp, favorites, read-in-2011

What to even say? I know - hell yes, this is how it's done! I was hooked from start to finish, so hooked that even on my way into the city for a concert, I brought my Kindle with so I wouldn't have to stop reading. Loved it, loved it!

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May 04, 2012 Jessa Ryan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, funny, have, m-m-romance, paranormal, would-read-again

I love the original, unique idea behind this story and it was executed wonderfully! I know I'll be reading it again.

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Dec 29, 2011 Buda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Interesting concept, but the middle third had too much sex for me, forcing me to skim too many pages.

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May 24, 2013 Stephane marked it as to-read

May 12, 2013 Kate marked it as to-read

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