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In Time with You
Not yet published
Expected 3 Mar 26A gripping speculative romance about one girl saving her first love's life by falling for the last person she ever should - his best friend.
Nieve Monroe is devastated after her boyfriend Carter dies saving her from drowning. Even worse she blames herself for his death… and so does his best friend, Max. He was there with them on that fateful day, and he’s never liked Nieve.
Unable to pull herself from her grief and wanting to hide from the accusation in his eyes, Nieve goes to stay with her grandmother, who has always had strange stories to tell of uncanny happenings, of magic and make believe. The next morning, Nieve wakes up on the first day of college, the year before.
This time she plans to make sure Carter never follows her into that river. She’ll do everything in her power to keep him safe, even if it means losing him in other ways. But the more distance she puts between her and Carter, the closer she gets to Max, drawn to him in ways she never expected.
But is she betraying Carter if the only way she can save him is to move on? And can she ever forget her past to embrace her future?
Kristin Dwyer’s In Time With You is a heartbreaking story of first love, loss, and one chance to change everything.
Nieve Monroe is devastated after her boyfriend Carter dies saving her from drowning. Even worse she blames herself for his death… and so does his best friend, Max. He was there with them on that fateful day, and he’s never liked Nieve.
Unable to pull herself from her grief and wanting to hide from the accusation in his eyes, Nieve goes to stay with her grandmother, who has always had strange stories to tell of uncanny happenings, of magic and make believe. The next morning, Nieve wakes up on the first day of college, the year before.
This time she plans to make sure Carter never follows her into that river. She’ll do everything in her power to keep him safe, even if it means losing him in other ways. But the more distance she puts between her and Carter, the closer she gets to Max, drawn to him in ways she never expected.
But is she betraying Carter if the only way she can save him is to move on? And can she ever forget her past to embrace her future?
Kristin Dwyer’s In Time With You is a heartbreaking story of first love, loss, and one chance to change everything.
384 pages, Paperback
Expected publication March 3, 2026
40 people are currently reading
17948 people want to read
About the author
Kristin Dwyer
3 books822 followersKristin Dwyer grew up under the California sun and still prays every day for a cloudy sky. When she’s not writing books about people kissing, she and her spouse can be found encouraging their four mischief makers to get into trouble. Kristin is a part-time hair model and wants you to know she is full-time TSA PRECHECK, and one time a credible news outlet asked for her opinion on K-pop (it was the best day of her life). Please do not talk to her about your fandom, she will try to join.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The vibes alone on this book were phenomenal. If you love magical realism and are younger (like new adult), this should be added to your TBR immediately. It had depth, a cute romance, and a good message.
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
▹Format: 📱 eReader
*Another successful buddy read with Lina. Please check out her review—her reviews are always so thoughtful and balanced!
Thank you tremendously to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions. This comes out March 3.
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Nieve is lost in her grief after her boyfriend, Carter, dies trying to save her from a swimming incident gone wrong. When her grandma (Grandee) does something to set into motion Nieve going back to before she met Carter, she has to grapple with how every change we all make causes ripple effects. But what can she do, if anything, to ensure that Carter survives this time around? What will it be like to just be Carter’s friend this time? Or worse, what will it be like to watch him fall for someone else? What will it potentially be like to fall for someone else herself?
– FMC: Nieve. A 19/20-year-old who is trying her hardest to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself, and learning the very complicated rules of time travel (and self-forgiveness) along the way.
– MMC 1: Carter. Dies trying to save Nieve in the original timeline; very misguided and a bit privileged in the redo timeline—but will the redo save him?
– MMC 2: Max. Grumpy art TA and fellow student who seemingly likes everyone BUT Nieve. Or is there more to the story?
– Location: Non-descript fictional location / a private arts college
– POV: Single first-person
– Spice: 2-3 open-door / fade-to-black spicy scenes (somewhat explicit for this being tagged as YA)
– Tropes: magical realism, time travel/time loop, love triangle (ish), it’s always been you, new adult/early college years, grief
– Content warning: underage drinking, death (drowning), PTSD, child abandonment, feeling like you’re going crazy, animal death (not descriptive, but equally sad)
– Representation: LGBTQ+ minor character
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Second Lover by Noah & The Whale
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Books like Cassandra in Reverse and I Know How This Ends by Holly Smale, but you want something set for a younger generation
➼ Books with a happy ending, albeit bittersweet
➼ Sitting by the fireplace at your family home and knitting an heirloom blanket with yarn you made from your grandma’s sheep’s wool
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn————————✧———Slow Burn
Sweet—————✧——————Spicy
Light/Fluffy———————✧————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
I love magical realism. It’s quirky enough to feel like a dream, but not so far out there that you have to do a lot of world building (usually). I was very excited to read this one because I’m always looking for books to recommend to my teen nieces.
Based on the storyline alone, this book had everything one would want from magical realism. A character using time to both undo painful outcomes AND lessons about how actions have consequences. Add in the vibes from Kristin Dwyer’s writing poetic and descriptive style and a giggle-worthy romance between the characters? I did not want to put this book down. I was on the edge of my seat to see how Nieve was going to react to her ever-changing world AND juggle her past feelings for Carter, her relationship with her cousin (Linden), and her art project with Max.
One thing that Lina and I also discussed was 1.) that Nieve and Linden are the school’s founder’s great grandchildren so they get some sort of “legacy” standing, and 2.) the remaining characters are all dumb rich and part of an “inheritance club”— but neither adds much to the plot, in fact it felt distracting.
Another thing is the magical realism aspect. It did ask a lot from the reader. Not just a suspension of disbelief—which is expected with this genre—but there isn’t much by way of rhyme or reason and it had me feeling unstable and frustrated until about 75%. Once I just accepted that things happen just because they’re written that way, I was able to just let go and let Nieve do or undo whatever was necessary. That said, because I was expecting a huge “a-ha” moment, I do feel like the ending fell a bit flat for me.
Despite these points, I genuinely and thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be excited for more from this author.
Would I Recommend?:: Yes! It was so cute. but. While this has a “young adult” tag, I would probably wait to recommend it to them until they turn 18 (but to each their own!).
________________________
Pre-read thoughts: so happy to be doing another read with my gal Lina. She always has a way of making me see things from a different perspective.
I’m not huge into YA, but I have three “nieces” and I’m constantly looking for books that we can chat about. Crossing my fingers with this magical realism romance!
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
▹Format: 📱 eReader
*Another successful buddy read with Lina. Please check out her review—her reviews are always so thoughtful and balanced!
Thank you tremendously to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions. This comes out March 3.
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Nieve is lost in her grief after her boyfriend, Carter, dies trying to save her from a swimming incident gone wrong. When her grandma (Grandee) does something to set into motion Nieve going back to before she met Carter, she has to grapple with how every change we all make causes ripple effects. But what can she do, if anything, to ensure that Carter survives this time around? What will it be like to just be Carter’s friend this time? Or worse, what will it be like to watch him fall for someone else? What will it potentially be like to fall for someone else herself?
– FMC: Nieve. A 19/20-year-old who is trying her hardest to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself, and learning the very complicated rules of time travel (and self-forgiveness) along the way.
– MMC 1: Carter. Dies trying to save Nieve in the original timeline; very misguided and a bit privileged in the redo timeline—but will the redo save him?
– MMC 2: Max. Grumpy art TA and fellow student who seemingly likes everyone BUT Nieve. Or is there more to the story?
– Location: Non-descript fictional location / a private arts college
– POV: Single first-person
– Spice: 2-3 open-door / fade-to-black spicy scenes (somewhat explicit for this being tagged as YA)
– Tropes: magical realism, time travel/time loop, love triangle (ish), it’s always been you, new adult/early college years, grief
– Content warning: underage drinking, death (drowning), PTSD, child abandonment, feeling like you’re going crazy, animal death (not descriptive, but equally sad)
– Representation: LGBTQ+ minor character
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Second Lover by Noah & The Whale
╰┈➤ ❝…I will love you in reality and dreams…❞
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Books like Cassandra in Reverse and I Know How This Ends by Holly Smale, but you want something set for a younger generation
➼ Books with a happy ending, albeit bittersweet
➼ Sitting by the fireplace at your family home and knitting an heirloom blanket with yarn you made from your grandma’s sheep’s wool
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn————————✧———Slow Burn
Sweet—————✧——————Spicy
Light/Fluffy———————✧————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
I love magical realism. It’s quirky enough to feel like a dream, but not so far out there that you have to do a lot of world building (usually). I was very excited to read this one because I’m always looking for books to recommend to my teen nieces.
Based on the storyline alone, this book had everything one would want from magical realism. A character using time to both undo painful outcomes AND lessons about how actions have consequences. Add in the vibes from Kristin Dwyer’s writing poetic and descriptive style and a giggle-worthy romance between the characters? I did not want to put this book down. I was on the edge of my seat to see how Nieve was going to react to her ever-changing world AND juggle her past feelings for Carter, her relationship with her cousin (Linden), and her art project with Max.
One thing that Lina and I also discussed was 1.) that Nieve and Linden are the school’s founder’s great grandchildren so they get some sort of “legacy” standing, and 2.) the remaining characters are all dumb rich and part of an “inheritance club”— but neither adds much to the plot, in fact it felt distracting.
Another thing is the magical realism aspect. It did ask a lot from the reader. Not just a suspension of disbelief—which is expected with this genre—but there isn’t much by way of rhyme or reason and it had me feeling unstable and frustrated until about 75%. Once I just accepted that things happen just because they’re written that way, I was able to just let go and let Nieve do or undo whatever was necessary. That said, because I was expecting a huge “a-ha” moment, I do feel like the ending fell a bit flat for me.
Despite these points, I genuinely and thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be excited for more from this author.
Would I Recommend?:: Yes! It was so cute. but. While this has a “young adult” tag, I would probably wait to recommend it to them until they turn 18 (but to each their own!).
________________________
Pre-read thoughts: so happy to be doing another read with my gal Lina. She always has a way of making me see things from a different perspective.
I’m not huge into YA, but I have three “nieces” and I’m constantly looking for books that we can chat about. Crossing my fingers with this magical realism romance!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4 / 5 Stars
I may not understand all of the logistics of time travel but I could not put this book down. Nieve’s boyfriend, Carter, passed away trying to rescue her from drowning. She blames herself for his death and she thinks everyone else does too, including his best friend, Max. When Nieve finds out that she can travel back in time, she has a chance to save Carter. She doesn’t expect to get closer to Max.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🖌️ New Adult Romance
🖌️ Magical realism (time travel)
🖌️ Ex-boyfriend’s best friend (it’s complicated)
🖌️ Exploration of grief, death, and guilt
🖌️ Complicated family dynamics
I am no physicist so I get the general gist of the Butterfly Effect and how changing one thing could mean that other things would also change in Nieve’s life but the actual details of that were pretty confusing. Kelsey and I kept trying to figure out what was a change due to the timeline and what was just an inconsistency and we couldn’t really do it. Usually it would bother me to not understand the “rules of the game” but the book itself was so compelling that I was able to look past it.
I thought the stakes were so incredibly well done. Not only does Nieve not want to fall for Max because of the grief and guilt she experiences, but if she does, she’ll alter things too much and affect other parts of her life (like her relationship with her mother). How heartbreaking is that! The constant push and pull and tension feels so much more intense because of it. And you can see why Max and Nieve would be drawn to each other and you want to root for them all the same.
I thought the exploration of grief was done well. Nieve is 18 years old and processes emotions in a way that is appropriate for an 18 year old. And she has to grieve different aspects of her life, not only Carter’s passing in the previous timelines but different versions of her life in the current one.
I will say that there was an explicit sex scene in this book which I did not expect because of their age. I don’t love reading spice when the characters are that young (even if they are technically adults). It is not the most graphic scene I have ever read but it was more graphic than I had expected so keep that in mind.
Overall, this was the type of book where I blinked and was 60% of the way through. It grabbed me and held me regardless of any confusion. If you like movies that involve time travel for love like “About Time” or “The Greatest Hits,” it definitely gives off those vibes.
And definitely check out Kelsey's review as well! She is a wonderful buddy read partner!
Thank you St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: March 3, 2026
____________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Excited for another buddy read with Kelsey! This one is magical realism where she is trying to save her boyfriend while falling in love with his best friend and I do feel like I will cry.
I may not understand all of the logistics of time travel but I could not put this book down. Nieve’s boyfriend, Carter, passed away trying to rescue her from drowning. She blames herself for his death and she thinks everyone else does too, including his best friend, Max. When Nieve finds out that she can travel back in time, she has a chance to save Carter. She doesn’t expect to get closer to Max.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🖌️ New Adult Romance
🖌️ Magical realism (time travel)
🖌️ Ex-boyfriend’s best friend (it’s complicated)
🖌️ Exploration of grief, death, and guilt
🖌️ Complicated family dynamics
I am no physicist so I get the general gist of the Butterfly Effect and how changing one thing could mean that other things would also change in Nieve’s life but the actual details of that were pretty confusing. Kelsey and I kept trying to figure out what was a change due to the timeline and what was just an inconsistency and we couldn’t really do it. Usually it would bother me to not understand the “rules of the game” but the book itself was so compelling that I was able to look past it.
I thought the stakes were so incredibly well done. Not only does Nieve not want to fall for Max because of the grief and guilt she experiences, but if she does, she’ll alter things too much and affect other parts of her life (like her relationship with her mother). How heartbreaking is that! The constant push and pull and tension feels so much more intense because of it. And you can see why Max and Nieve would be drawn to each other and you want to root for them all the same.
I thought the exploration of grief was done well. Nieve is 18 years old and processes emotions in a way that is appropriate for an 18 year old. And she has to grieve different aspects of her life, not only Carter’s passing in the previous timelines but different versions of her life in the current one.
I will say that there was an explicit sex scene in this book which I did not expect because of their age. I don’t love reading spice when the characters are that young (even if they are technically adults). It is not the most graphic scene I have ever read but it was more graphic than I had expected so keep that in mind.
Overall, this was the type of book where I blinked and was 60% of the way through. It grabbed me and held me regardless of any confusion. If you like movies that involve time travel for love like “About Time” or “The Greatest Hits,” it definitely gives off those vibes.
And definitely check out Kelsey's review as well! She is a wonderful buddy read partner!
Thank you St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: March 3, 2026
____________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Excited for another buddy read with Kelsey! This one is magical realism where she is trying to save her boyfriend while falling in love with his best friend and I do feel like I will cry.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
➳ 2 ☆! ☂️ spoiler free + mini review
⤷ i really wanted to love this
arc! @ netgalley
⋆˚࿔ 18th review of the year
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊
⤷ the prose and plot of this book seemed very interested and promising! unfortunately, for me, it didn't deliver like i thought it would. i didn't have a strong connection towards any of the characters and didn't feel sad?? this book is also marketed as 'ya' and i strongly believe it shouldn't!! there are suggestive scenes and lot of swearing. the characters are also past high school and in college! at the very least, i think it should be marketed as new adult and not appeal to younger audiences. by the 30% mark i even considered dnf'ing, but it wasn't SUPER unbearable so i pushed thru! i wish these characters well and im glad i had the opportunity to read the story! i can see why some may like this, gorgeous cover too. one more thing: i wish the magical realism was more prominent!! i would've liked more closure with that aspect.
tropes!
⋆ college romance
⋆ new beginnings
⋆ losing a loved one
⋆ artist x TA
₊‧꒰info!꒱ ‧₊
⤷ find my book review on goodreads @elliexreads
⤷ i recommend for new adult 16/18+
⤷ contemporary romance, but also felt like lit fic, FMC loses her bf and goes back in time. (magical realism)
⤷ look into trigger warnings before reading!
publish date: mar 3, 2026
₊‧ all ratings and opinions are my own ₊‧
⤷ thank you @netgalley and wednesday books for the arc in exchange for an honest review !🫂
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₊‧꒰2.4.26꒱ ‧₊
⤷ ayy thank you sm to @netgalley for the arc! i love a good emotional read + a tie in with magical realism! so stoked about this 💗🤞
⤷ i really wanted to love this
arc! @ netgalley
⋆˚࿔ 18th review of the year
"sometimes a broken heart can make you ignorant to the truths of the world."
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊
⤷ the prose and plot of this book seemed very interested and promising! unfortunately, for me, it didn't deliver like i thought it would. i didn't have a strong connection towards any of the characters and didn't feel sad?? this book is also marketed as 'ya' and i strongly believe it shouldn't!! there are suggestive scenes and lot of swearing. the characters are also past high school and in college! at the very least, i think it should be marketed as new adult and not appeal to younger audiences. by the 30% mark i even considered dnf'ing, but it wasn't SUPER unbearable so i pushed thru! i wish these characters well and im glad i had the opportunity to read the story! i can see why some may like this, gorgeous cover too. one more thing: i wish the magical realism was more prominent!! i would've liked more closure with that aspect.
tropes!
⋆ college romance
⋆ new beginnings
⋆ losing a loved one
⋆ artist x TA
₊‧꒰info!꒱ ‧₊
⤷ find my book review on goodreads @elliexreads
⤷ i recommend for new adult 16/18+
⤷ contemporary romance, but also felt like lit fic, FMC loses her bf and goes back in time. (magical realism)
⤷ look into trigger warnings before reading!
publish date: mar 3, 2026
₊‧ all ratings and opinions are my own ₊‧
⤷ thank you @netgalley and wednesday books for the arc in exchange for an honest review !🫂
---------
₊‧꒰preview ᝰ.ᐟ꒱ ‧₊ ☂️
₊‧꒰2.4.26꒱ ‧₊
⤷ ayy thank you sm to @netgalley for the arc! i love a good emotional read + a tie in with magical realism! so stoked about this 💗🤞
September 29, 2025
It seems I've been gravitating towards magical realism books lately, but luckily they are all good books so I'm not mad about it.
In Time With You is a story about a woman who loses her boyfriend in a tragic accident, suffocated by grief she seeks the help of her grandmother who is an eccentric old lady that knows all about the occult even if no one quite believes her. After that, Nieve wakes up on the first day of freshman year, the day she met her late boyfriend. She has a chance to save him, but she discovers fate is a fickle thing and the more she changes the past, her life starts to change with it.
There is a sentence that captures the story perfectly: "what if everyone changes but you feel the same?" (notice I have the review copy, so it could be changed in the final print.)
Kristin wrote one of my favorite romance books, some mistakes were made, so I wasn't surprised by the amazing writing and gut wrenching lines. In the beginning the book was a little confusing, but I soon realized I need to go with it because that's how magical realism usually goes.
The concept of all the choices you make changing drastically your life is so cool, but there are few times I felt so frustrated while reading a book. In a good way though. The ending was a little underwhelming I must say, but that's just because I was waiting for a big revelation that never happened.
Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday books for the ARC!
In Time With You is a story about a woman who loses her boyfriend in a tragic accident, suffocated by grief she seeks the help of her grandmother who is an eccentric old lady that knows all about the occult even if no one quite believes her. After that, Nieve wakes up on the first day of freshman year, the day she met her late boyfriend. She has a chance to save him, but she discovers fate is a fickle thing and the more she changes the past, her life starts to change with it.
There is a sentence that captures the story perfectly: "what if everyone changes but you feel the same?" (notice I have the review copy, so it could be changed in the final print.)
Kristin wrote one of my favorite romance books, some mistakes were made, so I wasn't surprised by the amazing writing and gut wrenching lines. In the beginning the book was a little confusing, but I soon realized I need to go with it because that's how magical realism usually goes.
The concept of all the choices you make changing drastically your life is so cool, but there are few times I felt so frustrated while reading a book. In a good way though. The ending was a little underwhelming I must say, but that's just because I was waiting for a big revelation that never happened.
Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday books for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I would like to thank Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARCs copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
While i didnt understand the logistics of this time travel i lived for the vibes and the romance.
Nieve, after a tragic death of her boyfriend for which she blames herself, time travels one year in the past before she met him. By doing things differently she hopes to save him but things keep changing out of control both in the past and future and she begins to fall for her (ex) boyfriends best friend Max.
Nieve is brave, loyal and passionate. She spends a good part of the book grieving and the topic is handled beautifully with care.
Max is your typical MMC yearner in the best way possible.
The side characters in this book were amazing and really well fleshed out it made me feel like i too was a part of their friendgroup. I especially liked Nieves grandma and her sheep who definitely stole the show in every scene they were in.
The narration was amazing and the sound quality was clear and smooth. The narrator did an amazing job portraying different emotions especially sadness and grief.
Its a beautiful love story about grief, loss and moving on as well as friendship and art. This book asks the question “What would you do for those you love?” and answers it beautifully in a way that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
While i didnt understand the logistics of this time travel i lived for the vibes and the romance.
Nieve, after a tragic death of her boyfriend for which she blames herself, time travels one year in the past before she met him. By doing things differently she hopes to save him but things keep changing out of control both in the past and future and she begins to fall for her (ex) boyfriends best friend Max.
Nieve is brave, loyal and passionate. She spends a good part of the book grieving and the topic is handled beautifully with care.
Max is your typical MMC yearner in the best way possible.
The side characters in this book were amazing and really well fleshed out it made me feel like i too was a part of their friendgroup. I especially liked Nieves grandma and her sheep who definitely stole the show in every scene they were in.
The narration was amazing and the sound quality was clear and smooth. The narrator did an amazing job portraying different emotions especially sadness and grief.
Its a beautiful love story about grief, loss and moving on as well as friendship and art. This book asks the question “What would you do for those you love?” and answers it beautifully in a way that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
September 28, 2025
For fans of Ashley Poston and Lynn Painter, this is a very classic magical realism YA romance. Short on details of world building, this is best read as you let go of trying to understand the time travel consequences and think of it as a journey towards trying to change the past to the “meant to be.”
Nieve lost her boyfriend Carter in a drowning accident. They are only sophomores in college and somewhat legacies, kids with money and connections. Nieve blames herself, and Carters best friend Max blamed himself. Very quickly into the narrative, Nieve wakes up a year earlier in her dorm at the start of freshman year before she met Carter and Max. She is determined to not let him get into the water this time, but seems to start to feel differently about Max.
This book is for everyone who has ever thought, “I couldn’t everything better if only I could go back in time.” This one is lighter on the spice but not entirely what I would consider closed door. Less sci fi and more magical realism, you won’t want to spend time hoping for lengthy explanations and world building, but enjoy the banter and characterization.
Most time travel stories are either “butterfly effect” or “final destination,” and this story explores them both. The heroines journey is a well paced one, causing Nieve to grow and mature to be able to understand both versions of herself, what she wants, and wherein lies her true north.
I also appreciated complicated storylines of light academia and deep family estrangement situations. Nieve has a close cousin and grandmother Grandee in both timelines.
Thank you to NetGalley and st martins press for the arc! Book to be published March 23, 2026
Nieve lost her boyfriend Carter in a drowning accident. They are only sophomores in college and somewhat legacies, kids with money and connections. Nieve blames herself, and Carters best friend Max blamed himself. Very quickly into the narrative, Nieve wakes up a year earlier in her dorm at the start of freshman year before she met Carter and Max. She is determined to not let him get into the water this time, but seems to start to feel differently about Max.
This book is for everyone who has ever thought, “I couldn’t everything better if only I could go back in time.” This one is lighter on the spice but not entirely what I would consider closed door. Less sci fi and more magical realism, you won’t want to spend time hoping for lengthy explanations and world building, but enjoy the banter and characterization.
Most time travel stories are either “butterfly effect” or “final destination,” and this story explores them both. The heroines journey is a well paced one, causing Nieve to grow and mature to be able to understand both versions of herself, what she wants, and wherein lies her true north.
I also appreciated complicated storylines of light academia and deep family estrangement situations. Nieve has a close cousin and grandmother Grandee in both timelines.
Thank you to NetGalley and st martins press for the arc! Book to be published March 23, 2026
Want to read
December 30, 2025"Can she get it right the second time(line) around?
You've Reached Sam meets Before I Fall in this gripping speculative romance about one girl saving her first love's life by falling for the last person she ever should - his best friend."
This sounds so cute. Thank you SO MUCH, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, for sending me this ARC. Super excited to read this one.
Pub Date: Mar 03, 2026
As always, all thoughts are my own. 💕✨
You've Reached Sam meets Before I Fall in this gripping speculative romance about one girl saving her first love's life by falling for the last person she ever should - his best friend."
This sounds so cute. Thank you SO MUCH, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, for sending me this ARC. Super excited to read this one.
Pub Date: Mar 03, 2026
As always, all thoughts are my own. 💕✨
November 10, 2025
⌇ arc read ⌇ ݁
Pure emotional magic in, out, and all around this book.
You just know when a story becomes one of your favorites. When you can’t put it down, even if it completely wrecks the sleep schedule you’re dying to fix (not to talk about fucking dying). When every other chapter gives you that chilling wave of goosebumps…
In Time With You sounded like something right up my alley with its magical realism and time travel aspect.
This story has so many beautiful things to teach, so many deep emotions to explore.
It’s about art, friendship, grief, love—about looking at your life from a different perspective, and understanding how even the smallest things can change everything.
The romance absolutely wrecked me.
It’s impossible and inevitable all at once—the kind of love that feels like it’s existed before, in another version of the same life.
I’m absolutely blown away by this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the DRC!
⌇ ria’s romance rating scale ⌇ ݁
• plot 85/100
• writing 83/100
• characters 80/100
• giggle & feet-kick-ability 75/100
• general enjoyment 95/100
1/5 🌶️
total: 418
*500-451 - 6 stars
450-401 - 5 stars
400-341 - 4 stars
340-201 - 3 stars
200-101 - 2 stars
100-0 - 1 star
Pure emotional magic in, out, and all around this book.
You just know when a story becomes one of your favorites. When you can’t put it down, even if it completely wrecks the sleep schedule you’re dying to fix (not to talk about fucking dying). When every other chapter gives you that chilling wave of goosebumps…
In Time With You sounded like something right up my alley with its magical realism and time travel aspect.
This story has so many beautiful things to teach, so many deep emotions to explore.
It’s about art, friendship, grief, love—about looking at your life from a different perspective, and understanding how even the smallest things can change everything.
«The purple yarn is still on his wrist. Of course it is, because we are all skeptics, until we're not.»
The romance absolutely wrecked me.
It’s impossible and inevitable all at once—the kind of love that feels like it’s existed before, in another version of the same life.
I’m absolutely blown away by this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the DRC!
⌇ ria’s romance rating scale ⌇ ݁
• plot 85/100
• writing 83/100
• characters 80/100
• giggle & feet-kick-ability 75/100
• general enjoyment 95/100
1/5 🌶️
total: 418
*500-451 - 6 stars
450-401 - 5 stars
400-341 - 4 stars
340-201 - 3 stars
200-101 - 2 stars
100-0 - 1 star
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
pre-read:
I already know this book is gonna rip my heart to shreds.
Thank you, Kristin.
____________________________________
another emotionally devastating banger from Kristin 😭🤌🏻🖤
rtc
Thank you, Kristin.
____________________________________
"Thank you for coming after me. In this life and all the others."
another emotionally devastating banger from Kristin 😭🤌🏻🖤
rtc
October 14, 2025
“Change is what reminds us we are alive.”
3.5!⭐️ this read was very fast paced and I loved the concept because I am a sucker for magical realism and time travel! I really enjoyed how the author explored so many of these “what if” feelings we go through in life. I adore nieve and max <3
3.5!⭐️ this read was very fast paced and I loved the concept because I am a sucker for magical realism and time travel! I really enjoyed how the author explored so many of these “what if” feelings we go through in life. I adore nieve and max <3
Want to read
November 8, 2025I received an arc for this book in my email. Been seeing this cover a lot on my ig feed and each time I got more curious about it.
Can’t wait to start reading this soon!
Can’t wait to start reading this soon!
October 15, 2025
In Time With You is a story that will stick with you long after you've read it.
I received an early copy via Wednesday Books at St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and given freely.
I went into this one without reading the blurb and I would recommend doing so if you also enjoy reading this way. Do read the blurb if you need content warnings however. But I was just so captivated from the start, hanging on every word, up until the very end. And what a beautiful, emotional journey of love, loss, healing and self discovery it is. It's about ripple effects. What you would do for love. For those you love. It will have you yearning for answers. For how it will end. And I will admit, I teared up many times.
I just let this story take me on it's journey. With magical realism, and great art rep, along with a host of great side characters (including a wise gran and her sheep), I just loved every minute of it. There's romance, and a splash of open door steam, but the focus is on Nieve. It's her story. And it's one I couldn't put down. This is my first time reading this author and her writing style is so fluid and beautiful. It won't be the last time I read her! I highly recommend reading this upon release!
I received an early copy via Wednesday Books at St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and given freely.
I went into this one without reading the blurb and I would recommend doing so if you also enjoy reading this way. Do read the blurb if you need content warnings however. But I was just so captivated from the start, hanging on every word, up until the very end. And what a beautiful, emotional journey of love, loss, healing and self discovery it is. It's about ripple effects. What you would do for love. For those you love. It will have you yearning for answers. For how it will end. And I will admit, I teared up many times.
I just let this story take me on it's journey. With magical realism, and great art rep, along with a host of great side characters (including a wise gran and her sheep), I just loved every minute of it. There's romance, and a splash of open door steam, but the focus is on Nieve. It's her story. And it's one I couldn't put down. This is my first time reading this author and her writing style is so fluid and beautiful. It won't be the last time I read her! I highly recommend reading this upon release!
January 20, 2026
I’ve been meaning to read a book by this author for awhile and am glad I finally did. The story was so unique making it one I read in one sitting. Having some magical realism added in to a contemporary romance I find really enjoyable. In this case it was a mix of time travel and the butterfly effect. The fmc hopes for the chance to go back in time to save her boyfriend at the time from drowning. But when she goes back in time all the little decisions she makes have an impact on the past and future. She also gets to see all the people in her life from a new lense.
I wasn’t sure how the story would handle the fmc’s grief from losing her boyfriend and her falling in love with the boyfriend’s best friend in the new timeline, but it worked well because we get to see how the fmc works through it.
Oh and crying over a sheep in a book is a first for me. 🥲
🏫 college
⏰ magical realism (time travel)
🦋 butterfly effect
👀 ex-boyfriend’s best friend
single POV
4/5 stars ⭐️
1/5 spice level 🌶️
I wasn’t sure how the story would handle the fmc’s grief from losing her boyfriend and her falling in love with the boyfriend’s best friend in the new timeline, but it worked well because we get to see how the fmc works through it.
Oh and crying over a sheep in a book is a first for me. 🥲
🏫 college
⏰ magical realism (time travel)
🦋 butterfly effect
👀 ex-boyfriend’s best friend
single POV
4/5 stars ⭐️
1/5 spice level 🌶️
September 23, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was such a cute romance that was so enjoyable to read. The characters grappling with the butterfly effect was handled in a really cool and unique way. I was a little confused with the rules of the time traveling sort of scenario that was going on but considering this is a romance book i was t expecting sci fi level world building. I also wish that the main characters arc was a little more drawn out considering how central to the story it is. This was a super cute young adult novel and it is definitely one to keep an eye out for next year.
October 3, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Kristin Dwyer for this arc!
“Everything I do has a consequence. If time is just going to take what it wants, what’s the point of any of this?”
This is my first book by Kristin and I must say I am impressed. The description of this book immediately grabbed my attention because it had that sense of magical realism and I love the genre and will devour any book even remotely close to adopting it. I didn’t exactly know what I was getting myself into, though. If you’ve ever lost someone, recently or not, it definitely plucks at your heart a bit but it’s become one of my favourite reads this year.
I’ll be honest, by the time I got to the 70% mark, I was starting to get frustrated because every single move Nieve made messed with the timeline and I so badly wanted something to go right for her. I wanted her to get some version of happiness where all aspects of her life were good while also making sure her goal of keeping Carter alive remained intact. And, yeah, I was kind of holding out hope for her and Max. I was really starting to think there was nothing Nieve could have done to make them happen. But I’m so happy with the way the whole book tied together (with yarn, of course) at the end, I couldn’t have asked for a better ending.
I will definitely be checking out more books by this author if they’re anything like this one!
“Everything I do has a consequence. If time is just going to take what it wants, what’s the point of any of this?”
This is my first book by Kristin and I must say I am impressed. The description of this book immediately grabbed my attention because it had that sense of magical realism and I love the genre and will devour any book even remotely close to adopting it. I didn’t exactly know what I was getting myself into, though. If you’ve ever lost someone, recently or not, it definitely plucks at your heart a bit but it’s become one of my favourite reads this year.
I’ll be honest, by the time I got to the 70% mark, I was starting to get frustrated because every single move Nieve made messed with the timeline and I so badly wanted something to go right for her. I wanted her to get some version of happiness where all aspects of her life were good while also making sure her goal of keeping Carter alive remained intact. And, yeah, I was kind of holding out hope for her and Max. I was really starting to think there was nothing Nieve could have done to make them happen. But I’m so happy with the way the whole book tied together (with yarn, of course) at the end, I couldn’t have asked for a better ending.
I will definitely be checking out more books by this author if they’re anything like this one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
RTC
RTC
October 18, 2025
oh my goodnes, this book broke my heart, made me feel that love hurts and if you lose it, it hurts even more. It healed me and then made me believe in love again. What a beautiful but bittersweet story.
thank you St. Martin's Press and netgalley for opportunity to read this advance copy.
thank you St. Martin's Press and netgalley for opportunity to read this advance copy.
December 24, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s press for the early copy of this book.
This book was a suspenseful rollercoaster the entire time. It was hard to follow but it was very rewarding. It kept me guessing the entire time to the point I wanted to go back to the beginning to see if I missed anything but I hadn’t. It was just time that had slipped by as intended and the timeline had changed.
Overall, it was a beautiful journey. It was so well written and the message itself was very beautiful. I’m a sucker for second chances and this was a very unique representation of that.
Beautiful story!
This book was a suspenseful rollercoaster the entire time. It was hard to follow but it was very rewarding. It kept me guessing the entire time to the point I wanted to go back to the beginning to see if I missed anything but I hadn’t. It was just time that had slipped by as intended and the timeline had changed.
Overall, it was a beautiful journey. It was so well written and the message itself was very beautiful. I’m a sucker for second chances and this was a very unique representation of that.
Beautiful story!
January 24, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.
Real rating: 4.3 stars
I love the time travel-travel trope, but I cannot stand the time loop trope. This was a strange in-between that worked well, even at the times it frustrated me.
Most stories with time travel change two or three things and call it a day. But this book—this book changed /everything/. Multiple times.
Tiny ripples, they kept saying. Tiny ripples that would cause massive changes at the drop of a dime, written in a sort of blink-and-you-miss-it manner that had me feeling like I was going crazy.
There were moments when everything blurred together and I could not say for certain what the current timeline was and what events were still valid in that new reality. I guess, in a way, that’s a good thing, because it allowed me to empathize with Nieve more. I, too, was just as frustrated as her at times when the tiniest thing she’d do would cause such a massive change and she had no choice but to roll with the punches.
I mourned several versions of the same person. I’m just thankful that, in every reality, her grandmother was her constant.
Real rating: 4.3 stars
I love the time travel-travel trope, but I cannot stand the time loop trope. This was a strange in-between that worked well, even at the times it frustrated me.
Most stories with time travel change two or three things and call it a day. But this book—this book changed /everything/. Multiple times.
Tiny ripples, they kept saying. Tiny ripples that would cause massive changes at the drop of a dime, written in a sort of blink-and-you-miss-it manner that had me feeling like I was going crazy.
There were moments when everything blurred together and I could not say for certain what the current timeline was and what events were still valid in that new reality. I guess, in a way, that’s a good thing, because it allowed me to empathize with Nieve more. I, too, was just as frustrated as her at times when the tiniest thing she’d do would cause such a massive change and she had no choice but to roll with the punches.
I mourned several versions of the same person. I’m just thankful that, in every reality, her grandmother was her constant.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was such a unique and fun read! I loved the idea of the story and the vibe was immaculate.
I love the campus setting, the damn sheep, the working on art together. It had a wide variety of characters which was fun but some of them also stayed quite surface level and left me wondering if I had missed some explanation for their behaviour. Grandee was definitely a highlight and I would've loved to see more of her.
I do think the execution could've been a bit better. Thinking back on it, there are quite a few things that raise some eyebrows. I'm still a bit confused as to why anyone thought she was sane if she was switching between timelines and not knowing whether people were alive or in the picture lol. I also think it could've been wrapped up a bit better. We did get answers but it was all kept quite vague and just felt a bit rushed.
I really enjoyed the idea of this book but as soon as I started thinking more about it, it just didn't hold up for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Rock the Boat for this arc!
I love the campus setting, the damn sheep, the working on art together. It had a wide variety of characters which was fun but some of them also stayed quite surface level and left me wondering if I had missed some explanation for their behaviour. Grandee was definitely a highlight and I would've loved to see more of her.
I do think the execution could've been a bit better. Thinking back on it, there are quite a few things that raise some eyebrows. I'm still a bit confused as to why anyone thought she was sane if she was switching between timelines and not knowing whether people were alive or in the picture lol. I also think it could've been wrapped up a bit better. We did get answers but it was all kept quite vague and just felt a bit rushed.
I really enjoyed the idea of this book but as soon as I started thinking more about it, it just didn't hold up for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Rock the Boat for this arc!
November 10, 2025
2.5 stars, rounded up!
When I first read the description of this book, it immediately caught my attention. I liked it overall, but I found the shifting timelines a bit confusing. It’s definitely fast-paced, which I enjoyed, but I wish the romance between Max and Nieve had been fleshed out a little more since it felt a little quick for me.
Thank you to St. Martin's for the e-arc!
When I first read the description of this book, it immediately caught my attention. I liked it overall, but I found the shifting timelines a bit confusing. It’s definitely fast-paced, which I enjoyed, but I wish the romance between Max and Nieve had been fleshed out a little more since it felt a little quick for me.
Thank you to St. Martin's for the e-arc!
December 29, 2025
4..5⭐️
I received this ARC in a Goodreads giveaway and it was a well-paced, enjoyable YA story of love, loss, and second chances.
It didn’t take me long to get through this one. I didn’t want to put it down. I enjoyed all parts of this book,including the characters. My only real critique was that I was expecting more emotional damage from a story like this and I just didn’t connect to it the way I thought I was going to. It lacked the element of FEELING like I was going through it WITH the fmc, otherwise I would have given it a 5!
I received this ARC in a Goodreads giveaway and it was a well-paced, enjoyable YA story of love, loss, and second chances.
It didn’t take me long to get through this one. I didn’t want to put it down. I enjoyed all parts of this book,including the characters. My only real critique was that I was expecting more emotional damage from a story like this and I just didn’t connect to it the way I thought I was going to. It lacked the element of FEELING like I was going through it WITH the fmc, otherwise I would have given it a 5!
January 23, 2026
Easily 5 stars, i actually knew it was going to be 5 stars when i got to chapter 3. As beautiful as it was tragic, this book tore me to pieces and i genuinely loved every part of it. Don’t even get me started on the goats! My whole heart
December 21, 2025
ARC Review - 5 ★
⋆˚࿔ this book was absolutely phenomenal! i was honestly gambling with my expectations when i first read the description but it was completely worth it. i'm usually not a fan of magical realism or time travel kinda tropes but this one was genuinely enjoyable. the author handled it beautifully and even with the shifts between past and present timelines, i never felt confused and could easily follow the story.
i cried through almost every chapter lol. each time you learn something new about the storyline that you never see them coming. the way the book portrays a journey through grief and denial felt incredibly real and relatable. the emotions were raw and i can say the author did an amazing job capturing those feelings in such a detailed and heartfelt way. every character in this book was likable as well, but max especially stole my heart. i just loved him so much!
Thank you to Kristin Dwyer, Oneworld Publications & NetGalley for the e-ARC!
⊹˚₊‧───────────────‧₊˚⊹
𖤐.ᐟ pre-read:
i was so intrigued by this book’s description. hope it doesn’t disappoint me! i think once in a while, i do need some heartwrenching read
⋆˚࿔ this book was absolutely phenomenal! i was honestly gambling with my expectations when i first read the description but it was completely worth it. i'm usually not a fan of magical realism or time travel kinda tropes but this one was genuinely enjoyable. the author handled it beautifully and even with the shifts between past and present timelines, i never felt confused and could easily follow the story.
i cried through almost every chapter lol. each time you learn something new about the storyline that you never see them coming. the way the book portrays a journey through grief and denial felt incredibly real and relatable. the emotions were raw and i can say the author did an amazing job capturing those feelings in such a detailed and heartfelt way. every character in this book was likable as well, but max especially stole my heart. i just loved him so much!
Thank you to Kristin Dwyer, Oneworld Publications & NetGalley for the e-ARC!
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𖤐.ᐟ pre-read:
i was so intrigued by this book’s description. hope it doesn’t disappoint me! i think once in a while, i do need some heartwrenching read
October 10, 2025
In Time With You was so achingly beautifully good, easily has become one of my favorite books. I went in blind, because I love everything Kristin Dwyer has written. However, once I found out it was a go back in time and fix something book, I was hesitant as I normally don't like those books, but this was the exception. The one storyline with paraphrases of her memories just worked so well. It felt as the reader you were holding her hand living her story for the first time as you feel Neive's thoughts and feelings as she navigates re-living the past.
The story starts off with the funeral of Neive's boyfriend, who she thought was the love over life. Grieving Carter, Neive is in turmoil because she thinks it was her fault he died as he saved her life from drowning. Then one day, she wakes up one year in the past, on the first day of college, just before she met him. Now, Neive is on a mission stay away from Carter, to save him, and in doing so, starts to get closer to Carter's best friend Max, who never liked Neive to begin with.
I loved this story so much. I could not put it down. It was so tender and the relationships between everyone and watching Max and Neives relationship grow in the most caring and subtle ways was everything. Neive's grandma was such a joy, and all her sheep named after Gilmore Girls characters had me cackling when they showed up on the page. This magical realism book had everything you would hope from friendship, love, family, self-growth, tension, and laughter.
The story starts off with the funeral of Neive's boyfriend, who she thought was the love over life. Grieving Carter, Neive is in turmoil because she thinks it was her fault he died as he saved her life from drowning. Then one day, she wakes up one year in the past, on the first day of college, just before she met him. Now, Neive is on a mission stay away from Carter, to save him, and in doing so, starts to get closer to Carter's best friend Max, who never liked Neive to begin with.
I loved this story so much. I could not put it down. It was so tender and the relationships between everyone and watching Max and Neives relationship grow in the most caring and subtle ways was everything. Neive's grandma was such a joy, and all her sheep named after Gilmore Girls characters had me cackling when they showed up on the page. This magical realism book had everything you would hope from friendship, love, family, self-growth, tension, and laughter.
September 26, 2025
I really liked this premise.However, this book got boring about half way through. I lost interest in both characters and it was a chore to finish.
January 13, 2026
I think this may just be my new favorite Kristin Dwyer book! Dwyer is the queen of evoking the most intense emotions in you through her words. Her books are the ones I pick up when I want to feel something. They’re the ones I seek out when I’m looking to experience raw unfiltered emotion. The way her words have the power to make me feel to such a deep level is astonishing. Every time I pick up one of Dwyer’s books, I know I’m asking to be hurt, but I also know that I’m going to love every second of the destruction reading her books brings me. In Time With You was no different. Reading this book was an emotional journey that left me feeling devastated, heartbroken, understood, and hopeful. I read this book in practically one sitting. It was magical and heart wrenching in the most breathtakingly beautiful way. The longing in this book was all consuming!!! I haven’t experienced longing like that in a very long time.
Nieve Monroe is a girl consumed by guilt and grief after her boyfriend Carter dies saving her life. Unable to face the world and wanting nothing more than to go back in time and undo the events that led to Carter’s death, Nieve goes to stay with her grandmother. To Nieve’s surprise when she awakens the next day, she finds it’s one year earlier than when she went to sleep. Nieve is determined to do anything to keep Carter safe this time though, even if that means pushing him away. The more she separates herself from Carter; however, the more she finds herself drawn to his best friend. Nieve must make sacrifices, deal with the consequences of her new decisions, and accept her new reality before time runs out, because time itself is also fighting to correct itself.
I loved this book with my entire soul. Dwyer perfectly captured that feeling of intense loneliness we all feel and experience at some point in our lives. That feeling like it’s you against the world, and no decision you make is ever the right one. Nieve’s emotions seeped through the pages. Her grief was a tangible thing. It constantly lurked in the background, and you could feel it as a driving force in some of the decisions she made. I loved that the book wasn’t just Nieve repeating a single day over again repeatedly, but rather a year worth of days that led to a series of new decisions. I was enthralled in how each new decision Nieve made would play out. The entire story had me captivated from the beginning to the very end. This book didn’t end how I expected it to, but I loved that I was surprised by that as well.
You should read this book when you want to feel something. When you want to be consumed by words. When it feels like you’re all alone in the world. When you wish you had made a different choice. When you lose your first love.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My review is based solely on my own opinion, and I appreciate the chance to read In Time With You by Kristin Dwyer.
Nieve Monroe is a girl consumed by guilt and grief after her boyfriend Carter dies saving her life. Unable to face the world and wanting nothing more than to go back in time and undo the events that led to Carter’s death, Nieve goes to stay with her grandmother. To Nieve’s surprise when she awakens the next day, she finds it’s one year earlier than when she went to sleep. Nieve is determined to do anything to keep Carter safe this time though, even if that means pushing him away. The more she separates herself from Carter; however, the more she finds herself drawn to his best friend. Nieve must make sacrifices, deal with the consequences of her new decisions, and accept her new reality before time runs out, because time itself is also fighting to correct itself.
I loved this book with my entire soul. Dwyer perfectly captured that feeling of intense loneliness we all feel and experience at some point in our lives. That feeling like it’s you against the world, and no decision you make is ever the right one. Nieve’s emotions seeped through the pages. Her grief was a tangible thing. It constantly lurked in the background, and you could feel it as a driving force in some of the decisions she made. I loved that the book wasn’t just Nieve repeating a single day over again repeatedly, but rather a year worth of days that led to a series of new decisions. I was enthralled in how each new decision Nieve made would play out. The entire story had me captivated from the beginning to the very end. This book didn’t end how I expected it to, but I loved that I was surprised by that as well.
You should read this book when you want to feel something. When you want to be consumed by words. When it feels like you’re all alone in the world. When you wish you had made a different choice. When you lose your first love.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My review is based solely on my own opinion, and I appreciate the chance to read In Time With You by Kristin Dwyer.
February 1, 2026
In Time With You is a beautiful story told with Dwyer’s signature swoon-worthy and emotional prose. She’s a master at breaking our hearts again and again, but always leaves them mended in the end.
I loved the symbolism of the yarn and the colors, the sheep named after Gilmore Girls characters, and the way these tied into the magical realism of the timeline change. Grandee was easily my favorite side character, but the entire cast was well-developed - all so relatably human in their goals, their relationships, and their grief.
I loved the way Nieve’s perception of both Max and Carter changed as she committed herself more fully to the new timeline. This was an entirely new way to portray a second-chance romance and I loved every flashback full of hidden meaning and every new moment between the two.
There were just a couple things that kept this from being a five star review for me:
- The more I learned about both Max and Carter, the more it seemed like Carter was not a great or loyal friend. It seemed like he only considered himself and took whatever he pleased regardless of who he hurt in the process.
- This one’s a spoiler so I’m going to be rather vague, but there was something generally known about Carter by his friends and his family. I was confused as to why in the year they were dating no one ever brought up this semi-secret to Nieve. It didn’t seem like protecting her and instead came off like they viewed her as too insignificant in Carter’s life for it to matter in the end.
Overall, Dwyer excels at conveying grief for young adult audiences. She shows its heartbreak, its devastating consequences, and the monumental task of beginning anew. I could easily see myself reading this one again and again!
Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the symbolism of the yarn and the colors, the sheep named after Gilmore Girls characters, and the way these tied into the magical realism of the timeline change. Grandee was easily my favorite side character, but the entire cast was well-developed - all so relatably human in their goals, their relationships, and their grief.
I loved the way Nieve’s perception of both Max and Carter changed as she committed herself more fully to the new timeline. This was an entirely new way to portray a second-chance romance and I loved every flashback full of hidden meaning and every new moment between the two.
There were just a couple things that kept this from being a five star review for me:
- The more I learned about both Max and Carter, the more it seemed like Carter was not a great or loyal friend. It seemed like he only considered himself and took whatever he pleased regardless of who he hurt in the process.
- This one’s a spoiler so I’m going to be rather vague, but there was something generally known about Carter by his friends and his family. I was confused as to why in the year they were dating no one ever brought up this semi-secret to Nieve. It didn’t seem like protecting her and instead came off like they viewed her as too insignificant in Carter’s life for it to matter in the end.
Overall, Dwyer excels at conveying grief for young adult audiences. She shows its heartbreak, its devastating consequences, and the monumental task of beginning anew. I could easily see myself reading this one again and again!
Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5🌟
I enjoyed The Atlas of Us by Kristin so much, I read it in a day. So when I read the premise of her next release, In Time With You, I was naturally intrigued.
However, this one didn't quite work as well for me. There were many things I enjoyed, like the use of the yarn and their colors as symbolism for time and experiences in life, and the discussions about art, not to mention the various Gilmore Girls character-named sheep. But in the end, the magical realism didn't make quite enough sense to me, even as one who enjoys the genre. I've been pondering it for a bit now and I'm not entirely sure it's meant to, though. It felt like maybe it was meant to be left a little murky. Regardless, for me as a reader, it didn't feel like a satisfying enough conclusion after everything the character(s) went through.
**Also, while the characters themselves are college-aged adults, this is marketed as YA (because it is a coming-of-age-adjacent type of story) and there are a couple of romantic scenes between characters that were a little more open-door than I'm comfortable with in YA. Nothing very explicit of course, but definitely open-door. I know this is becoming more common, particularly when the characters themselves are older, and different readers feel differently about its place and approach in YA stories (and as a related topic, the wide age range of the YA genre as is currently marketed, but that's a discussion for another time and place). So this is just a note for anyone who feels the same as me.**
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
I enjoyed The Atlas of Us by Kristin so much, I read it in a day. So when I read the premise of her next release, In Time With You, I was naturally intrigued.
However, this one didn't quite work as well for me. There were many things I enjoyed, like the use of the yarn and their colors as symbolism for time and experiences in life, and the discussions about art, not to mention the various Gilmore Girls character-named sheep. But in the end, the magical realism didn't make quite enough sense to me, even as one who enjoys the genre. I've been pondering it for a bit now and I'm not entirely sure it's meant to, though. It felt like maybe it was meant to be left a little murky. Regardless, for me as a reader, it didn't feel like a satisfying enough conclusion after everything the character(s) went through.
**Also, while the characters themselves are college-aged adults, this is marketed as YA (because it is a coming-of-age-adjacent type of story) and there are a couple of romantic scenes between characters that were a little more open-door than I'm comfortable with in YA. Nothing very explicit of course, but definitely open-door. I know this is becoming more common, particularly when the characters themselves are older, and different readers feel differently about its place and approach in YA stories (and as a related topic, the wide age range of the YA genre as is currently marketed, but that's a discussion for another time and place). So this is just a note for anyone who feels the same as me.**
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
October 21, 2025
Few & far between are the books that drown out the constant noise in my brain. Few & far between are the books that make me NEED to go back to eyeball reading. In Time With You has entered the realm of books for me that few will ever tread.
JUST WOW! I loved this so much & had not a single thought in my head as I entered into these pages. Not even realizing this story would have me in such a vice grip. When our fmc Nieve undergoes a loss of the deepest heartache, her college boyfriend, she finds herself spun into a magical time traveling journey to stop the death from ever happening. But of course, in all of her attempts to distance herself from him to change fate, she ends up closer to his best friend Max who she had always thought hated her. EEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!! Ugh!! This story is just so twisty & turny & EXCELLENT!! I loved Nieve & Max & my heart truly broke a little at every interaction as the story progressed. Max just made me SO WEAK!! SWEET, SUMMER, ANGEL, MISSION’S KID BABY!!! I think the ending was a little bit different than what I thought it would be, but I didn’t mind it so much. This book will be perfect for fans of Ashley Poston’s magical realism, Lynn Painter’s mastering touch for YA romance, mixed with some absolutely modern novel-esque elements & tone. This book was a hidden gem that is very much worth finding!
This was 5 stars for me—it’s just what it deserves!! Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Early Reader Program & NetGalley for a copy of this arc!!
WOWZA I’M GONNA HATE MYSELF IN THE MORNING BUT THIS WAS SO GOOD. RTC!!
JUST WOW! I loved this so much & had not a single thought in my head as I entered into these pages. Not even realizing this story would have me in such a vice grip. When our fmc Nieve undergoes a loss of the deepest heartache, her college boyfriend, she finds herself spun into a magical time traveling journey to stop the death from ever happening. But of course, in all of her attempts to distance herself from him to change fate, she ends up closer to his best friend Max who she had always thought hated her. EEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!! Ugh!! This story is just so twisty & turny & EXCELLENT!! I loved Nieve & Max & my heart truly broke a little at every interaction as the story progressed. Max just made me SO WEAK!! SWEET, SUMMER, ANGEL, MISSION’S KID BABY!!! I think the ending was a little bit different than what I thought it would be, but I didn’t mind it so much. This book will be perfect for fans of Ashley Poston’s magical realism, Lynn Painter’s mastering touch for YA romance, mixed with some absolutely modern novel-esque elements & tone. This book was a hidden gem that is very much worth finding!
This was 5 stars for me—it’s just what it deserves!! Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Early Reader Program & NetGalley for a copy of this arc!!
WOWZA I’M GONNA HATE MYSELF IN THE MORNING BUT THIS WAS SO GOOD. RTC!!
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