In Time With You by Kristin Dwyer Review | Time-Travel Romance

“Thank you for coming after me. In this life and all the others.” In Time With You by Kristin Dwyer

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Would you do it? Go back in time to save the life of the one you love, knowing it means you no longer get to be with them? That’s the question at the heart of In Time With You by Kristin Dwyer, a hopeful, heartbreaking, and utterly immersive magical time travel romance.

Honestly, I picked this book for the time travel and romance. But I stayed for the unexpected Gilmore Girls references… including a perfect dig at Christopher. Rightfully so. That little wink to fellow Gilmore Girls fans made the story even more charming.

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In Time With You Synopsis

Nieve’s life turns upside down when her boyfriend, Carter, dies while saving her from drowning. Grief, guilt, and the nonstop thought of “what if” follow her everywhere. And then there’s Max, Carter’s best friend, who blames Nieve for what happened and has never really liked her. Nieve wants nothing more than to hide from all of this, from everyone, so she escapes to her grandmother’s farm… and wakes up a full year in the past.

Suddenly, a freshman once again in college, she has the chance to rewrite history. The chance to save Carter and make everything right. Right? As anyone who’s ever tried to rewrite the past knows, changing one thing can ripple out in ways you never ever expect.

In Time With You Review (Spoilers!)

Nieve’s grief is raw, Carter’s death is tragic, and the tension with Max is truly everything. Max’s standoffishness slowly unravels as you realize there’s so much more beneath the surface. He’s carrying his own guilt, his own pain, and maybe (just maybe!) his own timeline where he’s in love with Nieve.

Nieve can’t just change the past without any consequence. The loops aren’t always a full year, sometimes just far enough back to undo a major change she made this time around. A major change that Max always dreams about… It keeps you on your toes as a reader and makes you grieve the memories they continues to loose.

And then there’s the grandmother, who isn’t just this quirky, witchy side character, but really the one responsible for this story. Her magic, her stories, and her yarn play an undeniably crucial role in making time travel possible.

Okay, here’s my theory: Max isn’t just angry at Nieve in the “first timeline” because he dislikes her. He’s stuck in the same type of time loop, trying to save Carter, and maybe he’s seen timelines where he’s with Nieve. It explains the unexplained tension and standoffishness when Neive and Carter are dating, as well as the undeniable care that is subtly woven into all his interactions with Nieve once she goes back in time.

Perfect For Readers Who Love Time Travel Romance

The star character here: the grandmother. Aside from being responsible for the time travel, her farm is an absolute haven of whimsy where every sheep is named after a Gilmore Girls character. And the rooster named Christopher, the one everyone hates? Perfect. Little touches like that made the story feel so full of personality.

This story is perfect for fans of time travel romance where magic isn’t extravagant, but so subtle, and where you will continually question whether the past should ever stay buried. In Time With You is bittersweet and impossible to forget.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this wonderful ARC!