I was intrigued by the concept of this book but for some reason just couldn't get into the story. I know that time loops inherently require repetition, but I got so bored at the beginning of this book.

Something about the characters as well just felt off. I know Carter has been stuck in the loop for longer than Mariana, but the way he just nonchalantly tells Mariana that "this whole place is going to blow up" just feels so unnatural. Even after reliving it so many times, I just find it unbelievable that this is how someone would approach another person to convince them that they're in a time loop too.

The concept of this book sounds amazing but it just fell flat for me, though I'm sure others out there would love it.

Be still my little nerd-loving heart!

A Quantum Love Story by Mike Chen is a compelling exploration of love transcending time and space, delving into the complexities of relationships in a thought-provoking manner. Chen's unique narrative approach introduces a captivating twist that keeps readers engaged, challenging our perceptions of the boundaries of love and hope. While I appreciated the innovative take on a time-traveling/Groundhog Day-esque premise and the intriguing juxtaposition of quantum mechanics with matters of the heart, I found myself wanting a deeper emotional connection with the characters. The eloquent prose and clever interplay of science and romance showcased Chen's intellectual prowess, yet a stronger emotional resonance could have elevated the impact.

Overall, A Quantum Love Story is a commendable read, sparking contemplation on the profound impact of love within the confines of a multiverse, but it left me craving that little something extra from what could have been a more profound emotional impact.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA for the advanced reader copy via NetGalley. I love tackling romances with a science-based storyline.

Time-loops or time travel is tough to do well. It's complicated and prone to paradoxical gotchas. When it's done well (Recursion) it's amazing but that tends to be the exception versus the rule.

This book was alright. I was interested in the premise and up for a cute story set against a sci-fi backdrop but it didn't quite fire on all cylinders.

There were some unusual character quirks, each of the main characters had one defined aspect of their personality - Carter had cooking and Mariana had her friend Shay. The only issue is that they literally talk about these things 7000 times. Every other scene the characters are talking about Shay or food. It happened enough that it was noticable and distracting.

Overall it just felt a bit flat to me, it wasn't particularly complex or charming or even interesting it just sort of existed.

I have read and enjoyed Mike Chen’s books. I wouldn’t call them ‘cozy reads’ as the situations the characters find themselves in are often quite difficult emotionally but he describes these characters with compassion in a way I find appealing.

This new book has an interesting plot that’s part Groundhog Day with a quantum-like twist. However I felt the story missed something that has been hard to put my finger on. I think the characters’ reactions to events seemed off at times. Some events were catastrophic or very peculiar, and yet the human responses were muted. This was less true when developing the relationship between the main characters, but it felt odd.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book is super unique and interesting. I was expecting a cliche romance with some science fiction but was pleasantly surprised at how in-depth this book discussed time travel and time loops. I found myself narrating the book so I could better understand the theory and analytics of paradoxes and other science-y things. This is very different from what I usually read, and I loved it!

I loved that I thought of many logistical questions while reading and they were either answered or one of the characters was questioning the same thing I was. I thought it was so cool to include AI in this and the “personalities” of David and Bowie were so funny and a fun perspective of the future.

I think Mariana and Carter are quirky and intelligent. I love that the reader gets to know them individually in their time loop trials and as friends trying to save the world. I find their friendship so cute and wholesome; they help each other enjoy life and figure out what makes them happy as they go through time loops. I didn’t see the romance between them but their banter is excellent and I think their friendship alone is mutually beneficial.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was Mariana and Shay’s relationship and how Mariana dealt with her grief. The concept of Mariana’s ReLive memories is excellent. Mariana experiences vivid memories of her late friend Shay where we learn about Mariana’s past and family life as well as understand Mariana’s actions later in the book. I love how the breaking of rules/messing with fate and the future plays out here!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC of A Quantum Love Story.

A Quantum Love Story by Mike Chen was exactly what you would expect but in the absolute best way.

What I really love is that Chen has taken the classic Groundhog Day trope and mixed it with the problems of time travel. He drops us into the story once the time loop has already started and our male protagonist, Carter, has already been through several loops. Its the first time I've read a story like this where we don't start with the protagonist at the very beginning. It was a breath of fresh air because we got to avoid all the boring "hasn't this happened already" inner dialogue that usually comes with this type of story.

I also liked that there was a reason our female protagonist was able to be brought into the time loop instead of just being handwaved away like normal. Marianna was such a great character and I loved the slow build up of the relationship between her and Carter. They are great foils for each other.

Probably the one thing keeping this from being a solid 4 stars for me is that I felt like the removal of Carter as one of the protagonists was a bit... abrupt. I think it was the right call for the narrative but it happened very suddenly and I would have liked to see it drawn out a bit more. I think it would have added more suspense to what was changing about the loops.

Overall though, a real solid time travel story and I will be adding Mike Chen to my list of authors to keep an eye on.

Wow wow wow. This book made my head hurt in a good way and my heart hurt in a… mostly good way. The characters slowly getting to know each other through repeating time loops felt so perfect. Carter and Mariana felt so real and I appreciated their individual ways of working through their feelings surrounding their predicament and each other. I admittedly don’t understand much of the science-ness of this book but as a lover of a time traveling moment it did not disappoint.

The romance plot is there but maybe not as much as I would expect with “love story” in the title. I think that makes it feel realistic though, because it wasn’t Insta-love, they had to actually form a connection. I also haven’t read much romance-ish stuff by a man so props to Mike for pulling me in!

Spoilers ahead-
The ending surprised me a bit and I will admit to wishing there was a bigger reunion scene but the openness leaves room for interpretation and my romantic imagination.

The dog dies but the cat doesn’t.

Review on Goodreads as well. More review content closer to release date on TikTok and Insta.

I think I'm unlikely to read anymore Mike Chen books as he takes interesting SF concepts then builds pretty basic stories about people around them without challenging standard conventions or even developing characters I like. He also tends to repeat the types of stories he writes about loss and love so I'm not sure he's worth reading anymore.

Now, this, this was an emotional rollercoaster. There is so much to say about this book. The idea of people falling in love during a time loop was very intriguing to me. I wasn't sure how the author was going to make this work, but I found the way Chen brought characters together was very interesting and heart braking at times. One aspect of this book that I adore is how much we get to know both Carter, Mariana, and their mannerisms. For instance, I love how Carter is writing everything down in his notebook: down to the second. Those are the ones to trust. Also, Mariana's place is giving smart house vibes- if you know, you know.

Another aspect that I find to be intriguing is how both Mariana and Carter are interpreting their experience. At first, Mariana thinks Carter is from a different dimension, and he thinks he's stuck in time. However, the shock for me was Carter's justification for bringing someone else into the loop- he is so casual about it.

In terms of the book's logistics, I don't love how the characters will randomly go into flashbacks with no inclination in the text. You just figure it out as you read. Also, I understand the plot towards the solution, but I'm not loving this divergence, which leads us to an ending where I can't say that I love it. It may just be me, but it really bothered me that in ever word that had an "f" next to an "l" there was a space? I sensed no reason for this, and I found it to be distracting. Ultimately, I am giving this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Genesis's Random Thoughts While Reading:

-I am rooting for them so hard: it's so sweet; also, I love how much Carter loves food
-I am so shocked at where all of this sudden romance is coming from. Like, a private experience on the Wimbledon tennis court???? Dang, Carter: you got game.
-I am so proud of Mariana for going for it, but we see that selfishness coming through
-He can't be forgetting her, I won't allow it.




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I love a good time loop, and I particularly loved the Quantum Leap easter eggs strewn throughout this tale, but the stakes of this story never really came together for me. A four-day time loop and a resetting bank account? Trips to places like London and all the best food you could find? That doesn't sound so bad.

I received an advanced ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis of this book totally sucked me in, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. It wasn’t bad, but just didn’t suck me in and really hold my attention like I’d hoped. The beginning and end were great, but the middle got fuzzy and it felt like the story lost its way. I think with 50ish fewer pages, the story would have better flow.

I did find the premise unique at least! You don’t need to be a science nerd to understand what’s going on. Very accessible for all audiences.

This is a classic love story set in a multi verse type setting with great twists, characters you’ll want to know, and a great ending that maybe sets up for more?

This is an absolutely enjoyable and quirky time loop reading experience! What sets it apart is its ability to avoid predictable and stereotypical time loop stories that overload your brain with scientific jargon, forcing you to re-read pages in hopes of understanding it all. Instead, this book offers a refreshing twist. While there is a hint of romance between the characters, their motivation to escape the time loop is not solely driven by an impossible love story, as often seen in similar plots.

The focus of this story lies primarily on friendship and grief, with an infusion of quirky and hilarious vibes, complemented by science fiction elements.

We are introduced to Mariana Pineda, a brilliant neuroscientist who is grieving the loss of her best friend and seeking a fresh start. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she encounters Carter Cho, who insists they already know each other and warns her not to forget this moment before the time loop resets. Although Mariana finds Carter's claims unbelievable, the next day, when she wakes up to another Monday and realizes the time has indeed reset, she understands they are trapped in this loop together. Now, they must urgently find a way to break free!

Both characters are engaging with their unique, nerdy, and peculiar attributes. There are numerous moments that brought a smile to my face as I witnessed their gradual discovery of each other's personalities and their deepening connection. Together, they race against time, searching for an escape from the time loop before Carter's memories are permanently erased.

Overall, this book offers a fast-paced and intriguing reading experience that kept my interest fully engaged. In my opinion, it may be the author's best work to date and the one I enjoyed the most!

I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I always enjoy reading Mike Chen's work, and this was no exception. This is a fun and interesting time loop, light time travel novel with well-developed characters and an engaging plot. I easily got into and enjoyed where Mariana and Carter's story/(ies) went. It's one of those physics/time-themed novels that explains enough to get the gist of how the time wonkiness works, but not too much to make you bored. :)

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A sweet, Sci Fi, romance! The near-future setting was surprisingly realistic and characters are cute without being cheesy.

Parts of this review will be slightly spoilery so read ahead at your own risk.

This was a really interesting read and it has a little bit of everything: science fiction (emphasis on fiction), romance, humor, mystery, grief.

I loved watching Carter and Mariana spend time together in the various loops and the growth of their friendship seemed natural and realistic. But I wasn't really feeling the romance. There are small hints and you can tell that's where it's heading... maybe. With a little more buildup, and more of a certainty Carter felt the same way, the emotional impact of him not remembering the end of the boat day would have been that much more powerful. And, it would add more credence to what Mariana ultimately decides to do.

Even without the emotional oomph that could have been, it was still a good read. A nice bit of nerdy, quirky escapism.

*** All reviews are posted immediately to Goodreads, Storygraph, and Instagram. At least one follow-up/reminder review will be posted to Instagram a week or two prior to publication. Full review posted on Amazon within a week of publication.

This was a fun time travel story. I was worried the science might be too much but that wasn’t an issue, it wasn’t very technical. It was still somewhat believable in the way it was described. The story takes place in the future and two unlikely people get stuck in a time loop. The plot went farther than I expected and I had no idea what was going to happen. I loved how it all turned out, though. Good, easy read.

I enjoyed this time loop adventure. It centers on Carter, a technician at Hawke, stuck in a time loop … until Mariana, a neuroscientist from ReLive, joins him. Will they get out of the loop? What caused it?

I really liked Mariana and Carter. As a math nerd, it was great to see a woman in stem represented. I chuckled every time she spouted off digits of pi. My favorite character, though, was Carter. His innate intelligence, love of food, and his snarky conversations with David made his personality leap off the page.

I will admit that ReLive is a very interesting concept to me. I have aphantasia and suspect I had SDAM, so the possibility of some injections improving your memory like that? Wow.

I love elephants, so the cameo from their ancestor was super fun, too. Oh, and Maggie the cat was a show stopper. Too cute.

If you want a book that has some interesting (aka fiction novel) science, a love story, and a mystery, then I’d give this one a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an arc of this book.