“Time and Time Again” is a romance first, and a time loop novel second: There was a little less plot and much lower stakes than I was anticipating, given the premise, but the banter was fun. (Though, it started far too early. It tried to be explained away with Jess wanting to maintain their friendship with Phoebe and act as if nothing awkward had happened, but I was still a little off-put..?) I think the characters were also likable, despite Phoebe and Jess being the only ones allowed to have permanent growth (most of the time). All of “No Pictures, Please” were pretty spot-on for their age group, down to some of the quips they’d use.

I enjoyed the representation! Phoebe’s struggles over her IBS not being understood or acknowledged (and how that intersects with fatphobia) seemed to be handled very well, and it was refreshing to see it discussed in a YA novel. (Especially one that is hopeful.) Her and Jess’s physical limits were definitely considered throughout the plot, and seeing them take advantage of that in the loop a bit was pretty creative. I also love how Phoebe being a lesbian attracted to a nonbinary person wasn’t something that she questioned at all, and that Jess was lesbian as well! In general, her and Jess’s relationship was quite sappy and I liked how earnest it was. The twist that happened when both of them got out of the time loop actually saddened me?? Like damn!! 

The twists in how everyone’s memories and the space time continuum were affected by the time loop were so confusing?! If they remember the other August 6ths, but not that they were all technically the same day, do they just think they’re from a week or month they forgot about? (I think so, based on the response Phoebe’s dad gave.) Why did Jess temporarily lose their memories? Was the loop really just centered around Phoebe?

I guess this is a sort of standard romance that just has the added bonus of being lesbian. Still, it was fun, despite the inherent repetition of the story, and something about a time loop taking place in the pre-senior year transition period and fully leaning into the coming-of-age aspect was satisfying to me.