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Quick! What day is it? If you’re stuck in a time loop, it might be Sunday again and again and again and again…but what exactly is a time loop? Unlike time travel, a time loop does not move forward or backward in time. Characters are stuck within a certain day or moment in time, thanks to a catalyst like a car crash. The moment repeats in a constant circle — or loop — bringing the characters back to the start. They might remember the previous loops, but others not stuck in the loops will not remember anything new. To break the loop, the stuck characters must solve the problem presented within the loop. Time loops are popular in science fiction television like Star Trek: The Next Generation and Doctor Who, Japanese anime and manga, and classic movies like Groundhog Day. One of my favorite examples of a time loop is the Supernatural episode, “Mystery Spot.”
So why do time loops work so well in romance novels? The love interests are forced by their circumstances to rely on each other to either break the time loop or find a way to live through the constant repetition. All that tension and puzzling tends to bring people together, plus time loops feel magical and whimsical. These romances are only a few examples of time loops in fiction, so don’t get stuck looking for the next one!
Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield
I had to start this list with the book that inspired it. Phoebe Mendel has been reliving August 6th for over thirty days, when her childhood crush, Jess, literally runs into her and gets sucked into the time loop. After a month of pancakes, board games, and agonizing over the doctor’s appointment that’s never going to come, Phoebe is ready for something different. Jess has anxieties of their own, but together, maybe they’ll finally find a way to make it to August 7th.
If I See You Again Tomorrow by Robbie Couch
Clark has woken up to the same Monday 309 times until day 310 when a new student, Beau, shows up in his math class. Normally shy, Clark decides to take a chance and spend the day running errands with Beau. With no promise of tomorrow, how can Clark follow his heart?
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A Quantum Love Story by Mike Chen
Neuroscientist Mariana is ready to start her life over when a stranger stops her. Carter Cho claims to know Mariana, and tells her she needs to remember what he’s saying because time is about to loop. Monday starts again and Carter and Mariana are stuck together in a 4-day loop. As Carter’s memories of the time loop begin to disappear, they must figure out a way to break the loop.
The Déjà Glitch by Holly James
All Jack has to do is convince Gemma to fall in love with him in 24 hours, and he’ll be free of the time loop he’s been living in for months. Not so easy. For Gemma, her life seems to go on as usual, but when she runs into Jack at a coffee shop, he seems weirdly familiar. Almost as if they’ve done this routine before…Or have they? This charming romcom balances smart banter with heavier themes.
Time Loops & Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau (May 6, 2025)
After eating some delicious dumplings at a night market, Noelle finds herself reliving the same Friday over and over again. The repetition could be a break from her hectic life, but it’s getting boring. Noelle meets someone else who also ate the dumplings, and Cam, a handsome stranger who has appeared in multiple places on Friday. Is Cam the key to getting to Saturday? Find out in this delightful novel.
If you were stuck in a time loop, who would you want stuck with you? Want to read more time-twisty fiction? Dip into our time travel archives and try five of the best romantic time travel novels.
