Ironically, it is Valentine’s Day, and here I am, at my saturation point for romance novels. I read or listened to over 20 contemporary romance novels last year, and now I need a break from the tropes and familiar beats. But I had a few in my public library queue that came through recently. (I will always make an exception for Heated Rivalry, though.)

Time Loops & Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau was recommended in the New York Times’ list of Best Romance Books of 2025. Now that I’ve read it, I’m not sure I quite agree. I thought What Happens in Amsterdam, Never Been Shipped, and Roll for Romance were better romances published in 2025.

But I thoroughly enjoyed Time Loops & Meet Cutes, in which a 30-something woman gets stuck in a time loop and meets the same cute guy over and over. I enjoyed the female protagonist’s journey of self-discovery amid the timey-wimey chaos, including her friendship with another woman also stuck in the loop. The central romance, at times, felt like a B-plot, and I found the male love interest a bit thin as a character. Still, this novel is fun and charming. It is very much set in Toronto, and it made me want to visit and try all the food!

I also started and abandoned If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia. I found much to like about this book. It’s set in the 90s, the male lead is funny and kind, the New England autumnal vibes are strong. We get a lot of interiority from both characters. But, frankly, it was just too damn long. Towards the middle, I could see where the story was going, and I was bored.

Additionally, this book felt like Gilmore Girls fanfic. It seemed like the author wanted to follow another single parent in Stars Hollow through a romance, keep the quirky town but vary it enough to avoid copyright. I think the Gilmore Girls vibes will work for many readers and fans of the show. It just didn’t work for me.

So I’m taking a break from romance novels for a moment. I just finished a horror book that I dubbed “feminist Stephen King,” and I’ve got two books about extraterrestrials in my queue. I hope these will be palate cleansers, and when I’m ready, romance will still be there waiting, like a handsome male protagonist yearning in the pouring rain.