[Review] In Time With You - Kristin Dwyer

Summary: Nieve Monroe is devastated after her boyfriend Carter dies saving her from drowning. Even worse she blames herself for his death… and so does his best friend, Max. He was there with them on that fateful day, and he’s never liked Nieve.

Unable to pull herself from her grief and wanting to hide from the accusation in his eyes, Nieve goes to stay with her grandmother, who has always had strange stories to tell of uncanny happenings, of magic and make believe. The next morning, Nieve wakes up on the first day of college, the year before.

This time she plans to make sure Carter never follows her into that river. She’ll do everything in her power to keep him safe, even if it means losing him in other ways. But the more distance she puts between her and Carter, the closer she gets to Max, drawn to him in ways she never expected. But is she betraying Carter if the only way she can save him is to move on? And can she ever forget her past to embrace her future?

Kristin Dwyer’s In Time with You is a heartbreaking story of first love, loss, and one chance to change everything. (Pub Date: Mar 03 2026)

3.5 rounded up to 4.

This is a YA novel that sits right on the borderline of romance, which I found interesting. The characters are already in college, but they're still young enough that their voices feel very YA, and most of the themes reflect that as well. That said, there are one or two elements that feel a bit more mature than in your average YA.

In any case, this was one of those reads that are simply enjoyable even if the story isn't perfect. You want to know what will happen to the characters, and even when you can already guess the what, you still want to know the how. I haven’t had as much time to read lately, but I still finished this one very quickly. The stakes also feel higher than in your typical time-travel book, with time itself acting like an enemy, altering things beyond what Nieve has caused.

On the other hand, the conflict can feel too random to resolve. In one timeline, her mother basically disappears from her life. In another, everything she has accomplished vanishes when she wakes up.

What I really liked here was the romance. It’s the good kind of slow burn that makes you root for them. And also, it was all very swoonworthy. It gave me feels I hadn't had in a long time. Highly recommended in this aspect.

And of course, the side characters were also likable. Among them, Nieve’s grandmother was my favorite. I’m sure I’ll still remember some of her lessons for a long time to come.

I'd still say this is more to those who enjoy reading YA, as the themes explored reminisce a lot the genre, but the fulfilling romance is what I'll be remembering it for.

Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Rating: 4 out of 5.