The Déjà Glitch

With this cleverly constructed romance, James (Nothing but the Truth) puts a fresh spin on the concept of a time loop. The night after a handsome stranger kisses Gemma Peters at her best friend’s birthday party, Gemma wakes up to suspect that she’s reliving the previous day. She dismisses the feeling as déjà vu—until she collides with the same handsome stranger at a coffee shop, triggering even more flashes of memory. He introduces himself as Jack and claims the two of them have been trapped in a daylong time loop for a while. Though he remembers every iteration, this is the first time Gemma’s recalled anything about the previous go-rounds. He also has a theory about how they can break free: they must fall in love by the end of the day. Despite Gemma’s incredulity, she develops feelings for Jack as their paths keep crossing and he proves to understand her on a deep level. Meanwhile, she’s challenged to break out of her routine, let go of assumptions about her life, and even confront her estranged father. The focus is more on Gemma’s personal growth than the budding relationship, but Jack and Gemma still make a satisfying couple. This is a cute romp. Agent: Melissa Edwards, Stonesong. (Aug.)