Review: Once in a Timeline by Iman Hariri-Kia

Thank you Cosmo Reads for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

If you’re looking for a fast paced read that will make you laugh, gasp, and tug at your heartstrings (with a steamy romance to boot), I’ve got the perfect book for you. Once in a Timeline by Iman Hariri-Kia may start with the idea of an influencer stuck in a Groundhog’s Day type time loop, but it holds a lot self reflection, character development, and heart within the humorous set up. I am so proud of how far this author has come since her debut!

Synopsis:

“Laia Grace Shirzan is the New York City lifestyle influencer...or at least, she's determined to be. After leaving everything to pursue her dream: her family, her friends, her expectations, her insecurities (or so she tells herself), failure is not an option. 

Every day, she films the same pristine routine — the perfect light, the perfect latte, the perfect life. Until one morning, her feed starts to glitch. Her neighbors flicker. Her best friend loops. And Laia realizes she's no longer the influencer, she's the content, trapped inside the last "day in the life" video she posted.

That's when a brooding, unshaven, decidedly unfiltered man crashes into her routine. Noah's been stuck in Laia's timeline too, and he's desperate to get them both out. Together, Laia and Noah fight to outsmart the algorithm that's captured them. As they do, the line between performance and personhood blurs, and Laia realizes she might have to dare the one thing she's never done: facing herself, no filter. “ —NetGalley

What I Liked:

  1. The Creativity from the Author—I love how creative Iman is. The trope of the spoiled influencer can be overdone, but I thought this story was a thoroughly original take.

  2. The Writing—It’s been so fun to follow and author as they grow and see how their writing becomes more and more confident. Iman writes laugh out loud funny dialogue with tons of heart.

  3. The Emotional Twist—I GASPED. Maybe it’s cause I’m not an investigative journalist of a reader, but I didn’t see it coming.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

  1. 2nd Act Pacing—until the twist, things dragged a little bit for me but then it picked up and I couldn’t put it down until I finished it!

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 2/5 Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Content Warnings:

death, car accident, death of a parent

Book ReviewPhoebe WrightComment