FanFic Amazing, but kind of tiring
When it comes to plot, characters and themes, Not this time, Fate is probably the best story Coeur Al'Aran has written to date and definitely one of the best RWBY fanfictions out there. The most strikingly awesome thing about it the portrayal of Jaune, who makes for a complex, tragic, badass and surprisingly relatable protagonist. Other characters are consistent, the stakes can be felt each turn and the romantic subplot manages to be both relevant to the plot and hearthwarming in its own right. Moreover, there are moments when the story encourages the reader to take a moral stance on some dilemma or try to give his own explanation to some part of a plot, which really speaks volumes about the work's quality.
And yet, I can't say I enjoyed this story as much as I did, let's say, Professor Arc. Between the awesome, heartbreaking and genuinely hilarious moments there are large portions of what amounts to repetitive and uninventive comedy. And while I'm sure it's partially intended, Jaune can get irritating at times, especially if you disagree with his "Screw you, Fate!" approach to saving the setting.
It's a great story, but not necessarily the one you'd want to read just to pass time or for a quick laugh.
FanFic Love it except for the weak ending (Spoilers)
What I enjoy: The characters and the premise of the fic. Jaune has been time looping for a long time and it shows. Boy does it show. On the surface Jaune could not be further from his old self but get under his apathetic outer layer and there's still the guy who wants to save people. It shows in every interaction he has with his friends, who don't know him even though he knows them better than they know themselves. Jaune can be a bitter jerk, but he's so loyal to his friends that he can't bear to leave them to their fate even when he claims he's skipping out on saving the world for a loop. His apathetic, hedonist nature could have ruined the story but his better nature (and Coeur's writing) keeps him likable.
The way the world reacts to Jaune is also great. Coeur balances humor and seriousness very well here. Jaune can have his antics, complete with funny reactions from his bewildered friends, yet the story also has great heart, character moments, and reminders that oh yeah, Jaune has watched everyone he loves die a million times. I completely understand why he acts the way he does, and it's gratifying to see other characters come to understand as well.
What I didn't enjoy: A minor nitpick, but having Juniper Arc become pregnant with another kid instantly told me that this loop would be Jaune's last. I mean, come on. That's one of the most cliché ways to scream "This world is safe!" because having a baby get wiped out of existence is too dark for this fic. It felt unnecessarily melodramatic and made the happy ending too obvious to me.
The biggest downside: The ending is weak and disappointing. I won't say it ruined the fic for me but it's something I think about when re-reading which lessens my enjoyment. I always go "Oh right. It ends like that. Meh." Fate, and Weiss's interaction with it, come out of nowhere and thus yank an undeserving happy ending out of nowhere. Don't get me wrong, Jaune deserves a happy ending but not like this. Jaune dies and starts a new loop (complete with waking in his bed and despairing) yet somehow resurrects back into the loop we've been following after Weiss gives Fate what for? I just... what? If Coeur wanted to give Jaune a happy ending, then why kill him off and show him starting a new loop? How does that even work? Why didn't that world cease existing when Jaune died? Was it because Fate pulled shenanigans? Do all the previous doomed worlds still exist after he dies? If that's the case, one world got a happy ending and the rest did not. That's disturbing. I would have preferred an ambiguous ending where Jaune continued to loop over the unfitting Ass Pull we got.
I still mostly recommend this fic. With the exception of the ending, I think it's one of the best Coeur has written.