2.5 stars.

This book started off strong and I had a feeling I was going to love it. Groundhog Day plot with a dash of best friends older brother???? Sign me up! But then after the second loop.. the book got boring.

50% of this book was just unnecessary loops that added nothing towards plot and her trying to change the outcome at the end of the night. The main character just accepted it and did nothing. When the focus turned to Lauree and Max it got a bit more interesting but the fact that nothing funny/fun happened throughout the majority of this book it just took away my whole interest and attention.

This book is a novella so I genuinely I wasn’t expecting a full length novel plot and development but the fact that she lives the same day over 100 times (no seriously what was the reason) and the resolution is within the last 5 pages.. made it lack.

4.5/5 ⭐
3.0/5 🌶️

This was such an adorable and sěxy take on groundhog day! Lauree gets stuck repeating New Year's Eve for six freaking months. At first she spends her days quitting in spectacular ways, then by hitting every item possible on her bucket list... But before long she starts spending her days trying to figure out how to let the magic to allow her to see the new year. Is it because she needs to give up on her unrequited love? Maybe figure out what she wants to do with her life? She doesn't really know but she's determined to figure it out.

I really loved Lauree's progression and growth throughout this story. Over the 186 loops she figures out who she is and what she wants and finally takes it all. It's a slow burn that's hot as hêłł once it finally catches fire. I really love these two together and while I don't feel like the story was rushed, I would have been ecstatic to have gotten a full length version. I can't wait to see what else the magic of Chance brings us!

Lauree is stuck; working a job she doesn’t like, waiting for her long term boyfriend to propose and still crushing on her best friend’s brother/neighbour, Max. She attends Max’s New Year’s Eve party unhappy with how her life is going, only to wake up the next day and discover it’s still December 31st. Lauree then spends the next few months trying to figure out what she wants out of life, what makes her happy in order to break the loop. I love a stuck in a time loop story, add in that little unrequited love and I was sold.
I didn’t realise this was a novella until I went to start it but I actually think it was the perfect length for the story. It was fast paced, funny, easy to read and just such a joy. I would definitely recommend.

This was a cute, fun story with charming main characters, I really liked both Lauree and Max, and I thought their chemistry was lovely. Time loop storylines always make me a little anxious, but I appreciated how we got to repeat the day over and over again and see how Max’s feelings became more obvious in every repeat. He was so much better for Lauree than her boyfriend.

I just wish there was a little more depth. We’re told that Lauree isn’t happy with her job, that she doesn’t know what she wants from life. And she does seem to start figuring that out, but it’s all a little surface level. There were so many interesting details that could have fleshed out the characters - Lauree being in foster care, max and his sister inviting them into her family in high school, max’s travels. But nothing really gets enough focus to make it stand out from any of the other details.

I probably will eventually read more of this series of novellas, but I still feel like it didn’t quite live up to its potential.

A truly cute and romantic read! Definitely recommended!

Lauree is trapped in a time loop on New Years Eve. Right after she decided she wanted to make changes in her life. Her best friends brother, Max, being one of them. She can’t hold out for someone who has made clear doesn’t like her that way.

This was super cute! I love that Max and her start out as just friends. He’s super shy, it’s so cute honestly. I love how the loop gave her the time to figure out who she truly is and what she wants in life.
I saw myself in these characters a lot and it was beautiful and touching!
I am literally obsessed with time loop books and so this book hasn't disappointed me at all!

Midnight, Repeated is out everywhere on November 1st !! Be sure to pre-order it asap! You will not regret it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The premise of this one was so cute! Lauree is a fun, messy, twenty something who doesn't quite have her life together like her "sophisticated" boyfriend, Drew, would like. Max is her best friend's brother and he's sweet, caring, and down to earth. Stuck in a time loop, Lauree spends each repeated New Year's Eve figuring out what (and who) she truly wants in life. Dani did a great job at making it not feel repetitive and boring and the character development was great. I'd love to get more of the backstory on Lauree and Max and learn a little more about Jasmine too. I'm looking forward to reading the next novella in the Movie Magic series!

Read if you like:
- time loops
- strong character growth
- friends to lovers
- second chance romance

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!

New Year's Eve keeps happening! Lauree's life is stuck in a constant, unhappy, cycle. noncommittal boyfriend, crush on your best friend, dead-end job, too many unfinished hobbies; oh how she has it all!

Lauree is not afraid to be herself. Sure, she may not be where she expected at 25 or have any plans for her future, but she can afford rent and pass as okay well enough. For some unknown reason, life gives her another chance to figure it out…. over and over again.

I absolutely loved the little moments Dani McLean slipped into this novella. The groundhog concept can feel a little too overdone and the "rinse and repeat" idea can get tiring but the author jumped ahead sometimes, sprinkled in some jokes, and made sure to mention so many things I bet we all wish we could do. The ending!!! I adore a book that does subtle hints as you creep toward the end and Dani did it perfectly! Overall this novella was such a great read and I hope there is more to come!

Personal note: Part of me wanted to be offended by the marzipan slander because I am an avid marzipan lover, but I understand it's not for everyone.

Lauree has always been in love with her best friend’s brother, Max, despite the fact she’s in a relationship and he rejected her years ago. But her underlying feelings of unhappiness in her life are challenged when she wakes up on New Year’s Day to find that it’s actually New Year’s Eve all over again. She has a second chance to try to get it right. And a third, and a fourth, and on and on. Her challenge is to find what, and who, will make her truly happy, before she hopes that she’ll be able to finally move on and stop reliving the same day endlessly.

This was a fast-paced novella, and I really loved how determined Lauree was. She didn’t let challenges stop her. Instead, in her next repeat she learned from what happened and was able to keep going. It was like a continuous practice for what she hoped one day would stick. And Max was sexy, caring, and intriguing. I would’ve liked to see this be a full blown novel, more than just a novella! There could’ve been even more character development, especially with other friends and family members. But overall, it was a cute read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Set The Mood Publishing for an advanced copy of this book

Loved this novella. It was a fun and cheerful read. You'll be rooting for Lauree and Max the whole time. If you like the subtle sibling love interest trope, this one is for you. This was my first read by Dani McLean and I'll be looking into her other novels now.

Midnight Repeated is a Groundhog Day style book as the Lauree lives New Year’s Eve over and over. This was a quick and easy read. I enjoyed concept of this book and how the chapters we set out and how it was used to jump forward in time helping the book not become overly repetitive ( I understand it needs to be somewhat repetitive due to the story concept). I finished the book wishing for a some more growth from Lauree. The little growth she did, had me thinking that the reason was due to wanting to be closer to someone with a shared interest rather than for herself. I did have a hard time investing in these characters and cheering for them throughout while I understand that this is a novella I think a few more details and descriptions throughout would have helped this.

Thank you to Netgalley & Set the Mood Publishing for this arc of Midnight, Repeated by Dani McLean!

I had high hopes for this based on the totally adorable cover and the groundhog day type storyline, but ultimately this didn't work for me. I hate writing reviews like this because I can normally come up with one or two things I like and can focus on that, but I can't think of anything. I really liked the main character, Lauree in the very beginning. The more her days started to repeat though, the more I couldn't really trust this character development. This girl repeats the same day for HALF A YEAR. It isn't until repeat 50 something before she even tells someone that she is in a time loop (after the first few times I would be freaking the F out and asking to see if anyone else is experiencing it). Lauree never seems to totally freak out or care that her day is repeating. I know in the beginning the author says that this town has things happen where people just accept it, and I get it. I have read a lot of fantasy towns in my day, but I'm sorry repeating the same day for 180+ days in a novella just makes absolutely no sense to me.

I didn't find the romance believable in the least. Lauree seemed to be totally pining and the idea of her and Max is super far fetched due to their personal circumstances. But the repeated days didn't give us any real substance for me to believe they were all of the sudden just in love and then proceeded to have issues to work through "because that is what the loop wants." How does Lauree know thats what the loop wants when it took her so damn long to even acknowledge she was in a loop? I digress.

I hope this works for someone because there are reviews out there where readers have enjoyed it. Unfortunately I am not one of them.

I will add this book to my cozy holidays readings and movies for every year next
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Friend to Lovers can be a bit tricky to write in a few pages but Dani McLean creates the perfect environment to leave me looking forward to the most awaited moment.
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Smoothest and sexiest slow burn I've ever read flavored with delicious recipes and coffee, it maked everything is so dreamy
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Lauree is tired and feels trapped in her life, waiting for the next step in the right direction but not making any decisions. A demanding boyfriend, a job she hates and the same teenage crush on her best friend who is also her neighbor
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When the new year party arrives and she make a wish, the last thing she expect is to wake up to the sound of her alarm on the last day of the year, all over again
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Seeing her life go by over and over again on the same day, she decides to start taking control, face her fears and find out what she want in her life
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Trapped in the loop as in the grounghog day the story of Max and Lauree is cosy, sweet and slow burn sexy as hell. A perfect quick read that leaves you wanting to keep reading
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Thanks to Dani McLean and Victory Editing group for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

Lauree is unhappy with the direction her life is taking and wanting it to change for the New Year. She ends up in a Groundhog Day time loop to try and figure what she wants her to life to be. This was a quick novella I liked the friends to lovers love interest aspect and how she came to find out what she wanted to fix with her life. I think this was the perfect length and a full length novel may not have kept my interest. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

I don't think there was much substance to this book, all that happened was that she was living the wrong life - so she was stuck in a time loop to try and fix it. The changes she made included dumping her bf, quitting her job and finding her real purpose (baking for her friend/crush) and then getting with her crush.

I suppose it was an easy and decent read, but I think mild or bland might be the best way to describe it. It definitely is more appropriate that it's a novella, if this was a 300 page book I'd lose the will to live because stretching this plot over 300 pages would be torture.

Max liking Lauree but not ever admitting it until the last moment was very cliche, but I liked it. His character genuinely reminded me so much of Luke from Gilmore Girls - and not just because he owns a diner, so brownie points for that.

I think there was a decent execution of the plot and idea, again because there isn't much to it. So I guess to summarise my review in a sentence I would literally just say that I thought the book had no substance. Do I regret reading it? No. Am I going to pick something up from this author again? Honestly speaking, probably not.

Midnight, Repeated is set on New Year's Eve, when 25-year-old Lauree, who's stuck in a boring job with a boyfriend who's probably never going to propose, attends her best friend's brother Max's party (who just so happens to live across the hall)... and gets stuck in a time loop.

For about six months she's stuck repeating the same day, Groundhog Day-style. In the beginning, she decides to make big leaps in her personal life, by saying goodbye to her boyfriend and her job. Then the focus shifts to her forever crush on Max and whether he feels the same way. She also takes the time to do a bit of self-discovery and find a job she's truly passionate about.

Now, I know it's difficult to get amazing character growth and depth in novellas, and while her growth was great, I wish we could have gone a little deeper in some instances. For example, there was mention of her disapproving dad and growing up at Max's house and I just needed... more.

However, if you're looking for a very quick friends-to-lovers romance set around the New Year, this fits the bill.

I really enjoyed this book, I love romance and I love all the groundhog day, reliving the day over and over thing. I always put myself in those situations and what I would give to re do something.
While I am not the biggest fan of third POV, i did not mind this one. Probably because its a novella and I read it so quickly. I honestly did not even realize this was a novella until it was over.

Friends to lovers is literally my favorite trope, and I feel like there are not a lot of them. I think what I love most about time loops is the main character coming to a realization they would have not had until maybe years later. The uneasiness Lauree felt towards her boyfriend, and her feelings towards her best friend came off really well in the novella. Usually I feel like one is missing something, but I understood her feeling so well.

This is the first ive read from this author, but I will be looking into their other work more!

A fun and fast-paced Groundhog Day-esque novella featuring orange sweaters, a two thousand dollar pizza, and lots and lots of baking.

Lauree is stuck. In her life and in a time loop. She is living the same day, New Year's Eve, over and over and over, and it doesn't seem like it's going to end. She also has a few other problems. She has been in love with her best friend's brother, Max, for more than a decade, and she hates her job. Her boyfriend is constantly trying to change her, and she doesn't want to be changed. It doesn't seem like she'll ever move on to the new year, unless she makes some changes to her life. You can kind of guess what happens next.

I really liked how relatable Lauree was and how determined she was to make a change in her life (after a couple of revelations). She doesn't linger too much in guilt and regret, and she's right because there's nothing you can do to the past, only how you use your time now. I also liked her relationship with Max, and how Max supported and encouraged her in every repeat. However, I do wish something more happened. She's stuck in the time loop for 6 months, but we really only get to see a couple of days. Granted, it is a novella, but I wish I saw a bit more of the relationship progression and she spends more time coming to the realization of how much she really loves Max, instead of it being almost instant.

Also, I wish the last loop was a bit different. Out of all the ways she professed her love to Max (and Max's reaction to them), the last one was my least favorite one. It felt like there was a dramatic conflict and confession because it was the climax. I really loved the ones where they were on a couch talking or the first time they kissed after she told him she was stuck in a time loop. There were definitely better loops that I wish were used for the ending instead.

But overall, it was a fun read and I really loved how she ended up loving baking and perfecting all those recipes. God, I really want a brownie now.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

A novella with a Hallmark Groundhog Day with a spicy ending?! Say less 🤌🏼

It is a short book, but it felt enough to cover the Groundhog Day plot line. I liked how the chapters jumped to different repeats. Wished there was more backstory between the MC. Got a bit confused at times when a side character’s name was mentioned from lack of information on them.

Otherwise, it’s a fun quick read. I recommend this, if you like a slow burn, second chance romances, and friends to lovers troupes.

Cute and fast paced novella, but the ending left a few questions open. I’m intrigued to see where this series goes though !

The universe gives Lauree the chance to alter her life. With a boyfriend who doesn’t appreciate her, a job she hates and her true love in the same apartment complex. The universe forces her to repeat the same day-New Year’s Eve-until she takes direction of her life.

I enjoyed the concept of the repeats. Although, the structure prevented the reader connecting with the protagonist instantly. It was only halfway through the book that I really started rooting for her. The snippets of information about Lauree and Max’s past created great intriguing but there were plenty of times where I was left wanting more. I know the premises of the story is to focus on the future and Lauree doesn’t want to acknowledge the past heartbreak, but I felt that the story needed to delve into their past for the reader to become fully invested in the character’s journey. Max, to me, was a bit of a mystery I would have preferred further development of his character.

If you love a second chance romance, then this novella is perfect for the upcoming holiday season.