This is a magical story of two screenwriters who collaborate on a rom-com that will not only help save their contracts with the movie studio but also help to unravel some buried emotions regarding each other.

In a grumpy-sunshine, close proximity, opposites attract, mixed media fashion, Harrison and Hayley come together again (after a drunken closet quickie 6 months ago at an awards ceremony) to create a memorable love story, all the while battling meet cutes at the local coffee shop during a Valentine's Day festival week and multiple mishaps surrounding their respective hotel bookings.

This book has the Nora Ephron essence that all rom-com movies wish they had. There is also the distinct outline of the movie "Scream," in that it breaks down all the cliches that make the romance genre what it is. While discovering how to write a screenplay and not make it cheesy, Harrison and Hayley begin to explore what their commitment issues are and how they might work as a couple themselves. As the story progresses, the reader is also enveloped in the story arc of the movie that is being written as well as the arc of Harrison and Hayley themselves. Not a lot of character background is given, but what is shown is their growth as individuals and how they can be better partners. This was a sweet and romantic tale of what can happen both in the movies and outside of them.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

"Not My Love Story" by Dani McLean presents a unique and captivating narrative that stands out from conventional love stories.

The story unfolds with a distinctive plot that deviates from traditional romance tropes, providing an unconventional and refreshing reading experience. McLean skillfully weaves together humour, drama, and realism elements, creating a storyline that resonates with authenticity.

The characters in the novel are well-developed and relatable, adding depth to the overall narrative. The author's writing style brings a conversational tone that makes the story easy to follow and engaging for me.

Exploring themes such as self-discovery and personal growth adds depth to the novel, making it more than just a typical love story. McLean's ability to infuse the narrative with humour and heart contributes to the overall charm of the book.

Eh! I struggled to read this one. I couldn't stand the character and lacked to connect with them. There was romance but it just wasn't for me, it was thrown in and very shocking. I want to feel the romance between the characters and thos wasn't romance more of self centered last! This was a miss!

2,5 ⭐️

Much better than the first novel in the series and with tropes that I love (forced proximity + second chance), but it still didn't convice me due to both the third-person POV (although it was more focused on him) and his monologues.

I'd still would love to read the rest of the books from the series!

This book unfortunately fell very flat. It’s faced paced and short in length, which didn’t lend to a flushed out story with characters I felt connected to.

I loved this cheesy rom com that at least to me poked fun at hallmark movies which I loved. I wish more rom coms did this.

All the tropes and cliches but I enjoyed it so much!
Perfect for a cozy afternoon or when you can't decide what to read next because this one right here is a nice fast read book!

This was fine, but I didn't think that it was great. I didn't think there was anything very unique about this novella.

I enjoyed this novella for a short read. I loved Harrison's character and doubt in love and romance however I wish there had of been more to Hayley's character. Along with the addition of Lee and Harrison's sister, I think the characters could have developed more and a couple more steamy scenes. It could have been a longer more fulfilling read however I'm glad I read it.

For Harrison to be able to get out of this studio biding contract, he needs to write one last romcom. The stipulation in this, he must co-write it with Hayley, a successful romance screen writer and one whom he had some history with back in the days.

This one was such a quick fun read. The author’s writing style was easy to go through.

Keeping in mind that this is a novella, I still felt it was missing that element to keep me hooked and invested. I hate to say it, but it felt a bit flat and lacked that depth I was looking for. Additionally, I didn’t quite feel the chemistry between Harrison & Hayley. Maybe if we got to see more glimpses of their history and what happened back then kind of like flashbacks maybe, I would have been able to connect with them. Their interactions kind of left me feeling indifferent whether they end up together or not. Harrison was not a favorite character to read. His attitude to life was insufferable, too douche-y, and extremely negative. I am so for reading about grumpy characters but with him, I was internally averting myself.

It is a cute story, but not my cup of tea. However, please don’t let that deter you from checking it out.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gosh I love a Grumpy/Sunshine trope and this was lovely, albeit a little short maybe? I realize it's a novella but it felt like the characters and their connection could've gone a little deeper for me :)

Nice little grumpy/sunshine trope novella. It fell a little flat and seemed lacking. It wasn’t awful. Will continue to check out the author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC.

The book is a mix of grumpiness and sunshine and a quick read. While it wasn't terrible, it also wasn't exceptional.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

✨ 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥 '𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭.’ 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘴. 𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦, 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥! ✨


Few things are as beautiful, hilarious and heartwarming as a Dani McLean novel(la). We were thrilled to receive this thoughtful book mail over the holidays — alongside an adorable surfing Santa holiday card from the ever-sweet and thoughtful Dani. Upon lifting the cover we instantly felt as though we were curling up with a best friend, a glass of our favourite wine and indulging in our favourite romcom.

Dani’s voice magically marries wit and sophistication without compromising relatability, accessibility and charm. With each Dani book we are blown away by the strength, clarity and sharpness with which she pens the sweetest, steamiest and sincerest stories. Her uniqueness of plot, characters and stories is equal parts endearing and enticing. Like slipping into crisp clean sheets with a window cracked or closing your eyes and feeling summer sun warm your face, Dani’s books bring a sense of comfort reminiscent of the first story that had you wholly hooked, disbelief suspended interminably.

Dani is beyond deserving of a PEDESTAL among the booksta/booktok most-celebrated authors, and watching her become a worst-kept secret among the book community is deeply heartwarming. Dani, keep writing magic that empathizes, inspires and transforms!

We truly cannot wait to journey through the rest of the Movie Magic Novella Series. This is novella number two of five, all slated for 2023 releases. 🥂💖💐

Not My Love Story is an enemies to lovers novella about two people writing the script of a romance movie together. I really enjoyed it and look forward to the rest of the series.

loved this one. was hooked and enjoyed this super much. i am a fan of Dani McLean books. they are full of rich story. must read.

This book was just not for me. I honestly just didn't like it. I felt like everything about the book just fell flat for me.

A great read.the characters were interesting and the story was intriguing. Will look out for more by this author.

Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book wasn't for me, and I came super close to dnf'ing. It's not bad, or problematic, it's just missing something that would hook me into the story. i thought that the set-up, two screen-writers stuck together to write a script who have a past romantic history (one-night stand) was interesting, but I thoroughly despised the single-POV of Harry (the MMC). I found him to be incredibly boring, and part of me wonders if that is because it is just him the whole time vs having Hayley's perspective of events as well. Without her POV, her character seemed kinda flat. Lastly, the "magic" that takes place, could have been entirely left out, or simply just positioned as normal life, and I would not have noticed at all. It seems like a weird choice.

Overall, this book is a quick read for people who enjoy second-chance/forced proximity romances.