This is such a delightful little series!

I really enjoyed this one. Hayley & Harrison have such palpable chemistry, and I quite liked both of them as characters, together and separately. I enjoyed every moment when Hayley debunked Harrison’s criticism of romance as a genre, and I believed the internal journey he took to change his mind. The “Movie Magic” world does make it much easier for me to accept & giggle at all of the tropes, and it was fun (if a bit meta, and somewhat a breaking of the fourth wall) to simultaneously read Harrison’s misgivings about romance while all sorts of unbelievable, cliche things are happening all around him.

My only complaint is that I sometimes found the banter to be a bit stunted and out of context, and it would take me out of the story at times. This could also be a bi-product of it being a novella, but some of the references to the past that the characters made left me feeling confused and like I missed something, especially because those anecdotes don’t get explained. I will say, though, that this exact thing bothered me a lot more in Midnight, Repeated than it did in Not My Love Story, and I was glad to see that improvement.

I will definitely keep picking up these novellas when I’m in search of a bite-sized, slightly spicy, cute & charming romance that can be read in one sitting!

Thank you to Victory Editing & NetGalley for the opportunity to read & review this title before publishing!

"No energy is everlasting, not even love. So what's the point?"

"The point, Harry, is to feel it."

Harrison Kyle is the Grinch of Valentine's day. He wants nothing to do with romance and all the frilly affairs that Valentine's day brings along with it. Unluckily for him, there's an actual V-Day festival going on around him. Like I said, a very Grinch-y situation.

So when he's told he has to write a Rom-Com script with Hayley Bennett, he knows he's in for a week from hell. As if being surrounded by love wasn't enough, he's also surrounded by Hayley, who's gorgeous, snarky, irresistible, and a huge romantic.

______________

This book was pure novella cheesy goodness. The book jumps right into story. Quite literally, there's no real set up to the plot, just here you go this is happening... have fun. And I did! The banter between them was amusing. The cynic vs. romantic dynamic will always be entertaining.

Harrison's development was great, and I'm so glad the book was entirely in his perspective. We get to see his walls break down a little bit more each day. Right off the bat he's attracted to Hayley, and they have a past that is subtly talked about through the book. I liked that them having to write a romance script together made them actually communicate and air out his aversion to love. We got to see into why Harrison felt the way he did, so when he had his "oh my god, I'm in love with her moment it was sooo good.

I think the novella jumped into the story a little too quickly, a little bit of preface would have been nice. More so, we were getting hints about their past through the book, and I think a little more on what actually happened between them before would have made it a more compelling read. We know he's hung up on her, but why? Just wanted a little more more of past them as it was technically a second chance romance.

Overall, a cute romantic novella with chaotic meet cutes, a one bed trope, and cute moments sprinkled throughout.

Thank you Netgalley, Dani McLean, and Victory Editing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

↠ 4 stars

I love how this one balanced out as a rom-com; their comical banter in the first half and swoony romance in the second. And the spice 🤌🏻 it was intimate.

I like the fact that it was in Harrison's POV and the bizarre things that happen to him - because it's Chance - hilarious!

I am in awe with Hayley. She is witty, confident and just amazing.

I also love that Harry and Hayley are open with each other and honest about their feelings 💙

P.S. The scene headings and acts gave me movie-script feels ✨

Verdict: I need a "one week" romance, too 🪄

This series is so much fun and is hitting me right in my rom com loving heart.
Not My Love Story follows Harry (Harrison) and Hayley who are screenwriters pushed together for a week to write a rom com so Harry can finish out the contract he’s tied to with a studio that’s forcing him to make movies he hates. It’s an opposites attract – she’s a romantic while he’s a cynic – with a little second chance after they spent one night together with Harry hoping to get Hayley out of his system (I’m sure we can all guess how well that worked for him). They spend the week in Chance city where a big Valentine’s festival is being held, and Harry is pushed into endless romance clichés forcing Harry to confront his feelings. It’s told in 3rd person and is entirely from Harry’s perspective.
Harry comes across as a little pretentious as he and Hayley face off about what makes a good romance but there is a lot of character growth for a story this short as he learns what’s key in these stories, what leaves audiences rooting for the characters’ happiness, as we do as we read this. Hayley is sunshine personified, confident in the stories she creates and hopeful that she’ll be able to experience something close to the magic she sees on screen. I loved them together, I loved the references to some of my favourite movies, a little steamier than Midnight, Repeated and just pure joy to read.

Review will be posted to Amazon.co.uk after publication.

This is the second book in the series, but in the description, it said that it could be read as a standalone story. When I started reading the book, I felt like I was missing chapters. I felt very confused when I started the book because I thought that I started it in the middle of a story. Harrison and Hayley hooked up 6 months ago, but now, they have to work together on a script. It wasn't spelled out specifically about their relationship in the past and what it was in the present.

I liked the concept of this book, but I felt lost as I was reading it. When I got toward the end where I was looking for the HEA, I enjoyed that part of the story, but it didn't feel earned. It seemed very abrupt, and I didn't feel connected to the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for an ARC of this book.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Not My Love Story is the second installment in the Movie Magic Novella Series and releases January 3, 2023.

This was such a fun rom-com centered book with all of the tropes and clichés we know and love.
The duration of the story lasts for one week, with a one year later chapter, and has some cute chapter headers that resemble stage directions.

Harrison and Hayley are both screenwriters. Six months ago, they had a fling but didn’t make anything of it, now they’ve been paired together to co-write a rom-com.
Harrison had previously signed a contract that had him writing other people’s ideas, the ones he wasn’t as passionate about, romances that to him, weren’t entirely truthful or believable.
Will writing this last contractual script with Hayley lead him to believe in happily ever after's?

I loved Harrison’s character. He is very much a grumpy and broody man, and isn’t shy to reiterate everything that he believes doesn’t work in romances. Seeing him slowly defrost throughout the progression of the story was so enjoyable.
There was a lot of banter and tension, and the dynamics between Harrison and Hayley really played off of each other strongly.
I also really enjoyed the side characters in this. Harrison’s sister Emilia was a great addition and I thought her backstory contributed well into showing us why Harrison was so skeptical.

Read if you like:
- rom-coms
- valentines festival
- screenwriters
- one bed trope
- meet-cutes
- taking care of the sick one scene
- “our coffee orders got swapped and then I bumped into someone and it spilled down my shirt”
- “we overbooked the hotel and now you have to share the honeymoon suite”
- cutesy couple photo op
- second chances

They have to write a script together . She is a romance writer and he writes more serious staff . They have one week to work together . He hates everything that is romantic . But spending his days with her he realises what he really misses from life .
I received this book from netgalley and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .

this book was so so so cute. I loved that harry was a cynic who didn't believe in love and ended up having his own love story in the end. The concept and chapters were so unique and I had so much fun. I wish it wasn't so short but I enjoyed it anyways. thank you netgalley for the arc!