I revived an ARC copy of this book in exchange for a honest review

⭐️-3.5

This book was a great palate cleanser. I choose this book coming off of reading a really emotional book. It Has To Be You was light hearted, fun and easy to read.

There was a lot of text message dialogue in the beginning and it made the story a little too jumpy for me. There were also a couple basketball references that weren’t worded correctly and as a basketball fan that’s a big pet peeve of mine.

Overall I’d definitely recommend this book to other and can’t wait to read more by Dani!

When a booksta friend recommends an author and shares an ARC sign-up, you run to sign up! 😆

It Has To Be You was an adorable and fun romcom driven by fate. Main character Indy is desperate to find her true love. Convinced it must be her high school ex-boyfriend because of a psychic she had seen once, her attempts to reconnect with him keeps placing her in the path of a different suitor - his cousin Ethan.

Indy and Ethan were both quirky and funny, with a good helping of sassy banter (which I love). As an insecure author working on her next book, Indy was a great character for a bookworm like me, and who can resist a sexy motorcycle-driving elementary teacher!? This was a great novella to get me out of my reading slump.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
🔮 he falls first 😍
🔮 fate directing our path
🔮 a meet-cute with continued random run-ins

✨Arc review✨

It has to be you - Dani McLean
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Publication day: May 16th

This book follows Indy who is trying to reconnect with an old boyfriend that she believes is her soulmate and her one chance at true love. When she is looking for him she meets his cousin Ethan.

This was such a cute book, I really liked the premise of soulmates and searching for that person. I will say that Indy’s character I did find difficult to relate to as the book went on.

With that said Ethan was amazing, I was highlighting everything he said. He is the perfect book boyfriend. He had so much patience with Indy. He was thoughtful and caring. Needless to said I’m in love with him 😂

Overall this was a fun, sweet story and definitely worth the read.

Thank you to @netgalley for the arc. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It Has To Be You is the fourth book in the Movie Magic Novellas series and although I haven't read the other books in the series yet, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and will go back to eat up the rest soon.

Indy's family members have always found their soulmates and have had the best romance, and as she goes to the fortune teller to give her a hint about the love of her life, she points to bracelet she's wearing, which is a family heirloom given to her by her boyfriend Nick, and hints that she could find her soulmate through its source. Fifteen years later, Indy is single and trying to finish writing her last book in the series and has no true inspiration for the romance because she hasn't experienced true love herself. That's when she finds the old bracelet and wants to take the help of Fate to get back with Nick. Except, every time she tries, she keeps finding Ethan, Nick's cousin.

“By your measure, you’re my destiny.”

I loved this book so much! I loved the little whimsical touch to the book and conversation around Fate and Destiny. I absolutely adored Ethan as a character. I loved how sweet and soft he was, his passion for teaching and how amazing and thoughtful he was towards Indy. It was spectacular to see how much character growth we saw from Indy even though this was a novella. She grew on me and I loved it. The chemistry between the two characters was from the get go and only enhanced towards the end of the book - I'm talking about you, mirror scene 🙈💖

Usually novellas don't work for me but I enjoyed this one to my heart's content! 💖

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was exactly what I needed on a day like today.
It was so cute, and such a quick read. Indy is every girl who reads and wants to be as adventurous as main characters but is quite the opposite. So instead she’s an author who writes the adventures, and believes in destiny. Hers is linked to a gift from her high school ex, so “it has to be him” right? Then why is it every time she tries to “be in the right place at the right time” she’s always missing by just minutes? But someone else is constantly showing up. Who could it be?
I loved it.

This is such a cute romantic read. It is a quick read but full of all the feelings you want. I loved it so much!!
I just reviewed It Has To Be You by Dani McLean. #ItHasToBeYou #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

This is the 4th Novella in the Movie Magic Novella series. It was a super quick read (ignore the start and finish dates). The pacing of this novella was done well, I feel like sometimes novellas end up having to rush in the end to get to the HEA (if a romance). At times I did get annoyed with Indy, because as obsessed with fate as she was she sure avoided the path it was trying to get her to take like the plague. And everyone around her could see where it was taking her EXCEPT HER.
Ethan for sure carried it. Oh Ethan. “He was the wet dream other wet dreams had.” And it for sure wasn’t lying… looks, personality, good with comebacks and holy moly the sweetness. Loved him. Can I find one of him out in the wild?

All in all, super cute novella. Really enjoyed it!

Thanks NetGalley and Dani McLean for the ARC of It Has To Be You. These are my true thoughts and opinions.

~ It Has To Be You ~
This novella AAAAH I'm so happy with this. It was the warm hug i didn't know i needed. I was gigling hard reading this. Ethan is PERFECT, I love him. He served!!! And Indy??? Baby i love you so much (i want to read her books).
Dani, thank you for writing this, I adored it so so much.

DANI MCLEAN – IT HAS TO BE YOU
An ARC copy of the book was given by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

RATING:
⭐⭐⭐
3.5 out of 5.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Indy was sure life would turn out a bit different. Certainly when it came to her personal, romantic relationships.
It was easy to be sure, as a fortune teller told her the destiny awaiting her, almost fifteen years ago. As a confused teen, it had been reassuring to know, that her highschool sweetheart would find his way back to her.
So when amidst the whirlwind of writing her next novel – and almost failing to turn in an acceptable manuscript – she discovers an old, forgotten bracelet he gifted her all those years ago, she lets her overactive imagination run wild and decides to take Fate upon a dance.
Only if his old lover would be as tempting as his cousin is...

REVIEW:

This novel is rather short, I was wondering why I flew through it. But honestly, the shorter format maybe worked in favour of the author, as the fast paced action did not bother me this way. It was insta-connection almost at first sight for Indy and Ethan and they were adorable in every scene they shared.
Ethan has the qualities of a great main character, he was buff but sweet, nerdy but emotionally aware, and, AND he rode a bike. He legitimately turned out almost nothing like I would’ve expected from his first encounter with Indy, giving closed-off, arrogant vibes, while in fact he was a big teddy bear.
Indy‘s creativity sometimes hindered her: she fell into her own traps, her mind and conviction of Fate playing devil’s advocate. But, this also made her very much human which is why I was able to imagine what’s it like, walking in her shoes, trying to come up with answers in emotionally draining times.
This was my first encounter with the author, but it may not remain the last.

TROPES FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE:
- friends to lovers
- golden retriever boy/shy girl
- it’s always been you
- contemporary romance

THE BLURB:
As a teen, Indy learned that Destiny would lead her to the man of her dreams. His name was Nick.

Fifteen years later, Fate grants her a second chance at her One True Love. And even though leaving her house for anything less than a latte is terrifying, Indy has to take it.

See, Indy O’Neall isn’t anything like the adventurous heroine she writes. For her, a good night is sharing a pint of mint chip ice-cream with her roommate Sasha while cheering on the best damn basketball team in the league.

But this is Destiny calling. Indy can’t ignore it.

Unfortunately, one man is standing in her way.

Ethan Fraser.

He’s six feet of confidence in the body of a superhero, and a bone to pick with her future husband. Indy is happy to steer clear of the gorgeous, motorcycle-riding, rock-climbing, elementary teacher.

The problem is, no matter what Indy does, all roads seem to lead back to Ethan. Ethan is charming. Ethan is flirtatious. But Ethan isn’t her soulmate.

MY REVIEW:
This was such a cute, fun read. Perfect for anyone who has ever wondered if destiny or fate was real.

This is part of a series, but you wouldn’t know it, it can easily be read as a standalone.

The plot is simple to follow and the characters are likeable.

This was a super quick read, easily finished in an hour.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

This title is gorgeous! And I was so excited to read this short novella! I go back and forth on if I like novellas, but I really enjoyed this one! It was a quick, spicy read with a swoon-worthy romance and lovable characters. I cant wait to read the other novellas in this series and to read more by this author!

first of all, this novella has one of the cutest dedications i’ve ever read. i cried. and this novella is also one of the cutest i’ve ever read.
it warmed my heart, it made me feel good.

indy was super relatable and i wanted to hug her all the time. ethan was perfect and all i want in a man.

i voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, thanks to netgalley and the author for the opportunity. all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Net Galley and Dani McLean for the ebook in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 5 / 5 Stars

WOW! I was blown away by this novella. This is the first I’ve read of Dani’s works and I am HOOKED! I have to go read the others immediately.

This was my first time reading a novella and ‘It Has To Be You’ was a bingeable read from beginning to end. I found the MC Indy incredibly relatable. I loved her courageous and headstrong traits and the tension between her and Ethan was palpable.

I did find the character development a tad rushed but I think that is down to the style of novellas, the dialogue, wit and charm however did not disappoint and the spicy mirror scene was definitely unforgettable. I look forward to reading more of Dani McLean's work.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC.

4.25 ⭐️
2 🌶️

This is the first book that I’ve ever read by Dani McLean and I am dying to read the rest of the Movie Magic Novella series now! I love having novellas like this for whenever I want something short, fun, and hilarious between an enormous fantasy series, or I’ve been reading dark romance after dark romance. I can just relax, enjoy myself, and my brain gets to reset after all the super intense books. I think going into a book like this with the right kind of expectations will lead to the most enjoyable reading experience. Is this written with the most poetic prose and has this revolutionary story arc? No, but I laughed and smiled and had such a good time reading this. That’s all I want out of a book, to enjoy myself.

Our main character Indy, is an author currently working on the last book in her series and is having difficulties coming up with the romantic interest for her book because she’s never had the kind of love that her parents, grandparents, and even her great grandparents have. After randomly finding a gift from the only serious relationship she’s ever had, she thinks fate must be trying to point her back into the direction of her ex-boyfriend from 15 years ago, Nick. While trying to locate Nick, she continuously runs into his cousin Ethan, who has also had a difficult time tracking him down. The two decide to work together in their mission to find Nick. Ethan is my absolute favorite kind of MMC, a total unapologetic flirt. Not only is he completely forthcoming with his obvious interest in Indy, but, he is such a thoughtful and good man and isn’t pushy, knowing she’s following “fate” to Nick. This is the perfect kind of slow burn since it’s only a novella. The spice doesn’t hit until like 80-something percent into the book, but once it happens is HOT. I enjoyed myself so much reading this and can’t wait to try more from Dani!

It Has To Be You
Dani McLean
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

It Has To Be You is the fourth book of McLean’s Movie Magic Novellas Series. I have not yet read the first three but this one made me immediately add those to my TBR.
McLean wrote an incredible story about fate and expectations in such a relatable way (hello, being single in your 30s) and in so few pages. Novellas are generally a hit or miss for me because it is hard to fit a GOOD story in so few pages; however, Dani McLean nailed it. The pacing was great and it was easy to get wrapped up in the Mc’s, Indy and Ethan

This book was especially great coming off of Teacher Appreciation Week. Ethan is a teacher but not just a ”regular” teacher that kind of likes his job but one who fights for his students’ education and well-being…and I LOVED that.

Indy and Ethan have great banter and even better chemistry from the beginning (but not an insta-love kinda way). Ethan is one of the most swoon worthy MMC’s that I’ve read in quite some time and I could not get enough.

Thank you Netgalley and Victory Editing for the ARC.

If you like the fated mates trope then this is the book for you. I loved the twist on how fate works for our main character Indy. Sometimes fate is what we make of it! I really enjoyed the fact that this was a novella because it kept the story tight and well paced. The MMC Ethan is absolute talk to your boyfriend material.

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

Indy believes in Destiny and believes Destiny has said that her high school boyfriend, Nick, is her soulmate. So after they break up and years later, when she gets the chance to see if they are truly meant for each other, she takes it.

Ethan believes he has control of his fate, and the minute he sees Indy, he knows she’s someone he wants in his life. But Indy is convinced she and Nick are meant for each other. How could she ever see Ethan as her person, no matter how good she feels when she’s around him?

This novella was absolutely amazing!! The chemistry was fire, the banter was perfect and the spice was worth the wait! When Indy would have her internal monologues, it was like Dani was writing from inside my brain. “It was imposter syndrome and social anxiety to a degree that often rendered her immobile.” Hi, it’s me!

And Ethan Fraser is 100% swoon worthy. He is everything! He has the biggest heart and his directness whenever talking to Indy made me melt EVERY time. “I don’t need anything from you except your company, (her nickname I don’t want to spoil). It doesn’t matter what we’re doing; I like being around you. So stop worrying that that isn’t enough, bc it is.”

I can’t wait to get my copy so I can reread and tab nearly the entire book! This is the first book I’ve read by Dani and now I’m adding every single other book to my TBR.

"It has to be you" was just what I needed.

Indy believes she is destined to get back together with her first love and is doing everything she can to make it happen. Unfortunately, Ethan stands in her way, which suddenly opens up new paths for her.

The story itself is quite short but very sweet and entertaining. I also really liked the setting and the idea behind the story.

At some points Indy was a bit exhausting, but I think that fitted the story and her person very well.

I haven't read the other books in the series yet but I hope to do so soon as I really enjoyed the writing style.

Thank you NetGalley for this EARC and the opportunity to pre-read this great story!

This is an absolute gem of a novella! "It Has To Be You" is my favourite instalment in Dani's Movie Magic novellas series. Indy believes that fate is trying to reunite her with her ex-boyfriend Nick from 15 years ago, but she keeps on running into his annoyingly handsome cousin Ethan instead. Ethan doesn’t believe in fate like Indy but agrees to help her try and talk to his cousin. Over the time they spend together they become friends and she eventually begins to wonder who fate is really leading her to. This is an absolute bingeable story filled with explosive chemistry, tones of flirting and an amazing romance story.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest opinion.