For a Novella short story, It Has To Be You kept me engaged and involved from the first to the final page. I enjoyed the focus on fate and how some things don't turn out how you think they will. In this story, Indy has seen fate work out for many people in her life and is curious about how it will shape her future. When she tries to rekindle a relationship with her high school lover, Nick, Indy runs into his cousin, Ethan, and is blocked from making that reconnection. Through this book, their connection grows as Indy continues reconnecting with Nick.
I liked how naturally Indy and Ethan's relationship grew pretty organically.

This book tells a charming and witty love story with a twist of fate. Indy O'Neall believes that Fate will lead her to her one true love, Nick. However, when Destiny gives her a second chance with Nick after fifteen years, she must navigate through obstacles and face the charming and flirtatious Ethan Fraser.

The characters are well-developed, and the chemistry between Indy and Ethan is palpable. Indy's reluctance to leave her comfort zone and take a leap of faith in her love life is relatable and endearing, making her character all the more likable. Ethan's playful and confident demeanor adds an exciting dynamic to the story and creates an interesting contrast with Indy's cautious personality.

The author's writing style is engaging and witty, and the dialogue is entertaining and humorous. The plot is well-crafted, with several unexpected twists and turns that keep the readers engaged and interested until the end. The themes of destiny, fate, and the importance of taking risks in life are explored in a lighthearted and enjoyable manner.

Overall, this is a delightful and heartwarming romance novel that is sure to leave readers with a smile on their face. It is a perfect read for those who believe in destiny and are looking for a fun and entertaining love story with a happy ending.

5⭐️

I'll get into my book review, but can I start out by saying.. Dani McLean is becoming the queen of slow burn, and I'm here for it!

We start off the story, learning why Indy is obsessed with fate and destiny. She wants the love she sees others having. The love that doesn't dim or fade. Most of us can instantly connect with her as a main character because we, too, want an undeniable, real connection with another person.

Indy is a romance writer who ironically hasn't experienced true love yet. Our other main character (not a dual pov, sorrryyyy my friends) is Ethan. Ethan is the definition of a man written by a woman. He is kind, charming, thoughtful, and patient. Listen, Ethan grabs the bar we have settled at the bottom, and he throws it out of range.

The pacing should feel almost too fast with this book being a novella. However, it works out to be just fast enough.. AND with an incredible slowburn playout. Truly, a gift. I thought Missing Connection was HOT, but this is hot, intimate, and horny.

@danimcleanwrites , I am becoming obsessed with you.

It Has to be You comes out May 16th. Buy it. Read it. Love it.

Thank you Dani McLean and NetGalley for a eARC copy.

“Fate doesn’t act alone. She’ll show you the path, but you must walk it yourself.”

This was my first time reading a book written by this author & I’ve gotta say, I’m a huge fan. She writes so effortlessly - this book was honestly like a conversation with a friend.

Growing up, Indy believed that fate had brought her grandparents & parents together in blissful love. So, at 16, after her boyfriend had given her a family heirloom bracelet, she went to a psychic to make sure Nick was her soulmate. Fifteen years later, long broken up with Nick, she finds that bracelet again. Believing that it’s fate bringing them back together again, Indy seeks out Nick, only to run into his insanely attractive cousin Ethan every.single.time.

Where do I even start? Oh Indy, my sweet beloved introvert author who can’t seem to write romance into her novels. She is so bright & talented, yet plagued by insecurities that I could totally relate to.

& Ethan? Holy hotness. A big mountain of a man that rides a motorcycle, flirts non-stop, endlessly supports Indy and is an elementary school teacher? He checks all the boxes, friends. & I mean allllll the boxes🥵

Overall this was a fun, quick read & I’m looking forward to reading the others in the series!

READ IF YOU LIKE:
-friends to lovers
-he falls first
-slow burn
-fated couple
-flirty text messages

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really short, and cute read. It took me a bit of time to connect with Indy, but once I had more insight into her and her insecurities, I adored her as a main character. Ethan was a perfect MMC and I loved their interactions and the way he treated/understood her. This story of fate and ending up right where you are meant to be was cozy.

Absolutely adorable short romance!
I could not put it down (even though I had to) thank you so much for this opportunity.

The way Indy believes in fate and destiny really helps draw you into her character.

I would love to more about Ethan and Indy’s future!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts and comments are my own.

I’ve read a couple novels by this author and although they are short; I love them. They are such fun and fast reads.

I really loved Ethan in this one. He was sweet and spicy. I was finally thrilled when Indy opened her eyes and realized he was right there in-front of her.

All in all this was a great read. It was funny, sweet, spicy, and just a lovely romance novel. I definitely recommend this to romance lovers and people who like their books on the shorter side!

4 stars!

Although short, this story absolutely drew me in. I’ve always been a sucker for fated love, love that makes you believe that it just was always meant to be and that everything happens for a reason. So perhaps this book was made for me :).

You can’t help but get swept away by the genuine companionship and love this author writes. Although this is not a dual POV you really learn about both Indy and Ethan, you end up rooting for them more than you even imagined. 🥹🥹🥹

I wish we heard a chapter from Ethan’s POV just to hear the absolute pining happening in that man’s head as he falls head over heels for our girl while struggling to maintain his cool😭

This was a perfectly sweet novella. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

Indy is so relatable with her anxiety and feelings of not appearing as who she is on the inside. I think a lot of us can probably relate to that.

Ethan is the perfect cinnamon roll. I loved their obvious chemistry and how they just fit together so easily. How comfortable they were around each other from the get-go.

Perfect quick romance read.

I love the whole concept of Chance. Where any little magical thing your heart desires could possibly happen. This time it was fate.

I was immediately drawn into the story and was rooting for Indy to find her Destiny. Was it predictable? Yes. But that was part of what made me enjoy this so much. It was a sweet and fun read full of heart. Which meant I didn’t have to stress about the ending. I just got to go along for the ride (though I’d prefer a ride on [redacted’s] motorcycle, but whatever).

Speaking of [Redacted] (I’m trying not to completely spoil it, okay?). Absolutely the sweetest man. Using the sweetest terms of endearment. Being the most perfect person for Indy. He’s straight out of a dream.

Obviously the story could’ve been wrapped up Real Quick with a little communication, but where’s the fun in that? This was short and sweet and the perfect light and fluffy read that I needed.

And finally, this was my second book by Dani Mclean and I would just like to say how much growth I see in her writing. I’m excited to read anything she wants to write in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

it Has To Be You by Dani McLean is another great addition to the Movie Magic Novella series! The chemistry between Indy and Ethan was *chefs kiss*. Dani’s Novellas are always perfectly paced and this was no different! Another cozy read in the books! Comes out May 16th! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #bookrecs #shortstories #cozyreads #netgalley #5starbooks #fatedmates

If you're looking for a quick and engaging read, Dani McLean's novella "It Has To Be You" is an excellent choice. From start to finish, I was completely hooked by the story of Indy O'Neall, a writer who's given a second chance at finding her One True Love.

Despite her initial hesitations, Indy is determined to follow her Destiny and pursue the man she's been dreaming of since she was a teenager. But standing in her way is Ethan Fraser, a handsome and confident elementary teacher who seems to be everywhere she turns.

While Indy's stubbornness and occasional bad decisions can be frustrating, they only add to the tension and excitement of the story. And the chemistry between her and Ethan is electric, making every interaction between them sizzle with passion.

Overall, "It Has To Be You" is a delightful and fun romance novella that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a quick escape into a world of love and destiny. I give it five stars without hesitation - loved it!

An amazing story . Indy always believed she will meet the love of her life because of Fate as has her parents and grandparents . When she was 16 year old a fortune teller told her that the bracelet that her boyfriend had given her will give her her soulmate . Now 15 years later she tries to get back with her ex boyfriend Nick and she always bump on his sexy cousin Ethan . Together they try to meet with him but they always miss him . Spending time together makes them talk about their likes , their hopes , and they starting to fall for each other .
Will Indy wait for her fate or will she make her own ?
I received this book from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own .

WOW!! This is the first book I've read by Dani McLean. This was a quick read that I couldn't put down. I wish it wouldn't have ended. I absolutely adore Indy and Ethan. This is the 4th installment of the Movie Magic Novellas series. They all can be read as standalones.

I found that I relate to Indy in so many ways. Both Indy and Ethan's personalities made this story incredible. Indy is an author struggling to write the perfect ending for her 4th novel, but she's also struggling with who her fate is leading towards. Ethan is an elementary teacher and might I add he is FINE with a capital F. This book really makes you look at fate and destiny in a totally different perspective. It truly opened my eyes to how destiny and fate can be played out. I feel for Indy when she struggles with being single. I've experienced it many times before.

It was incredible to see how Dani incorporated Ethan being a teacher. She allowed us to see not only Indy's struggles with her career but also Ethan's. The spice in this is *chef's kiss* through and through. A warning is needed for that mirror scene for sure.

This book is definitely worthy of all 5 stars.

How cute was this book?! From the first page Indy had me wrapped around her finger. The more I read the better it got! I couldn't put it down once I started! The story line was so cute and definitely one of the more unique ones I’ve recently read. Ethan was a great MMC. I loved his personality and how well he communicated his wants and needs and how he was vulnerable when he needed to be. It was such a fun and light story! Would definitely recommend reading!

Absolutely adored this book! Everything I’ve read from this author has been so well written. I went through a rollercoaster of emotions and it was just fabulous!
The storyline- yes!
The characters- yes!
The writing style- yes!
I don’t know what else to say without giving anything away 😅

AMAZING!! I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!! Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

"It Has To Be You" is the fourth installment of the Movie Magic Novellas series. I have not read the other books in the series YET. This is my first read by this author and I was not disappointed! In fact, I need to go read the other novellas.

The story is about Indy who believes in fate and has been looking for her soulmate her entire life. Indy is convinced that her destiny is bound to her high school boyfriend, Nick. Now years later, Indy has a second chance to reconnect with her old ex. The only person keeping that from happening is Ethan Fraser. Is fate really leading Indy to Nick or does it have more to do with her believing in herself? Ethan is your charming and hot elementary school teacher. He is so swoon worthy and is my new book boyfriend. 🥰🥰

If you enjoy a slow burn love story with angst to die for, tension, sizzling chemistry and a spicy scene then this book is for you! It deserves ALL the stars!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC.

This novella follows Indie, who after finding a bracelet that a psychic told her belonged to the man who was the key to her destiny, starts searching for her ex-boyfriend Nick who gave it to her to get inspiration for her current novel. Along the way she meets his cousin, Ethan, and sparks fly from there.

I really enjoyed this novella. I thought the romance was cute and I enjoyed the resolution with the bracelet at the end. Overall, a four star read.

Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC!
TW: This novella contains depression, anxiety and cheating (side character on main character and not on page)
This is my first read of Dani’s but definitely not my last! Indy believes in Fate and Destiny and goes looking for her ex boyfriend, Nick, who she believes is her “soulmate that got away” all while writing a book on a deadline (which she struggles with as someone who has never been in love/loved romantically) and now dealing with his super flirty cousin who is trying to track down Nick as well.

My problem with novellas sometimes is that I feel a superficial connection with the characters instead of a deep connection. But Dani made me connect and feel more for these characters in 192 pages than most authors make me feel over MULTIPLE books.
I could connect with Indy’s imposter syndrome and her blanket days. It made me feel so seen. And Ethan?! Oh maaaaaan. The flirt factor in this book was so high and this man had me blushing! After Ethan showed up, I was not invested in Nick at all tbh. The banter between them was top tier and so quick witted!
To say I enjoyed this novella is an understatement and I can’t wait to read anything and everything else Dani writes!

One thing this author did really well was flirty banter. I really enjoyed the main characters’ flirty exchanges and conversations. Ethan has real man-written-by-a-woman energy, to the point of being unbelievable (ironic, considering Indy comments the same thing). Indy felt immature and unrealistic, so I think the characters just didn’t feel believable to me, and the sex scene honestly felt incongruent with the rest of their relationship. I may give this author another try, but overall, I’m not sure this novella was for me.