Ok so not your typical meeting, cute or otherwise. With that said and with a hint of imagination you can see a situation where not seeing each forces you to really listen instead. Both April and Beau come from very different examples of struggle and under different circumstances would have written each other off early on, but now they get to understand each other without the embarrassment of looking at each other eye to eye.
I loved this idea though honestly did struggle at the idea they accepted and didn't question this sudden connection at the beginning. A sweet story of how we sometimes tend to judge other by appearances and what we could be missing out on when we do.
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this book and give my honest opinion.

This was a fun little novella. A nice, quick read between other heavier books. The writing flows well enough and the pace is pretty snappy. I enjoyed the main characters, April and Beau. They were well suited for each other, similar enough in their values and opinions but able to help each other grow. There was some repetition of inner thoughts and feelings for the characters. I'm not usually bothered by that kind of thing unless its excessive, but in a book this short and fast it did seem a little heavy-handed. I would have preferred seeing more of the relationship development between April and Beau versus those repeated portions.

I was really excited about this one and to be honest it didn't go the way I expected it to. The premise was incredible it just felt very insta-lovey. I think it was the length that did it for me. It's a novella so it's pretty short which, in my opinion, is a reason I didn't like it as much as I'd hoped. There was so much potential that it felt like less than 150 pages just couldn't cover it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Missing Connection by Dani McLean

Love at first...sound?
Beau seems like the ultimate bachelor: a perfect career set up, a great apartment, and a swoon-worthy smile.
April is a dedicated data analyst devoted to her job and her family.
Both Beau and April desperately need love in their life.
*Cue hearing each other in their heads*
What could bring two people together better than sticking them in a mental conversation at *ahem* the best moments?

What an adorable concept. This was a cute quick read for the hopeless romantic part of me. I loved the idea of having these two open up to each other in a way they couldn't ever before, thus bringing them closer.
Every page turn I desperately needed them to meet face to face and was not disappointed.
This was my first Dani McLean book, but it definitely won't be my last!

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this ARC.

I really enjoyed “A Missing Connection” from the Movie Magic Novella series. While I haven’t read the other books in the series, I like that they can be read together or as standalone books. I plan to read the rest of the series!

A Missing Connection reminds me a lot of my favorite rom-coms. Beau and April are busy with their careers and shouldering the weight of their families' expectations when they start to hear each other’s voices in their heads. Despite never seeing each other in person, their mental connection sparks a bond between them.

The novella was a quick, feel-good read. I appreciated that the author began with a note about the city of Chance (where this series takes place) and how the people who live there are not surprised by magical things happening. While I would personally find it quite alarming if I suddenly heard a man’s voice in my head, the author makes it clear that this isn’t as startling for residents of Chance. While the novella was on the shorter side, I felt that it was still able to give me a good understanding of the characters and their backstories.

A Missing Connection made me smile and lifted my spirits, just like my favorite rom-coms. If you’re looking for a similar feeling, I highly recommend it!

Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

Last year I was fortunate enough to be allowed to read an advanced reader copy of Midnight, Repeated which I enjoyed, so I was happy to be given the chance to return to the city of Chance in another short romance novella.

This one is all about Beau and April, who suddenly start hearing whatever the other says out loud in their head. The initial confusion about having another person ‘inside’ of their heads soon gives way to long conversations that turn into flirtations. Beau is glad for the chance to trust and confide in someone who doesn’t know his last name and therefore doesn’t like him for his money, and April falls for him just as surely. Throw in his father’s high expectations that make Beau’s life miserable and April’s own problems, and you’ll find yourself with a simultaneously lighthearted and deep, cute love story.

A Missing Connection was obviously a super quick read and I liked the story. Beau and April were strong main characters and although I wish they had been developed I individually just a bit more, I know that’s a tricky thing to do in so few pages and instead their relationship took center stage. It isn’t exactly a slow burn romance, there might even be a love-at-first-sight moment, but the romance does develop at a good pace and I was rooting for them both also in terms of their other personal challenges.

My struggle with this novella were the plot holes - it‘s never explained at which points Beau and April are aware of what the other says and when they aren’t. Surely throughout a day, they must be talking a significant amount and couldn’t escape revealing their identities. So of course, the connection is only present sometimes, but all of the whys and hows are never answered. This is actually something that the author warns the reader about at the beginning of the book, so she definitely is aware of the plot holes, but I‘m simply not a fan of it.

3.75/5 stars.

I devoured it. It was soo good!! I really loved how paced and entertaining it was. The characters were relatable yet adorable. I had the best time reading it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the Victory Editing Co-Op for the ARC of this!

This was so cute and fun. I love this magical world where no one questions someone saying they’re in love with a voice in their head 😂 I realized I somehow missed the second book in the series, so I’m going to have to go back for it!

I love how the author put a little blurb at the beginning letting readers know that anything can happen at in the city of Chance, so just go with it. I for one am very glad that she did, otherwise I may have been questioning what was going on. I really enjoyed this story and how Beau and April's relationship progressed. With the telepathy, they really get to know each other and fall in love prior to meeting one another. They were able to really be themselves without any societal pressures. Beau especially wanted to be loved for himself, not because of what his name represents.
This is a fun, cute and delightful read. I definitely look forward to reading more of this series.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this cute ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Missing Connection is a standalone novella in the Movie Magic Novella series. This is the first book I've read from this series. This story follows Beau and April. Beau is part of a very rich, prominent family in Chance and he really wants to leave the family business. April loves her job and spends most of her time working. Her family thinks she should work less so she can find a man and settle down. By some strange occurrence Beau and April discover that they can speak telepathically. Through their conversations a spark begins to grow and both have to decide if they're brave enough to see where this telepathic relationship can lead.

I thought the plot for this story was very interesting. Having the MCs begin their communication telepathically with no idea of what the other looks like or who they are, other than their first name, isn't something I've ever seen done before. Something I really liked about this story was April's family. There meddling was a little much, but you could tell how much they all loved each other.

One thing, I didn't love about this story was how quickly the characters started to lust after each other. It definitely had insta-lust vibes which I found really weird since the characters only knew each other's first names and what their voices sounded like. I also didn't really feel the chemistry between Beau and April even as the book progressed. I liked them together and they seemed well matched, but I didn't feel the heat with them. Speaking of heat, there were some steamy scenes, but something that was weird for me was that they were steamier before they met in person. Once they met in person the scenes turned to fade to black.

Overall, I thought this was a cute story and it's a real quick read at only 164 pages. If you're looking for something cute, contemporary, and with a little bit of magic then this novella is for you!

Felt like I read a whole complete novel, enjoyed the fast pacing for a novella. Did not feel like the writing was rushed or missing details. There was a bit of angst and some emotional connections made. Loved everything about this one. When the voices appeared I went with it and didn’t question it. Interesting concept and executed perfectly.

This is a short & sweet romance in which the characters suddenly form a telepathic connection (Why? Doesn't matter! Anything can happen in Chance City). We get to see them fall for each other without some of the normal pressures on a new relationship, just pure connection.

Ultimately, I felt that while the premise was good, there was simply too much crammed into one novella. So many topics were tackled that it didn't really feel like we got a satisfying ending to most of them. It also veers into insta-love territory since many of their conversations are summarized/skipped over. I wish some of the time taken on other topics had been devoted to developing their relationship on-page. Still a very creative concept and a fun quick read!

This book really drew me in! Honestly, I have no idea that this is the third novel in the series, but that didn't change how I understood the plot. It could stand alone and be read.

Apparently, magical things took place in the city where the MCs reside, which explains why they didn't find it strange that they can instantly communicate with one another through their minds. Since they can't sense minds and must speak to communicate with one another, their mind-talking is quite unusual. and sure, you must approach it with an inquisitive mind.

This book's premise and theme appeal to me greatly. It was brief, but not so brief that you couldn't really sense the connection between the two. Although the characters may not always be fully developed and the plot may not always be life-altering, I'll still give it a pass as it was entertaining and had a clever concept.

Between the two characters, there was still a lot of chemistry. It's also adorable that they fell in love despite never having seen each other in person. Since I'm not a big fan of the instalove cliché, it doesn't feel overdone, but it does have a very instalove vibe to it.

There is also spice, which was superbly executed. I must admit that the piquant portions caught me off guard. They certainly came as a surprise to me, but I was glad to have them since they added to the plot beautifully. I can read it perfectly well, so it's fine.

Overall, if you're looking for a sweet relationship with a dash of spice and a thought meet charming, I would certainly suggest picking up this lovely novella. I'll certainly check out the earlier series!

Go grab your copy when it releases on March 7, 2023!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC in return for a honest review. All of my opinions are my own!

Dual POV
Telepathic Communication
Emotional
He is the heir to his family's empire
She is a Data Analyst
Family Pressures
Strangers to lovers
Flirty Banter
Excellent Chemistry

This was exciting, a quick read, and I really enjoyed it.

A cute romance where the main characters struggle with family expectations and pressures, and often not feeling like they are enough in their world.
These two strangers realize they can communicate telepathically and how this happens is not important, but what is important is how Beau and April's relationship evolves and they become each other's biggest supporters. One of my favorite aspects of this story is Beau's big emotions and I appreciated that April welcomed that unconditionally, he felt safe with her and it relieved his pressure to be a certain way. I think we need more of that when it comes to male characters because it is ok to be emotional.

There is a bit of spice that escalates quickly, but I think this was executed well for a novella. I would have loved a longer book to allow for more character and story development. I couldn't get enough of them and honestly I dreaded finishing it in the best way possible.

This is the third novella from the Movie Magic series, but they can be enjoyed out of order. This was a great story and I will definitely be adding the other novellas to my TBR

Thank you Netgalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for letting this be my first ARC read. It was an excellent novella!

This was short and sweet! I loved the setting in the rom-com like world of Chance. The entire book plays out like a romcom and actually reads like one too. Don't question anything and just go in! It's such a fun, short read, that really shouldn't have been any longer. I'm now curious to read the rest of the series :)

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ARC, here is my honest review!

Actual rating 4.5 ⭐

WHAT IS THIS?? I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!

This novella is really good, has a great plot line, great characters, great paced. I think it has a perfect length for novella but still I wish it could be more.

The plot line is really unique. I love how the suddenly connect and become the very best friend. This way you really found your true friend and true love. When I read the blurb I thought that they met through chat app but nope it's trough their connection, their inner connection. It's weird in goo way and execute perfectly. It maybe kind of insta love but I still love their relationship or friendship? I love how both of them certain toward each other. They become the other power to achieve what they really want, and it really is sweet. Their constant conversation in their daily life not only when they're alone but when they're with other people is really great. I love this couple so much!

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

3,5/5

"A Missing Connection" is the third installment in the Movie Magic Novella series and can be read as a standalone. I've read the first one, "Midnight, Repeated," and really enjoyed it.

This story has an interesting concept. I had never even heard of something similar and was eager to read it. I did find it cute, and there were some fun moments, but in the end, it was a bit difficult to relate to the characters, especially Beau. Magical realism and the author's note aside, they accepted their situation way too fast. There's no way I would hear someone's voice in my head and be having romantic thoughts about them the next day.

This was a very sweet novella. I do wish it was longer so we could dive deeper into the characters backstories and why they can suddenly hear each other talk in their heads. There were a few plot holes but other than that, it was a very enjoyable read.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I had a blast reading this one! I love romance books, and I loved that this one was unlike anything I've ever read. One of the great things about it is that not only is it easy to read, but it's really fun too! I totally recommend this one! Also the ending.... 10/10!!!

I don't want to spoil anything just yet, but this book does not disappoint! Another thing, the quotes in this book, some of my favorites of all time!

Beau and April are two lonely hearts that bury themselves in their work to avoid emotional connection in their personal lives. After years of side glances across work buildings and subway cars, one day they start to hear each other's voice in their head. The problem is, they don't know who's voice it is.

Just like that April and Beau are talking at work, cooking dinner together, and forming an emotional connection without seeing each other's face. As the connection gets stronger, Beau and April start to realize that their current realities don't bode well for a relationship. Can they unplug enough to make their connection last? Either way you will fall in love with boht April and Beau along the way.