Dani McLean is an Australian Bi/NB author who writes shamelessly fun contemporary romance. Midnight, Repeated is a part of the Movie Magic Novella series. Each audiobook in the series can be enjoyed as a standalone, in any order.
Twenty-five-year-old Lauree Miller is convinced she knows what she wants: a serious job and a serious boyfriend who’s ready to propose. It’s also time she stopped pining over her best friend’s brother, Max. This year Max is hosting a New Year’s Eve party, and as the clock ticks closer to midnight, Lauree decides she’s ready to let go of her past and finally grow up. But after the countdown, she suddenly wakes up in bed, and it’s December 31st again. Then it happens again and again, keeping her stuck in a time loop. With each iteration of December 31st, she tries things she’s never done before, breaks up with her boyfriend Drew countless times, and spends lots of time with Max at his coffee shop. When it appears that she’ll never be free of the time loop, she follows her heart, makes drastic life changes, and decides it’s finally time to confront Max with her feelings to see if true love can break the spell.
This short novella is a charming and entertaining story that will keep you engaged throughout. Lauree’s growth and evolution are quite impressive, given the novella’s few pages. The story is extremely fast-paced, quickly jumping through Lauree’s time loop repetitions and highlighting all the new and interesting things she tries and discovers about herself. Lauree’s internal conflict of not knowing what she wants to do with her life and the sorting of her feelings for Max are very relatable struggles for young adults today. In the author’s note, it is mentioned that “the magic of these stories is never explained,” and this perfectly describes what a time loop trope is meant to be.
Narrator Alexa Elmy delivers an upbeat, exuberant performance throughout the audiobook, keeping listeners fully entertained and engaged. Her portrayal of Lauree is very authentic and playful, with well-placed dramatic flair during Lauree’s final confrontation with Max. Overall, this is a fantastic audiobook if you’re looking for a fun, engaging romantic comedy that can be easily enjoyed in an afternoon or evening sitting.
