The Missing Butterfly (Lovesongs, #1) by Megan Derr

The Missing Butterfly (Lovesongs, #1) Reviews

• 
  Susan

  Re-read June 2023
  I still love this book so much.
  
  -----------------------
  
  
  This was awesome! This pushed all my happy buttons, and made me smile like a loon all day.
  
  Cassidy is 18, and ready to give everything he has to his band, when he gets terrible news. His parents died in a car accident, so he now has his two younger siblings to take care of. He immediately gives up his dream of becoming a famous singer and gets a job to support his family.
  
  9 years later, Cassidy is happy he now has a nice office job. His brother and sister are grown up now, so he doesn't have to parent so much. He is happy with his new job, and tries his best not to screw it up by crushing hard on his hot boss.
  
  This hot boss, Malcolm, really likes Cassidy. Too bad he has a thing for tattooed bad boys, and Cassidy just seems so nice. He doesn't even wear any short sleeved shirts.
  
  When Malcolm goes out one night, he sees his dream man. A tattooed hottie, singing in a bar on karaoke night. Too bad he can't really see his face with the cap he's wearing, and Malcolm is too drunk to really pay attention anyway. So when he runs into the guy from the karaoke bar outside, he offers to have his driver drive him home.
  
  After a very hot kiss, the man, who introduced himself as 'Jonathan', gets out of the car and runs away.
  
  Malcolm can't get the hot guy he shared a kiss with out of his mind, but he is also slowly falling for the sweet, but apparently always anxious Cassidy.
  
  Cassidy knows he should give up singing altogether, but he needs those karaoke nights so bad. It's the one time he can just let go. But now he can't go anymore since he'll risk running into Malcolm. And he still can't believe Malcolm didn't recognize him....
  
  This book is just so good. Talk about a Cinderfella story. This book kept me on the edge of my seat hoping that Malcolm would finally see who the real Cassidy was.
  
  There are a couple of not very detailed sex scenes, so those could have been better. But this was still such a feel-good book, that I can't say I minded all that much.
  
  And I LOVED that ending.
• 
  Drache.... (Angelika)

  2,5 stars.
  I had loved a few fantasy romance novellas by Megan Derr, and hoped this contemporary romance would be as lovely.
  The storyline was all right, the parts when Cassidy and Malcom were drawn to each other, talked and got closer, were sweet and put a smile on my face. Cassidy's siblings were great, and most of the time I liked Cassidy and Malcom.
  I really wanted to love them, but there were too many instances where I found them both rather repulsive. Fighting with others, getting drunk, yelling without reason (not having the same opinion as someone else doesn't count as reason to explode and yell), these things kept happening, over and over. I guess the author wanted to drive home the fact that both (despite their office jobs) were "bad boys" but I didn't find that endearing.
  The fact that nearly every woman screamed and gossiped (or the men talked about their girlfriends/wives always yelling and screaming) was strange, too.
  
  Maybe I'll stick to the author's fantasy novellas.
• 
  Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️1#AUDIOBOOKADDICT

  3.5 STARS
• 
  Heller

  Never was rock star Cassidy Monarch gave up his dreams to raise his brother and sister after their parents were killed by a drunk driver. Cass has done everything in his power to make sure his siblings have all they need to be successful even if he's had to put his own wants on the back burner. His dreams of taking his band The Four Butterflys to international stardom have faded as the band reluctantly moved on without him.
  
  Cassidy hides his real self from his boss and crush, Malcolm, but secrets have a way of coming out and I really got a kick out the journey here. Wonderful chemistry between the MC's and the secondary characters have great stories as well. My first contemporary from Megan Derr and I liked her voice here quite a bit. Definitely checking out the others in the series.
  
• 
  MsMiz (Tina)

  This book was yummy. Mal and Cass in love was too cute. It has all the right ingredients: a bad boy who has tattoos and has to stop his life to take care of his family. Throw into the mix a gorgeous millionaire who is attracted to bad boys, then add a serving of rock and roll music and fun secondary characters. Toss and serve!
• 
  fleurette

  It's a simple but cute story.
  
  I have always liked the Cinderella fairy tale, it is one of my favorite childhood fairy tales. This story is kind of inspired by Cinderella, and that is very cool. But don't expect traditional re-telling with fairy godmother and bad sisters. The original fairy tale inspired some elements of the story rather than set a specific pattern.
  
  The main characters are cute. While I'm not sure I fully understand Cassidy's behavior, I mean why he has two such different personalities. At times it looked a bit like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide. Don't get me wrong, I liked Cassidy, I'm just not entirely convinced that his personality is consistent. Malcolm is very cute too, even though his personality is a little less developed than Cass's. I also liked his brothers.
  
  For such a short story, Malcolm and Cass take a long time to commit to a relationship. This is a story of how it happened rather than a story of their love. By the way, I'm glad that the author gave up on big romantic confessions when the main characters barely knew each other.
  
  I like all the supporting characters and now I'm curious about their stories, so I will probably read more books in this series.
• 
  Nikyta

  OMG, I love this book!
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• 
  Otila

  3.5
  
  
  Cassidy's dreams of being a rock star are shattered when his parents are killed in a car crash and he becomes the guardian of his two younger siblings. Cassidy lives in fear that any misstep on his part will cost him the only family he has left.
  
  Eight years later, Cassidy feels he's finally in a stable place in his life. His siblings are going off to college and grad school soon and he's landed a nice office job that will help him provide for their education and even have some time for a few college courses of his own. He tells himself he's content with singing at karaoke bars just to still have music in his life. Now all he has to do is forget about the huge crush he has on his millionaire boss.
  
  Malcolm likes bad boys. Tattoos and badass attitudes really push his buttons. Which is why he can't understand why he's so obsessed with his shy new employee. That doesn't stop him from lusting over the hot tatted up guy that sing karaoke.
  
  This was a very sweet modern day fairytale. I loved Cassidy and Malcolm and their chemistry together. I also really liked the secondary characters. Malcolm's brothers were hilarious and fun and Cassidy's brother and sister were great too.
  
  I love musician stories so I'm looking forward to the rest of this series.
• 
  Deeze

  I could kick myself for leaving this book so long. This is one of those perfect romance stories with characters you just want to read more of.
  
  I love how we see Malcolm and Cassidy build slowly. Theres no instant fall into bed for OTT sex. The story runs at a perfect pace, nothing is too rushed nor does it ever drag.
  
  If your looking for a sweet romantic feel good story with characters that come to life then this is a must.
  
  This goes straight to my would read again shelf.
  
  
  
  The only thing that could make this book better would be a bit more attention to proof reading. Quite a few missing or misplaced words. Sadly a common accurance in this field.
  
  ETA Not much to add except this was still a great book and I loved it just as much second time around.
  
  ETA Still one of my favorite rock star reads.
• 
  Darien

  
  
  Still love it!!
• 
  Mandy*reads obsessively*

  I'm in an absolute crappy mood and saw I hadn't added a review of this story that I read in April of 2011, so I'm going to reread and improve my mood and add a few words for this great story.
  
  *sigh* just what I needed. This is a definite feel-good story.
  Cassidy was going to be a rock star, he had the voice, the talent, the band and the tattoos, now all he needs is to make it big.
  Unfortunately his parents died when he was just 18 and he somehow managed to keep custody of his two younger siblings and finally work his way to a decent job, but he had to leave his dreams and ambitions behind.
  The only problem with his new and greatly improved job is Malcom, his boss. That's not to say there is anything wrong with Malcom, he is sexy, drop-dead gorgeous, filthy rich, a genuinely good guy and he has the hots for Cassidy.
  Cassidy is used to staying quiet and out of the way, since his old boss was the wicked witch of the east and he is crushing on Malcom, which causes him to be very shy and reserved around him.
  Now there is the twist of Cassidy letting his hair down and doing karaoke, always avoiding the scout who wants to sign him, since he has given up on that dream and doesn't even want to get his hopes up and of course his run in with his very drunk boss.
  Now Malcom is a bit high handed and manipulative, but with Cassidy's best interest at heart.
  It's a sweet Cinderfella/rocker story and my only niggles was a few editing mistakes, Joey becomes Jason and Denny is Deny, but that didn't take anything away from my enjoyment of this story.
• 
  Kukko

  I hope this is meant to be a modern day fairytale because the plot was just silly.
  
  Cassidy was 19 y.o. and practicing with his rock band when he was informed of his parents' death. He was the lead singer. Having no choice but to take over raising his siblings, Cassidy gave up his dream of being a famous rock star.
  
  Many years later, Cassidy works for an entertainment company as a low-level worker. His boss, Malcolm, is a gorgeous multimillionaire working as a mid-level manager (we are not given a decent explanation why)
  
  Singing karaoke is Cassidy's guilty pleasure. He goes to these clubs in disguise (again, we never get a decent explanation why...he never made it to stardom). Anyway word gets around that a twink is taking the karaoke world by storm, everyone (Malcolm, Malcolm's brother (Antoine) and their friend (Wally)) either wants to get into his pants or sign him for a record deal.
  
  Annoyingly, no one connects the karaoke twink with Cassidy, until later in the story (by which time I had lost the will to live) and then next thing we know, Malcolm is planning Cassidy's meteoric rise to stardom.
  
  I thought Cassidy's siblings were great characters and I wish less time had been devoted to the "cat and mouse" storyline, and more to the relationship between the Malcolm, Cassidy and the siblings on both sides. Also disappointing was an Antoine and Wally relationship that was hinted at, but not developed.
• 
  Barbara➰

  **3.5 Stars**
  
  This was a sweet low angst read. I was looking for a rock-star romance and someone suggested this. It didn't focus on the music/lifestyle as much as I wanted but it was still a good read. However, and I can't believe I'm saying this, it was too easy. Everything just fit into place.
  
  I'm not one who likes really angsty stories relationship wise but I do like a little bit of something to make it more interesting. There were several opportunities the author didn't incorporate that could have added some "spice". For example, I kept thinking Mal's ex who hit him would show back up and cause some problems for them. Nope! Then I thought okay, Cassidy is going to find out Mal paid off the lead singer of the band. Again, nope! See what I mean? Easy. And that's okay because I do like "easy" especially after a highly emotional read (like
  Riven that I just finished) so this eased my heart. But I do wish it had had that little oomph it was missing. I'm definitely interested in Antoine and Wally's story for sure though.
• 
  Ami

  My previous Megan Derr's experience was with her paranormal/fantasy stories. This one is contemporary --- light-feel cute story, meaning completely fluffy(!) but makes me all smile nevertheless. Hey, fluffy when it is written well can be really good :)
  
  A Cinderella story (or one of those Harlequin theme, with one being a blue collar worker and the other a millionaire) if I can say so, I fall in love with both Cassidy and Malcolm right off the bat.
  
  Cassidy's life turned upside down when his parents died when he was just 18 years old; forcing him to forget his dream of being a lead singer of a rock band and taken care of his younger siblings. I love how he tries to be a good "office monkey", walk on straight and narrow path since he's the bread and butter in the family -- but when Cassidy has time for himself, he shows off his tattoo, sings in karaoke bar, and simply loosen up a bit. His reaction to his boss, Malcolm, is just cute.
  
  Malcolm, on the other hand, is a millionare who wants a flair of bad boys as lovers (unfortunately, the bad boys turned out to be bastard boys). Malcolm is just so sweet to Cassidy, wanting to make Cassidy happy always -- this includes orchestrating Cassidy to get back to his band and bought the diner where Cassidy used to work. That part makes me grinning widely, because Malcolm's words to his lawyer is so carefree and might sound arrogant, but FUN ...
  
  "Hey, Joey. I want to buy a restaurant. No, a particular one. A diner. Do all my zeroes look like they care?"
  
  I love the secondary characters here too ... namely Cassidy's younger siblings and Malcolm's two older foster brothers. I enjoy reading stories about siblings -- how they tease each other, threat one another with embarassing childhood stories. It's entertaining.
  
  So, there's no murder, no angst ... it's all happy and sweet ... and (like I said) FLUFFY, and I love it :).
• 
  Trisha Harrington

  I loved this book......... I wish it had been longer, but what are you gonna do. When it started I was in love with Cassidy, he was such a good person, taking his siblings after their parents died and leaving his band. The way he developed through the story was nice, he grew into his confidence with Malcolm. I found myself wondering how he went from bad ass, to scared little boy in a few pages. Then when he told the story of social services trying to take the kids it all made sense.
  
  Malcolm was another great character, I found myself in love with him almost immediately. The way he lusted after Cassidy and never said anything to him. Then with the whole Jonathan thing..... I laughed my head off when he made that discovery.
  
  Both characters had families that I loved, although Cassidy's won out for me in the end. His brother and sister just adored him so much. I really hope there will be more books, hopefully longer. Now I am going to read the next two short books. :)
• 
  Bookwatcher

  Cassidy Monarch had a dream, of be a famous rock star. A tragedy will change his life, and his dream will be crushed. He must work, to keep his brothers.
  
  Malcolm Osborne is rich... his life should be perfect, but obviously all money of the world can't made him happy...
  
  Heartbreaking story, certainly one of the best romance I read.
  
  5 stars
• 
  Heather C

  Such a sweet, adorable story. I loved it! It had some smexy and funny scenes too!
  
  ETA: I wish I could find another story like this...where the guy has sexy ink hidden under his clothes.
  
  Re-read 12/30/12-12/31/12
• 
  Candice

  Sweet, feel good story that I really don't know how I have missed until now. I really enjoyed the build up of the relationship between Malcolm and Cassidy. They were just perfect for each other. I loved banter and relationship with the brothers.
• 
  Jenn

  
  
  This was really sweet, but it didn't have enough grit or tension between the two main characters as I would have liked. Almost from the very beginning it was very easy sailing.
• 
  AliciaJ

  I thoroughly enjoyed this Cinderella story. It was light, easy reading that made me feel oh so good.
• 
  Janie

  4.5 stars
• 
  Caipi

  I needed a fairy tale for a challenge and this book delivered exactly that, a lovely fairy tale.
  
  When Cassidy's parents were killed in an accident, he dropped his dream to become a famous rockstar and instead raised his two siblings. After a few difficult years he managed to land a new job. And with the new job came the new boss, Malcolm.
  
  Malcolm is not only a cover-model-like beauty, he's also very wealthy and works only to fill his time. When he hires Cassidy, he's instantly attracted to him....
  .....and our fairy tale unfolds. Everything develops perfectly, everyone likes everyone and Malcolm literally buys the world for Cassidy.
  
  Nothing special but a really sweet feel good romance. :)
• 
  vLadimiR

  
  If you like rock stars or music-themed gay romance novels, then this book is for you.
  
  As the blurb states, this story is about eighteen year old Cassidy Monarch who reluctantly left his band ("Four Butterflies") to take care if his younger siblings following the death of their parents. Nine years later, Cassidy now works as an "Office Monkey" and is nurturing a crush on his boss, Malcolm Osborne. Though Cassidy doesn't regret his choices in life, he still yearns for the life on stage. Fortunately for him, his boss intends to win his heart and make his dreams come true.
  
  The story has a basic plot and had a Cinderella-ish feel to it. But even though Cassidy and Malcolm already had the hots for each other, they didn't jump in the sack right away. Kudos for non-insta-love!
  
  I was a bit annoyed with the over use of curse words in the story but once I got past it, the experience turned out okay. I also appreciate the author avoiding the well worn I-love-you-but-I-don't-deserve-you conflict to pro-long the story. Cassidy and Malcolm actually talked about what they need from each other to make their relationship work. A logical and realistic approach don't you think? Even though the angst level of the story decreased because of this, I applaud the author for staying away from the cliche.
  
  There's also positive female presence in the story which I appreciate very much. The story isn't ground breaking but refreshing enough to tickle my interest. Is there a sequel to this book? I really want to know what happens between Antoine and Wally ^_^
• 
  Emanuela ~plastic duck~

  This is the perfect book to spend a few happy hours.
  
  Cassidy had to renounce his dream of becoming a rockstar when he was 18, after his parents died in a car crash and he had to take care of his siblings. By day he is a stern and shy employee, who does his job as best as he can because he can't afford to lose it. On some nights he lets his talent shine in quick karaoke bar trips or he is the enigmatic tattooed guy who never hooks up with anyone.
  
  His boss, Malcolm, is a rich heir, who grew up in foster homes before a distant relative found him and loaded him with money. He is intrigued by his employee Cassidy, but he is attracted to bad guys. He'd like to wipe away the sadness in Cassidy's eyes and he can't understand why the guy is so terrified of him.
  
  The story has some of the classical elements of a Cinderfella romance: a pretty rich guy who can afford everything to make the people around him happy; a handsome unlucky guy who's loved by everyone and sacrifices his dreams for the well-being of his family; mistaken identities; shattered dreams; attraction; love. It's one of those books that make you really feel good and happy after you've read them, even if - or maybe just because - they are like fables.
  
  There are a few typos, especially toward the end of the book - and sometimes it drags a bit and sometimes it's too fast, but I really enjoyed the story and I couldn't wait to have a few free moments during the day to read on. It was maybe a little too short. It's the first book I've read by this author and I'll make sure of checking other works by her.
• 
  Arthur

  Megan Derr can write a nice, sweet contemporary stories as good as she does on fantasy genre. The Missing Butterfly books (this one and its sequel, By the Way...) are my favorite books.
  
  This one has a cinderfella feeling on it since one of the MCs is a millionaire, and throughout the story the other one is not.
• 
  Elsbeth

  I had so much fun with this book! What a wonderful "Cindefella" story (I read this in a review) haha. I loved the bickering of all the MC's... I want my own Cassidy :)
• 
  Susan65

  4.5 stars
  
  Wow...what a pleasant surprise this turned out to be. I am a big fan of bad boys, rockers and this has both...but they are both really, really good guys and not the typical bad boy assholes.
  
  Cassidy had his whole life planned out and he was willing to do anything and everything to make that happen. He was going to take the world by storm and be the biggest, baddest rock star in the world...and then life happened. Nine years later the bad boy with the silky voice is now working in an office.
  
  Malcolm is his boss. A beautiful man who could have been a model, and way out of Cassidy's league, or so he thinks. Malcolm didn't have an easy beginning either; raised in foster care, but adopted by his foster mom; he is still with his two foster brothers. Together they are very successful and very wealthy businessmen.
  
  Circumstances threw them together,in more ways then one, and their story is a very beautiful and sweet one sprinkled with heartache, fear and revenge, but always with love.
• 
  leigh

  Cute enough story unfortunately marred by sloppy editing. Frequent homophone (shown/shone, piece/peace) and usage errors were distracting (a man of "Mexican decent.") There was also some clunky and confusing sentence structure. ("You've had at me enough for now.") Such roughness is expected in free online fiction but should not be found in full-price published work, particularly from an author with the stellar reputation of this one.
  
  Malcolm and his family were entertaining in an over-the-top way which suited them. Cassidy was a bit too self-denying at first, but eventually admitted that there were no real obstacles to their relationship. There was a mistaken-identity subplot which ended just before it would have stretched believability, and the resolution to Cassidy's lifetime of regret over his lost music career was predictable but enjoyable. If you're looking for a feel-good, low-angst read with some cute moments and a theme of happy families, you might like to give this one a try.
• 
  Ro

  While the plot itself was a solid four stars for me, lost dreams and a knight in a shining Maserati, the characters make it a five. They are charming and funny. The brothers together made me laugh, and I could completely picture them. Cassidy, the hidden tattoos and bad boy flavor with his own incredibly likeable siblings was so muc fun. And Mal? Adored him. A multi millionaire saying "eleventy billion" and just wanting love? He's delicious. A lovely book.
• 
  Stacey Jo

  This was the absolute sweetest story. If you are looking for something that is light and fluffy, then this is the one for you. I won't go into what it's about cause other reviews do but its got a good HEA and the other characters have been set up nicely for a book of their own. I would love to hear more about all of these guys.