A Quick Overview
Meant to be is an urban Cinderella story. Joe Kingsley is the son of the most famous family in America and has a lot to live up to the standards of his diseased father whom was a prominent political elite figure. Cate had a difficult and abusive childhood and built a life from the bottom and worked her way up to gaining status in the modelling world. Their two worlds collide and their relationship gets challenged by the secrets of Cate’s past, the expectations of Joe, and the pressures of the media and everything that comes along with being famous.
The Verdict
I enjoyed Meant To Be, but I can’t say I loved it. There are some books that grip you and make you feel things, making you feel as though you are the characters within the story, that you’re hurting with them or you’re falling in love with them, but this one just didn’t do that for me. It isn’t that the book lacked plot. I thought the story was good but I suppose it just lacked feeling and connection to me. I often felt Cate was really bland in her dialogues. I her backstory was good but I really wasn’t a fan of her as a character and just couldn’t connect with her. I was also really disappointed that Joe and Berry didn’t have any sort of romantic relationship because there was so much potential to add some extra drama and substance to the story that could have made it better, but it really lacked.
I’m not sure that I’d recommend or not recommend this book. I’d say if you see it on sale at the book store or a thrift store and want a fairly enjoyable romance novel to read, I think it’d be a good book at bargain price. Though, I really don’t think it’s worth the full retail price. There’s a little bit of spice, not a lot, but a little for those who enjoy spice. Just don’t get your hopes up for a really emotional or captivating read.
You can find my full review of this book on my book blog: https://cottage.thecozy.cat/blog/meant-to-be-by-emily-giffin-book-review/
