What is the first thing that comes to mind when you look at the cover and title of Meet Cute?  Is it adorable romantic comedy? That's what came to my mind when I looked at it. As amazing and adorable as the Meet Cute cover and title are, I feel like they did a disservice to the story inside. Meet Cute isn't a romantic comedy. It's an emotional contemporary romance with a couple of funny moments. I guess the blurb kind of lends itself to that, but based on the cover I was expecting a more upbeat story. I'm writing all of this because I think a lot of Helena Hunting fans are going to be surprised (and maybe slightly disappointed) like I was. Not that there weren't some great things about this story. I was just expecting something happier.Meet Cute started off funny and cute enough.

I loved how Kailyn met Dax. I would have loved more of the start of their friendship-ish relationship in college. Things took a turn quickly and fast forwarded to their adult lives, which became complicated and entwined with the death of Dax's parents. At this point, things became sad and depressing. Dax and his teenage sister were left behind. The things they had to go through were tough -- like I would expect. Even though there was a sadness, I actually really enjoyed this scenario. I loved seeing Dax become a father figure to his sister and realign his priorities. Their bond was very sweet. I liked how Kailyn fit into this as well, but that also kind of leads to my biggest issue with this book...Kailyn and Dax are supposed to be lawyers at the top of their law school class. Both have shown in their fields. They are smart adults who should know how and strive to make ethical choices. They don't in this book. I was shocked and frustrated by the choices Kailyn and Dax made. I was shocked that both would make decisions that could have and should have affected what was going on with custody of Dax's sister. It all made me so mad and irritated. I was especially frustrated with how Kailyn handled the situation. I was so irritated that I just wanted to be done reading the book at times.I want to say I loved Kailyn and Dax together, but I didn't care about their relationship that much. I loved what made Kailyn truly start to fall for Dax and some of the moments they had together, but Kailyn's actions drove me nuts. Their relationship was also overshadowed by other relationships in this book. I loved the supportive relationship Kailyn formed with Emme. I loved Emme and Dax's relationship. I loved how the three of them made a family at times.

Those relationships put Kailyn and Dax on the back burner for me.One of the things I loved about Meet Cute was the custody dispute between Dax and his aunt Linda. I knew where it was going, but that didn't bother me. I thought it was well written and executed.

As you can probably tell, Meet Cute had a lot of ups and downs. By the time I got to the end of it, I was ready for it to be over. Then, came the epilogue. It was like being transported back to the beginning of the story where all the cute and fun stuff happened. The ending was adorable, but it didn't fit. To be honest, it felt like an entirely different book was wrapping up. It was a shock to the system. One that I enjoyed, but felt out-of-place. It made me wish the entire book had been like the beginning and the end. Which is sad because while I wouldn't say I loved Meet Cute, I felt the emotional story of Dax and Emme was important. I don't know. I guess I just wish Helena Hunting had decided which direction to go with this novel and stuck with it. Emotional and funny can go together, but they need to be better infused for that to work.

I can’t find anything wrong with this book in particular. I am, however, very disconnected from the characters and find it difficult to muster any kind of interest for the story to reach it’s climax and for the couple to have their HEA. 64% and choosing not to finish.

Thank you to Netgalley for the Arc.

Fun and charming story, but nothing memorable about it. Unfortunately it didn't keep my interest and wasn't invested in it.
I wasn't big fan of her last book either. I think this author's style of writing might just not be for me.

I really enjoyed this very entertaining story of Kailyn and Daxton! Daxton was a teen heartthrob on a TV show years ago and teen Kailyn was a big fan. Then, they meet in law school, and although there are some sparks Kailyn is trying to overcome being such a fangirl around him. They meet again years later when Kailyn is creating a trust for Dax's little sister. Kailyn has held a grudge against Dax since law school due to a misunderstanding. Gradually as Dax's situation changes and Kailyn has to get more involved in his sister's life they realize how they feel about each other. Fun, entertaining romance with a great storyline.

I initially picked this book up because the cover is adorable and it’s written by Helena Hunting who writes some amazing rom-coms. I didn’t expect it to be so emotional, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless.

Kailyn and Dax have an interesting relationship. The first time they meet, it’s in law school. Kailyn runs into Dax and very much fan girls all over him. He is the star of one of her favorite teenage tv series. Then they become law school rivals. At the end of law school, Kailyn kind of hates him.

When Kailyn and Dax meet again, 8 years later, Kailyn is still holding a grudge. And Dax isn’t quite sure why. They develop a professional relationship even though Kailyn is leery at first. When Dax suffers a huge loss and has a life changing moment where he’s now the guardian of his teenage sister, Kailyn is there for him. They quickly go from enemies to friends and then it starts to develop into so much more.

I loved Kailyn’s obsession with Dax’s show. Even when she hated him, she loved that show. It made me smile. One of my favorite parts of this book was the relationship both Kailyn and Dax had with Dax’s little sister, Emme. Kailyn was so great with her and the type of female influence she needed. And Dax only wanted what was best for Emme and loved her so much.

The banter between these two was great. And the sexual tension... I’m always here for that. As I said, this was much more emotional than I initially thought it would be and a slow burn for sure, but it did have some moments that made me laugh and smile and some steam as well. If you’re looking for an enemies to lovers type romance that will give you some feels, pick this one up!

Meet Cute had all the trappings of a good romcom, childhood crush, enemies to friends to lovers. It wouldn't be titled meet cute if there wasn't one right? That's where it started for Dax and Kailyn, one run in and college rivals. Years later they meet again as Kailyn now successful trust fund lawyer takes care of Dax's sister's. After a tragic event happens it brings Dax qnd his sister Emme closer, now Kailyn is part of that too.

I like that there's that conflict that made things unsure whether Dax and Kailyn get together for the real deal or cause Kailyn needs something from him. Also there is that baggage that Dax is his sister's legal guardian. Seeing these three together is sweet and emotional at times, the siblings getting used to their loss and all the changes that come with.

It had heart warming and sweet moments between Dax and Emme, Emme and Kailyn and all three together. Kailyn fell for the brother seeing beyond her initial impressions of him. It was natural how it flowed with the sister too, like a big sister mom figure. Helena Hunting did a good job with all the lawyer legal stuff, that I know of anyway, it was right to the point and added good conflict. I had fun with this and it was entertaining. The author does romcom well, this had a feel good way about it.

3.5 Cute Meet Meets Real Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free
For those who love RomComs, the traditional opening scene is a "Cute Meet"... a mistaken identity, bumping into the hottest guy only to have him be your (insert) boss, professor, neighbor, science partner, and or slamming into "The One" with a huge drink or hand full of files go all over the person who was bumped. Chemistry is hidden by the confusion of the event and any other circumstances thrown in. This first meeting will set the tone, the foundation for what will be the thrust of the relationship for the two who meet.

As a movie lover and romance reader, these opening moments can make or break the following story. When done well, you are carried away with the wish fulfillment of a connection or interest to see where all this ends up because we all are there for the guaranteed happily ever after. In Helen Hunting's Cute Meet has a very funny, embarrassing and sweet meeting between the two main characters.

Kailyn Flowers is a repeating her positive mantras as she approaches her first class for law school. As an adopted daughter loved by her father and healing from the loss of her mom, she is determined to be on the path of achievement. She is visualizing all of the steps for success...perfect grades, winning debates, graduating top of her class and eventually becoming a partner before thirty. She is focused crossing the campus, determined on not being late and clearing all nerves, she isn't paying attention to what is going on around her...

Which is why she is in the exact position where a guy is running full tilt to capture the freebie heading for Katlin's head. Well, the freebie doesn't hit Katlin but the guy does end up taking her down with him on top of her and all of her stuff. As Katlin and the guy sort themselves out, she mutters sorry and then she takes a real look at him. Yes, he is built and yes, he is handsome but there is something more about him...and then it hits Katlin...

O.M.G. IT'S DAXTON HUGHES...The Daxton Hughes of It's My Life!!!

What happens next is something Katlin couldn't stop no matter how hard she tried...Massive Fangirling to the point of almost being that cray-cray girl. This show was her safe place growing up after her mom's passing and Dax was her girl crush. The importance of that show and Dax was something which had real importance in her life. So here she was...babbling about the show, episodes and how this accident was exactly from which season with the appropriate characters.

Dax untangles himself from this woman who has sparkling eyes flashing before him. Even though she is going on and on about the show he was part of for most of his life, she seems to be quite logical and cute. Dax settles her down and quietly says how he was trying to keep a low profile here at college, so if she could stop with the It's My Life stuff that would be cool...When Katlin hears that she starts to nod and apologize again. Dax checks to see if she is ok says he was sorry for running into her and gives her a goodbye wink.

Katlin still stunned by meeting her crush from her youth and is annoyed she is getting to the class only just in time rather than early as she had planned. There are almost no seats left so she has to climb over others to get to one. As she is almost there, her foot hooks onto a bag's strap on the floor causing her once again to fall...and into the seat near Dax and his pals.

Dying...

These two end up challenging each other during their law school years and a friendship of sorts was established. Unfortunately, things happened which left an awful taste in Katlin's mouth causing her to never think of Dax without remembering the sour results.

Fast forward eight years to now. Katlin is an established attorney who specializes in trusts. She likes her firm and hopes to achieve the goal she had set with her dad, make partner by the time she turned thirty. Her dad passed before he could see all of her success and when she lost him, working nonstop was the only way to get through her pain. She also assists her best friend who handles family situations. She pushes her boss to do pro bono work with foster cases. Katlin is a prized part of the firm; she has a very strong reputation.

When she has an appointment with a new couple to establish a trust for their daughter, Katlin never expected for it to be anything but the usual...and it would have been except sitting in the conference room with the couple is their son, Daxton Hughes.

Damn, he sure grew up and became even hotter than he was before. Well, Katlin was not the law school student he knew before...and she was a professional. She put her game face on and handled everything perfectly. Dax had become an entertainment lawyer and was there to support his parents. Katlin got through it, was distant but pleasant and arranged the trust.

What happens next is the way life works... it never is fair when our loved ones are taken in a moment. Katlin knows all to well this type of pain so when Dax needs assistance to understand the trust and how it works with him becoming his sister's guardian, Katlin is there for him.

This tale is more than a romance between two people. It is focused on Dax, his sister Emma and the way they now have to figure out what their lives are like now...how to handle it all and deal with the pain. How Katlin's boss presents a partnership to her with strings attached and then the conflicts of trying to handle her feelings for Dax and her obligations to Emma.

It's Complicated.

And because it is complicated, there were things which were part of this tale which caused me to question Katlin's reasoning. Although Dax was everything she had wanted and more...the attorney/client questions took me a bit out of the story. I also had a strong sense of where everything was going from the start, however, it didn't stop me from enjoying most of my time with Emma and Dax.

What was so touching was Emma, Dax's sister and the way she bonded with Katlin. The two of them together was lovely. Dax also took on being Emma's guardian with all his heart. So this was a win for the family angle.

Cute Meet had the cute, had angst and had the Happily Ever After...

A gifted copy was provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley for an honest review.

Meet Cute by Helena Hunting

With a title like Meet Cute, I was expecting a sweet, light-hearted story. Instead, what I was given, was a deeply emotional look at life after loss and accepting forgiveness.

Daxton and Kailyn do have an adorable meet cute moment. At first, I was put off by Kailyn's fangirl ways, but she nestled her way under my skin after that, and I grew to love her...deeply. Daxton was adorable with his flirty smiles and thinly veiled innuendos. It's all fun and games between them until first, deception, then tragedy.

As someone who has experienced tremendous loss, I was impressed with how Hunting depicted it. I felt the sadness and sorrow Dax and Emme suffered. Kailyn being there to help them navigate their new normal made the transition as easy as it could be given the circumstances.

The Bad: The Aunt, who you know from the start was a terrible human being and only after the money, ended up being a bad caricature of a villain. I started rolling my eyes at her actions and hoping that her obnoxiousness wouldn't ruin the love story being told. I hate to do it, but I have to throw a little bit of Dax under the bad bus. He's a lawyer! His parents just died and left him everything and changed the original plan they had. He should have been immediately looking at all the files his father left. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the book, but too often, too much was not as rooted in reality as it really should have been.

The Good: Kaylin went from screaming fan girl to level headed lawyer. You believed both sides of her. I loved her relationship with Emme. Dax was adorable. He's a former child star turned entertainment lawyer, and suddenly guardian of twelve-year-old. I loved how he loved his sister and would do anything for her. The relationships between the three of them were authentic.

Meet Cute, while not what I expected, was still an enjoyable read. I always adore Helena Hunting books and the escape they provide.

3 Stars

A sweet-and-sour romance that covers old grudges, new tragedy, and the relationship that blossoms out of it. Former teen heartthrob Daxton and no-nonsense lawyer Kailyn are perfectly paired and their story may genuinely bring a tear to your eye as they fight for Dax to keep custody of his sister Emme after a horrible accident.

First, he was her teenage celebrity crush.
Then he was her rival in law school.
And years later his younger sister is her client...
and he comes along with the package.

Dax is in a custody fight with another family member and Kailyn is now his sister's conseverator. So their lives have become intertwined. She still holds a grudge. He is pretty clueless. But they have antagonistic, heated banter that still seems to get them charged up. Their chemistry is hard to hide, but their situation is fragile and involves more than just the two of them.

Kailyn already has had trust issues in regards to him, but she also has her own reasons for helping him both personally and professionally...and she is not sharing them. There are people hoping that Dax fails and are making things harder on them.

I really liked Dax. He seemed real. I felt his frustration, anxiety, fear, and how overwhelmed he was taking on a thirteen year old girl into his busy life. And Kailyn was tough and sassy, but also had a caring heart and understood loss. She was the perfect person to be his helper and support, but they also had that long history of challenging and pushing each other and the attraction was still there. Can they keep an affair under wraps and not hurt anyone? And what happens when everything is out in the open?

This is a sweet, funny, sexy, and emotional enemies-to-lovers story about priorities, trust, dealing with loss, and moving forward. Despite its cute title, the characters are dealing with some raw and emotional situations and it is not all fun and games. They have a lot of challenges and issues to navigate, and it is a confusing and painful situation for all of them. I enjoyed getting their dual points of view. I liked their friends, Holly and Felix, and his sister, Emme was such an important part of the story. I loved the dynamics of all of their relationships as their lives kept changing.

I received this book for free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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Meet Cute is one of my most anticipated reads of 2019 and Helena Hunting didn't disappoint! It was emotional, poignant, and heartfelt, but also sweet and hilarious at times. It isn't quite the cutesy romcom that the cover depicts, but those elements are certainly there and fans of Hunting will still see her trademark wit and sense of humor. This story was part enemies to lovers, part second chance, and a whole lot about family. Daxton (Dax) and his relationship with his younger sister, Emme, is central to the entire book and though there is romantic love, there's also love between siblings and friends.

Dax and Kailyn have a complicated past, made even more convoluted by the tragedy that throws them together. As they reconnect, both are able to see the other in a new light. Old feelings come to the surface, while they try to maintain professionalism and consider the feelings of everyone involved. It was a realistic and honest conflict that they faced. I loved how they helped each other not only heal, but also move forward. I admired Kailyn's commitment to her pro bono work and how she was able to hold her own not only in her job, but also with Dax. Several times, she took him down a peg and showed not only her intellect but also her quick wit. Dax respected her for it and so did I. Things wrapped up quickly in the end and I did feel that the "villain" of the story was pretty predictable. I wish Dax would have heard Kailyn out before filling in all the blanks himself, but the epilogue more than made up for it! It left me with a huge smile on my face and was the perfect way to bring the story full circle.

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*

BIANCA

Well, that was super adorable. And heartbreaking. And fun. And sexy.

I really loved reading it!

The blurb suggested something a bit different. I thought we would get a hilarious college romance, or at least that we'd be at college a bit longer, but it's only the prologue. After that we fast forward to today. Which is totally okay! But it wasn't the mega funny rom-com that I was expecting. It was still an amazing book with so many great moments, but it was a bit of 'false-advertising' in my opinion.

But pffft. I didn't mind once I was in the middle of the story.

I really adored Kailyn, Daxton and Emme. We just know that they belong together as the perfect little family. But of course it's not that easy. There are people working against us. Bosses and money-hungry relatives and secrets.

I just wish they would've talked about everything right at the start - I hate those stupid misunderstanding/lies/omission moments in books. People always end up in a fight and break up and then it takes us a while to get that happily ever after again. This and the whole bad guy thing was way too obviously done here in my opinion. You just knew it was all coming out soon and it took away from the enjoyment of reading the book a bit. I constantly yelled at them to just talk about the job and the bad person - to not be that stupid - but ... they just didn't!!!!☺

The book had the potential to be better - something more could've been added to everything. I don't even know what I mean exactly - but it could've been so much better.

But I still really adored the story. I finished it in one day.

JANEANE

ARC received for an honest review

It is always a great day when a new Helena Hunting book arrives on your kindle.


From the cover and the blurb, I was expecting a fun and flirty rom-com. However what we got with Meet Cute was so much more.

Kailyn and Dax's story was more emotional than I was expecting. I won't lie, my heart hurt for them as their stories evolved.

And through it all, I couldn't help but want, no need our lovelies to be together.

And then they go and do stupid stuff, like not talking about stuff and try to ruin everything - people, talk to each other!!

I am a sucker for a enemies-to-lovers story, and it was no exception with this story. The dynamic between our lovelies flits between hate and love, and as times I wasn't sure which way the story wanted to go.

I did find that the bad guy was pretty easy to pick out, and their schemes at times felt a bit cartoonish - I could picture them in the corner, twirling their moustache and giving an evil laugh.

So though I liked Meet Cute, I just felt that it felt a little short for me. I guess that is probably because I was expecting the rom-com, and whilst we got the rom, the com was not there for me.


MEET CUTE was a beautiful Romantic Dramedy!!!! Funny, adorable, heartbreaking, sexy! I LOVED it! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Daxton - this one is MINE!!!!

Well, I did not enjoy that ride. In law school, Kailyn ran into her former childhood celebrity crush, Daxton, and the two became friendly rivals until the Great Betrayal. The 'Meet Cute' part of this story was all of ten pages before we were catapulted to present day with all drama you would expect. One of my problems with this story from the start was that Kailyn took her childhood crush a bit too seriously. As the age of 30, she still had Daxton memorabilia (such as a mug that she used at work) and a ringtone that came from the TV show. As the story progressed, I felt that Meet Cute was missing the emotional element, especially since we were dealing with death and trying to fill a new familial role. I never felt that attraction between Daxton and Kailyn and the villain of the story was very dramatic and cartoony. To say I was disappointed is an understatement.

3.5 stars
I liked this one. I thought it was going to be more rom com. It was notify favorite Helena Hunting book. It was good though.

Loved Meet Cute! Modern day romance with plenty of sizzle and humor. Perfect contemporary romance for a spring/summer read.

"Meet Cute" tells the story of Kailyn and Daxton who meet in law school but run into each other again later in life where their initial sparks fly again. The book was of course cute (it's in the title and also, look at that cover!) but also covered some serious topics and had a rather dark main story line. The title is also slightly misleading. There is an adorable meet cute in the first chapter but then we jump several years in the future for the rest of the story line. All in all, "Meet Cute" is a warm romantic story between two lovable characters.

Meet Cute by Helena Hunting: Kailyn has always been smart, but she's become more driven and focused on making partner before turning 30. She's one of the best lawyers within her area, but she's given up a lot of her personal life in pursuit of this goal. She's a major fan of a hit TV show from her teen years and she has the memorabilia collection to show for it.

Dax gave up acting and ended up finding a passion for the law. He enjoyed a more normal life while in college and law school and the years since he stopped acting. He's still recognized as the heartthrob lead after all this time. Now, he's putting in the hours to make partner in the near future and not really in the market for a relationship.

Kailyn has had some memorable run-ins with Dax, who is the object of her every teenaged fantasy. They ended up in law school together and they pushed each other to do better every step of the way, until Dax screwed her over to graduate at the top of their class. Kailyn is not pleased to run into him again years later, especially since she has to help him.

Dax is stunned to be given custody of his teenaged sister and both of them are reeling from all the changes. Dax has very different memories of their time in law school and he's grateful to have Kailyn in his corner. There was always chemistry between them, and now they have a chance to find new common ground while also addressing their past. Kailyn is a much needed support system and Dax shows her just how sweet, generous, funny, and thoughtful he can be. Getting involved romantically would be complicated, but it's hard to deny their feelings.

Meet Cute is entertaining, funny, and emotional. Helena Hunting provided banter, conflict, tension, teen drama, and heat. Ms. Hunting created a wonderful cast of characters, especially Dax's sister. Fans of Christina Lauren, Emma Chase, and Katy Regnery will enjoy Meet Cute.

Alas, Meet Cute did not click for me. Another cute cartoon-cover that seems to promise a rom-com, but this was decidedly not fun and frothy for me. The plot was all over the place and I just wanted Kailyn to be able to fan-girl over finally getting to bone her teenage crush.

Parental death, worrying about a tween hearing you have sex, and lies were the major plot-movers and those are not for me.

Also, the fact Kailyn is Daxton's sister's lawyer/advocate made me really squicked out, especially when they started having sex. Talk about a conflict of interest. Kailyn did acknowledge this conflict, which I appreciated, but it didn't stop her and Daxton from continuing to sneak around.

There is also some "not like other girls" syndrome (when Kailyn bashes a woman hitting on Daxton for having dyed-blonde hair and breast implants) and some dubious behavior by Kailyn's boss and Kailyn herself when they agree to try and entice Daxton to join their law firm.

Overall not for me. I think Helena Hunting and I just don't suit. I'm sure other readers will enjoy this one.

Meet Cute was definitely cute, funny and swoon worthy. The dynamics between Dax, his thirteen year old sister Emme, Kailyn and her best friend Holly were absolutely fabulous. Every character had so much heart and charisma.
Dax and Kailyn know one another from law school and had a fierce competitive relationship. Both strived to be the best at everything and enjoyed riling each other up. When they meet 5 years later it’s not with fond memories of their past. Not when it comes to Kailyn. She holds a grudge.

Their bantering was amazing because of the delicious and heated tension between them. I really enjoyed following Dax and his relationship with sister Emme and also with Kailyn who with every day got closer to the both of them. With Dax it was a wonderful blooming romance where they got to know a new and different side of another.
Even though it’s only my second book by Helena Hunting I can honestly say her books make me feel good and I just enjoy the story for what it is. A wonderful break from real life.

4 Fangirl Stars

DNF @ 51%

I know! I already hit the halfway point so why DNF? This book turned out to be different than what I was expecting it to be. I’m pretty sure that people will love this book by the early reviews that are already out there. However, I don’t even care to see how this ends.

From this freakin’ stunning cover I expected a rom-com. I was expecting something funny and lighthearted. However, what I got was something very sad. The characters are dealing with the loss of parents and custody battles. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nothing wrong with that. I just didn’t expect for this to be a heavy novel.

Along with it being a heavy novel, our characters turned out to be quite bland. I can’t really recall anything interesting about either Dax or Kailyn. I didn’t feel any chemistry and I felt both of their POV’s to be boring.

Like I said before, I know a lot of people are going to love this book. Just personally it wasn’t for me or even what I thought I was getting because of the cover.