It Had To Be You was a cute rom-com. I enjoyed it - very strong female characters! There were lots of fun details centered about the two main characters, who because of unforeseen circumstances, are now co-owners of a very popular wedding planning company. As an ex-wedding planner, it was a fun aspect of the book to me. One is a widow and the other, the ex-lover of the widow's deceased husband. Definitively an awkward situation. But they make it work...sort of. This is definitely a fun book to read along with girlfriends to discuss!

I had a really hard time getting into this book. There were too many characters being thrown into the story all at once, making me have to read over and over to figure out who was who. I was confused from the beginning. Also, I am not a fan of LGBTQ romance and I felt like this book had a ton of it in there. Thanks for offering me a review copy, but this one is NOT for me. I got about 70 pages in and gave up.

The perfect book for fans of Love, Actually (I've only seen it about 50 times. How about you?🤣💞) This book is a rom-com and definitely had some laugh out loud moments that were relatable and truly funny. Comparing it to Love, Actually is an obvious choice as there are five separate love stories interspersed throughout this charming book. Each couple stands on their own and there was only one character who I was on the fence about. If this book contained the sweeping drama/romance that Love, Actually did, I may have given it 4.5 or 5⭐️. Although it was a pleasurable read for me, there were parts that were a bit predictable and I found myself wishing to be wowed a bit more. Perhaps I was looking for Colin Firth? All in all, a good book to lift your spirits during tough times. 4⭐️ out of 5⭐️ Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for the free ARC of this book. Pub date is 5/4/21. My opinions are my own. #bookstagrammer #bookreviewer #ithadtobeyou #atriabooks #netgalley #goodreads #booksandmrdarcy #withhernosestuckinabook❤️📚

Thank you Atria and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Love and marriage. Liv Goldenhorn believed in it, until her husband dropped dead while with a 20-something. Then to add insult to injury, that same woman, Savannah Shipley, shows up in NYC with his will saying she owns half the couple's wedding planning company. Enter a cook, a waitress, two florists, two singers and an actor, and you have a book about love and friendship, plus a whole lot of hilarious antics.

I simply adored this ensemble cast of lovable and quirky characters. Throughout the book, you got to see five couples of all walks of life try to figure out what they want for their future. The chapters are short, making the book quick-paced and entertaining. I also loved that this romantic comedy was not afraid to tackle really tough issues. There were themes of interracial dating, dynamics of money and status, grief over the loss of a spouse, questioning of one's sexuality and hidden trauma from a previous relationship.

This is definitely a book you should read if you enjoy ensemble cast movies like Love, Actually, He's Just Not That Into You, and Valentine's Day.

Multiple POV books are not my favorite, and this was no exception. It's definitely Love Actually style, but I, unfortunately, do not like Love Actually. I rarely DNF books, and I really tried to get through this, but I had a hard time keeping track of everyone, let alone the dynamics of their relationships. The main storyline was not especially compelling to me, though I did think Liv was a wonderful character - I would have loved a book that just focused on her. I have a hard time with cheating in books, so I do think the underlying plotline and the premise it starts with was a hurdle I struggled to get over, especially in terms of how I viewed Savannah. Otherwise, I think she would have been perfectly charming.

Other characters were just irredeemable for me, though I think if they each had their own book, or if the book was written not... like this.... I'd be much more interested in them and not spending pages thinking about how annoying these people are.

To a lesser extent, I think the author's way of writing was not for me. I'd never read anything by Georgia Clark before, and I didn't think this was a positive start. While I'd be willing to read another book of hers in the future, I found this book to be choppy and hard to follow, and the prose grated on me in a way I can't articulate. I really wanted to like this book, and I'm sad it wasn't for me. The cover is Beautiful™️, and there were some promising parts of this book that ultimately, I couldn't get over in order for me to finish it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It Had to be You is a book I was highly anticipating since it appeared on my radar. It had me at "perfect for fans of Love, Actually", which is one of my all-time favorite films.
The book is told from multiple POVs and is less confusing than I would have expected. Georgia creates quick, bright snippets as you bounce back and forth from character to character. Something I feel unique to this book is that the chapters are quite short, so it was easy to read in between whatever life happened to be throwing my way.
Out of all of the interwoven plots, I connected most with Liv and Sam. Her grief and confusion over her husband's death and infidelity made me want her character to thrive most. Liv's life crashes and burns when he dies and leaves half of the business to his side-piece. Somehow she has to take on the challenge of dealing with the mistress or losing everything.
I'm now on the hunt for a book told in a similar fashion. It pushed me through a broader range of feelings than I anticipated.
Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Love a sweet YA love story, especially when it involves dance! Really cute read with some deeper topics covered and even a bit of fantasy.

This was so much more than a romance between Liz and Sam because we actually got several romances and different versions of happily ever after. It reads like a series of interconnected stories where each chapter focuses on a different couple or person as they make their way through finding themselves, figuring out their relationship status, or just getting by.

As a New Yorker I love reading my city in books because sometimes it comes off as totally cartoonish but this book feels so true to New York and these characters feel so authentic. Each of the storylines are set in the first section and then we start to follow them through the next year. I love the author's ability to keep everything straight, to create so many complex three-dimensional characters and have them consistently crossover with the other storylines. I also love her ability to develop each story with such distinct voice and themes. Reading the book i felt emotionally connected to every story in a different way and would love to see some of those story lines picked up for a future novella and/or a side character get their own happily ever after but I also feel completely satisfied with the beautify happily ever after that each character got.

I'm looking forward to reading more from Georgia Clark!!

Let’s talk books with multiple POVs. I don’t usually like them, and I’m going to tell you why: I don’t think they really give me enough perspective. Usually, I need the one character perspective to span the length of the book I order to invest and identify with the cast. The positive about this is that I am a huge cheerleader for the hero or protagonist on majority of books I read. The downside is that I only see and experience the one perspective, which is limiting. All in all, though, I still prefer one or two.

That being said, It Had To Be You could be the book to change my mind. I absolutely loved every single character storyline, and although I know it is beside the point, my soul would love an entire book for all of them. There are interweaving storylines between a few of the characters, and some that stay separate, which really makes sense because NYC is absolutely the place to have intricate relationships and also a lot of space do whatever it is that you want to do.

It Had to Be You comes out on May 4th and I think it’s going to be a real winner. This story has all the drama one could want (infidelity, sexual tension, fake romance, secret celebrity romance!), and you see it all through from start to finish. Loved it! Get yourselves a copy and let me know what you think.

Wow! What a situation. Right from the start, this story was guaranteed to have lots of strife, sadness, potential recovery, and room to grow. There's so much more than just the story of our two lead ladies.. There are actually several love stories wound around this main theme. New love, old love, highs and lows to keep the reader entertained.

It's not enough for Liv to lose her husband of two decades, the father of her son. No life has more in store for her. Her last wedding was a huge, public bust and now her business is in trouble. On top of all that, she finds our her husband had a girlfriend and he's given her half the business. Savannah never intentionally became the "other woman".. Now she's got her chance to get out of Kentucky and pursue the life she's always dreamed of if she can only get Liv on board.

At times the inclusion of nearly every marginalized group in existence was a bit much. Even the minor characters are somehow outside traditional societal norms and I found it distracting.

I didn't love Liv, Savannah or most of the others. I liked them well enough though. I might have been a little in love with Sam. It's ok though because even though the characters individually didn't endear themselves to me the overall story kept me involved in the book. It was a very pleasant way to pass a few hours.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the ARC.

This was such a cute book! The book blurb said it was similar to Love Actually but when I started to read the book, I had forgotten that. The story starts off with Liv finding out her husband of 10+ years not only unexpectedly died but also had a mistress. She owns a wedding-planning business with her husband and when he died he left his half of the business to his mistress! Having forgotten this was like Love Actually, I thought this was going to be the story of Liv and Savannah overcoming this hurdle and learning to work together and find love. However, it was so much more. There were five stories interwoven in this book and I loved every single one! It took me a little getting used to shifting from one story to the next and that would be my only criticism, sometimes it took a little bit to get back into the shift of the next story. I think each story needed to be its own book in a series of books! I loved all the stories but Darlene and Zach was my favorite. I definitely wanted to read a whole book about them. The author is a great storyteller and does such a good job of making you feel all the feels for these characters and root for them. She also included a lot of representations and I found myself highlighting several quotes "telling people things that they might not expect to hear, but that are true about you, is a way for them to deepen their relationship with you. To know you, and love you, even more."

*Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an advance copy. Opinions are my own.

Described as perfect for fans of Love, Actually, I was skeptical to start this book (not being a fan of the movie). I picked it up because I loved the cover and the premise sounded intriguing--a woman forced to work with her deceased husband's lover? Sign me up! And I enjoyed it immensely. I think what this book mirrors in Love, Actually is the same thing it mirrors in movies like Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve--multiple storylines, all interwoven--and the reasons I don't like Love, Actually (it's highly problematic and boring) don't apply to this novel.

I really loved the premise and all five (I think it was five?) couples/potential couples in the book. By just a few chapters in, I was fully invested in every single character. This book is told in the third person, but we get in the heads of ALL the main characters, which I love--I don't like to be kept guessing. I must say, all the storylines save a few were pretty predictable, with lots of "twist" moments you could spot a moment away, but it didn't make me like the book any less. It had a stellar romcom feel, even though it was as much about the character's personal journeys as it was the romance. This is not a book to read if you're looking for a windswept, passionate, romance, but is perfect for those looking for a feel-good, emotional tale of romance and growth.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 8/10

If you're anything like me, you might have a soft spot for big ensemble rom coms. Think those that worked (Love, Actually or He's Just Not That Into You). Don't think of those that didn't (Valentine's Day or New Year's Eve). When done well, all the interwoven stories strike a chord with the reader equally. They also tie together in some way. This is the vibe Georgia Clark is going for with her upcoming release, It Had To Be You.

In this book, you get to know five sets of characters and their varying stages of relationships. First there's wedding planner Liv, still reeling from the sudden death of her philandering husband. Color her surprised when his mistress, Savannah, shows up on her doorstop. The two form an unexpected business partnership, but also learn more about love, themselves, and each other in the process.

Then we meet Zach and Darlene, two musicians who often play at Liv's events. The pair have had a will they/won't they vibe going on for awhile. So when the chance to "fake" a relationship comes up, it's easy to settle into a groove. After all, they know each other fairly well. But do they know each other well enough to know when it's the real thing?

Next up-waitress Zia who by chance meets movie star Clay at one of the events she's working. The two are instantly attracted to each other, but there's one catch, the private Clay doesn't do public romances. Zia agrees to this initially, but quickly realizes she wants more. Can she be happy with the part of Clay that she can have or will she risk it all at the chance of asking for more?

Rounding out the bunch are Henry and Gorman, a May/December couple that have been together for years. The younger Henry wants to settle down where the older Gorman is fine keeping things as is. Would spicing up their love life help move things along or should they just move along in general?

As stated above, it's very hard to pull of an ensemble such as this- no matter the format. Overall author Georgia Clark managed to do just that. The wedding backdrop was a great kickstart to getting to know these characters, but it wasn't relied on too heavily to keep the story going. Without giving too much away, the only story's resolution I felt a little conflicted about was Henry and Gorman's. I hope that one day this ensemble rom com makes it to the big screen because I could see it teaching other rom coms that have come before it a thing or do if done right.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy in exchange for a fair review. Be sure to check this one out when it comes out next month!

Okay, first of all, this past Christmas was the first time I ever watched Love Actually so the format of this book threw me through a loop at first. I was overwhelmed with all the characters and trying to remember what was going on in their lives. With so many characters being introduced it was a little difficult to realize who were the main characters and who were side characters. But once I was about 30% of the way, it began to make sense. I was still hesitant while reading though just because it seemed like a lot of information was coming at me at once. Once I got around to the 50% mark, somehow I was extremely invested in the majority of these character's lives. There were a couple of pairings I could've done without like I genuinely thought they didn't add any substance to the story but anywho! I still very much enjoyed this story, it was so freaking cute! My faves were BY FAR Sam & Liv and Zach & Darlene! Heart eyes all the way for them!

I am a huge fan of the movie Love Actually and this book gave off the same vibes!! I absolutely love how it includes the linked love stories!
This book is heartwarming, entertaining and overall a feel-good book.
Well crafted, lovely characters.
A roller coaster of emotions-love, heartbreak. Definitely a read to remember.

I did not realize before I started this book that it was more a story about an ensemble cast than a book just focusing on the relationship Liv and Savannah are forced to forge when Liv's husband dies leaving half of their business to Savannah, his mistress. I was skeptical at first because I have read other books that have attempted it and never felt that each storyline was given its proper due. That was not the case with this book and I was quickly on board because, honestly, Savannah and Liv were two of the least interesting characters in the book but more so because Clark keeps the pace going, drawing you into each character's journey but never letting you forget about the other surrounding dramas. The stories are diverse and heartfelt and swept me away completely,

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It Had To Be You is a book rom-com similar to Love, Actually set around a wedding planning business. All the players in the book are either wedding planners or are hired through the wedding planning service for flowers, musical entertainment or waitressing. Much like Love Actually some of the stories fell flat for me. I enjoyed the wedding planning business being the central point for the characters, I'm a sucker for wedding-based romances.

I thought some elements of individual stories felt tokenized in the way that they were used, which didn't sit right with me. I think for this story there were too many storylines which didn't help to solidify any of the stories individually. All of the stories felt like we were only being given the very upper crust of each relationship without delving too much into their stories. I just wish there was more to the stories and fewer of them. It was a fine rom-com but one I'll easily forget over time.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read a copy early in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to love this book, but it just didn’t quite work out that way.

The biggest issue I had, was there was A LOT going on and in my opinion, it was too much.

I liked each of the character’s stories with their love interest individually. I thought that each of those relationships could have been expanded on individually or even as a smaller cluster, but all together it was way too much and became overwhelming. There was also so much diversity jam packed that into one story that it began to feel like the author had a checklist and was just marking things off because again, there was just so much.

Examples of the diverse characters/themes we encounter.
Cheating spouse, spousal death, divorce, interracial relationships, same sex relationships, infertility, transgender transformations, abuse, celebrity relationships, health complications, etc... it was just a lot.


As I was reading some of the following were things that just did not sit well with me:
The nicknames really got under my skin. The relationships felt forced/fake/rushed. I really hated the “sex night” scene because Liz came off as incredibly immature. Did Zia’s sister not have any repercussions or did I miss that part?

I liked the story and can believe how each of the characters all came together, it just got to be too much.

If you love interconnected characters and story lines (think the movies Valentine’s Day, Love Actually, New Year’s Day, etc.) you will love this book. It focuses on a wedding planner, her dead husband’s ex-mistress turned business partner, and their coworkers and all of their love stories.

It took me a minute to get into this one because there were so many story lines happening and I had trouble keeping track at first. But, once I got used to it and got to know the characters better, I was hooked. The love stories were all very different, but I do wish we could have gotten more detail on some of them. I wanted more! I will say I genuinely loved all of the couples and I don’t think I could pick a favorite. This is a cute read and left me feeling so happy!

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you @atriabooks, @netgalley and @georgiaclark for the complimentary galley in exchange of my honest review!

This is a perfect summer binge read with dreamy marriages, wedding planners, catering services, flower decorations and marriage vows! Can this book be adapted into a movie, pretty please?

Georgia has spelled her magic again with this charming and heartwarming story of Liv and Savannah, one married to Eliot and other being his young girlfriend! They both end up owning the wedding planning business called In Love In NewYork.

All of the amazing crew of this wedding planning events have been portrayed beautifully with their intricate personal and love lives ! My fav was Zach and Dee, the orchestra band, with their sizzling and hot chemistry!!

You cannot go wrong with this fun, heartwarming book of love, friendship and realization! Get your copy as soon as possible for a perfect summer read!