Interesting read with 5 interwoven rom coms. I personally prefer 1 protagonist telling their story, I feel more of a connection to the storyline then. But, thus was very well written. Quick read. Thank you, Atria Books, Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for this ARC.

DNF, No rating

I wanted to give feedback on this book, despite not finishing it, because I accepted it directly from the author for review. Let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with this book (at least at the point in which I stopped). This is very much an "it's not you, it's me" situation. I struggle with romances that follow so many characters, and could already feel myself becoming disengaged with certain plot lines as they began to progress.

I think Georgia Clark wrote a rom-com that will delight many people, especially those who are fans of movies like "Love, Actually" and "Valentine's Day" but this type of story just wasn't going to work out for me.

A lot of romance authors create a shared universe for their book series. For instance, Book #2 may feature the best friend of the protagonist from Book #1 finding love, and then Book #3 couples up her sister, etc. Georgia Clark, on the other hand, has done this with a single book; "It Had To Be You" features several love stories, all of which are neatly wrapped up by the end of the novel.

This isn’t a new concept—the book’s promotional material compares it to the movie "Love Actually"—but Clark puts a modern spin on it: her characters are gay, lesbian, straight, middle-aged, young, Black, Latinx, white, very rich and struggling to pay the bills.

The novel starts off by introducing us to Liv Goldenhorn, a wedding planner in her late 40s whose husband and business partner has just dropped dead of a heart attack. Liv soon learns that Eliot had been cheating on her, and that he’d changed his will just a couple weeks before he died to give his young mistress Savannah his half of Love In New York, the company he ran with Liv. Needless to say, Liv is horrified by this development; what could be worse than running a business centered on love with your late husband’s secret girlfriend?

A few months down the road, when Savannah offers to help Liv revive her moribund business with the help of a well-known Instagram influencer who is planning to tie the knot, the two women wind up working together. Southern belle Savannah and Brooklynite Liv turn out to be a pretty formidable pair.

All of the other characters in "It Had To Be You" are involved in Liv’s business: a DJ, a cater-waiter, a florist, etc. Alternating chapters take us on their romantic journeys, heartbreaks, and happily-ever-afters. As is often the case with these types of stories, I found myself more interested in some plot strands than in others; my favorite was probably the one where rich playboy Zach, the DJ/musician, embarks on a fake-dating relationship with singer Darlene in order to convince his parents that he’s worthy of gaining access to his trust fund. On the other hand, I kept forgetting about gay florist Gorman and his boyfriend Henry until their chapters popped up.

On the whole, I think Clark did a terrific job making her readers invested in the lives of a dozen major characters, and I never for a moment had any trouble keeping track of who was who (an accomplishment in itself!). "It Had To Be You" will be published on May 4, just in time for beach-reading season; thanks to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the review copy via NetGalley.

This is a sweet, fun read. You go back and forth through different stories but it is seem less and they all tie together. After reading this book you will believe in love.

This is a five couple rom-com, structured around Live, a 49-year-old woman who fell into the career of wedding planner for those who have the money for that kind of thing. It opens with a band, as the Bridezilla from Hell screws up her own wedding by not listening to the advice she was paid for, and at the climax of the crisis Liv gets the phonecall no one wants to get. A double whammy, actually—and of course the Bridezilla promptly trashes her business all over the internet.

The camera widens to include Liv’s new caterer, her tried-and-true wait staff and musicians, and . . . her new business partner.

The characters dealt with coming out of the closet, same-sex marriages/relationships, down syndrome, infidelity, fame, racial issues—but the author keeps the book from descending into Problem novel with a fast pace and witty dialogue balanced with sharp insight and a generous heart.

I especially enjoyed the novel now, when no one can go out, for its revisiting of “wedding destinations” and restaurant visits, lovely backdrops to characters I really cared about and wanted to see find happiness.

It Had to Be You by Georgia Clark is a great contemporary fiction that brought together several different couples and stories into one enjoyable narrative.

I think the thing that I like most about this book is the impressive way that the author was able to weave the tales of a few different couples, their respective relationships, and their trials and triumphs into a central narrative that not only made sense, but made it memorable.

I really enjoyed seeing how all of these separate entities, which at first seemed unrelated, ended up progressing, developing, and ultimately finished. I like how the central themes of love, loyalty, loss, sadness, happiness, and human nature were able to resonate with the reader amongst the central figure of Liv Goldenhorn and her own respective life and issues.

It was a very enjoyable read and if one likes ensemble casts, then this book is most definitely for you.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

This was a very unique read multi-protagonist romance with both queer and straight couples.
I’ve never read anything like it before. The romance aspects felt very real. All the decisions the main characters made regarding their love life felt plausible. Sometimes romances can end up being too far fetched, so it was nice to see one that was more grounded.

Lastly, the final parts of the book were incredibly heartfelt and I just loved it! There was a lot of emotion and heart.

Overall, if you’re looking for a different kind of chick lit book, I really recommend this one!

Special thanks to the author and her assistant and Atria Books for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

Good book! I'm pleasantly surprised how much I really liked this book!! It was a little long but it was very heartfelt it had heartache and heartbreak! But it was also funny and had a great storyline! The characters were very unique and interesting! I truly enjoyed reading this one! Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

If you're a fan of Love Actually, this is the book for you!

I think that writing one romance plotline is a difficult feat, yet Georgia Clark managed to write 5 of them beautifully! All of the stories integrate so well into each other, all of the characters have their time to shine, you don't feel like you're missing their stories even if it's not focusing on one couple, and all of them were so different! It was so refreshing to witness the different kinds of relationships and the multiple ways that the characters fell in love and dealt with certain situations. The characters dealt with coming out of the closet, same-sex marriages/relationships, down syndrome, infidelity, fame, and so much more. It had a lot of subjects for one book but Clark did a marvelous job to show all these aspects for the readers to be fully aware of them and to address them accordingly and respectfully.

I didn't know at the beginning that I'd enjoy it as much as I did. I got really invested in the characters and their stories and how much fun they were to read about. I kept wanting to read the next chapter every time the last one finished, I couldn't put it down!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the earc in return for an honest review.

And the Ending(s) saved the day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The author dives into the story in with a plot that is very unconventional. But it’s just right to suck you into the story and keep you holding on.

We deal with a lot of changes in midlife especially if you have been married for quite a while. And balancing those curveballs is some thing that not everyone is equipped to do.

The main character, Liv, bas been given a huge curveball and we watch her learn and grow through her business and personal life. I had so many emotions following Liv’s journey… Anger was a big one in the beginning! She definitely had more grace than I would! LOL

This is a blend of women’s fiction and romance and there’s definitely romance to be had. Through Liv’s business we are introduced to so many characters; people from all walks of life finding connections. Some work, some need work.

I have to admit I got lost a bit in the story. Because of all the characters coming in the author took breaks to catch up with the other relationships. If I can remember I think there was six or seven couples and people that we were following throughout. Chapters would switch to different couples as we progress through the story.

While it’s fun to a degree, it also breaks concentration in the story. However, the author managed to produce amazing endings for each of the couples/people which made this story definitely a worthwhile read.

If you are a fan of love and life saga, this release is right up your alley. A roller coaster of emotions; love, heartbreak, with smiles and tears – sometimes even combined. It’s a read to remember.

This was a great rom com and I enjoyed reading every page. There is more than one storyline, so I had to put my thinking cap on to keep the characters straight. The characters are wonderful though and kept me captivated with each story. This was a great escape read.
Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Is there any better feeling for a bookworm than finding a new author you love and discovering they have a decent sized backlist to catch up on? That’s how I felt about Georgia Clark after reading It Had to Be You.

If I’m being honest (and I am), I was a little thrown when I first started reading IHTBY. I didn’t realize it’s set over the course of a year, so the pacing initially felt off, though it quickly resolved itself as I kept reading. The other thing that threw me off is the myriad of characters with their own subplots. The book is billed as a story about Liv and Savannah, but it’s really more of an ensemble rom com in the vein of Love Actually or Four Weddings and a Funeral. Fortunately, I am a huge fan of ensemble books and movies so I was all about this little pivot. Clark executes the ensemble novel well, though by necessity, some of the characters and conflicts aren’t as well developed as they’d be if they were the singular focus of the novel. Still, each subplot is compelling and heartfelt and relatable. I especially loved reading about Savannah’s feelings towards her friend, Honey. In an effort to avoid spoilers, I can’t say much more, but Clark does a fantastic job of bringing her reader along Savannah’s emotional journey - I really felt like I was in Savannah’s shoes and experiencing her confusing emotions right alongside her.

The book wraps up with a neat little bow, which I appreciate more after the year we’ve had, but it still felt a bit too perfect. In fairness, if it hadn’t wrapped up so nicely, I probably would complain about the lack of closure, so I’m not taking off any stars for the ending.

Overall, I loved reading this book and think others will too. It’s not overly light and fluffy, but it’s not overly serious. It makes you *think* without making you cry (honestly kind of a challenge these days). If the rest of Georgia Clark’s books are anything like this one, she’s just earned herself a new superfan.

Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books, NetGalley, and the author for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

It Had to Be You by Georgia Clark drew me in with it's cover and description. Who doesn't love a story about Love? What I didn't expect was just how many people this story covers,

The book begins with Liv, a well-known New York City wedding planner, coordinating a bride's big day. However, nothing that day is going to plan. All the carefully orchestrated plans and meticulously organized detail fall apart, As Liv is cursing her husband Eliot for not being there, her phone rings and her whole world is turned upside down; her husband is dead and worse, he has a been carrying on an affair.

Clark pens the story of Liv and Samantha, who unexpectedly are pushed together to run the business after Eliot leaves part of it to his mistress. While, Liv wants to dislike Samantha, the persist, charming, and kind Samantha slowly works her way into Liv's life. While that alone could have been the book, Clark proceeds to tell the story of people in their lives and their trials and tribulations with love and the complexity of adult relationships.

At times I found the story overly complex and struggled to keep up with who was the primary focus of the chapter or what exactly was happening. In one instance, it took me awhile to realize it was a flashback. However, the variety of characters really drew me in and as I started to remember each main character, I found myself more invested in some of their stories than others.

It Had to Be You blends together the young and the experienced who consider themselves so different, but are strangely alike. Aren't we all just trying to find ways to navigate this life we've been given?

If you're looking for a quick read with a lot of shifts and turns, this is the book.

This book is everything I wanted. I went in knowing very little about the story and that was the best way to do it! We follow a handful of vaguely connected characters as they live their lives and navigate vastly different problems and conflicts. The author brought up very important issues about race and sexuality in ways that completely made sense for the characters and their story lines. I stayed up WAY too late on a weeknight to finish this gem and would definitely recommend. I can't wait for this book to come out so more people can become obsessed with Darlene <3

I love a light, sweet heartwarming romance. This book made me both swoon over the characters and laugh.

Georgia Clark has written about the intricacies of love in the most beautiful way. “Romance” novels are easy and breezy, quick plot, but little in character development. Clark has created characters that you root for, want to be friends with, and want more of. Liv and her husband own a wedding planning company, but when he dies suddenly, she is left with a struggling business and new partner that happens to be her husband’s mistress. I loved this book with my whole heart. I loved every character, and only want to see more of them!

I was hoping for a fun, light rom-com that I could really connect with. And while it delivered most of that, (I would have liked a bit more heat 🔥) I wasn’t fully satisfied by the time I hit the last page.

We start with Liv Goldenhorn who runs a successful wedding planner business in New York. Until that phone call. She’s just learned that her husband/business partner has suddenly died. And who do you suppose called Liv? Well friends, that would be the cheating husbands’ mistress! How thoughtful of her, don’t you think?

Great start! I was all in. Until all these other couples kept popping up, confusing the storyline and leaving Liv somewhat in the backseat! I was completely lost as to the focus of the book.

Thank you to Susanne for setting me straight, and I’ll do the same for all of you. Think “Love Actually.” We have five couples foraging through life and love, passionately looking for their happily-ever-after!
Once I understood this premise I was all in once again, because I loved that movie! Lol!

But by the end it felt as though everything became a bit cliched and not very realistic.
There were many glowing five-star reviews for this book. I was just looking for something that I had a better connection with.
I hope it will be a five star read for you!

A buddy read with Susanne.

Thank you to Georgia Clark and Atria Books via NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

For me, “It Had to Be You” was simply ‘Too Good to be True.’

A Rom-Com that started out cute, and sweet, only to leave me flummoxed by the end.

“It Had to Be You” is a rom-com with an ensemble cast. Think “Love Actually” or “Valentine’s Day.”

Every character goes through trials and tribulations. Seeking comfort from friends, meeting new people. Bonds form quickly. Friends turn to lovers, new romances blossom, marriages go through peaks and valleys.

A character-driven rom-com with lots of laughs, the writing is solid and the storyline is quite enjoyable. If I had to come up with one word to describe this book, it would be “cute.”

My favorite couple in this novel, hands down, is Darlene and Zach. Simply put, they stole the show - if this book had strictly been about their relationship, I would have been one happy camper as they left me wanting more!

Unfortunately, the coupling up of all of the characters here is the standard trope of novels, there being a widow and her divorcee boyfriend, a gay couple, two interracial couples, and a bi-curious. Out of all of the couples in the storyline, none were typical and that is atypical of the general population and frankly, left me bewildered.

While the ending was a tad saccharine and unrealistic for me, given that it involved every couple, I think most rom-com fans will appreciate it.

A buddy read with Kaceey.

Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books, NetGalley, and Georgia Clark for the arc.

Published on Goodreads on 12.24.20.

At age 49 wedding planner Liz Goldenhorn is suddenly widowed and her husband has shockingly changed his will. Their company now has a new partner, Savannah Shipley, and this change is pretty profound as Liz discovers her husband had an affair with Samantha. Readers meet Liz's business associates and friends and all of them seem to be discovering their sexuality or rediscovering their sexuality. The characters are diverse in age, race, and sexual orientation, but there are almost too many to connect with. Still, this is a happy read, especially in a time of weddings that have attendees being distanced. I received a digital copy from the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.

Georgia Clark’s It Had to Be You is an utter delight from start to finish. Set in New York City, the story is focused on the lives and loves of a group of people who are connected by the In Love in New York wedding-planning company. Liv Goldenhorn, the owner of In Love In Yew York, learns that her husband (and business partner) dies unexpectedly from a phone call she receives from his secret girlfriend. To make matters worse, Liv finds out that Eliot has left his half of the company to said mistress (Savannah), and Savannah has every intention of taking over as co-ower of In Love In New York.

I wasn’t sure what direction the book was going to take based on this synopsis, both plot-wise and style-wise, but reading this novel was basically like reading (or really, watching) your favorite romantic comedy where all of your favorite tropes are perfectly executed by a diverse cast of characters who are funny, charming, and flawed.

Clark’s story is a charming romance told from multiple perspectives. I can’t think of a comparable book at the moment, but this book is perfect for fans of the movies Love, Actually, Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve, and even Four Weddings and a Funeral (plus the TV show!).

A huge thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.