Thank you so much to Aria Fiction, Olivia Lara and Netgalley for the eARC of The Meeting Point!

The Meeting Point explores the question, can you fall in love at first TEXT! When Maya attempts to surprise her boyfriend in San Francisco, she is the one surprised when his phone is answered by a Lift driver who admits to Maya that not only did her boyfriend leave his phone in the Lift, but that her boyfriend is cheating on her! Devastated and left stranded alone on her birthday, the Lift driver sends Maya on a tour of Carmel by the Sea, navigating her through the sights and accompanying her through text throughout the day.

The Meeting Point was in one word, adorable. It was a feel good rated PG romance story that is hard not to like! Unfortunately I personally did find it rather slow at parts. I kept waiting for some more spice to happen...and it just didn't get there for me. I did however really enjoy that it was light hearted and I ended it with a smile on my face. Plus, the author definitely sold me on Carmel. I now need to get there ASAP!

New Yorker Maya, writer of love stories, wishes she had one of her own. On a surprise trip to San Francisco, she finds out from a Lift driver that her boyfriend was there with another woman. Heartbroken and in a strange city for the night alone – she decides to take a chance and explore Carmel by the Sea, accompanied via text by the Lift driver.

Do you believe in love at first text? Would you be willing to give up a real relationship for the chance of love with someone you spent a day texting?

This book is light-hearted, and predictable, but in the best way possible. I read this book on a cross-country flight and finished it in a few short hours, enjoying every minute of it.

Olivia Lara created characters that I wanted to know in real life – Maya, Max, Ethan, Cecilia – even the periphery characters were loveable.

This is a slow-burn romance and one that would be great for the last days of summer. The Meeting Point is out now – give it a read!

Thanks to Net Galley and Aria for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Maya is an aspiring writer. When she decides to surprise her boyfriend, who is on a business trip, on her birthday, things go haywire. She gets to California and calls him but his Lift driver answers his phone. The driver unknowingly lets Maya know that he has been cheating on her. Somehow, the driver guides her, over text, to Carmel and the best day of her life. A year later, she returns to Carmel in search of him after his friend writes their story into a book.
Opinion
As I read the first chapter I thought "Wow, this author knows how to grab your attention!" I don't remember how long it has been since I have been so vested in a book within the first few pages. As the story continued, that interest did not subside.
The whole premise of the book is absolutely charming. A driver who, through text, guides a broken hearted woman to the best day of her life...what a story! I think this book is a big win.
Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Maya is a writer. Although she’s sort of given up on her dreams of publishing a novel and is frustrated with the lack of opportunity in her role as a journalist, she does something else to scratch the writing itch. Maya makes up small stories for the people she sees, pairing them with an ‘ideal’ partner and giving them the happy ever after they deserve. But after an eventful trip away to Carmel-by-the-sea, guided by the mysterious lift driver (who, accidentally, revealed to Maya her boyfriend was cheating on her), she stops. For a while, anyway.

I start with this little fact about Maya because it’s a large part of why I so easily fell in love with her. It’s something I adore about the Romances I’ve read recently – the heroines have these small aspects to their personalities, these small quirks that make them feel real and help the reader connect even more deeply with them.

Although there is a ‘mystery’ here as to who the driver is, it’s not completely unpredictable, but that doesn’t detract from the story at all. I loved the direction of the story, and I adored the characters. And the setting! Definitely another place to add to my ever-growing ‘US Destinations to One Day Visit’. It just sounds so pretty and gorgeous!

Maya does return to Carmel-by-the-sea, and there she meets another writer. They do not get along! Well, not at first, and poor Maya’s head ends up in a right mess. I loved it. This book is full of light, fluffy fun, and contains a fair few tropes, but they’re all handled pretty well.

Some parts were frustrating, especially as some of the secrets and the lying between various characters felt a bit forced, but I found it easy to ‘move on’ from these and enjoy the story instead. And I really did enjoy it, you can probably tell. This is the kind of book you read and want to see on screen, especially with the setting and the use of locations.

The supporting characters are also delightful, really giving an added sense of community around Maya. The people of Carmel embrace her, and she becomes part of the town itself. But even outside that she has her best friend, and the relationship between the pair was written well, with the friend only ever really getting part of the story and trying to nudge Maya towards what she thinks is best for her.

This is an adorable, heart-warming read that had me absolutely gripped. It feels like the right length, too – we get enough so we can have moments of pure joy, with some frustration sprinkled in here and there, and it doesn’t feel like it overstays its welcome. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Carmel-by-the-sea, and if you enjoy sweet, cute Romances, I think you will, too.

Thank you to TheWriteReads for having me on this tour, and for Aria for providing a copy of this book.

Let me tell you, this is a book that you read in one setting, setting in your most conformable chair, wrapped in blankets with a hot coco and a fire near by.
Now that you know what kind of book this is... then just GO AHEAD AND GET IT.... you will thank me later..... i promise you.
The author did an incredible job writing it.. all the sweet moments, the little situations, the REALISTIC plot and above all the main couple.... all of these helped put forward a beautiful story that tickles all the senses.... it wasn't cheesy or overly romantic, it has that nice dash of perfection that makes you wish there was an after story just to see how they are doing.
Also CARMEL has been launched to the top of my "place to see before you die" list... GOD the way the author described the tiny city just made me fall in love with it.. i was googling the places as i was reading.

When Maya Maas decides to surprise her boyfriend by coming to California where he's on a business trip, the last thing she expects is a text from a complete stranger answering his phone. And then finding out that her boyfriend is cheating on her. The stranger then suggests a visit to nearby Carmel-by-the-sea to help console her and celebrate her birthday. He gives her an idyllic day, guiding her by text to the best attractions. When, at the end of the day, they agree to meet, the stranger (or Max as she calls him) never shows. But her boyfriend does and convinces her he never cheated. Almost a year later, Maya still can't seem to forget Max and her perfect day in California. When a romance book about to be published describes that day in detail, Maya travels back to California, desperate to find out from the author the true identity of Max.
This story was heartwarming and sweet. For Max to give a perfect stranger such a wonderful birthday after giving her devastating news was really sweet. This small vacation town sounds like such a wonderful place to visit and fall in love! Although the ending was predictable from the start, I still really enjoyed this book.
I received an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

5☆ An Unputdownable Romance!


Wow oh wow one thing is for sure this book NEEDS to be made into a film!
If you adore cosy, sweet romances, with a dash of intrigue, then this has it in abundance.

I am not going into the plot with this one as this is a book you most definitely need to read for yourself to truly get the beauty of the story.

What I will say is I was totally swept away with the mystery and warmth of this story and it's a book that not only will make you believe in love, but that there are good people out there.
I wish that someone could plan an mystery adventure like that for me on my birthday!

What I loved most about this story was the ambiance, the characters and the whole will they won't they romance.
It's one of those Uplifting reads that gives you a warm cosy hug!
The Meeting Point truly is a Feel-good, Heartfelt, Inspiring and Heart Warming Romance that once I started reading I couldn't put it down!

Is it possible to fall for someone you've never met and only shared a conversation through texts off of your cheating boyfriend's phone? Well Maya finds herself in a very unique situation when someone finds her boyfriend's phone and everything changes. A fake name but a real meeting awaits her but nothing goes to plan and once back home she realizes someone has stolen her blind meet-cute story. After meeting Ethan she tries to get to the bottom of her story and is determined to meet "Max" to see why he never showed up. Loved Maya and her crazy adventures. A vacation and possible romance is all she needs to figure things out but sometimes what you begin searching for changes.
You'll fall for Ethan easily and love Carmel and all the people in it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

Ahhhh I'm not sure if this is gonna be a coherent review but please be patient whilst I swoon over this book because it's just glorious. A small disclaimer I'm not a huge romance reader and find a lot particularly cheesy but this was like a balm to my soul.

Maya Maas an aspiring writer feels like her relationship is going through a bit of a dry patch, Her and David have been together for years and she needs to inject some oomph back into their lives.
Currently a journalist for a small publication Maya is in a rather awkward situation when she gets offered a job which instead of being her big break leads to her being fired. Spontaneity strikes and she decides to surprise her boyfriend in San Francisco and spend her birthday there with him, instead of worrying what the future holds. When she lands she calls his phone only to receive a text saying that David has left his phone in the Lift car he took earlier from the driver informing her that he was probably distracted with the blonde woman he was all over. Obviously Maya is devastated, she's alone at the airport on her birthday, realising that her partner has cheated on her. One text really does change everything but this Lift Driver doesn't want to see her hurt so after an impromptu itinerary is texted to her with the aim of cheering Maya up, could this be first text in love?

Ahhh I honestly loved every second of this book! It's cute and so romantic without being cringey. I loved Maya, she's such a likeable character and really doesn't sit around feeling sorry for herself. She doesn't settle and knows what she wants and I championed her the whole way through. We need uber drivers like Ethan please all though in real life I might be slightly creeped out I just absolutely love how far he went to get his girl. He's slightly vulnerable and such an old soul, he kinda restored my faith in love and romance though not gonna lie.
I just need like a sequel and then another one Please! Like I want to see what happens in their lives. Being honest happy romances make me cry because I can be soppy! The Meeting Point made me shed a tear or two because I was just so happy for them both.
Just easily one of my favourite romance books I've read! I think everyone who enjoys a love story needs to read this ❤

Maya spends an incredible 24 hours in L.A. But once those 24 hours are up, she resumes her life with her mediocre life with her boyfriend by her side.
Now almost 1 whole year later, she is second guessing everything. She isn't happy and needs a change. So she heads back to L.A. in hopes to find the man who completely changed her life. But honestly, she finds so much more.

This story, while pleasantly predictable, will pull you in from the first chapter and keep your attention until the very last.

I'm a SUCKER for a good happy ever after. And let me tell you, Olivia delivered!

Thank you to @netgalley for my copy🧡

A huge thank you to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
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This is the first book that had a facebook ad catch my attention, and I went to seek out the ARC as I was so excited to read it. The concept of two people never meeting face-to-face and yet still having an instant connection isn't one that I had encountered in the romance novels I'd read before. The way the author so clearly paints the backdrop of Carmel-by-the-Sea makes the town so visceral and real. I found myself looking up photos and hoping it is as amazing in person as she makes it out to be.
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Both of the central characters are writers, which makes much of the vivid language make sense, and the puzzle of who "Max" actually is, I found to be quite obvious, the real fun was watching Maya try to make sense of it all and figure it out. My one wish was that writing voices of the two characters were very similar. I wish that when the audience got to peek into Ethan's novel it sounded different from the novel that we had become accustomed to reading through Maya's perspective. Without the change in fonts, this would have been difficult to identify who's telling of events we were reading. Overall, it was an adorable read, and makes me miss being able to just hop on a plane or in a car or on a bike and just travel somewhere.

This was charming and adorable. Loved the idea behind it and the angst. I enjoyed the setting as well. It would be a lovely movie!

3. 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 💫
A lighthearted and quick read, tracing Maya's journey from mayhem to magical mystery tour. Newly fired and freshly landed in San Francisco, May decides to surprise her boyfriend on her birthday, but things quickly descend into despair when a phonecall fr a driver reveals that her boyfriend is currently in the arms of a mystery blonde. Cheated and feeling low, the driver suggests she take an adventure through Carmel-by-Sea. During 24hours the driver, Max, texts her places to visit with plans to meet at sunrise. Disappointingly he doesn't materialise. One year later, May pines for that connection she shared with Max and soon finds herself returning in a bid to uncover his true identity. Lots of laughs, and heart warming moments transpire.
A charming story about instantaneous love between strangers, self discovery and being brave enough to take risks in order to get the life you want. Cliché and reliant on a belief in love at first sight, but sweet and charming, with a beautiful setting and it makes a quick, lighthearted read that is sure to raise your spirits.
With thanks to #Olivia Lara, #NetGalley and #Aria for this arc.

Maya Maas likes to daydream the strangers around her into perfect meet cutes and HEA's. She gives them fake names and scenarios and writes them in her journal.

She decides to surprise her boyfriend in SF from NY on her birthday weekend while he's on a business trip. When she arrives she texts to see if he'll pick her up and a Lift driver asks if she's the blond from the other night, ruining all her plans. Because she's a brunette 😳

After texting back and forth, the Lift driver convinces her to take a day trip to Carmel by the Sea and she has an unforgettable day while texting him the whole time.

When they were supposed to meet, her boyfriend shows up and tells her she misunderstood and she goes back with him and wonders what would have been. Ok, a year goes by.

Then a upcoming book about a Lift driver who falls in love and gets his heart broken is about to come out and she goes in search of the truth of that day.

Omg I loved this book! I'm so much better in text and writing that's how I started off dating my husband. The perfect day was so sweet and was a nice idea for someone who's life just got pulled out from under them.

The settings of Carmel and Napa are places I grew up in so that was so fun going places I knew or finding places I haven't been. I spent time in the Valley where my Grandparents lived now I need to go to Carmel by the Sea. Those cottages sound so cute!

I loved how she cut off the toxic pieces of her life and went in search of this small piece of happiness from this one day to see if it could be more happy days. We don't always need to hold on to relationships just cause we've put time into them if they are treating us badly.

This gave me all the feels!

I kept wondering about that sweatshirt! 

Thank you ariafiction and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

3.5/5 stars!

After a lousy turn of events, the heroine was stuck at the airport and decided to call her boyfriend's cell phone. However, the reply she gets back was unexpected. As she learns about her boyfriend's cheating, she ends up interacting with the Lift driver via texts. And thus started a chance meeting that will change both persons' lives in unexpected ways...

This is my first Olivia Lara book. Told in the heroine's point-of-view, the book features a beatific setting that makes you want to visit Carmel-by-the-Sea. It also has some wonderful secondary characters that enriches the story. I really liked the hero and even though I would have liked to hear from his viewpoint, the story provided enough nuances in showing the hero's personality. Yet there were times when the heroine was problematic in her reactions to certain situations, and I wanted more details for some points in the story. Overall, the book has this good vibe to it and I enjoyed reading it, too.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own.**

What do a Lift driver, a hot air balloon ride and fairy tale cottages all have in common? They are all parts of the compulsively readable romance, The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara. I absolutely loved this sweet story! When our main character, Maya, flies across the country to surprise her long term boyfriend, she discovers he has been cheating on her. On what could have been her worst birthday ever, a perfect stranger makes it one of the most enjoyable days she’s had…all through a texting adventure. From the premise, to the characters and the beautiful sense of place, Olivia Lara’s sophomore novel was so much fun to read. The icing on this reader’s cake was the happy ending. Thank you to NetGalley and Aria Fiction for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really cute story. Maya Maas isn't having the best day and as a last ditch effort, flies out to San Francisco for her birthday to surprise her boyfriend who's on a business trip. Unfortunately, he doesn't have his phone anymore, the Lift driver finds it instead, with implications that her boyfriend is hanging out with another woman. This begins an unforgettable adventure for the next 24 hours where Maya travels around the Bay area, guided by the Lift driver and developing a connection with him over text messages. They ask each other questions, but agree to no names, yet Maya can't help but feel like she is enjoying this experience alongside a friend whose company she would genuinely like to be with.

The story takes an interesting turn as as to when and how Maya will actually meet this mystery man. I loved how it played out because it was obvious to the reader as to who this person is, but Maya was convinced otherwise and looking everywhere else. As for the man himself, I understood his sentiments and hesitations, but there was no doubt that Maya intrigued him and he couldn't help himself from getting to know her firsthand and continued to fall for her. Regarding Maya, she had been stuck in a rut for her career and love life and was finally branching out, following her heart and desires and it woke her up out a deep slumber to appreciate life in a new way. This renewed energy also recharged her artistic side and it was obvious that Maya was blossoming even though she still had a tendency to run away from difficult things. The dialogue and interactions between Maya and the Lift driver are both entertaining and amusing because she is oblivious, yet he evokes all kinds of emotion out of her and while she is the slowest one on the uptake, she does fall in love with the right guy for her all on her own.

Ok, this was precious! I gave this one 3.5 stars but am rounding up to 4 for the quirky charm of this story!

Things I LOVED:
•The setting!
•The people, friendships, and relationships in this book!
•Maya! I wasn’t sure I’d love her as much as I did, but her writing HEAs for the people she watches was the BEST and honestly something I could see myself doing!
•Max! The romance had me swooning by the end!

Things that weren’t my favorite:
•the lying and poor communication. Big No for me.
•the story was also pretty predictable and a bit repetitive at times!

Honestly though those two are super small things! This book is absolutely one I enjoyed reading and I already have friends I know I’ll be recommending it to! Overall a heartfelt and warm book that feels like a good long hug!

Being someone who is not a fan of insta-love, things immediately deteriorated for me, and I began to lose interests. I had trouble with the writing and the timing of events, particularly with the ex-boyfriend melodrama.  Ultimately, this was rather obvious, which led to a prolonging of events leaving me uninterested and bored with in rest of the story.

Thanks to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Meeting Point has a great premise - the main character flies to SF to surprise her boyfriend and instead ends up talking to the lift driver in whose car he left his phone (while traveling with another girl). What follows is her day-long tour of Carmel-by-the-Sea, guided from afar by the lift driver, which sounds like the most adorable town ever. Her boyfriend eventually gets his phone back and meets her and swears he wasn't with anyone else (ugh, stop) and she goes back to NY with him, but continues to think about her connection with the lift driver until, one year later, she returns to Carmel to find him.
This is a sweet story that made me want to visit the town ASAP! Check this one out as it's available today (9/2)!