4.5 STARS

I read this book for a blog tour, so thank you so much to the blog tour organiser for letting me take part in this tour, and thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Trigger warnings: cheating, breakups, divorce, heartbreak.

The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara is a contemporary romance that I would never have picked up had it not been for the blog tour. If you know me, you will already know that I am a fantasy, mystery, historical fiction, and now more than ever, a horror reader. I love anything dark, spooky, gritty and fantastical, with lots of magic and wonder. But every so often, I delve into the world of romance, and for a book to really grab me, it has to give me all the feels and make me keep on reading. I am happy to report that The Meeting Point is such a book and had I had more time ahead of me, I’m sure I would have read it in one single sitting because I was just hooked from the first page.

The real story starts and has its focus on Carmel-by-the-Sea, a small coastal town in California. I love when books have settings you can vividly imagine and want to visit, and this was such a case. Carmel seems like such a marvellous place, with such lovely people, so many things to do. I can only think to describe this town and these people pictured as having a sunny disposition that fits with the location and summer setting. I really enjoyed reading about this small town and especially when Maya went on loads of adventures with other characters or even by herself. It felt very whimsical but also down-to-earth, so I love how the author made this setting so real, vivid and beautiful.

Maya is the main character and I have to say that I often struggle with the main characters in romance novels and find them annoying, but there was not an ounce of annoyance in any of the characters (except Ethan a few times, but it was more funny than annoying). I found Maya to be very down-to-earth. She is struggling with her feelings when we meet her, but she goes on a wonderful adventure, and this book goes into her feelings and desires in a lot of detail, which I enjoyed because it made her so realistic and believable. She was a great character and I was rooting for her from the start.

When we meet Maya, she is unsure about what is happening in her life and needs guidance, but above all, she needs a way out, to break free and just spend a while discovering the world and herself. I like books that start out this way because I feel like th characters come such a long way, and I love seeing their development. Maya truly grew so much in this story and it was a wonderful thing to read and witness.

I also just want to mention that the author did a truly great job of making this book, the setting, the plot and the characters so realistic and at the same time enchanting. It is very rooted in reality and while it is predictable, I was engrossed in it and wanted to just keep on reading, even when I was super busy, or falling asleep with my Kindle on my head.

Overall, The Meeting Point was a very enjoyable contemporary romance. My only criticism of this book would be that it is quite predictable and I saw the ending coming from about the first third of the book. However, this in no way at all took away from my enjoyment because while I knew what would happen, I was totally swept along for the ride and engrossed in this story, the setting and the characters. I was not annoyed by how predictable it was, because I truly enjoyed my time reading it and just couldn’t put it down when I got to sneak in some reading, so it is only a tiny little critique, but it honestly didn’t bother me much!

I did love the writing style though. It was very realistic and captivating at the same time. It wasn’t far-fetched or bizarre, it was just a perfect balance of realism and sweetness, along with some bittersweetness from the heartbreaks and sadness, but also very human, which I absolutely loved. I also found the pacing to be perfectly done, and I would happily have read another 500 pages of this story after the ending we got because I just wanted to keep on reading and seeing these characters grow, get to know each other and see their love evolve. So Olivia, if you are reading this, please write a sequel, I will be here waiting for it!!!

I gave this book 4.5 stars and I just loved it. It gave me all the feels and I really had to hold back my tears at one point, which attests to how good this book was because you really have to hit it right to get me to cry. I just loved this story, Maya was an amazing character and I truly adored reading about her, seeing her evolve and go on these fantastic adventures.

If you love cute, romantic, sweet but also a tad sad stories about love, life and adventures, and you love your romances to be realistic but also captivating, then The Meeting Point is definitely the book for you. I highly recommend it, it was just great! I still have a smile on my face thinking about it, and that ending was just *chef’s kiss*!

This is a funny, sweet, superbly written rom-com. It had me engaged and invested, warming to Maya from some of the very early chapters. The style of writing makes this easy to read, and the plot flows well. I really enjoyed this as the story unfolded, found it a delightful read.

The only criticism of this book is there was not anything particularly phenomenal about it. This defined the genre of modern romantic comedy, and had everything you would expect (and it does deliver just this,) but the wow factor was missing for me. Despite this, I did think this was written to an impressive standard, which made it very entertaining. and recommendable.

A heartwarming, mood-boosting read. that is certainly worth the read.

The Meeting Point follows Maya, who decides to surprise her boyfriend only to discover he has be cheating on her. She discovers this by his Lyft driver informing her via text. What develops is a humorous, “You’ve Got Mail” style, romantic comedy.

The story is told through Maya’s POV and had me hooked from the beginning. The characters were great as were their development throughout the story. The chemistry was amazing. Also, Olivia Lara’s depiction of the setting made me wish I was there.

Add the The Meeting Point to your TBR if you enjoy heartfelt romantic comedies, beautiful settings and an original meet cute!

Thank you to Aria and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All reviews are my own opinion.

This is the first book I have read by Olivia Lara but it won’t be my last!

I was hooked after the first few chapters and honestly wasn’t sure where the book was headed when everything seemed to be going so smooth.

To my delight, the book turned into an enemies to lovers romance!

I loved the imagery of the region, the comforting environment of the cafe, and the fun banter.

My biggest complaint is the lack of steam. I feel like I have read so many books lately with a great romance but little to no sexual tension or steam and for me, personally, I feel like that is a major factor in a new relationship. I think there is absolutely a market for people who are fine without it, my personal preference is for at least a little bit.

I felt pretty confident that Ethan was Max but the introduction of Aaron made me question myself for the first half of the book. Once we realized the relationship between Aaron and Celine I found myself yelling at Maya to wake up!

All that being said, I read this book in less than 24 hours so I was clearly invested and delighted by the ending!

I was so excited to read this book when I got the opportunity to be on a book tour for it. I had high hopes and heard lots of great things about it, but I was sorely let down when I actually got into reading it.

Characters –
The main character, Maya, was extremely annoying to me. This is supposed to be Adult Fiction, but she came across like a pre-teen. The way she talked and acted were both immature, and even 10% of the way into the book, I barely saw any development from her, aside from putting her trust into a random stranger, whom she’d also never met in real life.

Setting –
I will admit, I was expecting a bit more with the exploration of the shift from the New York area to suddenly being in California, but we weren’t given much of a transition there either. Maya had her friend, in a different country, book a ticket for her to surprise her boyfriend. One second she’s chasing an interviewee in the New York area, and the next she’s already landed in California. It was a bit disorienting.

Writing Style –
Olivia Lara, I will admit wholeheartedly, can draw a reader in. I was captivated with this book at first. But having DNFed it at 10%, there were a LOT of negatives about her writing that overshadowed the hook and pull. For one, Lara’s writing comes across entirely immature and somewhat undefined. I felt like I was reading a fanfiction written by someone who was just discovering how to write. The dialogue was choppy, the pacing was entirely too quick, and all in all, it just read sloppy and lazy to me.

Overall –
Honestly, I believe Olivia Lara has a bit more work to do before I will read another book from her. The Meeting Point fell extremely low under my expectations, and considering this isn’t her debut, I have a feeling her other book will read similar to this one. For that, I do hope that, if she is to put more books out in the future, those ones will be better fits for me.

This book did not work for me personally. Maya flies to surprise her long-term boyfriend in California, only to learn via text from his Lift driver, Max, that he is cheating on her. Max sends her on a birthday adventure in Carmel-by-the-Sea via text. The book continues from there and has many other plot points and details that I found to be distracting and ill-formed. The premise of the story- strangers falling in love via text, was a modern day epistolary romance that I enjoyed greatly. The rest of the book did not work for me. The writing felt clunky and heavy-handed. There was a need for editing both in terms of writing style and tightening of the many threads of the story. The initial plot would have made for an amazing novella, but it continued on for way too long with too many unnecessary, uninteresting twists and turns. This book was a 1,.5 star read for me.
Thanks to NetGally and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was hooked right from the start with this book. I honestly felt like I was right there in Carmel by the sea with Maya, experiencing all these things with her.
Maya decides to surprise her boyfriend on her birthday with a surprise visit. What she doesn’t expect is the taxi driver ‘Max’ finding her boyfriends phone and telling her that he is cheating on her.
I did guess who ‘Max’ was pretty early, but this just made it better as I was constantly on edge about how Maya would find out.
Would love to see this adapted for TV.

What do you do when your life is in a rut, you're in the wrong relationship, and you see a glimmer of how your life could be, but its difficult to make the break towards it?

In Olivia Lara's 'The Meeting Point' by Olivia Lara, Maya flies from New York to San Francisco to surprise her boyfriend David, after she's fired from her dead end writing job. She winds up on an adventure sightseeing Carmel after Lift driver Max finds her David's phone and messages Maya to say he dropped him and another woman off.

Max provides Maya with places to see around the town via text messages. As they grow closer and make plans to meet, they are sadly thwarted. One year later and still stuck with David in New York Maya makes plans to return, especially after her best friend tells her about an upcoming novel that heavily borrows from her adventure the previous year.

She ends up befriending Celine, owner of the cafe she had lunch in the previous year on Max's suggestion, and her brother Ethan while trying to find the mysterious Max.

While at times the book can drag on, its a thoroughly enjoyable read with a unique premise. Maya is clearly stuck with a boyfriend undermines and lies to her, but you can see how she struggles to find confidence to finally leave him. If you're a fan of fun reads to lighten your mood, then add this one to your TBR pile.

Thank you to Aria and Aries and Netgalley.

3.5 ⭐️

To say that Maya Maas is having a bad day would be an understatement. First she’s fired from the newspaper she works for, then learns from the Lift driver who found her boyfriend made phone that he’s been cheating after she’s caught a flight to come see him, AND it’s her birthday.

Now she’s stuck in a beautiful city she doesn’t know, newly single, with nothing to do and no one to hang out with, but the Lift driver strikes up a conversation with her and gives her a guided tour via text.

I thought The Meeting Point was a pretty cute, if not a little cliche, instant love romcom. Despite that the book made me laugh and I really enjoyed reading it.

This book was just lovely. It paints a vibrant story, and gives the reader hope. I truly enjoyed reading this story and wanted to start all over again once I was done.

You’ll meet Maya, who has just had the worst birthday surprise of her life. Unexpectedly, she strikes up a conversation with a delightful mystery man who gives her a beautiful tour of a beautiful town. He turns her worst birthday into her best birthday, but they never meet.

Will they get the chance again? Who is this mystery man? You’ll have to read to find out!

I would like to thank Olivia Laura, Aria& Aries Publishing, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This took me ages to get into and I somehow got a bit lost in the first couple chapters. I really struggled with my rating for this one because I adored the writing and the characters but I really did not like the eventual set up for how the love interests met/interacted. I was rooting for them but also not because of it.

This book is really sweet, sometimes it is at the edge of being too sweet, but all in all I had such a good time with it, that I want to recommend it to everyone who needs some happiness in his/her life.
But you should be aware two things that might make the book less enjoyable:

1. The overall plot or secret identity of Max (the love interest) is easy to figure out. If you want to be completely surprised, this book isn't yours. Nevertheless, knowing who Max really is is sometimes really entertaining, because Maya is often so close but ends up putting together the wrong clues.
2. This book is more or less one long monologue. Maya analyses everything over and over and over again. She is definitely aware of it, tries to stop and make some progress, but I totally understand if this might annoy someone.

On the other hand, there are a lot of things which the book does really well: I am in love with the whole setting. The small town vibes with the café and the small stories about the people fit perfectly to the story without taking up too much space. The only thing I kinda missed is a map, since they often refered to specific streets and it would be nice to visually follow them through Carmel. The characters age is right in terms of they behave according to their age and their worries and struggles in general are also realistic. There is no big drama that drives the couple apart. At one point Maya says things that could've hurt Ethan, but he does not take it personally (right now I am not even sure if Maya has actually apologized).

I am a huge fan of the way Max and Maya meet and that he tries to safe her birthday. I would love to have such a birthday, someone giving me directions, having a nice walk, being on my own but still having someone to share my impressions with. This is a 10/10 birthday 🎁
Somewhere in the early middle of the book, Ethan comes to Carmel and hasn't opened up yet, I didn't really care about the whole Max storyline, because Celine is such a sweet person and so nice to Maya, that I wished they would end up together. It would've been so nice to see them together and I am curious how Ethan would've react.
The second half dragged a bit. Not in a bad way, I do understand why it was the way it is, but I wish there would've been a bit more chemistry between Ethan and Maya. The time they spend together is cute and fun to read, but I hoped to feel more. The ending includes everything that needs to be said, but I would've liked to enjoy the moment of truth a couple of pages longer.

Two things I also want to mention: 1) Both write love stories and I don't know why Maya as a love story lover doesn't get why Max might not have been there to meet her? It still amuses me ... and 2) I like that Ethan is a successful romance author and now I ask myself where are the male romance authors in real life?

I loved this contemporary romance! I was really glad that the texting happened so quickly cause I was hooked! I sped through this book. I really liked Maya, although there were a few times when I wanted to slap her and just be like "do some critical thinking!" I really don't understand why her first instance when seeing there was a book written about that day was to assume it was the author's friend? But Ethan, ugh I loved him.

It’s not a secret that I adore chick-lit, so when I have the opportunity to be part of a tour for a great sounding new book. Thank you very much to Write Reads Tours for allowing me to read this book. I don’t read much American chick-lit, so it’s always nice to dive into some.

Maya was surprising her boyfriend on a trip when she gets a text from his Lift driver. He was cheating on her, and now her birthday is ruined. But the driver feels for her. So he organises her an itinerary for the perfect day at a nearby beach town. They spend the day texting, and Maya finds herself in love.

That summary was all I knew when I picked the book up. What I didn’t know was that the day itself was a short part of the book. I wasn’t expecting to see Maya coming back, but I did think that worked well. It allowed her to get to know people there a bit more, as well as her love interest.

Maya forms some good friendships. I really liked Celine. She was such a good, positive person, and she always made me smile. I also loved seeing Maya’s long-distance friendship with Alisa.

From the very beginning, Maya didn’t really know what she wanted to do with herself. She finds herself in this small town, and that was good to see. It’s also why I consider this a chick-lit rather than a romance novel. Even if the main focus is on her trying to find this guy again.

I did have some issues with Maya as a character. It frustrated me that she was annoyed about someone else writing the story of what happened to her. It didn’t only happen to her, so it just feels like she was bitter that someone else did something with it before she did. That being said, she did have a good heart. I loved that she kept trying to do good things and help people. Even when she was lost, she was still helping others find their happiness. And that is so admirable.

Though this book does seem like insta-love, you do actually get to see some relationship building and growth. Maya and her love interest had some good banter and some cute moments. He’s a romantic guy, and I’d probably be pretty interested myself.

The writing wasn’t perfect either, but the story is very easy to get through. The chapters are short, and I easily got through half the book in a single reading session. This book is a great example of a beach read. So if you’re looking for a light read to get through in a day. This book will give you that for certain.

This book tells us the story of Maya, a somewhat-insecure-and-scared-of-failures-girl, after she tries to surprise her boyfriend and is instead confronted with his cheating. What at first she thought was going to be a terrible birthday then turns into a perfect one when the Lift driver who told her about the cheating helps her with a trip around a charming city. The catch? The guiding is made by text. And soon, Maya is enamored with this city...and with this new guy.

The story instantly caught my eye! I found it so creative and very modern. At the same time, though, it is definitely very cliché - in a good way. I loved the rom-com vibes and all the drama. Maya is a bit annoying because she is so indecisive and dramatic, but I liked that she had depth to her personality and wasn't super bland. I loved the way we got to see her made-up stories and matchmaking.

Overall, the romance was solid and good, but I wished there were a bit more romantic moments (such as kissing, romantic dates etc.). I liked the plot twists (even though after a while I realized what was happening) and all the turns the plot went trough.

I say this in almost every romance book I read, but I do wish there were a bit less pages, as at times I felt I was reading the same thing over and over. I also wished there were a bit more descriptions of the places she was visiting, because with all the monologues inside the character's head, I couldn't picture Carmel by the Sea and the other spots.

I reccomend this to anyone who wants a lovely and cute (albeit filled with drama) romance!

DNFed. The premise was really cute, but I don't think the writing style was for me. The story seemed to jump very quickly from one thing to another without a lot of context. I also just didn't find myself connecting with these characters enough to want to continue. It definitely seems like I'm in the minority on this, so hopefully it will be a win for others.

|Fantastic, this was a great read and one to be re-read later on. The characters were amazing and the settings were very well set and it felt like you wanted to be there with them. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this eARC

What I Loved
The story's premise completely intrigued me, just as the telling of the tale thoroughly captivated me from page 1 until the end. I can imagine touring a beach town through text from a stranger and am happy to suspend disbelief that this wouldn't be a dangerous thing to do. It sounds like it could be a great deal of fun, actually.

Whether I loved them or didn't care for them, all the characters are well-developed and intricately layered, with their defining struggles standing out and shaping their current choices. This added a richness to the story and an intensity that went deep below the humor, popping up when relevant. With the feeling like you know each character you're introduced to, the town comes to life in a way that places the reader on a charming book vacation.

I loved that the ending is so predictable. Yes, you read that correctly but hear me out. Just as Maya likes to write happily ever after's for strangers she observes through the course of her day, I found myself invested in Maya finding her happily ever after, whatever that might be. The Meeting Point made me happy for all that is right in a world full of wrong, and that is a priceless quality in a book.

Characters
Maya is the main character. She travels to California to join her amazingly horrible boyfriend, David, only to discover that he left his phone on a Lift and can't be reached. The Lift driver, who finds the phone, ends up in a text conversation with Maya that enlightens her and makes her take a chance on a day in Carmel being guided on tour via texts by a stranger. I loved her adventurous spirit, but she drove me crazy at times with her inability to make hard decisions and to see what is right in front of her face.

Ethan is a romance writer whose next novel is Maya's story of that fateful day in Carmel. A friend told him about the story, and he is so inspired, he turns it into a novel. By far, he is my favorite character, as he remains cool-headed even when everything and everyone around him is in tumult. Not to mention that he is generous to a fault, always trying to find people to help other people in need. He is a solid character and steadfast in his devotion.

What I Wish
My only wish is that Maya didn't drive me crazy with her over-the-top focus on finding Max, which almost causes her to lose everything.

To Read or Not to Read
If you are looking for that one story that will make you look at the world in a new and improved way, The Meeting Point is where you want to be.

This is a cute story. I liked the premise a lot. I liked that Maya (eventually) takes some risks to navigate her life instead of bobbing along following the tide. There are some very funny lines and great side characters.

However the book dragged on too long for me. For at least the second half of the book, everyone (including the reader) BUT Maya knows who Max is.

I loved the setting of Carmel by the Sea. I was there twenty years ago and could so vividly picture where they were especially in the beginning when Max navigates Maya by the fairytale cottages. I also loved tagging along with them on the 17 Mile Drive, and down to Big Sur and Nepenthe.

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.*

I’m really torn between a 3/3.5 for this book. I liked it, but some things just didn’t sit right with me.

The Meeting Point is a really quick and easy rom-com. But when I say it’s slow burn, I mean it is ✨slow burn✨. So if that’s your cup of tea, I think you’ll enjoy this book.

TMP centre’s around Maya, who gets fired from her job in New York, flies out to San Francisco to surprise her boyfriend for her birthday. Only to find out via the lift driver who has her boyfriends phone- that he’s cheating on her.

It’s very much a will they/won’t they meet in person kind of book, and around a quarter/half way through, the book jumps forward a year.

I had a couple issues with “Max” and the actions/decisions he made when initially pursuing/entertaining Maya. I found it quite stalkery and creepy. I know the author was trying to make it come across and cute and endearing but the way Maya brushed off all the risks really didn’t sit well with me. I know this is all a work of fiction, but I don’t think “don’t everything and do exactly what a stranger tells you to do via text” is a great thing.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book and if you ignore the creepy aspects I discussed, the author really does take you out of the city and on an adventure around a small town. I found this to be a quick and easy read which flowed well, and had the typical romcom ending - just want you want from a book like this.

For all my fellow spice fans - this is minimal to none. It’s just fluffy and cute, which is what you need sometimes.