A light hearted, fast paced easy read. Great premise, rom com. Predictable but satisfyingly so. This story made me smile and kept me engaged.

“What if the Lift driver who finds your cheating boyfriend’s phone holds the directions to true love?”

Maya Maas is a struggling journalist and aspiring novelist who just got fired, but decides to go ahead with her plan to fly from New York City to San Francisco to surprise her boyfriend, David, who’s on a work trip. Puzzled by the strange texts from David, Maya discovers that David’s phone had been left behind in a Lift car and the unknown texter is the Lift driver. Unfortunately, she also learns that David had been making out with a hot blonde in the back seat of said Lift car. Devastated and alone in an unfamiliar place on her birthday, Maya is on the verge of a breakdown when the mysterious Lift driver texts her, suggesting a visit to a nearby beach city to cheer herself up. Taking him up on the offer, Maya did not expect the tour to come with a personalised itinerary via text and an unexpectedly comfortable companionship chatting with “Max” (an agreed upon nickname for the nameless Lift driver).

The story is written from the perspective of Maya, however, the author made use of the concept of a book in a book to later reveal Max’s side of the story to us, which I thought was very interesting. While I was attracted by the premise of this story, Maya as a character did not quite grow on me. Her thoughts were long and rambling, and many a time, I found myself questioning her choices and decisions. The same goes for Max. Although we were not privy to his thoughts and feelings until later, I found myself frustrated by the things he did the whole time while Maya was trying to discover his identity. The ending was also pretty predictable, and while I don’t usually have a huge issue with predictable stories, the delivery of it was just not quite there. Otherwise, this was quite a light-hearted read and I loved the description of Carmel-by-the-Sea. It made me want to visit.

Thank you Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the premise of this book but I'm afraid it didn't deliver. I think what put me off the most was the writing, there was more telling than showing and it just wasn't engaging enough.

I unfortunately couldn't finish because it didn't pull me in. Maybe also it was the format? Just the way the messages were being passed back and forth and it felt like a lack of chemistry. The protagonist also lacked something, even though she was kind of pathetic i wasn't really rooting for her.

This was a real light-hearted romance that I finished in a day. The premise was fun: In attempting to surprise her boyfriend in San Francisco, Maya learns that he's cheating on her via his phone he left in the Lyft driver's car. Anonymous driver "Max" helps Maya get over her terrible birthday surprise with a personalized itinerary in a nearby beach town. It's a super cute summer read!

After being fired from her job at a newspaper she’s been at for 4 years, Maya decides to fly to San Francisco to surprise her boyfriend. What she found was definitely a surprise; a mysterious texter from her boyfriend’s phone and a cheating boyfriend. The mysterious texter is a Lyft Driver who answers David’s phone, telling her he left the phone as he left with a hot blonde he was making out. Devastated and alone in San Francisco on her birthday, the mystery driver rescues Maya with the suggestion that she cheer herself up at a nearby beach town. Maya jumps at the chance to shake off the day but she wasn't expecting a personalized itinerary or the easy conversation. As the day goes on they get to know each other and Maya can’t help but wonder if this could be something more. But she doesn’t even know his name, will she ever meet “Max” in person?

I enjoyed the storyline and it was a super quick read. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a simple, lighthearted romance. It was definitely predictable in the way that all Hallmark Movies are. And also like all good Hallmark Movies, the setting was glorious. The plot reminded me a little of You’ve Got Mail so that was definitely a bonus. There was a strong case of Insta Love though, so if you don’t enjoy that, this book may not be for you.


Big thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

A quick and easy read, 'The Meeting Point' is the ideal summer novel. The characters are well-written and nicely rounded (although Maya is somewhat frustrating) and, whilst the plot itself isn't the most surprising or challenging, it's engaging and fun. Will definitely be looking out for more by this author.

The Meeting point by Olivia Lara a meet cute of a five-star read. This was such a good story overall, it did have moments that I worried I was drifting as it waffled a little, but I am a waffler, so I got it. The overall story though that was amazing. The whole journey that Maya Mass goes on, was tumultuous and at times not a path I would have chosen, but I am a huge romantic so sue me. I loved being swept away with the beach, and the cute little houses, the food descriptions will have you drooling. The journey Maya goes on to find the truth, does have clues along the way, and I was convinced and then I wasn’t, but the ending was so perfect, as there was a tiny if only. But the ending was just so sublime.

In this book, we follow Maya who just learned that her boyfriend of 4 years has been cheating on her. Alone in a city she doesn't know on her birthday, her savior comes in the form of the Lift driver who just made her aware of her boyfriend's actions. He brings her on a 24 hours adventure full of discoveries about the city and sometimes herself. The particularity? They only communicate via text and Maya doesn't even know his name. But what happens after those 24 hours end and Maya has to go back to her life? Will "Max" the mysterious driver be a part of it? Or will Maya let her tendency to run away from problems control her life?

This was a really cute and heartwarming read, perfect for the beginning of summer. It made me smile and made me feel happy. The characters were believable and the setting was well described. There weren't any problems with the writing even if there were some parts of the book that seemed a bit farfetched. Like who Max really was and the fact that Maya didn't figure it out sooner. But I guess if she had, there wouldn't be any book.
I also wish there had been a bit more character development for her because her major flaw keeps getting her in trouble and she doesn't learn from her mistakes.

All in all this was a really enjoyable book and perfect if you're looking for something light hearted and funny that will make you smile. I will definitely check out Olivia Lara's other book.

*This ARC was provided to me by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Great book helped get me out of a reading slump. If you’re looking for a cute fun read here is your next book.

Simply amazing!!! I figured Max out early on, but still loved the story!!! This was a quick and enjoyable read! Great characters and good depiction of how we go back and forth in new relationships and situations!!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was really excited by the premise of the book but in the end it fell somewhat flat.
What I liked: the writing, the "meet cute" part of the storyline, the town of Carmel.
What I didn't like: it was so incredibly obvious who the mystery lift driver was, I can't believe it pretty much took a whole book for Maya to figure out. It made the ending a bit boring and while it was easy to figure out who the driver was, it didn't quite add up. There are some small parts of the storyline that just disappear and aren't mentioned again, though realistically they would have cause problems. For example I wish there had been more of a resolution with the whole David thing.
I also didn't really warm up to Maya as a character. She constantly runs away from her problems whenever something doesn't go the way she imagined. I think it would have been good to see a bit of character development in that regard. The way she went about finding out the driver's identity also didn't sit right with me. It was so unnecessaryly underhanded. She could have just told everyone the truth and they would have helped her. So much drama could have been avoided. Though in the end the driver also didn't act all that morally correct...
In the end I feel like the communication was missing. Maya and her mystery driver missed so many chances by communicating horribly (and somewhat unhealthy). I would have liked to get to know the driver better, I feel like he wasn't really fleshed out and more of a fantasy in Maya's head, rather than a real person.

I wanted to like this book so much. I loved the first few chapters. But once the main character made her decision to return to her normal life, I was a bit disappointed. Then, when she is ready to return to her adventure, I felt the character was naive. I understood immediately what was happening in the plot, but found myself frustrated she didn’t understand. Maybe she was too trusting of what the characters told her, but I found myself rushing to the end for the story to be over, rather than enjoying the story.

The setting and the details were incredible, but I wish parts of the story were different.

Maya is having a pretty rough day. She quits her terrible job because they wouldn't give her time off to spend time with her boyfriend even though she never gets time off and always takes crappy assignments. She surprises her boyfriend by flying out to see him only to find that he is cheating on her. The worst part? It's her birthday!

Maya finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her when she attempts to message him only to find that he has left his phone in the Lyft he was in and the Lyft driver answers her messages thinking she was the blonde that was with him. After finding out that she was NOT the blonde, the mysterious left driver gives Maya a text-based tour of the city completely with scenic views and adventure. They never exchange names and they continue their entire conversation on Maya's boyfriend's phone.....until he comes back for his phone and they immediately lose touch. She believes she has completely last this man out of her life until she reads a book review for an upcoming book about a girl named Maya that share her exact same story with the Lyft driver.

This book was really cute! I had a love/hate for Maya though. Sometimes it is endearing when a character drops her life to follow her heart, but I felt like Maya did this one too may times. There is something so sweet/irritating about these types of characters!

This is a light yet heartwarming read and I can easily see this being a "Hallmark" type of movie.

Thank you to Netgalley and Aria Aries for gifting me a free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

THE MEETING POINT is a unique story that is easy to read and interesting. What drew me to read it was the notion that a Lift driver found Maya’s boyfriend’s phone in the hired car and intercepted a text from Maya on the lost phone.

What happens after that is a romantic day in Caramel-By-The-Sea and that day I s the basis for most of the story. I thought the travelogue type descriptions were enticing and the well written. The banter in text messages enhanced the mystery surrounding their identities.

As the story progresses chronologically beyond that day, we learn more about the main and supporting characters. The author did a very good job introducing new characters in a memorable way. If you are looking for a unique love story with well developed characters, you will enjoy THE MEETING POINT.

3.5/5 ⭐️s

This was a love letter to the romance genre, and it has my heart. I never read books in one sitting, but this is one I couldn’t put down!

What I loved:
- The “day” that kicks of this story was perfect. I had a single moment in the beginning where I thought, “This is ‘How to get Serial Killed: 101,’” but Olivia Lara did such a good job of developing Maya and Max’s bond (and only through texts!)
- This felt like a modernized take on the romcoms I loved to watch while growing up: You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless In Seattle, Serendipity…Maya’s search for love felt classic in that way.
- The setting. Carmel-by-the-Sea is now saved on my Google Maps. I want to go and experience this idyllic town for myself. It was so easy to picture it in my mind based on Lara’s descriptions throughout the book. You could tell this place was special to her, and it makes it special to the reader too.

What I Didn’t Love:
- Some of Maya’s problems left in New York weren’t well-handled, and I would’ve much rather delved into her solving those than watched her act as a matchmaker for half the town.
- The prose can be a bit one-dimensional at times. It often felt like a beginner’s unedited novel - the syntax was inconsistent, and there were several instances of the plot’s timeline not lining up. Both would take me out of the story, and I had to debate how important that was to my rating. Ultimately, I was a sucker for this plot, so it didn’t have much of an effect on the overall reading experience.

Overall:
Definitely worth the read, especially if you’re a fan of tropey romances!

Read this if you love:
- 90s RomComs
- Safe and Predictable
- Clean Romances (there’s no spice, but I didn’t miss it)

There was just something about the blurb of The Meeting Point that caught my attention immediately... While I'm not a fan of the whole cheating element, the promise of a chance meeting and a bad situation turning into something positive made me want to read this romance story anyway. And it turned out to be quite a cute read with both a bookish element and a fantastic setting. Sure, there were things that didn't work for me that well, but as a whole I'm having a feeling fans of the genre will enjoy this one.

First things first, and let's talk about the positive. I still LOVE the premise of The Meeting Point with Maya and the mystery driver connecting via texts. Such an original idea, and I also loved reading more about the itinerary the driver created for Maya just so she wouldn't be alone on her birthday after finding out about her boyfriend. The Carmel setting was just perfect for this story and it sounds like an absolutely charming beach town I wouldn't mind visiting myself... The descriptions definitely helped creating the right backdrop for Maya's adventure both in past and present. Furthermore, I also liked the friendships created during this story and the cute factor of the plot in general. As a bonus, this story also has a bookish angle! Not only are both main characters writers, but there is a book that plays a big role and snippets of it are even shared within some chapters.

BUT. I do have to say that there were also things that didn't work all that well for me. First of all, this story is so SO predictable! I basically guessed the identity of the mystery driver almost right away, as it is so blindingly obvious, and the fact that Maya doesn't see it at all can get very very frustrating. And while I did like the chemistry between Maya and Ethan, as a whole their interaction felt a little tainted and too cliche. Oh yes, we have not only a love triangle, but also insta-love to deal with... The first not my cup of tea, the second not exactly credible, and especially when it's also combined with a slowburn romance angle. How could you describe a romance story as insta-love and slowburn at the same time?! I'm still not sure myself, but that is definitely what's happening in The Meeting Point. As for the characters... I wasn't too convinced by Maya herself, as she could get quite self-centered and while she likes handing out advice, she doesn't seem to want to listen when other people want to help her. Seeing the story (mainly) through her eyes made the story feel a tad one-dimentional, and I would have loved to see more of Ethan's POV. The secondary characters were lovely in general, although not as developed.

It took me a while to get a proper feel for the writing, but once I did The Meeting Point turned out to be quite a fast read and entertaining enough despite the elements that didn't work for me. As a whole, this turned out to be a solid romance read if you don't mind a predictable plot and an insta-love trope.

This story was amazing! I just finished and I’m laying here with a full heart.

Even though the twist can be seen from a million miles away I really enjoyed this book. The love, chemistry, friendships and a women taking control of her life.

This is a slow burn, no 🔥 but definitely worth picking up when it’s released.

Thank you so much for an arc Aria and #netgalley. This is 💯 my honest review.

A Lyft driver, an aspiring writer, and the meeting point--Carmel by the Sea.

The Meeting Point is a light, fluffy contemporary romance that may be a little bit predictable...but it's still lovely, heartwarming, and will have you Googling all of the locations mentioned in California.

Thank you, NetGalley and Aria&Aries, for sharing this eARC with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Loved this book so much!! The characters are beyond well done. They could be people you see everyday. The settings are fully done which makes it super easy to visualize the story as it happens. Amazing book!

Thank you to Aria and Netgalley for providing me a complimentary copy of this book to read and review.

The Meeting Point starts off with great intentions as Maya is on her way to meet her fiance of some years in San Francisco for her birthday. When she messages him, she is responded to by a Lift driver who gives away that her fiance was with another woman getting hot and heavy in the back of his Lift. What follows is a bit of a magical mystery tour as the Lift Driver "Max" "treats" Maya to a day of sightseeing and culinary delights with all the nervous texting energy imaginable. Towards the end of Maya's time in San Francisco the pair plan to meet but things don't quite work out.

Fast forward 12 months and Maya is single (again) and thinking about Max. What if she could find him? Maya is a budding writer who finds out another writer is marketing a story very similar to her experience with Max, so off she goes to San Francisco. At times this is a little predictable, and a little frustrating as it seemed obvious to me who Max was ... but not Maya, nope, no way. It was as if she was wanting Max to be someone other than the person in front of her. There's some disagreements, a couple of small red herrings. At times it appeared Maya was more in love with the idea of Max rather than recognising him as a real person - yet she was supposed to have such a connection with him? The book is largely from Maya's perspective, and it might have been more robust had it included more of Max's perspective so the reader could know where he was coming from, rather than a tidbit here and there.

The Meeting Point is a closed door rom com. Very cute without a doubt. This is a nice, gentle feel-good read.

3.5 stars