I have only read one romance book with the fate/destined trope and i really enjoyed it, so i’m so glad that i enjoyed this one too! This was such an intriguing book, i enjoyed this one a lot more than expected

4.5
Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book to review. I've read all of Hannah Orenstein's books and I think this one is my favorite. Edie is such a great main character and I adored her fashion and styling background. I also love the Jewish representation. There were several Jewish traditions mentioned and I really loved seeing them constantly in the story. I enjoyed Edie's relationship with her family as well. Her and her sister as well as her relationship with Gloria were absolutely delightful. The idea that you're fated to meet your soulmate was fun and I liked where Edie's journey led her. There was so much to love in this book and I really did enjoy it so much!

Thank you Atria Books for sending this title over via Netgalley and giving me the opportunity to read it prior to publishing! I loved Hannah Orenstein's last novel, HEAD OVER HEELS, so I was extra excited to read this one.

When I first started it, I was very, very intrigued. A little bit of magic and fate? I can get behind that! I loved the details of Jewish culture (everything from the food descriptions to the games they play and the heavy emphasis on family ties) and learning more about it. I loved the dynamic of Edie and her twin sister, and how tight knit the family felt. I also loved the details about Edie's life as a stylist - it sounded like a really cool job!

Unfortunately, everything else about the novel fell flat for me.

SPOILERS BELOW:

We spend the majority of the novel focusing on the "wrong" guy, the one that Edie thought was her soulmate and then, sike, it wasn't! I figured it out pretty early, so it made the majority of the book where Edie is with Theo feel like sloughing through thick mud. Theo seemed sweet and charming and fun, but why did Orenstein spend so much time getting us invested in that relationship only for him to be the wrong dude?

Also - the flashbacks and descriptions of her ex just made me cringe! If she knew all along that he wasn't right for her because she truly believed in Gloria's soulmate prophecy, then why did she spend so much time with that poor guy? Isn't that leading him on? Wasting his time? It really made me dislike Edie.

Lastly, if this novel was supposed to be a romcom, it also missed the mark for me - I didn't even crack a smile with a laugh as I read it.

All in all, this was just not the book for me.

Fate, tragedy and finding true love. Hannah Orenstein did a fantastic job with this one and it's going to be one of my top favorites for 2022. Imagine life isn't as perfect as we imagined? I love a book that talks about true life and hard choices.

Watch my Amazon Live interview with Hannah here: https://amazon.com/live/broadcast/fef67d10-85f3-49b2-aae6-0fe33cb8dc73?tag=erinmbransco-20&linkCode=ilv&ref_=social

I loved this book. Hannah's writing is perfection and the characters had so much depth I was completely immersed in this sweet story.

Things I loved: the Jewish rep! This was done so well and called out so many cultural things that remind me of family, especially the Mahj games! The importance of family! While not everyone has a tight knit family like Edie does, but it was so beautiful to read about. THEO! ugh, don't even get me started about much I adore this man - it isn't healthy.

The only thing holding me back from 5 stars is the ending. It wasn't bad - it was actually really sweet, but there were a few major things missing (that I won't mention bc SPOILERS) that would have made it SO much more satisfying to me.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ahead of the pub date!

Overall I found Hannah Orenstein's latest to be a delight of a read, although, for me, it failed to deliver the butterflies and tingles you hope to feel when reading a romance. Our main character, Edie, received a prophecy of sorts from her grandmother, predicting the date on which Edie will meet her soulmate. Her grandmother has successfully predicted when other women in the family would meet their soulmates, so Edie is thrilled when a handsome stranger sits next to her on a plane on her designated date. Sparks kind of fly, though he walks off without her information. However the universe aligned and he was sitting her to her on her return flight, and from there a relationship blossomed.

Around this point is where I became disenchanted with the storyline. Edie made the decision to tell her handsome stranger about the prophecy, putting him in a wildly uncomfortable position, which she did not seem to consider. The rest of the book played out in a very stale manner, as it was obvious that he was only staying her with because of the prophecy, and vise versa from her. The writing did not build this out to be the conflict you should expect, and the emotions felt flat page after page.

While I enjoyed the ended, it seemed to come fully out of left field. Yes, Edie and her final fella made sense as a pairing, but there was no tension leading up to the time they got together. Overall I felt the writing was lacking when it came to emotion-building, which is my favorite aspect of this genre.

I was so excited to read this book but unfortunately I really didn’t vibe well with it. I couldn’t get past 23%. It shared so much info on things not important to the story at all. I got bored. I wanted to love it so bad because the story premise sounded really interesting.

Such a charming book! I loved the main characters and I thought the concept was very unique! This was such a sweet story on Edie’s path to love. It sometimes felt like the writer wasn’t focusing on what the book was about, but I still really enjoyed reading this. I’m looking forward to reading more from Hannah Orenstein!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this arc!

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

3.5/5 stars

I really liked how unique "Meant To Be Mine" felt. It was such an interesting take on "fated to be" and the idea of what fate is, and that I enjoyed immensely. I spent a lot of time agonizing over how I felt about Theo, because while I liked him fine I didn't feel like he had HEA potential. I was thus pleasantly surprised by the direction that relationship took!

This book also had a fantastic cast of supporting characters, and an emotional depth I wasn't expecting. I particularly related to Edie's feeling of wanting your life to move forward on the 'expected' schedule, and feeling 'behind' in your own life. Whether your grandmother predicted the day you meet your soulmate or not, I think we all feel that at times! I love when Rae talked about how Gloria was a super independent woman for her time, and yet put all this pressure on her family to fall in love, get married, and settle down. There were some very sharp moments where the characters made astute observations that, as a reader, I found myself nodding along to.

There were a few areas where this fell flat for me. I wish we could have seen more of Bennett, it's hard to root for a relationship when you don't get to know the character. I also found a lot of the humour in this book fell flat. Overall, this book had its ups and downs but I think it has a really interesting point of view and some very smart things to say.

Albeit predictable, this was a sweet read. Falls more under women's fiction than romcom, as the romance was not the focus. Edie's character development was very solid.

I loved the concept and the direction the story took.

3.5

Content: mostly closed door

Meant to Be Mine has such a fun premise: what if you knew the exact date that you would meet your soulmate? Thanks to Edie's fortune-telling grandmother Gloria, she and every single family member have the answer to that question. When Edie's date finally rolls around, she meets Theo, an up-and-coming musician on a plane. However, as Edie and Theo begin to spend more time together, she begins to wonder if her prophecied-about boyfriend is truly the one for her.

Like many of Orenstein's other books, I loved the richness of the New York setting. NYC truly feels like another character in this book, which makes it so fun to read. Edie's relationship with her grandmother Gloria was so heartwarming, especially after reading the Author's Note. My one gripe is that the secondary romance felt a bit rushed. I wished we could have had more build-up to Edie's other love interest throughout the book, instead of cramming it all in at the end.

Overall, this was a fun women's fiction book that would make a good beach read or book club pick!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a honest opinion.

Hanna Orenstein just has a way with words!

This eArc was SUCH a pleasant surprise to get in email, I was just love her writing, her style - she feels contemporary, but also sticks to the good ole RomCom days a la Debra Messing/Katherine Heigl, etc. Just feel good romance and good story telling that is so sweet, puts a smile on your face and leaves you wanting more.

I really loved the connection Edie had with her grandmother, Gloria. I honestly reminded me SO much of my relationship with my Nana, Alongina - a feisty, strong willed, independent woman way ahead of her own generation. This aspect of the book was 5 stars!

Edie - loved her. Loved how committed she was to Gloria's premonitions and match making. However, she committed a little TOO hard? You could almost predict where this was going (I did - which is ok with me, but it was fairly obvious) and I just wanted more! The beginning through the middle of the book, it was cruising right along with banter and sauce, then it seemed to stall out? Edie's big issue with Theo and her family felt a bit contrived? Then the ending just wham bam thank you ma'am came out of nowhere and we were done.

I just wanted a tad more. I liked it, I will read all of Hannah's next books, but I could've used a bit more!

Thank you NetGalley & Atria for this advance copy! I loved my time in this story and want more of Gloria in my life!

3/5 stars
(includes spoilers)

Having read all of Hannah Orenstein's books, I would say this is the best of them--in terms of writing, plot development, etc. Her strength as an author lies in her description; if you love NYC, there is lots of in-depth detail about the city. I liked Edie, the protagonist, because she was living her best life, but I also felt like her behavior at times was more similar to a 24 y.o. than a 29 y.o., and some of her decisions, such as telling Theo about the prophecy immediately, really irked me.

What I liked about this book:
- the characters are likeable (especially Gloria, she's a hoot) and you're rooting for them
- lots of interesting notes on Jewish culture, I learned a few facts I didn't know
- it's a unique story idea that makes you wonder how you'd behave in this unusual situation

What I didn't like about this book:
-very description heavy, so there is less opportunity for dialogue, and the dialogue isn't quite at the level of banter-fun I usually enjoy in this genre; the description takes away from the flow of the story
-the ending approaches too quickly, with little development--like slapping a bow on a hastily wrapped gift
-there were also numerous references to Jonah, Edie's ex, that feel excessive and almost like a red-herring
-lots of focus on politics, which, even as someone who has similar ideology to Edie, felt a bit forced and unnecessary

Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC!

This is a charming story about a woman, Edie, whose grandmother is known for prophesizing the exact date when family members meet their true love. Edie does meet Theo and thus begins the story of if Theo is "The One." It's an adorable tale with a quirky grandmother, a twin sister, an unconventional family, and NYC love. If you are looking for a feel-good read, this is it.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for an ARC of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve always been intrigued with the idea of fate and knowing things ahead of time—blame this on my anxious fear of the unknown or that romantic desire to find “the one” who is absolutely meant for me. So when I read the description for MEANT TO BE MINE by Hannah Orenstein, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy as soon as possible.

Edie’s grandmother, Gloria, has accurately predicted the date the members of their family would meet the loves of their lives since having a vision of her own soulmate in the 1950s. And, since learning of her date, Edie has been counting down the days until she would officially meet her perfect man. When she meets Theo on her way to see her twin sister get engaged, Edie is certain her destiny has been realized.

I loved MEANT TO BE MINE from the very beginning. Hannah Orenstein’s writing is fun and absolutely beautiful, so much so that I raced through the book not only to see what would happen next (I was ecstatic when Edie’s path worked out in exactly the way I hoped it would!) but also because I couldn’t get enough of the characters and the way fate, certainty, and familial traditions and lore were explored.

I always get super excited when Hannah Orenstein comes out with a new book! Her books always make my summer even better and I think that her plots are some of my favorites. This one was another winner and I cannot wait to see what she writes next! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review early!

I love Hannah Orenstein’s novels and this is another great entry in her current streak. I loved that Edie worked as a fashion stylist and all of the behind the scenes tidbits about that world. I also loved that she was a twin! This was a great premise, and Edie’s relationships with her family and friends (particularly her grandmother) were so well drawn. This would be a perfect summer travel read.

Meant to Be Mine has a very interesting concept. What if two people are fated to be together? If you knew exactly which day you would meet your soulmate, would it change the way you live? Would you keep yourself from dating other people or actively seek the love of your life on that predicted date?

Edie’s grandmother can foresee the future – the future of love. For every woman in her family, she’s been able to predict the exact date on which they would meet their soulmate. So naturally, Edie has lived her life accordingly. She’s dated minimally, broken up with someone she loved in order to be single on “her date” and wholly supports the other couples in her immediate circle. She wholeheartedly believes in her grandmother’s ability and trusts that when that person comes along, they’ll be the right person. Wouldn’t you do the same, knowing what Edie knows?

It was so much fun reading this book while on vacation. I happened to start the book on my flight, and the story opens at the airport! It was clearly the perfect read while I was traveling – and I had a tough time putting it down. I found myself carrying my Kindle with me everywhere, trying to read a chapter or two during car rides or while waiting for food at a restaurant. It was a quick and easy read, with short chapters, and a very simple plot. It didn’t require too much of me, which was another reason why it was the perfect “beach read.” I highly recommend this for a summer vacation!

I will say that the story felt really predictable. And maybe for some, that would be a refreshing change of pace. If you’ve been reading heavier books and you’re looking for something sweet and simple, this is made for you! I had hoped for a little more depth from it, but I certainly wasn’t disappointed or anything. I mostly loved the relationship between Edie and her twin sister. Their bond was absolutely precious and it gave the story just enough “oomph” – especially when Rae reveals something about her life that Edie never knew about. The questions that it causes Edie to ask herself are really good! Of course, you can’t help but adore Edie’s grandmother, Gloria, as well. She’s a little powerhouse and it’s obvious that she adores her family and wants the very best for them!

Truthfully, there were a few side characters who I would love to see get their own story in the future. I was especially interested in Shireen, Edie’s best friend (also, side note: Edie has the most amazing besties. The fact that Shireen and Rae are willing to drop anything to be there for her is just bestie goals). Shireen is such a strong character and I’d love to see her have her own happily ever after!

While I did mention that things are a bit predictable, I will say that it made the ending very satisfying. Things turned out precisely as I hoped they would from the beginning of the story – and there’s some fantastic character development along the way. I’d definitely read this book again, especially on another vacation! It’s just so much fun!

[CW: (major) death and grief, (minor) sexual content]

I loved the bond of family in this book, and I appreciated the need for trusting what was essentially a family tradition. I would’ve liked a little more romance in this book though. The “love” pretty much came at the end for a chapter or two and then that was it. I wanted some warm fuzzies and those didn’t come until the end of the book. The plot and the emotions it evoked fell flat for me but I loved the twins and the descriptions of New York in this book.