I have not read a romance/women’s fiction book that surprised me as much as this one, or one that kept me guessing up to the end! I love Hannah Orenstein’s writing! Not only are her descriptions beautiful, she has a way of immersing the reader into the world where her characters live. I love the dynamics her characters have with one another and (without giving anything away) I love vulnerability we give in Orenstein’s writing throughout this story. She has such a special way of connecting to readers through her own experiences, especially when it is done through the lens of such bright and ambitious fictional characters!

Would you like to know the date you will meet your soulmate? Edie Meyer is destined to meet the love of her life on June 24, 2022. Her grandma, Gloria, has successfully predicted the dates many of her family members would their life partners aka "the prophecy". Edie has lived the majority of her life knowing the day she’ll meet her future lover, so she hasn’t put much pressure on her dates and relationships leading up to that moment. She broke things off with her last boyfriend because she knew he didn't align with her prophecy despite her being deeply in love with him. When June 22 is finally here, she is on the prowl and her eyes are wide open taking in everyone in her vicinity because she doesn’t want to miss her match.

She’s about to board a flight from New York to Maine for her sister’s surprise engagement. As she’s waiting to board she’s positive she’ll meet her dream boy but she makes it on the plane without seeing any hopefuls. BUT, at the very last minute, a very handsome man sits in the seat next to her. Theo, a musician from NYC also happens to be visiting family in Maine. She’s determined to keep the conversation going and seize the moment because hello this is her future mans!!!!! They talk the whole plane ride and as they’re about to part ways, he says goodbye and never asks for her number. Edie beats herself up and replays the whole exchange as she expected a totally different outcome. She spends the weekend with her family but the whole time she can’t help but be a little bummed her exchange with Theo didn’t go as planned. However, as she’s boarding her flight to go back to NY she sees none other than Theo. Maybe it is fate after all!!! She decided this is her time to be bold and ask for his number. Theo admits he wanted to ask for her number but got shy. They agree to go out for a dinner date sometime when they’re back in the city.

Theo and Edie have their first date which was very cute. He picked her up from her NY apartment and gave her a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Edie requested he take her some place she could dress to the nines and he did just that. Note: Edie is a stylist, loves all things fashion, and seizes any excuse to get dolled up. Their date was perfect and ended with a little stroll near the water where they shared a sweet first kiss and promises to see each other again.

Their second date goes just as well as the first and they continue to learn more about each other. Edie learns that Theo and his band are trying are up and coming and have goals to move to LA one day. This immediately worries Edie because she's not sure how their future will pan out with that in the mix. But she's hopeful it'll all work out because they're meant to be. Edie decides to tell Theo about the prophecy and he takes it well but feels a little pressure because he’s never been one to aspire to marriage whereas Edie dreams of marriage and starting a family.

As the story goes on, we see Edie and Theo navigating their new relationship. Do Edie and Theo live happily ever aligning with the prophecy or does Edie stray away from that path?

My thoughts:
This was a cute book about Edie navigating through life and figuring out what makes her most happy. I feel like this book is more women's fiction than it is romance because although the romance plot played a big role, it was more so focused on Edie's character development. I loved the family aspect of the book especially her grandma's character. Gloria was in her 90s but still living her best life and I think we all aspire to be a bit like Gloria. She loves her family, her martinis, and gossiping. The relationship between Edie and her sister Rae was beautiful and I liked seeing how Rae was there for Edie during the moment's she was unsure about her prophecy.

I liked Theo's character but you could sort of tell from the start that he and Edie had a lot of differences and weren't too compatible. One thing I didn't like was that she compared Theo to her ex, Jonah on MULTIPLE occasions. She felt like she couldn't be with Jonah because it went against her grandmother's prophecy but I was like sis, if you were in love with him?? THEN BE WITH HIM??? She seemed very regretful that she broke things off with Jonah. Edie was pretty girl obsessed at times and I feel like she was trying to force things to work out with Theo. I think she should have sat and asked herself if she really wanted to be with him or if she was trying to make things work for the sake of fulfilling the prophecy.

Edie finally has an epiphany that maybe she doesn't have to pursue love according to the prophecy, and with the help of her sister and friend, she knows what she has to do. The ending was very cute but it was a little rushed. I wish we had more content of Edie and her new mans but I still enjoyed the ending. This wasn't my favorite book by this author thus far but I still enjoyed it. I honestly love any book set in NYC. I loved how fabulous and Glamorous Edie's character was. Like she loves wearing flashy outfits, a red lip, and drinking martinis anywhere she goes-- very much gives off Carrie Bradshaw energy and I loved it. The close-knit family aspect of the book was very heartwarming and the friendship/sisterhood bond between Edie, Rae, and Shireen was beautiful. All in all, a very cute story, I give it a solid 3.5 stars.

TW: there is mention of a loss of a family member in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

My first book by Hannah Orenstein and I was pleasantly surprised. It was the premise that intrigued me, a grandmother who can predict the date you'll meet the love of your life. Imagine the pressure of that!? This was an utterly unique romance novel and I was so here for it. I loved being a fly on the wall for Edie's love life and her family is one I wish I was a part of, Gloria was a woman after my own heart and when Edie lost her I really felt that. I loved the New York setting and learning about the Jewish customs. Personally I don't believe in soulmates as relationships take work, hard work. I mean that for all relationships...familial, romantic and friendships alike, but I really loved this charmingly delightful read.

I personally was not a fan of this book. The ending felt a bit rushed in my opinion. Eddie spends about 80% of the book dating one guy, only to suddenly start dating someone else when there’s 5% left of the book. We dont see any sexual tension, her falling in love and all that. They quite literally just start dating and that was it.

In fact, I would say they start dating when you are about 97% in. At 95% in, Eddie suddenly sees a secondary character as a romantic option when their relationship so far as been strictly platonic.

I think that maybe the first 95% was cut down a bit so we could actually see Eddie’s new relationship blossom would be great.

Overall, this was a quick and breezy read.

Thank you Atria and NetGalley for this ARC!

Meant to be mine by Hannah Orenstein
⭐⭐⭐/5

When a family superstiticiosuly lives there love lives according to the seemingly accurate "visions" their grandmother has , Edie has no choice but to break it off with her boyfriend so she can mend her heart and be off to the airport , to attend her twins surprise engagement. This also happens to be the serendipitous day shes to meet the love of her life. As fate would have it . Shes seated next to a handsome musician and shes not about to let him go. Is this the man shes going to spend her entire life with. In pure golden love ?

I had high expectations for this book. But it didnt quite hit the mark . I felt alot of the book had unnecessary filler about the main characters job , instead of fixating on what the book was actually about . Sure it was cute. And I loved the premise. Who wouldn't want to know the exact day you'll meet ' the one' . I know it would have saved me from alot of unnecessary heart ache and "frogs" before meeting prince charming . However the filler made this book lackluster and surely not a blockbuster hit for me . I would indeed enjoy this one as a movie . Because I feel it would get through all the in betweens flawlessly on screen .

Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for sending me this #arccopy!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this book! I am very confused by the plot of this book and the meaning behind it. We spend 80% reading about Edie and Theo, but there are weird vibes the entire time, and they very clearly aren't meant for each other. Edie is so deadset on this man even though they clearly aren't compatible. But then they break up and it just so happens that Bennett, a complete side character, has also broken up with his girlfriend and - don't you know - they realize they have feelings for each other. The chapter immediately after that revelation is about them in love and then the book ends. Like what? The pacing was so weird. I will say that I enjoyed the writing, Edie's character, and the Jewish representation which is why I gave this book three stars.

This was such a cute read, and I loved every minute of it! I really enjoyed this one. I can’t wait to add it to my physical collection soon!

This book has been my favorite of what Hannah Orenstein has written so far.

I loved how much Edie's love of New York shone through in all of her descriptions, and all of her interactions. I also really enjoyed how much we got to see her celebrating Jewish holidays. I learned so much about Jewish customs and traditions that I never knew, and I loved seeing how much those traditions meant to her.

I loved Edie's friend group, and watching them all interact. Edie, her twin sister, Rae, and Shireen have this amazing friendship that I was jealous of, but that I loved reading about. I found myself laughing out loud at different passages which doesn't often happen. I loved the romance we see between Rae and her fiance, Max. I would have read an entire book about those two!

I loved that this book was a different sort of rom-com. It was almost a mystery, as you aren't ever sure what is going to happen to her with respect to Edie's romantic life. Is destiny all it's cracked up to be? Can fate make the best decisions for us?

This book made me laugh and it made me cry. It's the kind of book that I want all my friends to read, so that we can discuss some of the questions about destiny vs. choosing our own path. An immediate 5 star read for me.

Thanks you so much to Atria publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This is a charming, joyful read! I was hooked from the first chapter.

Meant to Be Mine follows Edie, a stylist, on her quest for love. Edie’s fabulous and beloved grandmother Gloria knows which dates her family members will meet their respective loves. Edie received her prophecy at the age of 16 and has been looking forward to June 24, 2022 ever since. When she meets a handsome stranger on a flight that day, she just knows this is the love of her life. Or is he?!

The story poses interesting questions about letting “fate” rule your life or living on your own terms. Though I didn’t agree with everything Edie did, she was an endearing character and I enjoyed reading about her relationship with Gloria and her twin sister, Rae (and her love of a good red lipstick!). I would have loved reading more about her personal style and fashion choices.

This was the first book I’ve read by the author and I’ll be checking out her other works. I recommend this to readers who enjoy lighthearted romances, especially those set in New York.

Thank you very much to Atria Books for the opportunity to read this ARC via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This book was so charming! Edie is bold, fun, creative, vulnerable, and completely lovable. I couldn't put this one down because I couldn't wait to see how it would all work out!

What a cute premise for this book! A grandmother who gives out prophecies for when family members will meet their match? I’m in! Unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

What I loved:
-the main characters family and friends. It was such a close knit group. The bond between Edie, her twin, and their grandmother was so heartwarming and special.
-the family history and the prophecy. It was so rich and I loved that everyone believed so much in Gloria’s match making.
-Edie’s job and love of fashion jumped off the page. I want her to style me! I could so clearly envision her and the clothes she described.
-Who she ends up with

What I didn’t love:
-there was so much description of places and daily life that didn’t add to the story and honestly dragged on.
-Edie’s constant mention of her ex who really doesn’t need to even be mentioned.
-that the actual romance and who she ends up with gets like five minutes of time with a quick little wrap up of them being in love, but never actually getting to see them fall or be in love. Instead we got to watch her be with the wrong guy and over analyze it to death. And while I understand there isn’t any chemistry between them for a reason, it was hard to get through such a flat romance.

This story was just as cute as I hoped it would be. Edie did irk me a bit at times, but I enjoyed all the supporting characters enough it made up for it. I do think the ending was a bit rushed but I overall was smiling throughout. A quick sweet read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A magical and funny rom/com mixed with tidbits of family relationships/fate/political injustice. The book has a bit of everything for everyone. Most of it, it is funny. The characters are all so nice and likable. The grandma especially is a jewel. :) The twist was a bit surprising but the ending is perfectly sweet. The description of NY city is also outstanding and it feels like another character in the book. A perfectly charming book.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

I am so utterly impressed by and in love with this book! Hannah Orenstein transported me to Brooklyn— the writing was effortlessly breezy, and though it is on the shorter side, I felt that the story was thoroughly fleshed out and actually the perfect length. And I LOVED the ending and the guy Edie ends up with, omg, cried so much.

Where the book receives extra special bonus points for me is in how personal you could tell this book was for Hannah to write— it is evident with the care and attention to detail that was paid with shaping the character of Gloria. All of the Jewish idioms, food, cultural traditions, and just little idiosyncrasies that were sprinkled perfectly throughout made this such a touching and relatable story. I am so delighted to have read this. 💕

Do you believe in Fate? Are we destined for our outcome by supernatural forces or does our own free will lead us to our destiny?

In this charming novel by Hannah Orenstein, Edie’s grandmother has predicted the day that she will meet the love of her life – and she is ready! She broke up with her boyfriend six months prior, is dressed to the nines, and is flying to the surprise engagement for her twin sister. When, in fact she meets a handsome musician on the airplane, she knows that Theo is without a doubt – the one. But when things aren’t clicking as fast as she expected, doubt starts creeping in, leaving her to question fate, and more importantly, her own happiness.

Meant to Be Mine combines the importance of family, just the right amount of romance, and underlying comedic punches with ease, making this the perfect summer read. The characters were extremely likeable: at times this novel felt like a warm hug. Gloria – the date predicting grandma – was a hoot! She is the epitome of the Jewish Bubbie that every family wishes they have. Plus, the fashion and the food were on point, making this book a beautiful sensory overload.

You can tell that this novel was important to Orenstein, tying in her own important family dates into the book – making it that much more relatable.

As a side note, there were political bits that some may think would district from the novel if the views are not the same ones you hold; I did not feel this way at all and it’s important to understand politics and grassroots movements in our world today regardless of what side you are on (and you can easily and quickly read right over those lines). I thought it was interesting reading about the petitions to be on the ballot when my law partner’s wife is currently collecting them as well to run for County Commissioner for this upcoming election.

Without any spoilers – the only thing I wish is that the “date” was somehow used in the last chapter of the book as maybe a “brush-by” scenario . . . but the ending did leave me smiling. Oh, the coincidences of this small world! I rate this at 4.6 stars and loved quickly turning the pages reading about partners, love, and soulmates. And now to ponder: is our life already planned out for us, or does each action we take have a different reaction on our pathway forward. I definitely recommend this book as your not-so-cliché romance novel!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this delightful novel; all opinions are my own!

Fans of The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany will appreciate this story of self-discovery with a lightly magical romantic twist!

"If your family had a magical shortcut to getting it right, you’d take it…"

Edie’s grandmother, Gloria, has a special gift: she has correctly prophesied the dates (month, day, and year!) when dozens of her family members will meet their soulmate. So when Edie’s “day” arrives, she’s ready to sink her claws into the first cute guy who looks her way and start off down the path toward happily-ever-after. But when Edie realizes that her feelings for Theo, her assumed “destined match,” don’t quite rise to the occasion, she’s left questioning whether there might be more to her future than just relying on fate.

"What if I was supposed to meet someone else that day? What if I’d actually be happier alone?"

I loved the concept of this book—the idea of fate / destiny / prophecy playing a role in helping relationships develop! It reminded me of books I’ve read by Rebecca Serle or Cecelia Ahern. And thematically, Meant to be Mine touched on some much heavier issues than your typical rom-com (grief, loss, tragedy, school shootings, political upheaval…). There’s much more to unpack here than a simple love story, which I appreciated.

"For the first time since Gloria predicted my date thirteen years ago, the only roadmap for my future is one I’ll have to create for myself."

I did feel like Edie’s journey toward self-discovery led her down a very different path than I anticipated at the beginning of the book, and the way the story ended (like the last 10%) felt a little bit like an afterthought. Her final choice seemed to come out of nowhere, and didn’t really match up with where the early portions of the book were leading. So while I really enjoyed the majority of the book, I definitely wanted more from the ending. However, I always appreciate a rom-com that can surprise me, and this one definitely did! A 4-star read!

——

A huge thank you to Hannah Orenstein, Atria, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Edie’s grandmother has a secret gift: she can predict the exact date when each woman in her family will meet her true love. When Edie’s day arrives, she is PREPARED to meet the man of her dreams…and he doesn’t disappoint. However, as Edie grows closer to her destined man, she starts to question whether her grandmother’s predictions are always right.

I thought the premise of this book was cute and unique, although I wasn’t completely satisfied with the execution and wished the resolution had been more clear. That said, the ending was very sweet :)

Overall, this wasn’t one of my favorite books, but if you enjoy contemporary romance, you will at least have some fun with this one!

I've read all of other Hannah Orenstein books and I was so excited for this one! It was such a unique and different type of love story and I throughly enjoyed the plot point. I was not crazy about our protagonist, until the ending but she grew on me. I found her annoying and immature but I assume I'd act similarly if my love life was destined for me since I was born.

There was so much New York in this novel, as Hannah always weaves the city in as more than a backdrop but as a character in itself but in Meant to Be Mine, it was even more present and I loved that so much.

Her writing and storytelling improves with every novel and this was some of her strongest, most eloquent yet. I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys romance novels!

Meant to Be Mine was such a cute story; Edie's grandmother has a special gift that she's able to know when her grandchildren will meet their forever person. Edie ends up hyper-focusing on the date given to her by her grandmother and risks losing some things along the way.

Edie's friends and family help her along the way to navigate breaking up with her boyfriend because she had already known him prior to the date given to her by her grandmother, to meeting someone on her date day!

I've savored Hannah Orenstein's previous novels and even by the plot summary alone, I knew this one was primed to fit right in. While it's a romantic love story on the surface, it ended up primarily being a women's fiction story that highlights other types of love too, and for that, this read had my heart. I was truly intrigued by the premise, captivated by the writing and just instantly -- and I do mean instantly -- hooked. It's fun, cute and so darn enjoyable that I just needed to keep reading and could barely put down. Loved this one!