I’ve read most of Hannah Orenstein’s books and have enjoyed all of them - especially Meant to Be Mine. Edie is very much head in the clouds romantic with a grandma who predicts when everyone will meet their soulmate. Even when she met who she thought was “the One”, it did seem like she was trying hard to like him. I liked how it wasn’t obvious how it’d end. All in all, a great book that I’d read again.

thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Simon and Schuster for providing me with this ARC. I truly enjoyed this book. I have not read anything else by this author, but I will be looking her up. The premise of the book is that the grandmother can predict the date that her family meets their ideal match. When a disclosure is made by one family member about their date, Edie questions everything about her prediction. The family dynamics between the sisters and their family is perfect. The ending did feel a bit rushed, like other reviewers have mentioned, but all in all, this was an enjoyable book with a unique premise for a rom-com.

This was the cutest book!! I am a big fan of this authors writing and I was so excited to read her newest book. I really loved the concept of this book. This book is about a family, and the grandma has predicted the day everyone in the family will meet the love of their life. I thought it was such a cool concept, and the author did a great job with it.

I loved Edie and all the other characters in this book. I thought they were so fun, quirky, and lovable. I was hooked right from the start, and was so curious to see where Edie’s life was going to take her. This book is filled with love and so many NYC references. If you’re looking for a magical romance read, I highly recommend checking this one out!

I really wanted to love this one! The premise of a grandmother predicting the date of her families’ meeting their true loves is so original and interesting. There was a lot to like about this book - overall I liked the characters and writing, and really enjoyed the political references & realness worked in. However, the execution of the plot just didn’t really work for me. We spent so much time with “the guy” who was clearly the wrong guy - with references to a past guy sprinkled in… plus an interesting male-friend side character (in a happy relationship!) I was confused who I was supposed to root for. Then, when the real “love story” unfolds, it’s incredibly quick with very little build up. It was just hard to buy. Plus after the reveal (spoilers ahead) about Rae & Max, I was hoping for some plot twist that Edie and Bennett actually *had* met on “the day” (though the connection reveal at the end was really nice) One exception to the rule I liked, but two seems convenient. I was left wondering if any of Gloria’s predictions were real or just people settling! I also felt like we didn’t see any of bennetts interest in Edie. Sure they got along, but all we ever saw was him bantering with or pining over kiara! I would’ve liked more chemistry between them throughout & fewer references to Jonah (we never really find out why it was ok that he *wasnt* the one, other than he ultimately moved on)

This book is an absolute delight! I devoured this book, and when it ended, I found myself wishing for more. Our main character is descended from a strong Jewish grandmother who has the ability to prophecy on which day each of the people in her family will meet their soulmate. Edie has seen this work for her twin sister, Rae, and as her own date approaches she cannot wait for it to finally happen for her, too. Theo, the man fate delivers to her, is not quite what she expected, however, and they have some major differences to work out.

This book grapples with the topics of tradition, the things that we inherit from our families, and what makes a relationship work. I cannot recommend enough this story all about love and how it arrives in our lives, and how our expectations can help and hinder us.

Do you believe in fate?
Ever since Edie was a little girl she knew one thing was set in stone. The day she would meet her soulmate. Edie’s grandmother Gloria has always considered herself a match maker and she has the proof to back that up. Gloria has correctly predicted the date that each of her family member will meet the love of their life. So Edie doesn’t even bat an eye when she seated next to Theo on a flight on the day Gloria predicted. Everything is perfect but the more Edie gets to know Theo…she starts to wonder why he isn’t everything she hoped her match would be. And when an unexpected event happen she starts to question Gloriana prediction.

This book was a very cute read. I absolutely loved how close Edie’s family was..especially how close she was with her sister Rae. Her grandma Gloria was adorable and loved her!

With that being said…I do have a few complaints. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Theo. Edie’s relationship with him got a little annoying very fast. Also she brought up her past relationship with her ex Jonah so many times it got to be frustrating. As well as mentioning her prophecy over and over got a little stale too. Which made the story feel a little like it was dragging.

But! I loved the ending. It kinda made up for some of those complaints. And it made me wish we got more of that great ending storyline then Edie dragging out her relationship with Theo. Overall I did enjoy the book and would definitely read more from this author!

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the digital copy!

*I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I loved the premise of this book, and I was utterly absorbed in the first few chapters. The predictions and each bit of Edie's family's love stories I got to see had me all heart-eyed and happy. There was even a very special part that had me shedding happy tears. Then, there were all these pages with a politician and political advisor, and I immediately checked out. I like my romances apolitical. In fact, I like all my books sans politics. This is a me thing. I am not sure how long it lasted because I set the book aside, but it's a personal turn-off. I will say, I was loving the book up until that point.

Short, sweet, and the perfect mood read to help me while I was recovering from COVID.
A totally charming romance that examines so many types of love: romantic, platonic, familial, sibling, and, above all - self love.

Jewish rep. Funny and sweet. Some deeper, darker subjects. Overall- the ideal comfort read to escape real life for a little while. It hits shelves in June, which means it's sure to be a top poolside/beach read for sunshine season!

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Meant to Be Mine was such a fun and charming read. The characters were interesting and I really enjoyed following Edie's progress in trying to find the balance of what she really wants, and what she thinks she is supposed to have.

The writing style from Hannah Orenstein was great and it had a great flow to it that made it super easy and fun to read. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend giving it a read! It was a quick read for me that I finished in one day and was very entertaining.

Many many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Simon and Schuster for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really liked this book! The primary character was enjoyable & interesting and it was fun getting a glimpse into the life of a stylist. The family dynamics & friendships were portrayed with depth and nuance, and it was nice that there wasn’t a “bad” character - each character was simply doing their best to figure things out. That was really refreshing. My only quibble is that the ending seemed super rushed. I could see what was going to happen and I was looking forward to watching it play out. But then there were just a few quick scenes and boom, the book was over. But still, a super enjoyable read and I look forward to more from this author!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book.

Very cute romance with a unique premise instead of the usual tropes. I enjoyed the main character Edie, and the descriptions of the places she goes to and the things she does really brought NYC to life. Great quick read for summer!

I'm still swooning over Edie Meyers and loving on her Bubbe Gloria, days after finishing her book. Gloria has predicted for decades the date that members of her family will meet their soul mates. Edie knows her date and she's ready so when the day comes and she is seated next to a handsome stranger on a plane she knows this is her soul mate. Unfortunately, this fate comes with some nagging suspicions that maybe this stranger isn't the one, no matter how hard she tries to make it so. I adored Edie and her entire family. There wasn't a character in the book I didn't like. There was so much Jewish culture infused in this book it filled me with nostalgia.

This book was short & sweet. I read it in one sitting. Overall though, it wasn't for me. I enjoyed the different characters and how they all varied in interests (there is a politician, a musician, a doctor, a stylist, etc) it added some variety and kept things interesting. For me, I just couldn't get past the premise. I had a hard time understanding why the family put so much emphasis on sticking to their grandmother's prophecy. I also felt like the romance felt a bit cringey and basic to me at times. I think rom com lovers might really enjoy this story, it just wasn't my cup of tea personally.

3.5 stars

I’m a huge fan of the fate/destiny trope and so the premise of Meant to Be Mine intrigued me right away. Would someone want to know the exact date they’d meet the love of their life? Would it be a comfort or a burden? How would your life choices change with this knowledge?

Things that I really enjoyed:
- The friend group (shout out to Shireen!) and family relationships. I loved Gloria and her relationship with Edie. Those bits of history and personal touches were so heartwarming. I also loved the Jewish representation and learning more about Jewish culture and customs. The author mentions right away that the book is dedicated to her grandparents and this was truly a beautiful tribute to them and family in all its forms.
- The prophecy. This was such an interesting set up for a book and I found myself wondering what I would do in Edie’s position. It’s wonderful to know with certainty that your soulmate is out there, but how limiting would it be to close yourself off from opportunities and people because of this supposed timeline? I think the novel addresses both sides pretty well - the ups and downs of believing wholeheartedly and not wanting to know/choosing your own way.
- I both loved and was sometimes annoyed by Edie. Her confidence, loyalty to her family, and unwavering belief in the prophecy was admirable, but I did find myself frustrated at times by her decisions. I can understand why she made those decisions though, especially given her relationship with Gloria. I also enjoyed the behind the scenes look at being a stylist.

Things to note:
- Meant to Be Mine was heavier emotionally than expected. This is not a lighthearted romcom and readers should definitely check content warnings prior to reading. Though the romantic plot is a significant part of the story, I feel this book falls more into women’s fiction since Edie’s character arc is the focal point of the novel.
- The book isn’t necessarily political, but there is a political side plot and the author makes their viewpoints pretty clear. I didn’t necessarily view the commentary as bashing however, and actually felt that it aligned very well with the character(s) and their histories.
- I was very curious to see how the book would play out, but sometimes the level of description and detail was overwhelming. It disrupted the flow of the story.
- After all the build up, the ending felt very rushed. I didn’t love how quickly things shifted after Edie’s epiphany. I was actually rooting for a slightly different ending given the number of times a specific character from the past was mentioned. I think making the reader aware of this character as a contrast to Theo was important, but perhaps not to that degree.

Meant to Be Mine was thought provoking and I loved the premise, but unfortunately the execution didn’t fully work. I enjoyed it overall, but didn’t love it.

CW: grief, on page - hospitalization, death of loved one, and funeral, mentions of school shooting and death of sibling (past)

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

This is the second book I've read by Orenstein and I enjoyed both! While this was a relatively quick read, it didn't quite hit the mark for me and maybe it just wasn't the right time to read this book. It was enjoyable but some parts felt dragged out. The ending was not what I expected at all though - which was a pleasant surprise!

Thanks to Netgalley & Atria Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been meaning to read Hannah Orenstein’s work for a while now and I’m grateful to have received an e-galley of her newest book. The premise of “Meant to Be Mine” is super intriguing––a grandmother with the power to predict when the protagonist will meet the love of her life! family secrets! a fictional indie band!––so I’m disappointed to report to that I didn’t connect with this one. Orenstein’s prose is readable, but her writing lacks fun, spark, and emotional depth, three key elements of any romcom. The author struggles particularly with dialogue; instead of creating banter between her characters, Orenstein indicates which lines are supposed be “funny,” which makes most of her “jokes” fall flat. The protagonist, Edie, doesn’t have much of an inner life or personality beyond her desire to find a romantic partner. I expect protagonists to bring their emotional baggage and wounds to a new relationship and to struggle to navigate that, but Edie’s only issue seems to be that she believes that she has to marry a man that she meets on a very specific day no matter what. Knowing what your characters want is important, but that knowledge doesn’t always translate into knowing who they are as people––as a reader, I don’t feel like I got to know Edie, Theo, or Bennett at all.

The "true" romance arc of “Meant to Be Mine” only has about 100 pages to unfold, which is a strange choice for a romcom. We spend most of the book with the “wrong guy,” but we don’t really get any time with the “right guy” earlier in the story, because it seems like he’s in a somewhat happy (?) and committed relationship with Edie’s client. The idea that Bennett is a romantic option for Edie is only brought up at the very end, and then she just…decides to be with him? There’s no falling, no romantic tension, and no chemistry. “Meant to Be Mine” holds so much promise with its prophecy/magic element and its underdog love interest setup. Ultimately, it’s just a very bland reading experience.

*Thank you to NetGalley for access to this electronic ARC in exchange for my honest review.*

I have to admit that this was a slow build for me. I requested an ARC of <i>Meant to be Mine</i> after I heard Becca Freeman talk about it on the podcast Bad on Paper. It had all the plot elements that I like in a rom-com including a quirky grandma, but it took me a while to get into the book since the love interest was so flat. But about 2/3 of the way into the book I got hooked and really enjoyed it. Despite the slow start, the book ended up being really fun.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC of this book.

Rating: 3.5/5
Genre: Women’s Fiction with a Romance
Warnings: Death
Read If You Liked: Matchmaking for Beginners
Steam: 2/5 (closed door but implied)
Tropes: Jewish Rep, Family Ties

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest option. Meant to Be Mine will be released on June 7th.

Things I loved: Love a quirky grandma! Foodie references were on point. I loved hearing about Edie’s work as a stylish, this is so cool to me. The backstory of everyone’s love story. I loved the strong family connection. Great Jewish representation. Political undertones. Love letter to Brooklyn. Miami fun! Twin sister bonding.

Things I didn’t care for: The ending felt a bit rushed. The story was really pushing an old love interest most of the story and I was disappointed about how it turned out. I wish there was a bit more romance. The concept that Edie sacrificed happiness in the name of the prophecy knowing better, this was a bit unsettling at times.

Overall this was a sweet, quick read and one I enjoyed!

Meant to Be Mine was a quick, lighthearted read that’s perfect for a plane ride or vacation. The concept of the grandma, Gloria, predicting the dates that family members and friends would meet their soulmates is so unique and made for a great story. Gloria is an absolute icon. And I loved hearing about Edie’s work as a stylist. The author also painted a great picture of New York (and Miami!), which made it even more fun for those familiar with the cities. I somehow missed a key detail about what date Edie met one of her love interests, and was disappointed to learn that I was mistaken and it didn’t play out how I was hoping. Nevertheless this was a sweet book that explored the dynamics of sisterhood, family, love, loss, and so much more.

Enjoyable read with a very interesting premise. I really admired the grandmother/granddaughter dynamic and their unique bond throughout the story. Sadly, I did not feel connected to the main characters, and the ending seemed a tad rushed. Overall, an entertaining page-turner!