This was a pretty good read but it wasn't my favorite of her books. The story is highly readable and the characters are very likable. The story was just a bit fluffy for me. It will make a great beach read. If you are a fan of rom coms and you want an uplifting hopeful book this one will be a good fit for you!

Incredible! First book by this author and it won’t be my last! Loved the alternating narration, the characters, and the real-life connection to the Kennedy dynasty, I did not want this amazing tale to end. Highly highly recommend!

I really enjoyed this story. Being in my upper 30s I am only slightly familiar with the true story, so I did look up some of the facts before hand to see what liberties she took (obviously a lot). I read a lot of romance and I am used to it being a little more personal, so the writing style had a little bit of a disconnect emotionally... it felt more factual than truly pulling me into their thoughts in emotions. I could have used just a little extra emotion to fully pull me in and make it a 5 star.

I loved this book! Joe and Cate’s story was perfect and I definitely had the Kennedy vibe from the start. The characters were intriguing and the writing was flawless.

This novel, based loosely on the romance between JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, was a real page-turner. There’s so much fascination about the life and tragic end of this couple, and this book gave us an up-close inside look at their feelings and the challenges as two people from different backgrounds trying to connect. I liked how the chapters alternated between Joe and Cate, but I felt the ending was rushed and a bit contrived. Although it was entertaining to read, I disliked the creative liberties taken with the story—it almost felt like a betrayal of sorts—especially the fake names. I wanted the story to be more realistic, not a reimagining of history, and kept wondering about what I was reading. I plan to read more nonfiction about the couple to set the story straight in my mind. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

Emily Giffin is back! I've adored her work since the early days, but have been somewhat disappointed by some of her more recent efforts. But I really enjoyed this one.

Yes, this book was somewhat predictable (JFK Jr, anyone?), but you really couldn't put it down. It was a fast, light, easy summer read and the characters were worth investing in. Ultimately, I really enjoyed this one, but I didn't love it.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I love Emily Giffin's fascination with royalty...not only the British royals, but also the Kennedy famly, once viewed as America's royal family. In Meant To Be, she creates the fictional characters of Joe Kingsley and Cate Cooper, modeled after JFK, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, and tells their love story.
The story is told by Joe and Kate, in alternating chapters. Joe grew up in a life of privilege and ease (although he tragically lost his father when he was 3). His family history is deep in wealth and public service and he graduates from prep school, Harvard and then NYU Law School. On the other hand, Cate's life was challenging. Raised for many years by a single mother, who eventually marries an abusive police officer and moves them to her mother's dream town (Montclair, NJ - and it really is a lovely town, btw). Her home life wasn't pleasant and she escapes as soon as she's able, dropping out of high school. Their relationship begins with a meet cute moment on the beach and their story takes off. But, with such different backgrounds, is this a relationship that can last? Will they have their fairy tale happy ending?
The book had two challenges for me. At one point, Joe describes Cate as brilliant and worldly and she does seem to have a depth of knowledge. But, that aspect wasn't really developed as their stories unfolded. The other challenge for me was that perhaps I know too much about the JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette. This knowledge, for me, was a distraction from the story. That being said, there are MANY differences between the fictional characters and the real life people, especially Ms. Bessette, and I hope this isn't distracting for others.
The ending pushed my overall rating to 4 stars and I look forward to Ms. Giffin's next novel! Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the opportunity to read Meant To Be in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve loved every book that I’ve read by Emily Griffin, Meant To Be was no exception. Although loosely based upon the relationship of JFK jr and Carolyn: and knowing the final tragedy of them, the ending was sweet and romantic

Thank you Netgalley
For the opportunity to read Meant TO Be in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sprawling romance filled with rich history, lush writing, and powerful chemistry.. The perspectives were clear and distinct but really allowed you to get a fully realized picture and highlighted Joe and Cate's difference and also why they work together.

Surprising enough, this was my first Emily Giffin book - and I really got sucked in. I love that she loosely based it on JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessett’s story - I don’t know a whole lot about the Kennedys but this book makes me want to!

Emily wrote Joe and Cate’s story so beautifully - they came from absolute opposite backgrounds, but their relationship never felt forced or too trope-y. Their connection was raw, lovely, and heartbreaking, and that ending was so good.

This was a super celebrity romance with an almost too good to be true male MC - definitely a great summer read!

She had a poster of him on her wall in high school. From the wrong side of the tracks, Cate never thought her paths would cross with American golden boy Joseph S Kingsley III, much less fall in love with him. This summer, Emily Giffin brings readers back to a gilded moment in American in Meant to Be, a retelling of the next generation of Camelot.

Loosley, based on the romance of JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessett Kennedy, Meant to Be is an against-all-odds love story set in the glitz and glamour of New York City. Despite a successful modeling career, Cate Cooper's humble New Jersey beginnings have left a chip on her shoulder. She couldn't believe it when she ran into her childhood crush Joe in her trendy NYC neighborhood. Even with her guard up, Joe was instantly smitten and pursued Cate until he broke down her walls.

They sneak around town for a while, but eventually, the power couple accepts their place on Page 6 and attends galas, benefits, and Broadway plays. Paparazzi spotted them at all the New York splashy scenes where you'd expect to see a former model and up-and-coming politician. Not without trials, the intrusion of the media and figures from Cate's past plague the couple.

Giffin's storytelling is so descriptive and world-building so strong that it seeped into the real world as I dug in my makeup stash for an old tube of Mac Ruby Woo. One of my favorite aspects of this book is how Cate's style jumps off the page. I often found myself Googling what Carolyn Bessett Kennedy wore to the Met Gala or her looks with menswear lines. Emily Giffin wrote a beautiful afterword about her inspiration for the novel.

I won't spoil the ending, but if you're in the airport trying to make a call on a book to take to the beach, you won't go wrong with Meant to Be. It's an incredible love story with deeply developed characters and a magical setting! The perfect summer read!!

This is a 3.5 ⭐️ read for me so I rounded up. I liked the book I just expected more. I liked Joe and Cate just fine. Their relationship was sweet and I loved reading about them. I guess I felt like the story, especially in the beginning, was a bit lackluster. Like who is Berry and why do we care? Her character was random and provided nothing to the storyline. She wasn’t the only one either. It just felt choppy and forced in certain parts. Like there was more written that got edited out. Luckily as the story went on it got better and went faster. I started really getting into it and then the “conflict” came about. I didn’t love that part. I am not a fan of characters making it harder on themselves. And then the big event leading up to the ending was kind of out of the blue. Not bad just not sure where it came from. Overall I did like the book I just didn’t love the book.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the copy!!

I know a lot of people are raving about this one and it's definitely a beach read but I didn't connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. I enjoyed the JFK Jr./Carolyn Bessette-inspired story but wanted more. 3.25 stars

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the copy to review.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. While I wasn't alive during the Kennedy era, I have seen many posts that this book follows them. To me, it was a cute love story with a good ending. Quick read with good flow.

Emily Giffin’s latest novel Meant to Be is a captivating romance that is loosely inspired by the Kennedys, specifically John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. It’s the story of two people from very different worlds who are both trying to find their place in the world and, in the process, manage to find each other. Can their love overcome all the obstacles that stand in their way?

Meant to Be follows Cate and Joe. Joe, or Joseph S. Kingsley, III, comes from a family that is practically American royalty. His father was devoted to public service, first in the military, then in politics, and then in the space program, where he was tragically killed in an accident. Everyone in the country, including Joe’s mother, expects him to pick up his dad’s mantle and carry on with the Kingsley legacy. Joe doesn’t know how he feels about this and has a tendency to behave recklessly as he’s trying to figure out what he wants out of life.

Cate comes from a poor background, having spent her early years living in a tiny apartment with just her mom and a revolving door of men. Cate hates living this way and when she is a teenager, she finds her ticket out of poverty when she has the good fortune to be discovered by a modeling agency. When she meets Joe while on the beach doing a photoshoot, their attraction is instant. Cate wants to keep the relationship secret because if word gets out about her poor background, it’s all over for them since she doesn’t believe there’s a place for her in Joe’s world.

Giffin does an amazing job using Joe and his family to capture America’s obsession with the Kennedys and “Camelot” while at the same time creating a wholly fresh and engrossing love story of these two young people who just want to be together in spite of the pressures of class and society. Both Cate and Joe are just so well drawn. I loved the complicated dynamic of their relationship, the realistic angle as to whether their love is strong enough to withstand what would happen if Cate’s past were to be exposed. I was completely rapt by Cate and Joe’s story that I couldn’t put the book down and actually found myself sobbing by a huge unexpected twist at the end.

Meant to Be is a beautifully written story that will capture your heart, emotionally wreck you, and still manage to leave you feeling hopeful.

It's been a few years since I've read an Emily Giffin book and WOW do I remember now why I enjoy her writing so much! I love a good love story, but the historical fiction-esque twist in this one really pulled me in.

Great beach read for the summer. Warm characters and enchanting story will envelope the reader like a nice blanket!

This book was outstanding. I was hooked by the back-and-forth, back-and-forth nature of the storytelling. When the characters finally connected, it became a book I literally could not put down. It was reminiscent of another love story that I could not put my finger on, but Emily Giffen enlightened me at the very end. Don’t miss this one, it is a quick read, a wonderful love story with some tears and anticipation sprinkled in. I was fortunate enough to receive this book as an ARC in trade for my honest review. Thank you to Netgalley.com for allowing me to read Meant to Be and give it my honest opinion. It is an amazing book for the Summer of 2022!!!

Like every one of Emily Giffin’s books, I was quickly invested in each of the main characters and their stories. Although I didn’t want it to end, I finished this book in one night.

I absolutely devoured this book! I am a major JKF Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy fan and this book just gives you all the feels of their romance. This is the perfect summer beach read that you will absolutely fall in love from cover to cover.