I was drawn to Emily Giffin’s Meant To Be by its cover and the obvious tie to the JFK Jr. story. It was easy to romanticize the beautiful couple, and given the author’s interest in JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s story, I wasn’t the only one who was intrigued by them.

The story is told in a linear time line by the two main characters, Joe and Cate. The chapters alternate between their perspectives, and often they retell the same scene. I know this is not an unusual story format, but I’ve never cared for re-reading the same scene twice. While I was attracted to the premise of the story, the execution didn’t grab me as I anticipated. The characters felt two dimensional, and neither gave me a reason to fall in love with their story.

Ms. Giffin’s research of the era and her inspiration is evident. Her reimagined ending for the inspirational couple is romantic rather than tragic. I predict that readers who are unfamiliar with the historical basis of Meant To Be, will appreciate the story and be inspired to do a little researching of their own. I’m always impressed by a book that inspires me to further research the topic.

I like Emily Giffin’s writing style a lot. This book which is inspired by JFK Jr’s life was a strange read for me. The story is based off fictional characters but it was really close at times and seemed more like fan fiction than a fictionalization.

I have fallen in love and have gone down a Google rabbit hole about JFK Jr and his wife Carolyn Bessette, all because of Emily Giffin's latest novel, Meant to Be. I am coming out of a reading slump, and this book hit the mark. It is out now and should not be missed!

I loved everything about this book. Giffin has taken the story of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette and has reimaged it to create this masterpiece. The story is told from alternating POV's between Joe and Cate, starting from when they were young, through meeting and falling in love. I would classify the story as a women's fiction romance tale, and is PERFECT for the upcoming summer season!

Not only do we get to know Cate and Joe, but there are also a few side characters we get to know as well, from Joe's best friend Berry to Cate's family and close friends. As we watch Cate struggle with falling into Joe's world, I think I experienced every emotion under the sun. This story doesn't have any crazy twists or turns, nor is it crazy with action. But it has heart, romance and made me want to kiss these characters one minute, and then shake them the next.

For any romance fans out there, I think you will want to give this one a try! But be careful - by the end of the story I found myself Googling everything about JFK Jr and his relationship with Carolyn.

Really good story that is reminiscent of the Kennedy's mainly John Jr & Carolyn. A must read for Kennedy fans.
I read this book in one day. A really nice enjoyable read.
Emily is one of my favorite Authors and I read all her books.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Ballantine books and the Author, Emily Giffin for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Happy publication day to this new book from Emily Giffin! As a big fan of the Kennedy mythology, I really enjoyed this Kennedy inspired novel that is still completely its own story. I have enjoyed Emily Giffin's work in the past and was interested in this work for that reason, but I didn't realize going into it that it was Kennedy adjacent. I was happily surprised when this connection was made very early on in the novel, but as I said this work goes on to stand on its own as a great book with its own story to tell. It delves into the worlds of fashion, politics, American media and pop culture, and the 90's with themes as far reaching as fame to domestic violence. The ending was a big surprise and I definitely was anticipating a different outcome. I would definitely recommend this book and think it will be talked about summer read.

#FirstLine ~ I don't remember my father.

I loved this book. It was sweet and captivating. I thought it was such a wonderful love story mixed with a deep and thoughtful characters. I was drawn in immediately. I felt a deep connection to this story because it was an imperfect story with flawed characters and missteps. A perfect book for book clubs.

Emily Giffin writes what i think of as sappy books (Lies That Bind, All We Ever Wanted), so I wasn’t sure how this one would go. Particularly after I read that Meant To Be followed a family portrayed as “American royalty,” featuring a son whose father is killed in a tragic accident and who feels like he needs to meet the expectations of pretty much everyone in the nation. Kennedys. anyone?

It isn’t exactly a roman a clef, but the Kingsley clan is more Kennedy-esque than many of the current Kennedys. Joseph S. Kingsley III is somewhat a free spirit, and his exacting mother doesn’t make things easier for him. Joseph marries Carolyn – oops, I mean Cate Cooper, a woman who reveres the Kingsley family – to the point of having a poster of JK3 on the wall of her bedroom in the trailer where she lived as a young girl. She is gorgeous, to the point that she becomes the most super of supermodels, and falls in love with her hero and becomes fodder for the tabloids herself. She never feels like she belongs, and the dramatic tension revolves around whether she ever will. Or whether she will survive, as they fly off in his small plane to attend a wedding on a coastal island (EEK!).

I’m sure fans of Kennedy family lore will love it, and it is a good enough read to get you through an afternoon or two, if you enjoy family sagas. Reading the afterword, the author admits to her lifelong attraction to the Kennedy family story, and it was interesting to read how she used that to create this book. Not wonderful, not terrible, and fairly well written so four stars (rounded up from 3.5) and thanks to Random House – Ballantine and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Here we are with yet another exhilarating and beautifully written book by Ms. Emily Giffin. We all know and love her prior stories and this one is no different. I honestly don’t think she ever misses with her books.

This book was a great way to kick off the summer. We are transporting to Joe’s world–an infamous player, bad boy type who never settles down or falls in love until he meets the intoxicating model Cate.

I’ll be honest, the beginning of the book really reminded me of “It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover because it delved so deeply into Cate’s mother’s issues with men and the prevailing domestic violence she endured and the trauma Cate “inherited” from her mother, if you will, due to all those toxic relationships. Alas, we are happy to see that in this book there is a positive message and epiphany Cate goes through essentially stating that while she can love her mother and want to help her, her mother essentially has to learn on her own and help herself. If not, nothing will ever change.

I love books where I can get lost in them. I also loved Cate and Joe’s love story. An unlikely duo but ultimately a pleasant one. Cate is a strong, smart woman who has forged her own path in the modeling world. Joe is from old money and success who struggles finding his own way until he meets Cate.

I had NO IDEA that the book, in a way, loosely mirrored the real-life relationship between John Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette until someone posted about it online! I admit I had to look up what they looked like on Google and for ONCE the characters I envisioned looked exactly as the real-life people the story was based on.

I’m always thrilled to be able to review an Emily Giffin book. I loved this book and I sure you will enjoy it as well.

I actually wanted to like this one more than I did (which sort of happened with another book I’ve read from her).

This is a story about a wealthy man living in the shadows of his famous American-royalty father who never feels like he measures up and a woman from the other side of the tracks who was raised in an abusive home but manages to rise above in the fashion industry. They have their challenges to overcome as a couple (mostly dealing with their different socio-economic backgrounds).

The plot is fine (and very loosely based on real-life people/events, which was kind of neat and interesting), and the story is well-written, but unfortunately both leads irritated and frustrated me much of the time. These were both adults (he was 30+), but they were immature in their actions/motivations. The heroine made a left-field decision toward the end that threw me, and our hero felt too entitled and spoiled to raise any feeling in me over his waffling about his life. I really ended up feeling no empathy for them…and I really need that from the stories I read.

This one just didn’t quite measure up for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing the free early arc of Meant to Be for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Meant to Be by Emily Giffin. Pub Date: May 31, 2022. Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. Happy Pub Day to this gem of a book! Over Memorial Day Weekend I picked this one up and read it in 24 hours. Seriously, just go pick this book up because it is THAT GOOD. Kennedy family vibes, love, heartbreak, fame and tragedy are all themes in this book. I love a good spin on famous people, especially when it involves the Kennedy family (Caroline and JFK Jr), and I think Emily Giffin did a fantastic job writing this novel. All the stars! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #emilygiffin #meanttobe #randomhouse #ballantinebooks #netgalley #bookworm #bibliophile #igreads #bookstagram

When I see a new release for Emily Giffin I don't even bother to read the blurb. It doesn't matter, I know I will love it. This one is no different.

Joe Kingsley grows up very much in the public eye. His family is old money rich and his father died a hero as an astronaut. It doesn't hurt that he's gorgeous too. Cate also loses her father at a young age but she grew up so far from his world she had a poster of him on her wall when she was younger. Her mother remarries a cop who initially seemed to be the perfect man but ended up being a nightmare abuser. Cate gets scouted to become a model and moves out as soon as she is old enough. She actually meets Joe while she's on a photo shoot at the Hampton's and he asks for her number, but he doesn't call because he's still involved with someone else. Later, Cate retires from modeling and takes a job working in fashion for a designer and Joe crosses her path again, this time he's single but she's got a boyfriend. He respects that but starts wooing her anyway. They fall in love and start planning their lives when she has a big ugly surprise show up making her re-think everything. The authors note talks about growing up admiring the Kennedy's, from John & Jackie, to John Jr & Caroline. It's easy to picture their faces on these characters.

If you like any of Emily Giffin's previous works, this book will rate right up there with the others.

The Kingsley family is as close as we come to royalty in the United States. They are known for their public service, military success and classic style. Joe Kingsley is trying to find his way and purpose that keeps in line with tradition and expectations of his mother. He is under scrutiny by the paparazzi and his every move is documented. Cate has had the complete opposite upbringing from Joe. She began modeling at an early age to escape a less than ideal home life. When Joe and Cate meet sparks fly. They try to keep their relationship under wraps and out of the public eye for as long as they can. Once their relationship hits the media and Cate meets Joe’s cautious family, Cate begins to panic. Her old insecurities surface. However, in the face of an unexpected tragedy they have to figure out what they both want.
I really enjoyed this book. Joe and Cate are both lovable characters who are loosely based off John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. This book shows what may have happened if they had survived their tragic plane crash. Definitely add this to your summer reading list and be swept away into a beautiful love story.

The Kingsley family is as close as we come to royalty in the United States. They are known for their public service, military success and classic style. Joe Kingsley is trying to find his way and purpose that keeps in line with tradition and expectations of his mother. He is under scrutiny by the paparazzi and his every move is documented. Cate has had the complete opposite upbringing from Joe. She began modeling at an early age to escape a less than ideal home life. When Joe and Cate meet sparks fly. They try to keep their relationship under wraps and out of the public eye for as long as they can. Once their relationship hits the media and Cate meets Joe’s cautious family, Cate begins to panic. Her old insecurities surface. However, in the face of an unexpected tragedy they have to figure out what they both want.
I really enjoyed this book. Joe and Cate are both lovable characters who are loosely based off John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. This book shows what may have happened if they had survived their tragic plane crash. Definitely add this to your summer reading list and be swept away into a beautiful love story.

Good story, it slowed and flagged in places, however moved me in several spots. The constant self doubt is a little overwhelming, but the truest of heart warming romance is buried here, just requiring the reader to persevere. A definite do not miss, addition to your must read list.

This is a book based very loosely on the story of the Kennedy family and the expectations that surround those with power and wealth. Joe Kingsley is the heir to the crown of an American empire with all of the trappings that come with it. He does not necessarily fall into the stereotype of rich and famous, but almost. He becomes a sympathetic characters because of his childhood in which he was mostly put on a back burner and raised by his grandmother instead of his absentee parents. Cate is from the other side of the tracks, a young woman who wants nothing more than to escape her life with her single mother and abusive stepfather. She is able to find the means to do so when she is discovered as a promising model. The story is based on the two of them meeting, both of them likable characters because of circumstances beyond their control. This is a romance but is not a typical girl meets boy and they live happily ever after. There is a great deal of conflict and emotion involved as the two feel the need to satisfy their adoring public as well as pursue dreams. Joe is intent on carrying out the legacy of his powerful family while Cate is intent on not being subjugated to the whims of any man ever. The story is believable and well-written romance that had me cheering for both characters who were both underdogs in their own way. Cate has secrets from her childhood that she does not want to put under the light of Joe’s notoriety, so there is a conflict there that begs for a resolution. The plot is paced well, with just enough details to keep me reading as I followed the stories of both characters separately until they finally meet and have to determine how their futures will go. Without giving away the plot, I will say that the way the author wove the story was magical as well as believable and so engaging as to be a fast read. Fans of contemporary women’s fiction with a little bit of a CInderella/Prince Charming story included will enjoy the story of two young people who may or may not find their destiny in each other.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

A story about two people with vastly different upbringings and how they strive to find happiness. Joe III and Cate will capture your heart and leave you wanting more. Based loosely on JFK Jr and Carolyn, you will be taken on a journey of what if?

The characters are well written and you feel like you are right there with them, experiencing what they are. The way the story was written you get many facets of the characters: vulnerability, honesty and charming attributes. I couldn’t put this down and look forward to the next book.

I received an ARC and am leaving my honest, voluntary review.

“Meant To Be” was another quick read by Emily Giffin that follows a couple who were raised totally differently as they grow up and then meet and develop their relationship. It appears to be loosely based on JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s romance. I flew through the pages and was interested in how this couple from “opposite sides of the track” could make it work, especially with one of the main characters being essentially American royalty. I found myself invested in the story and finding it to be a rather cute romance. Overall, I liked this book. It certainly was a good start to kicking off the summer 2022 reading lists. 4 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.

What if John Jr and Carolyn's plane wouldn't have gone down? I didn't have an issue with keeping history separated from what I was reading and the story actually helps you imagine what could have been going on between the two. Loved this one, read it quickly.

This book was amazing just like every Emily Giffin book I've read. It was definitely a take on the JFK Jr/Carolyn Bessette romance. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the Kennedy family. Joe and Cate had amazing chemistry and Joe was such a great guy, as I imagine JFK Jr was as well. 5 stars!

I have read and enjoyed Emily Giffin's books in the past, but I had a hard time with this book as it's loosely based on the Kennedy family, in particular JFK, Jr. and is wife Carolyn Bessette. While reading, all I could keeping thinking of was John, Jr. and Carolyn rather than Joe and Cate. If you can focus more on their story and not the similarities to the Kennedys than I think you will like this book. Thank you netgalley for the ARC.