Emily Giffin is at it again with an amazing new book! I was so excited to get a copy from NetGalley to read in advance of the release.

I love starting books with no expectations aside from the familiarity of the author's name, only to be instantly propelled into the parallel lives of two young adults struggling to find their place in the world.

Joe is the son of American royalty (think the Kennedy's) trying to make his own mark. Cate is trying to escape an abusive and lonely childhood. You wouldn't expect them to ever meet, but fate disagrees and over the course of a year two people struggling with their own inner and external demons, find that love is stronger than any tabloid news story.

When I first started this book, I didn't know how it was influenced by the Kennedy family, but it didn't take long to start feeling the exact emotions Giffin was trying to portray. It was every emotion, and in some shape of form, I think everyone one of us can relate to a character or a moment in the story. I don't often cry in books, but this one had me in tears at the end as the journey of Joe and Cate finished into the last pages.

I loved the alternate points of view, the imagery, and the pull of emotions with every chapter. These weren't just characters in a book. I felt like I really knew them.

For a reader of a certain generation, this book will be nostalgic and healing in equal parts. A fictionalized version of John Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette, the main characters are sympathetic and real, sometimes annoyingly so. Honestly, it's a cliche to say it at this point, but this might be the beach read of 2022 - for women who remember those glorious glamourous late- 90s.

As usual Emily Giffin pulls your heart strings and makes you really feel like a part of the story. This one is the story of Cate and Joe, whose lives are very different but their attraction to one another is definitely pulling them together. A story that has very similar tones to John Kennedy Jr.s life story made me remember the times of Camelot and an American family that felt like royalty. As I was reading I wondered if this book would have the same tragic ending as John Jr. and Caroline's. This would be a great beach read for anyone who likes romance, with a whimsical feel of rewritten American history.

It has been years since I've read an Emily Giffin book, and man did this one hit my sweet spot. I went into it relatively blind, but quickly saw the Kennedy connection and really enjoyed reading this story.

Joe has the country's (and his family's) expectations on his shoulders. He's a golden boy, and the world is quite literally his oyster. Cate comes from an abusive home, is simply trying to get ahead in life, and his very cautious about letting people in. However, once they meet, sparks fly. Will this last?

Both Joe and Cate were protagonists I was cheering for. They were genuine people who made realistic choices. As someone old enough to remember JFK Jr and Carolyn Bassett in the 90's, I liked how Giffin got her inspiration from them, but made this story uniquely Joe and Cate's. I flew through the book, and was holding my breathe till the end.

My only critique of this book is that the secondary characters were not developed at all, and were really just in place to serve a purpose. I especially would have liked to see more of Cate with her friends. But overall, this was a really enjoyable holiday weekend read!

Meant to Be is an enchanting new novel by Emily Giffin. Giffin tells the love story of Joe and Cate, Joe and Cate were raised in completely different worlds but Giffin skillfully brings them together. Joe is famous and considered American royalty. Cate had a middle class upbringing that featured a violent step-father. Cate blossoms as a teenager and becomes a successful fashion model and eventually meets Joe. Giffin's writing is crisp and realistic and the story is told alternately by Joe and Cate. All of Giffin's characters are interesting and Meant to Be is definitely one of the most enjoyable books of the year.
Thank you to Ballantine Books for the ARC.

Joe Kingsley is America’s sweetheart. Losing his hero dad at a young age, Joe is constantly in the limelight and often reminded that much has been given and much is expected.

Cate Cooper has led a completely different life, pulling herself up from her bootstraps and coming into her own, she doesn’t have the right pedigree to be in the same room as Joe.

A chance encounter on the beach leaves Joe wondering what he’s missing out on. Cate, on the other hand questions everything, is she worthy of someone like Joe?

Joe and Cate will find a place in your heart as you cheer for them through thick and thin, but will their love conquer all?

Giffin’s newest novel is a Kennedyesque against all odds love story that asks the deep rooted question of what if?

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Ballentine for allowing me to read this book and give an honest opinion. I was approved to read this book months ago and the similarities between John Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bissett were too much for me. I stopped reading it until this weekend when I convinced myself to just read it for the story. It was an interesting twist on a famous family and their life.

I LOVE JOE! Elizabeth @ Carolina Chic’s Read

Meant to Be is a story of two people from different backgrounds with some similar situations. Neither finding their true hearts home. One they finally meet as adults they have obstacles thrown in their way, Joe is so in love that he weaves them through each one. I LOVE JOE!!! Cate must give into being happy stop looking over her shoulder for the next blow. She is worried that the next one will have Joe walking away. Their happiness comes and it’s so beautiful.

5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Meant To Be is inspired by John Kennedy and Carolyn Bassett-Kennedy. The author writes in an authors note at the end of the book about the inspiration. I know of the couple and picked up on some similarities but this story stands on its own. It is about two people with different backgrounds forming a relationship with the added pressure of fame and expectations. The book is told from Joe’s POV and Cate’s POV. Often I got to see the same discussion from each characters POV which let me see more info their minds. I absolutely loved this book for the romance, can love conquer all, story. I’ll admit I thought of John and Carolyn throughout the book and wondered how many of the scenes were from their lives vs fiction. It added another element to an amazing book! This is the perfect escape read!

I loved this book from the very first page! I loved how easy it was to follow and the writing just flowed so nicely.

I liked how you got the characters back stories right in the beginning and how their love story grew. Joe and Cate’s love was just so genuine and pure and I truly believed that they were mean to be together.

When a book makes me feel something, and in this case lots of things, it’s almost always an immediate 5⭐️ for me. This book had me happy, sad, shocked, and almost crying by the end. It was just so great ❤️.

Please check trigger warnings before reading this though.

Overall, I loved this book so so much and I know it will stick with me for a long time. Highly recommend!

I have read everything that @emilygiffin has written and I have loved everything. Her latest book, Meant to Be, is no exception! I definitely stayed up way to late reading about Joe and Cate’s relationship.

Cate has a rough childhood after the death of her father and her mother remarries an abusive man. She leaves home at the first opportunity that arises. She’s modeling on the beach when she meets Joe Kingsley- the son of the famous family. His family is American Royalty. She tries to stay away from him and his fame, but she can’t deny she has major feelings for him. The book follows their ups and downs; I just absolutely loved it.

Joe and Cate bond over their shared loss of their fathers. But Joe had a decent childhood, although one in the spotlight with family pressure to live up to his father’s name. Cate tries desperately to keep her abusive stepfather away from her life and career, although this also means she keeps her mom at an arm’s length. A big part of this book is also based on chosen family, aka friendship. I love both Berry and Elna who always looked out for their BFFs.

This story is loosely based on the relationship between JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette. I knew a little about them before reading and I’ve gone on a massive binge read about them after. It’s such a tragic story about what happened to them, but I loved their love story.

Thank you so much to @penguinrandomhouse and @emilygiffin for my gifted ARC. Meant to Be is on sale on Tuesday, May 31!

5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Emily Giffin is one of my favorite writers so I recognized immediately that she was drawing parallels to the main characters in the book and John F. Kennedy Jr’s life. I’ll admit that at first, I wasn’t so sure about this. Her characters are usually normal people - down to earth with interesting happenings in their life but not American royalty. Over time though, I really did come to love Joe and Cate and their story together. I especially loved Joe. Cate was always a more reserved character so I think Joe’s warmness was able to come out more in the chapters. There was a moment towards the end where I wasn’t sure I liked the direction but ultimately, I loved it and understood the choices made. This is the kind of book I’d love to talk about with others that have read it because I’m trying to avoid spoilers in my review! Definitely a strong book club selection option.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing with me an ARC of Meant to Be in exchange for my honest review.

Are some relationships simply meant to be? This book will make you think so.

In addition to the fact this is an Emily Giffin book (I have them all! 😍) the title, Meant to Be, totally grabbed me.

I am a huge lover of the "meant to be" storyline and once I read the plot- I was hooked!

Loosely inspired by the lives of beloved JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, Meant to Be is an epic love story of the two worlds of Joe Kingsley, who comes from American Royalty, and Cate Cooper, who hails from a problematic childhood but grows up to make a name for herself as a model. When they meet, it’s magical…but two people + two different worlds and a lot of outside opinions? Cue the obstacles!

Will love overcome it all? Will the ending mirror the tragedy of JFK Jr. and Carolyn?

No spoilers here. But I will say that I loved this book and devoured it in a sitting. (Then went down an internet rabbit hole reminiscing about John-John 😭)

Thank you @penguinrandomhouse and NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The story is about a Kennedy-like family, the Kinglseys, starring Joe whose path crosses with Cate, a regular girl turned model. The two then become intertwined with each other and eventually fall in love. The story is told between alternating viewpoints from Joe and Cate.

The author's note at the end goes into more depth about the inspiration for the story and how the story is inspired by John Kennedy Jr and Carolyn.

I flew through this like like love story and enjoyed the historical inspiration behind it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Ballantine Books for gifting me a digital ARC of Emily Giffin's latest novel - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Joe Kingsley III is the descendant of American royalty and was raised with the motto of "to whom much is given, much is required. But Joe has a bit of trouble following that and he flounders a bit under the expectations of a nation. Meanwhile, Cate had a troubled childhood and escaped as soon as an opportunity presented itself - modeling. When Joe and Cate have a chance meeting, there is no denying the spark. But can two people from such different worlds make their love last?

This book is a fictionalized account of JFK Jr., and his wife Carolyn and what might have happened to their love story. In Giffin's very capable hands, you will fall into this romance tale and not want to emerge until the end. I loved the characters - a great cast of supporting ones as well! This book made you think about how we treat celebrities and what it really does to them - maybe especially those that are born into their celebrity and the expectations they must live under. It's also a story of how our past defines us and our future. Definitely add this to your TBR list!

Those who have a fascination with JFK Jr. and Carolyn Besette, or perhaps even better, those who don't know their story, will find this more interesting than I did, I'm a fan of Giffin for her storytelling and it's as strong here as ever. What didn't work for me was the plot, which is a too thinly fictionalized retelling of the romance of Kennedy and Besette, right down to the initials of their names. Besette seemed a bit of a cipher in real life and if there's an upside here, it's that Giffen has given her, in the body of Cat, more heft and a bigger back story. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.. I'll be the odd one out.

The Kingsley family is American royalty. Everyone knows their name & their background is rich with military heroes, political activists & politicians. In 1967, after Joseph S. Kingsley, Jr. is killed in a tragic accident, his charismatic son inherits the weight of that legacy. But Joe III is a free spirit. Despite his best intentions, he has trouble meeting the expectations of a nation, as well as those of his exacting mother, Dottie. Meanwhile, Cate Cooper grew up on the other end of the spectrum. She, too, lost her father when she was three, but that is where she similarities ended. She and her mother were poor, and once her mother remarried, it was to an abusive man who made Cate and her mom's life a constant state of fear. At age sixteen, Cate was discovered by a modeling scout, dropped out of high school and moved out of the house. Soon her face was found on billboards and magazine ads everywhere. When Joe and Cate unexpectedly cross paths one afternoon, their connection is instant and intense. But can their relationship survive the glare of the spotlight and the so-called Kingsley curse? In a beautifully written novel that captures a gilded moment in American history, Emily Giffin tells the story of two people searching for belonging and identity, as well as the answer to the question: Are certain love stories meant to be?
This book was so good. The story was based loosely on the Kennedy family, so that made it even more appealing. It was told in alternating chapters between Joe & Cate. The story was fresh and magical & I am almost sad that I have finished the book now and the story is over. If you love a good love story (or really just a good story, period), then you will want to check this one out.

A wonderfully written story! I couldn't put this one down and it reminded me a lot of Emily Giffin's early novels. Joe was just perfect but not annoyingly so, his actions and thoughts came across as very genuine. I loved his character. I also love Cate just not quite as much. I was annoyed that after being with Joe for so long and him consistently staying by her side that she still pulled away. I understand that she was emotionally and verbally abused growing up, but I think she as a person was smarter than that to take it out on Joe. I get that there needed to be some conflict, but I think it could have come from somewhere else. I really loved that Joe was so loyal and committed to her. If you are a fan of Emily Giffin or just want a really amazing love story, definitely check this one out!

Another must read from Emily Giffin! I was so excited to recieve approval for this book. Emily Giffin does not dissappont with her latest novel!

This is a beautiful Cinderella-esque love story between two people who grow up in completely different environments and come from opposite socio-economic backgrounds. Not all fairy tales are smooth sailing, but that’s what makes this story seem so tangible and real. It felt like I had a front row seat on a journey watching two beautiful souls finding their way to each other.

Joe is basically American royalty. He grew up going to the best schools and in the spotlight constantly surrounded by paparazzi. Cate is from a broken home and lives with her mother (who seems to care more about finding a guy than paying attention to her daughter). This leads to a hasty marriage with a man that is abusive- a true villain.

Fast forward some years and Joe and Cate are grown. Joe sees Cate on the beach and has an instant attraction. This begins their adorable meet cute and their love story, but everything is not rosy and perfect. They have lots of obstacles to overcome. Drama and scrutiny come at them from every corner. Not only from friends and family, but even the public. Read this and get swept away in a story that is a modern day fairytale. The road isn’t easy, but their story about true and lasting love is worth the trials. This book was a beautiful vacation read, but more than that…it’s a book that sweeps you up in a magical love story. You won’t be sorry you picked it up. 4/5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.