I found the book to be a bit slow up until a few chapters before the end. Told from dual POV, there were many instances where one of the main character's chapters would give Cate or Joe's take on an event or situation, and the following chapter would start with the other person's view on the same thing. Felt a bit to me like rereading, as I can't recall an instance where the second telling revealed anything super significant or feelings that the reader couldn't already have sensed.
I didn't feel a particularly strong interest in either character. There's an Author's Note explanation at the end, but the book is similar to JFK Jr and his wife. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it were less tied to them. The book was just ok for me.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was beyond excited to receive an advanced copy of Emily Giffin’s newest novel Meant to Be. It is not surprising that this is another hit for Giffin. Meant to Be is told in dual perspectives from Cate Cooper and Joseph Kingsley (aka Joe III). Cate Cooper had a traumatic upbringing in her home with her single mom and then with her abusive step-father. Cate found modeling as a way to escape the horror of being home. Meanwhile, Joe’s future has been mapped out since the day his father was killed and the entire nation mourned his passing. Very similar to the Kennedy’s nonfictional story, Meant to Be follows both Joe and Cate as their worlds become intertwined and very much in the public eye. Giffin allows readers to escape to a world where Cate and Joe discover what their futures hold and whether their connection is strong enough to allow them to experience them together. I loved the contrast between Joe and Cate’s families. Where Joe had literally the weight of a nation on him, expecting him to succeed; and no one expected Cate to become anyone. Meant to Be is sure to be a summer hit. Fans of Giffin’s will be thrilled and anyone that loves stories similar to the Kennedy’s will not be disappointed. Meant to Be is perfect for the pool bag or beachside and releases May 31st!

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another lovely romance from Emily Giffin!

Joe and Cate are here for the perfect summer read. Their romance while not always perfect was real and relatable. Also the friends they made family will steal your heart.

I could not put this book down!! Preorder this one!!

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a digital early release in exchange for an honest review.

Emily Giffin is back with a banger 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 MEANT TO BE releases later this month and will be a hit spring/summer romance you’ll want to binge in one sitting by the beach 💖💙🤍❤️

🌟 rating: 5 stars
📖 genre: romance + historical fiction
#️⃣ pages: 368
🥳 pub day: 5/31
✍🏼 same author of THE LIES THAT BIND, SOMETHING BLUE
read if you like: THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO, AMERICAN ROYALS, RED WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE, books about celebrities, the Kennedy family, contemporary romance

what i love about Giffin’s novels is that they don’t fit in a specific mold—they’re not focused on a certain trope and nothing is forced. i’m not the biggest romance reader but when books are super trope-y (enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, etc.) they get SO predictable for me and become hard to enjoy. with Giffin, it’s just a fricken good love story that evolves naturally. and that is exactly what you get with MEANT TO BE. it’s loosely based on the Kennedy family and will send you back to the 90s. it was such a fun take on the family—more specifically JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette and their relationship—and what their life could have been like (since it was so mysterious, even to this day). i was hooked from the start and fell in love with the ending. cannot recommend enough 🤩🤩🤩

like i mentioned, MEANT TO BE is based off JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette and their mysterious, complicated relationship. the story follows them all the way—from how JFK Jr. pursued her, when they started dating, how the fame and paparazzi affected them, and the fateful day of the airplane crash. but this story might be different from what you’ve read online 👀

this is 100% a bingeable book and after you gobble it up, you’ll want to google everything you can about them when you’re done 😂 i think it might be my favorite book from @emilygiffinauthor 🙌🏼 but please beware of the TW going in (lots around abuse).

hope this makes you pre-order or snag from your library when it’s out later this month! a big thanks to @shelfie.queen for making me want to pick this up next… even though it gave me a week hangover 🤪😘

#gifted from @randomhouse 💖

Review: Meant to Be by Emily Giffin 4.5 stars

A restless golden boy and a girl with a troubled past navigate a love story that may be doomed before it even begins.

I read every single one of Emily Giffin's novels and MEANT TO BE brought me back to her earlier books. She writes stories that keep you wanting more with strong characters, great chemistry, and some questionable decisions sprinkled throughout.

The alternating viewpoint chapters flowed so well. There was just enough overlap in the chapters that you got each characters unique viewpoint without being redundant. Plus each character had a distinct voice that made you connect to each character.

Since this was loosely based on JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette, some of the plot points were predictable but there was still a twist that surprised me. I could see Meant to Be being picked up for a film option and being a popular pick for anyone that loved Something Borrowed.

Loved this romance very loosely based on the tragic relationship between JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette. Joe comes from an American dynastic family and much is expected of him. He charms everyone he meets but is actually kind of lost. Cate comes from an abusive home and is very careful emotionally. Their relationship has its ups and downs-it was swoony at parts and at other times very angsty. I plowed through this book not sure what was going to happen with these two. I won't spoil what happens but the story definitely wrecked me at times.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for my honest review. Glad that I can put this amongst my top Giffin reads of all time.

Thank you to Netgalley, Emily Giffin and Penguin Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have read every single Emily Giffin book. Some I've really loved, some I've liked, and some I'm lukewarm on. However, after reading Meant to Be, I TRULY believe Emily was born to write Modern Historical Fiction (is that a genre? can it be a genre?)

This book was beautiful in every way. Loosely based on the love and short life of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, the characters of Joe and Cate seemed to embody their spirit, or what I would have imagined they were like. The feeling that Emily Giffin put into her words illustrated two lives that experienced loss, love, happiness, anger, and friendship. You wanted to root for them, you wanted them to be happy. It was a beautiful escape into the American elite social circles.

I do feel a few sections of the book were a bit drawn out. I think each chapter served it's purpose, but some things were mentioned that ended up not being addressed, and some of the earlier chapters describing their childhoods were a bit bland at times. But overall, this was a really good book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading, so much so that I finished it a little over a day. If you are looking for a fun summer romance with historical ties, definitely pick this one up!

I have been a fan of Emily Giffin since Something Borrowed came out when I was a junior in high school, and have read every book she’s written since. While I certainly have some I prefer over others, Meant to Be has easily shot up into my top 3 favorites. Giffin has a way of writing romance that never feels trope-y with relationships that develop organically. While this book was heavily inspired by real people, I loved the twists and turns that made this book her own. I can’t remember the last time I felt so invested in a fictional relationship, and Joe and Cate truly are meant to be. I laughed, I cried, I swooned— this book absolutely has it all. This is one of those books I wish never had to end, and I would happily read hundreds of pages more about this couple. Beautiful and moving, this is a must read!

Meant To Be, by Emily Giffin, is a truly magical, mesmerizing story that you won’t want to put down. It’s an absolutely beautiful, moving love story of two people from very different walks of life and backgrounds who connect with one another in the most fundamental way, despite their differences. It will make you believe in soulmates and the potential for a happily ever after if you are lucky enough to find the right person…the person who makes the world more bearable and helps you dream big and achieve your fullest potential because you know that you are never alone.

Meant To Be is a retelling of sorts, of the classic, but tragic, John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy love story with enough significant alterations to make it its own unique story. These characters are so appealing and the details of their life are fascinating. This plot captivated me and their story stole my heart.

Meant To Be is infused with hope of true love and the idea of a best friend as a partner for life, something I’ve been blessed to find for myself. It’s a love story, but it’s so much more. It grapples with the topic of domestic abuse in a realistic, but respectful and impactful manner. It’s also a story of perseverance, authenticity, tenacity and gratitude. This story will change you, as it changed me, and is one you won’t want to miss.

You know the feeling you have when you love a book so much that you want to reread it again and again? That is exactly how I felt after reading Meant to Be by the uber-talented Emily Giffin. I adored this book so, so much not only because it was written by Giffin, one of my all-time favorite authors, but because it's so clearly an homage to one of my most beloved American families (and the authors), the Kennedys as the characters of Joe Kingsley III and Cate Cooper and their relationship are based on JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette.

This is a beautiful love story of two people who are truly meant to be together. However, they couldn't be from more different worlds--Joe is from American royalty as a scion of the wealthy Kingsley family and is expected to carry on the family legacy even as he chafes against it. At the same time, Cate is a former model with an abusive step-dad and no high school diploma just trying to hide her secrets from the world. The two face improbable odds, including Joe's celebrity and the paparazzi's insane obsession, to be together, but will their love be enough?

I believe that Giffin did an outstanding job with her newest novel and was both happy and sad when this one was over--sad that it ended but happy with how she'd finished it. Meant to Be is a must-read for the summer and highly recommended!

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

-Review posted on Twitter and Goodreads on 5/19/22 and will be posted on Amazon and B&N on publication date

This was a decent read. A little slow at some points, but definitely enjoyable. Even without reading the author’s note at the end, you definitely get JFK Jr. vibes from the main characters.

While I liked this, it definitely didn’t blow me away. A solid three-star read.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I started this on the plane and I really enjoyed it. I was reading it and I don't usually look at a synopsis right before I read a book, so a few chapters in, I was like wait?? is this slightly based on JFK Jr? The line about the main male character failing the Bar Exam twice made me do a double take so I immediately flipped to the author's note to see and Emily Giffin's comments there about it!

I was dawn into this story of Joe and Cate which is very loosely based on JFK Jr & Carolyn Bessette and looked at the what if. The romance was told in both of their points if view and I liked reading about the same event through both of their eyes.

Definitely check this one out when it comes out at her end of May! Thanks to @egbookclub & @emilygiffinauthor for an advanced copy!

LOOOOOVED. Might be in my top 10 of the year? Such an epic love story. I will be gushing over this one for quite some time. Highly recommend to romance fans.

I received an ARC of, Meant to Be, by Emily Giffin. I could not get into this book at all. The characters were not nice. Cate annoyed me.

This book was a fun treat! I loved it! It was a good reset after I read a heavier book. It kept me flipping pages well past my bedtime!!

This was a really smooth, well paced read. I read for hours and just enjoyed the flow of the book. Cate doesn't do relationships at all since her mother always showed a young Cate that self value can't be found in a man. Her mother eventually marries an abusive man and Cate witnesses their dysfunctional marriage for years before quitting high school to work as a model. It's while on a modeling shoot that she meets Joe. His family is obviously a take on the Kennedys. The book then covered their relationship. I liked how open and honest Cate was about feeling inferior and not good enough for Joe. I loved how much Joe loved Cate and always showed her that love. It's been awhile since I've read and Emily Giffin book, I have them all and am up to date except for The Lies that Bind and now I'm moving it up on my TBR pile.

3.5 stars for a story that touched on several topics in a way that maybe helped to destigmatize the shame associated with them.
Cate comes from "the wrong side of the tracks" in the eyes of the elite. Joe comes from one of the most elite families and is known everywhere he goes. Cate has stories to hide and fears being seen with him partly for that reason. Education, or lack thereof, is another one of those issues.
Handled well, I enjoyed the story until about the 80% mark when it seemed a bit too drama laden and over the t.op so it didn't rate 4 stars for me.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Meant to Be, Emily GIffin
May 31, 2022
Random House -- Ballentine

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Emily Giffin hits a homerun with this new book. Yes, this is a romance at its core -- as Giffin gives us her take on a Kennedy-esque American family -- but, GIffin weaves a beautiful story that will make you believe in the power of the heart.

Joe and Cate both grew up without fathers, but that is where the similarities end. Joe is an assistant DA from a storied political family, sexiest man alive and destined for the White House. Cate escaped a violent, abusive home by becoming a successful model and hates the spotlight. This relationship shouldn't work and the paparazzi is relentless -- but, what if they are Meant to Be?

#netgalley @netgalley #arc #bookstagram #bookstagrammer @emilygiffinauthor #meanttobe #summerread #chicklit

I will be honest and say that I did not expect much from this book. I remember reading and really enjoying Emily Giffin's books when Something Borrowed first came out, and then not really paying attention for a while. This book came along to prove me wrong. I binge-read this thing in less than 24 hours. The character development was insane, and because it is inspired by a real-life story (I won't spoil it for you, but if you're over the age of 30, you will recognize the characteristics of the people in the story and figure it out sooner rather than later). I found myself really getting into the story and not trying to equate it with real life, which would normally happen if the characters took on the names of the historical figures they are based upon. I highly recommend this book if you want something refreshing, with a new viewpoint on a historical story, and perhaps some interesting and well-thought-out plot differences which I think really added to the story itself.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for an early review copy of Meant to Be. Emily Giffin is a favorite author of mine, and I could not wait to read her latest!

Meant to Be is the love story between Joe and Cate, who grew up in two different worlds. Joe Kingsley Jr. is American royalty and a major celebrity. Cate Cooper grew up with her single mother, and her childhood was ruined by an abusive stepfather. They eventually cross paths when Cate becomes a successful model, and Joe is smitten. Little does he know that Cate grew up worshipping his good looks.

This book was classic Emily Giffin, and shares a heartwarming love story with just enough drama and interesting main characters to keep the reader engaged. I loved the dynamic between Cate and Joe, and how Cate challenged him. She had a traumatic past, which affected their relationship, but he was so endeared to her that he loved her despite her insecurities. The celebrity angle made this a fun read, but there was also a lot of grit and emotion to the story. I flew through this book and highly recommend it!