I was lucky to receive an advanced edition from one of my favorite authors in exchange for a review. The Kennedys have always fascinated me and I grew up reading the tabloids with my grandmother and remember the extreme amount of interest in JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. As soon as I read the description of this book, I knew I had to read it. Through Joe Kingsley and Cate, we get to relive the 90s and imagine what may have happened if JFK Jr and Carolyn had survived their tragic plane crash. Cate seemed kind of weak compared to who she is based on, but overall I enjoyed the story

I received a complimentary copy of Meant to Be from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Although I love Emily Giffin, this was not my favorite of her novels. Maybe because of the famous/historical parallels, my expectations aligned too predictably with plot events. It did not keep me on the edge of my seat, and I just was not as interested as in her previous books.

I enjoyed this book enormously! It is the story of two young people from vastly different backgrounds. Joe is from a wealthy family, the son of a deceased hero. His family expects much of him. He is charming, handsome, honest and full of integrity. Cate is from an impoverished background. She was a high school dropout. Her father is not in the picture, her mother remarried, to an abusive monster. But Cate is smart, beautiful and struggles with her insecurities. Cate and Joe, when they met, experienced an instant attraction. The story unfolds so beautifully. I wanted the story to last forever!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book! It is a fictionalized take on the Kennedy family. I was a fan of all the characters and was hooked from the moment I started it. I think Emily Giffin gets better with each book she writes.

This is the story of Joseph Kinsley and Cate- basically an inspired story of John f Kennedy jr and Carolyn Bessett. While I enjoyed the initial premise, I did feel like I already knew the story. The characters felt stale and the plot felt like something I had already read. I was underwhelmed by the ending.

This is a captivating read, perfect for your summer beach bag. I enjoyed how Giffin re-casts well-known characters from the headlines in this carefully plotted narrative. Joe and Cate are realistic, with real-life dreams and flaws. Their chemistry develops in a believable way.

Meant to Be was outstanding! I enjoy all of Emily Giffins novels, but I must say this was was one of my favorites. I really liked the modern day spin on Kennedy inspired U.S. history. Between the romance, family drama, and friendships you aren’t going to want to miss this one!

A story of two people who come from very different backgrounds. Joe is the son of a man who was a public figure, his grandfather also a public figure - a philanthropist and a friend of Teddy Roosevelt. His grandmother, a famous suffragist from another esteemed family. As such, Joe, by default, has grown up in the public eye, and therefore much is expected of him. His father died soon after his third birthday, so what memories he claims he has are dismissed by others. Still, they still feel real to him, which brings him some comfort. But Joe has been in the public eye most of his life, and he is no longer a toddler. There are expectations from his mother, as well as those who are familiar with his family legacy - there are burdens that come with privilege, and as well as assumptions made. Teen girls that grew up during that time had posters of him on their wall, hoping that one day he would notice them, and dream of more. Everyone assumes he will follow the path his father would have, had he lived longer. Politics.

He made it all seem effortless, with his charismatic smile and looks, but underneath that smile was the grief he’d carried for most of his life. But when everyone knows who you are, and the paparrazzi is everywhere, you can’t afford to let it show. The burdens of the expectations.

Cate, on the other hand, one of the girls who once upon a time had a poster of him in her room, comes from another world. The only thing she has in common with someone like Joe is the death of her father when she was three. The life that followed wasn’t nearly as glamorous, she and her mother moving in with her grandmother soon after, with her mother finding a job as a waitress, and - eventually - remarrying. As the years go by, and many tries, Cate lands a modeling job in her senior year, her mother is thrilled, and her stepfather is not.

During a modeling shoot on a beach, Joe is walking his dog who catches the attention of the cast of people telling Cate what they want out of her next, as well as Cate. He gives her his phone number, letting her know he is interested.

A story of the haves and the have-nots, and a love story that has its trials, internal and external, ups and downs. A re-imagination of a different scenario, a ‘what-if’ kind of story.


Pub Date: 31 May 2022

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Ballantine Books

An interesting modern-day spin on the everlasting mystique of John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. This made for an excellent vacation read, as most of the material is fairly breezy and I quickly got through it. However, I think it could have used additional depth to leave a truly lasting impact. I appreciated the dual narrative to get inside the heads of both Joe and Cate, but would have liked more than a mere handful of chapters devoted to their childhoods and teenage years to fully capture their pivotal upbringing instead of rapidly cutting to them as adults. The third act twist comes out of nowhere and its sole purpose is to cause conflict in an otherwise pleasant relationship shortly before the end, which is frustrating. Bottom line: enjoyable, but won't linger long in my memory bank.

What the @$$$?? This book read more and more like a YA debut author’s rambling first draft attempt. Over the past several years, I’ve read most of this author’s backlist but in my opinion this was a big fail that could not finish.

This was a very enjoyable read from Emily Giffin - definitely an excellent summer beach read. You get the connection to JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy pretty quickly - so it was fun to see how the author fictionalized a story similar to theirs. Joe and Cate are both fantastic and well-developed characters. The ending was tied up a little too quickly but overall I didn't want to stop reading! Definitely recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this novel.

I have always been a huge fan of Emily Giffin! I especially love how she sometimes sneaks in past characters for cameos, not the case in this book though.
This is a story about a couple who is truly "Meant to Be" despite all of their differences, all of the obstacles, and their drastically different backgrounds. Their backgrounds really are night and day different. One growing up as a silver spoon fed golden child, and the other scraping and saving and barely able to make it day to day in the beginning.
Sometimes I roll my eyes at the same old same old plots but it was refreshing to see the male protagonist really grow up and find his true self as much as he does and to really fight for what he wants, needs, and finally figuring out what is best. Our main female character fights as well. She fights to overcome her childhood, her insecurities, and to find out who SHE really is.
I have been in a reading slump for a few months and this definitely got me out of it. I haven't read a book as quickly as I did this one in quite awhile. If you love Emily Giffin's past works, you will love this one too.

****There are some mentions on possible triggers that you can find on the publishers site, penguinrandomhouse.com.


Thanks so much to Netgalley for letting me have an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#netgalley #emilygiffin #meanttobe

I am a huge fan of this author and knew nothing about this book when I began reading it. I put together the Kennedy connection immediately but didn’t realize this is a fictionalization of the Kennedys until I read the authors note. I almost felt this read very much like a Danielle Steel novel and not an Emily Giffin. It wasn’t bad, but the reader kind of knew where the story was heading despite the embellished parts. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I received an ARC of this novel from Random House Publishing/Ballantine Books via Netgalley. All opinions are my own. I am a huge Emily Giffin fan and have read all of her books so it is always a treat to get the opportunity to have an ARC of a new release! This is a story based on the love story of John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Kennedy.. I was obsessed with all things JFK Jr. including following his marriage to Carolyn, so that really captured my attention. However, as much as it drew me in it was also off putting. It felt like I was reading a book I had already read, but I hadn't? It felt like I knew the plot, the characters and frankly, the ending but not really. It was still engaging, even though it felt like a typo when I read Joe Kingsley instead of John Kennedy. What I love about Emily Giffin's books are her rich characters. Most of the characters that she writes about stay with you long after the story is over. In this book, maybe because we already have our own notions of the "characters" of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Kennedy, the characters fell flat. I especially felt the book fell short at the end. It left me wishing that the end wasn't quite so rushed. If you are a JFK Jr. fan you may still want to give this one a read. For me, I would rather have read a biography about the real JFK Jr. instead of a fictionalized account.

I knew right away that this was inspired by the Kennedys - right down to Joe Kingsley's initials. In that respect, I kind of knew some of the things that were going to happen (and hated that it wasn't original). But it sucked me in anyway, so kudos. A fun read.

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Joe is born into American Royalty and lives in the spot life. Cate is born and dreams of making it out of small town America. Both of them lost their fathers at a very young age. They have a chance meeting and fall in love. Loosely taken from The Kennedys, Emily Griffin writes a modern-day romance in Meant to Be.
I have been following and reading Emily Giffin's work since the beginning and will continue to seek out her work. Emily's writing is easy to read and follow. Meant to Be follows the respected families from the beginning and move towards present time. While I enjoyed the book, this book kind of fell flat for me. I really wanted to fall in love with these characters but I just couldn't. I will always be a big fan of Emily Giffin and will continue to recommend her work.
Special thank s to NetGalley, Emily Giffin, and Random House-Ballantine Books Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion. 3.5 stars for me
#MeanttoBe #NetGalley

Emily Giffin’s latest novel Meant to Be was inspired by the relationship between JFK Jr and Carolyn Kennedy, and the weight of expectations on someone just for the family they are born into. I really loved this story, there was a real connection between the reader and Joe and Cate. And I really enjoyed the backdrop of the late 20th century. Throughout the first half of the book I was planning on rating it 5 stars, but I dropped it to 4 by the end because I was disappointed that the big “conflict” the whole book was building towards was such a non-event, like yes it could have ended badly, I just felt it was resolved too tidily and quickly brushed over. I would have much preferred to read a plot about Cate’s mother leaving the abusive husband and how the Kingsleys helped and dealt with the fallout, than just having it tidily wrapped up in the epilogue. I like these kinds of books to break my heart, and it didn’t!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy.

If you love reading about the Kennedy’s especially John Jr and his wife Carolyn, then you will love this book. It is a one of those romance stories where a wealthy boy falls in love with a girl who life growing up was opposite if his life. Emily does a great job giving you the backstory of Cate and Joe especially Cate’s backstory. The story had a slow start but picked up quickly and warms your heart by the end. If you are looking for a true romance filled with love, friendship, heartache, family, ups and downs but all around goodness this book is for you!

This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

This was not my favorite Emily Giffin book - I'd give it 2.5 stars. The Kennedy 'spin' was interesting, but the characters all feel flat for me. I didn't feel like we really got to know any of them that well. I was also expecting a different 'catch' at the ending (or maybe I missed it??) but I expected there to be a connection between Berry's family tragedy and Joe's girlfriend's father.

Thank you for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.