Member Reviews
Luci Adams was a new author for me, and I for the most part enjoyed this book. There were slight pacing issues in the beginning, but about it does pick and settle. I enjoyed Daisy's journey throughout the book, and her voice. As an American reader, I like the British vibe of the book a lot. Daisy's relationship with Archie was so heartwarming and developed in a natural way as well. This was a leisurely read, and I look forward to reading more from this author for sure.
Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this ARC!
I enjoyed this book. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. This was a cute quick and easy read.
This was a cute quick read friends to lovers romance. Daisy lost her boyfriend and her job in the same day and feels totally lost and not sure what do without either. She begins to think of ways to get her boyfriend back using social media to make it look like she's living her best life with no responsibilities. Of course not everything we see online is true and she begins to start living her life more for the moment. She meets Archie who has two young girls she instantly connects with all three of them and starts to see what is really important. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher and net galley for the ARC of this book. all opinions are my own.
Due to the current SMP boycott, I will not post my thoughts on this story until the concerns are addressed. At that time, I will be happy to post my full review.
3.5 stars
This is a sweet closed door romance book about a girl trying to rebuild her life after losing her job and boyfriend back to back. When she runs into Archie and becomes friends with him, she slowly starts to develop feelings, but Archie has 2 kids and Daisy doesn’t want kids. But, Archie and his kids slowly make their way into her heart.
Watching their relationship grow is cute and sweet. Definitely a slow burn, friends to lovers. As recommendations go, this book was super sweet and I would recommend to lovers of closed door, slow burn romances.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader copy of this book that releases in March 2024!
This was a solid 3 star read. When you grow up believing a set of views it can be difficult to change. When you realize your hard dedication at a company means nothing to them how do you function? This has a meet cute and adorable kids.
*************************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley********************
This book has so much heart. I’m actually a little surprised by how much I like it. I guess I didn’t fully read the summary before starting it but it was not what I expected. It was so much better especially for an ARC. Daisy is such a perfectly imperfect heroine you can’t help but root for her, even when she’s down (which is quite often). This story, at first, felt like a Bridget Jones Diary reimagined. So I was swept in immediately. Then I was confused, I felt like there was a chunk I was missing from the story. But there were so many callbacks that kept appearing and filling me in. I realized what the author had done. And I felt like it was genius weaving back and forth throughout the book on what had happened to Daisy and throwing the reader off. I completely fell for it each time. But the story came together in the end and I just loved every part of it! Through laughter, tears, and everything in between I just wanted to see Daisy, Archie, Bailey, and Cara get their perfect ending. I’m so happy I got to read this one early before its release. A feel good story with such interesting and inspiring characters. Luci Adams is an author I will continue to read more from.
Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advance E-Copy of It Must be True Then by Luci Adams in exchange of an honest review.
"It Must Be True Then" by Luci Adams is a heartfelt and impactful book that follows the journey of Daisy, a data analytics professional who is abruptly fired from her job and dumped by her love interest, who is also an executive at her former company. This dual blow sets Daisy on a transformative path of self-discovery, as she embarks on a quest to redefine her priorities and uncover the true meaning of happiness and fulfillment. Along the way, she reconnects with estranged family members, takes enlightening trips, and ultimately unravels the false narrative that has shaped her perception of what she truly wants in life. This sweet and poignant novel offers a valuable reminder to readers about the importance of pursuing authentic happiness and finding one's own truth. I wholeheartedly recommend "It Must Be True Then" for its touching story and thought-provoking themes.
I had roller coaster feelings as I was reading this one. At the beginning, I struggled to connect to Daisy as it seemed one bad thing after another happened to her. As the story went one, Daisy started to grow on me as she went through some shifts in her thinking about her life and how she wanted to live it. I loved Archie and his relationship with his girls. This was definitely a sweet friends to falling in love romance. One thing I wasn't a fan of was all the flashbacks in her life. I can see the meaning because all of them but it seemed to be excessive for the first half. I definitely loved the second half of of the book and so glad I read the story.
A sweet, sincere story about relooking at — and reframing — your life as you think you know it.
At the start of It Must Be True Then, Daisy has been hit by a triple whammy — fired from her job of 13 years that she always thought she loved; falling out with her sister after their latest blow-out fight; and getting dumped by her emotionally detached quasi-boyfriend. She’s trying to pick up the pieces and show a brave face — via Instagram, of course, which means the brave face is hiding all her pain — when she gets entangled with the children of a single father who lives in her neighborhood. Her interactions with the kids, the dad, ex-co-workers, her bestie Betzy, her sister, and her estranged mom all contribute to Daisy realizing what is only Instagram-true, and what’s really true.
I was surprised by this refreshingly positive, and dare I say wholesome, book. At 345 pages, it’s a little long — mainly because there’s some repetition in flashbacks which I didn’t feel needed to be as long. There are quite a few plot strands and to get them all set up, it took me some time to get into. But once the story got about halfway through, and the strands really came together, the story took off, and I’m glad I stuck with it.
Daisy was fully-formed, with deep-rooted beliefs about her upbringing, her career, and her idea of family. The formation of her relationship with Archie and his children was simply lovely. What’s also lovely is the underlying message that what you see — in life as in social media — isn’t always what’s real, and what you think is the only path, usually isn’t. Plus, I love a book with a strong message about self-actualization or self-realization, so following Daisy’s journey was right up my street.
This is a romance, too, but if you’re looking for a hot and sexy romp, you won’t find it here. What you’ll find instead is true love in all its forms. All praise Lucy Adams for writing such a positive book.
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, for which I thank them.
“It Must Be True Then” is a contemporary romance book by Lucy Adams. I’ve really mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, we’ve got the main character, Daisy, who is let go from her statistics job after 13 years. She has a sister who flits in and out of her life. Daisy is pining for a guy - who drops her like a hot potato - who she wants to woo back. Mixed into this is Daisy trying to find a job (seemingly any job).
The pacing of this book was also all over the place - the first half was incredibly slow. I made it about halfway through the book and could just not fully get into it. I'm not sure if it was the pacing of the book, I could not relate to Daisy at all, the writing style, or maybe I am just not that into contemporary romances. I think in real life Daisy would drive me crazy, though.
Daisy has hit a wave of challenges - job loss, break-up, and family conflict. So, this is the story of her navigating the aftermath and unplanned place where she's now at in life. As she tries to figure out what's next, she finds her way to a nannying gig with a single dad and two daughters. You can probably infer from the details I've given where things might go - That said, it was a nice, little story of a woman finding her way when the path isn't exactly what she expected. I liked the way Daisy re-chartered her path particularly how some truths about choices she (and others) made were revealed. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this March 2024 release!
After losing her job, falling out with her sister, and being dumped by her boyfriend, Daisy struggles to find her footing in life. While the storyline can be a bit confusing at times due to the chosen chronology, the author beautifully weaves together Daisy’s past relationships and how they broke down with her new relationships and experiences and how each of them influences the other.
This was a really refreshing read because I don’t think i’ve ever read a book with all of these specific themes weaved together. It started off a little rocky for me but then did a complete 180. There were a lot of different things going on and the chronology wasn’t always clear at times, but once I got a grasp on the different moving parts (aka the characters and their history w/ Daisy), it turned out o be one of my fave rom-reads of the year. I can’t wait to read more by this author!
It’ll be out in March 2024!
R: 📈4.5/5📉
This one took me a few times to really get into - it was a slow start for a good chunk of the first few chapters! After that, the writing style flowed and I fell in love with the characters! I think some areas of the plot could have been developed more, but it was a quick, feel-good read to get you out of a writing slump - perfect for a book club wine night! As a millennial in my early 30s who is constantly pulled in a million different directions between my career, family, and social life, I felt a lot of it was relatable. I'd love a sequel to this one - thanks for sharing this ARC!
This book wasn’t meant for me. I wanted to love this but it couldn’t grasp my full attention. That being said, the structure was great in this. I just couldn’t relate to the characters to no fault but my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for a review. I really liked this one and felt that it gave an interesting commentary on social media and how ot doesn't often delict reality. I think the description offered for the book does not go it justice at all and is not indicative of the depth in the book as a whole.
Daisy is in data analytics for a large company when she gets fired for saying something true but inappropriate in a meeting. In the same day she also gets dumped via text message by the guy she's been seeing who is an executive at the same company. She then enters a quest to find out what really matters in her life that includes reconnecting with estranged family members, a few trips and love. She realizes that what she thought she wanted in life has been colored by a false narrative from her own childhood. It was a sweet book and id recommend it. Thanks for the opportunity to review it!
BOOK REVIEW: #itmustbetruethen by #luciadams ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was such a great read it was so adorable every page was such a warm and fuzzy read!!
This book reiterated the importance of living each day as your authentic self as that is the person you and those you surround yourself with will truly love. Daisy, while at Blended, conformed to what she thought she should be and that person that Jackson would be proud to call his girlfriend. Yet when she was let go for a cause she believed in and was morally correct, not one of her co-workers reached out nor did Jackson have the character to end the relationship face to face. However, in the forthcoming weeks, Daisy realized that she loved data analytics and helping others and not necessarily the social media part. Like she told Bailey, when you ate enjoying yourself such as she did in Alaska, she didn't post pictures because she was truly experiencing it as pure joy. I enjoyed the evolution of her relationships with Archie, Bailey and Cara and their personalities because she opened herself to true love. That is why she could let Mia and Helen in and be happy for them. Perspectives should shift as we get older and determine what we want. As a result, the ending was pure joy and love.
IT MUST BE TRUE THEN is a perfect rom-com that just came at the right time in my life. I love rom-coms that take us on a personal journey that's not entirely just about the romance, and this was one of those books. Adams explores themes of loneliness, career indecision, our innate need to have it all, while also providing a compelling and funny romance to boot. Definitely one of the best rom-coms to look out for in the early quarter of 2024!
Thank you St Martin's Press and Netgalley for my review copy.
"It Must Be True Then," readers are taken on a rollercoaster journey through the life of Daisy, a woman who finds herself at rock bottom after losing her job, her boyfriend, and becoming estranged from her sister all in one fell swoop. Faced with the daunting task of rebuilding her life, Daisy hatches a plan to document her supposed climb out of the depths of despair on Instagram. Little does she know, this seemingly simple plan will lead her down a path filled with unexpected twists, heartwarming connections, and soul-searching moments. The story begins on a day so terrible that one would rather bury their head under the covers than face the world. Daisy's life takes an intriguing turn when she accepts a temporary job as a nanny for a charming single father and his two adorable children. As she becomes absorbed in the warmth and love of this close-knit family, Daisy begins to question her superficial plan of portraying a perfect life on social media. Can the façade she presents online truly help her regain control of her spiraling career? Will it mend the fractured bond with her unreliable and irritating sister? And perhaps most importantly, does she even desire a reunion with her gorgeous yet shallow ex-boyfriend, especially as she finds herself growing closer to someone new? Adams masterfully weaves a tale that explores the complexities of modern life, the allure of social media, and the search for inner happiness. Through Daisy's journey, she delves deep into the human need for validation, questioning whether the carefully curated online personas we create can truly bring us the fulfillment we seek. The author's engaging writing style keeps readers captivated, effortlessly blending humor, emotion, and thought-provoking insights. "It Must Be True Then" is not merely a story about finding love or reclaiming one's life; it is a profound exploration of self-discovery. Daisy's character development is both relatable and inspiring as she navigates the challenges of her personal and professional life. Adams artfully paints a realistic picture of the fragility of relationships, the complexities of family dynamics, and the importance of authenticity in an increasingly digital world. With each page, the reader is drawn further into Daisy's world, eagerly anticipating the moments of vulnerability, triumph, and personal growth that lie ahead. Adams' narrative prowess shines through as she skillfully balances the heartwarming moments of connection with the harsh realities of life. The story leaves a lasting impact, prompting readers to reflect on their own pursuit of happiness and the true meaning of success. In conclusion, "It Must Be True Then" is an enthralling tale that will resonate with readers from all walks of life. Luci Adams' exceptional storytelling abilities, combined with the relatable characters and thought-provoking themes, make this book a must-read for those seeking a captivating and introspective literary experience. Prepare to be immersed in Daisy's world as she discovers that true happiness lies not in the perfect portrayal of one's life online, but in the authenticity and connections found in the real world.