An incredible read that surprised me with a powerful and surprising twist right out of the gate, a theme that remained throughout the book—twist after twist after enjoyable twist. It's been the first book in a very long time that kept me guessing the whole way through and kept me desperate to read. I fell in love with the characters and how they fought for each other. Please, someone turn this into a film!

Summary:
Fiona Abry has her family's watch company that she loves, a daughter she adores, a wonderful brother, and an amazing best friend who is always there for her. But when her mother gifts her a magical watch that lets her discover and live out her secret dreams and desires while she sleeps, she starts to wonder if maybe she could still ask for more. Specifically romantic love. In her dreams, she finds herself living a completely different life, one of slow days and sunny beaches and a strange, handsome man and her own small family. And as the nights pass and she falls deeper into her dream, she also finds herself falling in love - with her dream life and the man at the center of it.
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I always like Sarah Ready. You can count on her for a good, easy, mostly closed-door romance. The central characters in this story are all so easy to root for. They are tender, kind, and family oriented. I will say the very beginning of the story gave be Beauty and the Beast or Anastasia vibes opening with a ball that a takes a turn for the dramatic. But it very quickly gets away from that feeling. It was quite jarring going between the worlds, but I know that was the point. There were various parts of this book that put me through the emotional wringer and I might have shed a tear or two, it was a beautiful story and I'm glad I read it! I am not normally a fan of slow burn so the overall pacing of the story is not my preference, but I do think it works for this story's premise. This book is very wordy. We spend the novel inside Fiona's head, and she has a LOT of inner tangents and monologues, so consider yourself warned. But I did enjoy getting more insight to the characters and the world, so I won't complain too much.

I read both the ebook and listened to the audiobook version of this novel, and I have to say that I prefered the audiobook. The narrator did a great job and since we spend so much time in our FMC's head listening to the book as if it was an inner dialogue make it even more fun!

Overall, I enjoyed this story. The romancewas so tender, and I really loved the platonic relationships throughout the book as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this e-book and audiobook in exchange for an honest review

I almost didn’t read this one.

I mean, I like the first one, but REALLY didn’t care for #2.

Number 3, however, caught my interest.

I liked the contrasting settings, and watching the MFC navigate her ‘Becca’ persona.

I was a little concerned about the author’s ability to achieve an HEA, but it ended well.

The author never really explains HOW in her books, so if you’re looking for the REAL in Magical Realism, look elsewhere.

I enjoyed the open-endedness of the whole thing, though, and how the end of the story was really just the beginning of their relationship.

Thanks to NetGalley, and Swift & Lewis Publishing for this original ARC.

In Fated by Sarah Ready, Fiona is a busy executive juggling her work life balance while running her family's respected Swiss watch company. After a life-changing experience, she receives a family heirloom that lets her dream of things she doesn't feel she can wish for when she is awake. When she sleeps, she lives a simple and beautiful life on an island with a husband and two kids. As she begins to fall in love with the life she is dreaming, she realizes she must learn how to do the same with her real life.

Reading this book was so enjoyable. When I wasn't reading it, I was wondering when I could read to it. The magical aspect of the MC dreaming their desires was so fun and would feel so familiar to anyone who has woken up from a dream they did not want to leave.

I was a bit conflicted about the main character and the speed at which it felt like they were changing. Given the plot line of the book I don't think the aim was for the character development timeline to be realistic.

I enjoyed how this storyline surprised me at times and am looking forward to going back and reading the first two "standalone" books in the Ghosted series. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to get lost in a dream for a while.

Big thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Ready, and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC for the ARC.

Every time I see a new book is coming out by Sarah Ready I get so excited! I have been listening to her books the last few years and I have loved those books. Ghosted was by far my favorite book in this 3 book series. I don't know if I was in a mood this time but it was really hard for me to get into this book. Usually I'm pulled in right away. I didn't start connecting with this one until probably half way through. Even though I had a hard time with this one, I did enjoy it. The characters are well written. I did love the concept of this book and the ending did have me smiling with how it all played out. I would recommend this book and all of her other books as well. Just because I had a slow start getting into it does not mean someone else will. So please give this a try.

Thank you NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

If you don’t pick this book up you are seriously losing out!
I absolutely could NOT put this book down. The characters were so well written, the story was so compelling and it hooks you from the start.

I loved Fi and McCormicks connection and just couldn’t get enough.

I read this book in a day!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read such a beautiful love story.

Sarah Ready does it again!

I had the privilege of reading an arc of "Switched" which is the second book in this series and I throughly enjoyed that one. Therefore once I saw Fated come through NetGalley, I know I had to read it. I think this is my new favorite book of hers. In this story we have the same quick paced, easy writing that we've come to expect from Sarah's writing. She has a way of writing characters that feel so real - like you could meet them on the streets of city/town at any point. They are complicated and flawed, they work through their emotions and issues the same way we would which leaves you falling for these characters and their stories. I was on an emotional roller coaster with this one. All the twists and turns had me gripping the pages and losing hours of sleep because I HAD to keep reading. If you are looking for a contemporary romance with magical realism that holds you hostage to the very end, this is for you!

Thank you Sarah Ready, Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this read for my honest review.

𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢 𝘉𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 & 𝘬𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘶 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬!

This story spoke to me on a personal level, but as a story it was gripping, mind boggling and even confusing at times. But it was a fascinating read - from Sarah’s writing style, to the way she described Geneva, the island and the watch making. The complexity of human relations and emotions, traumas and fears.

This was an emotional rollercoaster- I felt so many many things while reading this book: my stomach sank on several occasions and there were tears - so many tears, but also laughter. This was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.

I highly recommend this books but be warned, it won’t play out how you think it will or how you want it to.

This interconnected standalone romance is a great addition to the Ghosted series. I thought the plot, though slow-moving, was very unique. It’s probably the first time I’ve been 60% through a romance and had no idea where it was going! The circumstances that brought the two MCs together were magical and unusual.

I loved both main characters. The chemistry between them was palpable. Their love at first sight but also slow burn romance was so beautifully done.

The novel was so descriptive! Both the Swiss and tropical locations were so real. I could definitely picture them!

This was an excellent addition to the series and I can’t wait to continue it.

In "Fated" by Sarah Ready, Fiona is a busy executive trying to balance her demanding job with running her family's prestigious Swiss watch company. After a life-changing event, she receives an heirloom that allows her to dream of a life she can't imagine while awake. In these dreams, she lives on a beautiful island with a loving husband and two children. As Fiona starts to fall in love with her dream life, she realizes she needs to find the same happiness in her real life.

This book was an engaging experience from start to finish. I found myself eagerly waiting for the next chance to continue reading. The idea of Fiona dreaming her deepest desires was both enchanting and relatable, making me think of those perfect dreams you are disappointed to wake up from.

The contrast between Fiona's dream life and her real life was so interesting. The dream life showcased a family life that felt almost real. This made her hectic, high-pressure real-world existence seem even more stressful, highlighting her longing for a companionship. I loved the unexpected twists in the story. It kept me guessing and fully invested, making it a memorable read.

I highly recommend "Fated" to readers who enjoy a mix of magic, romance, and personal growth.

4.5 stars. Fated is book 3 in Sarah Ready’s Ghosted series and wow, was this an emotional roller coaster. Thank you NetGalley and W.W. Crown for the chance to read this via gifted eARC. All thoughts are my own and honest.

I was very excited when I found out that Fiona was getting her own book. This is such a unique plot, and while reading, there were several moments when I wodered how this could possibly end well. The scenes that take place during her dreams were some of my favorites that Ready’s ever written. The island was so picturesque I felt like I was there with Fiona and Aaron.

Speaking if Aaron, he’s earned his place among Ready’s top book boyfriends. He’s tender and sweet and I love how hard he fell for Fiona.

I’ll definitely be thinking about this story for awhile and this was definitely another great story from Sarah Ready. Fated releases on July 16.

Sarah Ready is very quickly becoming an auto read author for me! I have loved all of the books of hers I've read and this was no exception! I loved the magical elements of this story-- The time travel and dreams were the perfect amount to be interesting while still keeping the story grounded. The characters, both the main characters and the supporting ones, were all so well written and it felt like each one had their own voice and story.

This was a wild, emotional ride! I should have expected by now that Sarah Ready would tear my heart out and put it back together, but boy did she. I could not put this down, especially the second half, I literally flew through the story! I cannot wait for the next book in this series to read about Daniel's love story as well! All of these love stories have just been so perfect. And even though these are part of an interconnected series, you could absolutely read this as a stand alone!

The audiobook was SO well done and the narrator did a wonderful job bringing all of the characters to life!

4.5 Stars
Fiona is a watchmaker from Geneva, Switzerland who is given a family heirloom watch that is said to show you your desires in dreams if you sleep with it. She dreams of a lush, tropical island and a man named, Aaron who she quickly falls deeply in love with. She splits her time between “real” life and her “dream” life. Even though she longs to be with Aaron always, she knows that this is just a dream and it eventually it must end. But is this love real? Is Aaron real?

Fated is the 3rd book in the Ghosted series and is my favorite. There are so many deep feelings interwoven into the story: longing and passion, guilt & uncertainty, overcoming fears. It’s about loss and sacrifices, rediscovering yourself and learning how to love and to heal. I was brought to tears ready this book more than once. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read the next in the series!

Thank You NetGalley and publishers for this ARC.

Fiona is running the family's Swiss watch company and getting through life. The company keeps her very busy but she is happy and accepts the level of devotion the company requires. It leaves just enough time for her to care for her daughter and maintain a good working relationship with her brother Daniel, as well as her long time friend Max. Max wants to be more than friends though and it's becoming less and less of a secret.

Fiona's mother pops in for a visit and has a surprise for her. She managed to snag the old family heirloom watch from another family member and she is excited to deliver it to Fiona. This is the old timepiece that is rumored to be filled with magic. Fiona winds it up and holds it in her palm to fall asleep. That's when her life turns upside down.

Fiona is on an island. She has a daughter and a son. A husband named Aaron and a man she is said to be having an affair with, Robert. Fiona thinks it's one wild dream until she is transported to the same place the next night. They are having trouble with their marriage but real life Fiona would never take a man this special for granted. She cannot wait to go to bed every night so she can see Aaron.

A layer of complication begins to happen when Max makes it very clear he wants more but Fiona's heart belongs to dream Aaron. She has to find a way to make him her reality before it's too late. She begins to see her real life is ahead in time by a couple years. This could give her exactly what she needs to ensure Aaron can be part of her life forever.

This was such a unique book and it really grabs attention right from the start. I really enjoyed it!

This story has elements of family, friendship, romance, motherhood, and vulnerability. Just like all of Ready’s books, this has a magical/paranormal element that is like no other romances I have read. This wasn’t my favorite in the series but I still enjoyed it.

Another gut wrenching book by Sarah, if you love time jumping, magic and romance this book is for you.

The complexity in the romance and the way she handled it was very poetic, you care for the characters and want that at the end everything be fine.

I need the next book ASAP.

I really enjoyed this story. This was the second book by Sarah Ready I have read, and it was even better than the first one. Can’t wait to read the next one.
The story was very well written. Fiona got an old watch from her mother that was supposed to let you dream your greatest desire. I really liked the “dream your greatest desire” magic, and the interactions between Fi and Aaron (the dream husband). It was a very sweet story that both tugged on my heartstrings and made me gasp. I highly recommend it!

While this is book 3 in the series, I read this as a standalone without any issues. I am interested in checking out the other books in the series now.
This was really good. I was hooked. I wasn’t sure if I liked the idea of being in someone else’s body. I didn’t like Becka. She was terrible wife and an even worse mother. I do wondered whhatt happened to Becka when Fi was there. I would have liked to see more on how this worked. The family heirloom was interesting but I didn’t love this concept, maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had more information on how this worked.
I love the relationship between Fiona and the kids. It’s definitely what they needed. The relationship and chemistry with Aaron was great! The ending was good. The growth Aaron has is amazing. I enjoyed the children and broken home aspect of thee story. It give a take on real life relationship dynamics.

This is the second book I read by Sarah Ready, and it will not be my last.
I have read book two in the ghosted series already and I really liked it so I obviously wanted to read the next book in the series.
Fated is a really good book and I liked the characters and in general the whole idea, especially the ending.
Overall, I think it was a great book and I am looking even more forward to read book one (and of course book four when it gets published)

4

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This has been by far my favorite book written in the series so far. Each book has gotten better in my opinion. This one was a really bizarre and unique concept, but I really enjoyed the execution. I was initially a little skeptical in the beginning but I thought it came together beautifully in the end. It was a really beautiful story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.