I love this series and this book captured my heart right along with the first two. Fiona is an incredibly resilient single mom, living a hectic life, and helping her brother run her family's Swiss watch company. With the help of an heirloom pocket watch and a little magic she dreams herself into her fantasy life. I loved the combination of her two lives and the way Sarah brought the dreamscape into reality. I wasn't sure how this one was going to end, and it was perfection wrapping up all loose ends with a bow. The audiobook was a fantastic way to read this novel and the narrator did a great job bringing this story to life.

"Fated" by Sarah Ready is like a cross between "The Seven Year Slip" and "Freaky Friday."

Although the story was a bit slow to grab my attention initially, it became truly interesting once the FMC and we, the readers, started to realize what was happening and how the magical realism element worked.

Max deserves better, but Aaron deserves all the good things in the world. I adored Aaron; he is an absolute gem of a human being. I just wanted to hug him and find a way for these two characters to come together and live happily ever after. Thankfully, that’s what we got in the end, though it was quite a journey to get there.

I am always struck by the creativity of magical realism, as it makes magic feel real. Sarah Ready crafted a unique magical component in this story that made me very invested in the characters and their story arcs.

Fiona's character arc focused on her desire to be loved but her struggle to let anyone in, fearing they might hurt her again. She feels she can love freely in her dreams but is afraid to love anyone in real life. Watching her discover what it’s like to be truly loved and how she proceeds with her relationship decisions is both frustrating and satisfying in the long run.

I didn't realize this was the third book in a series but it honestly didn't even matter. I enjoyed this story so much!

Fated was a slow burn.. and I love slow burns so I wasn't disappointed by it at all. This book is all about finding love in unconventional ways... I mean, waking up next to a man on a tropical island? Hello.. very unconventional but somehow worked so well.

I absolutely loved the vivid detail of the island. I love love love any movie or book where the setting is tropical. I always feel transported there and Sarah Ready did just that for me.

This book was beautifully written and well thought out. I had no idea what to expect from this author and she didn't disappoint. I will be checking out the first two books in the series!

I'm landing at 3.25/5 stars on this one. Fated is the third installment in the Ghosted series, and unlike most reviewers, this one was my least favorite of the three. (Please note, each book in this series can be treated as a standalone.) I am a big fan of Ready's books and there's no doubt that she's an extremely skilled writer. In full disclosure, I'm not a fan of magical realism, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the way she writes it. However, this book felt a bit too long, a bit too descriptive/wordy and a bit too disjointed. I had a hard time connecting with or really caring about the FMC. I do think the narrator did a great job bringing these character to life. I am extremely grateful to NetGalley, Swift & Lewis Publishing, and the author for the ALC and ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fated is an absolutely lovely book. I’ve read and enjoyed many of Sarah Ready’s earlier works, but Fated took my breath away. Literally. I wasn’t sure a few chapters before the end how in the world she was going to pull it off, and I had to keep reminding myself that it was categorized as a romance. As the cover implies, the novel takes place in two very different settings. One is sophisticated, elegant, intoxicatingly wealthy Geneva, and the other is a sand-swept Caribbean island, where the general store only has one bottle of lukewarm cola left, and the mail boat comes in once a week. Becca lives on the island with her husband McCormick and two children (one of which may be her lover’s), and Fiona is the co-director of a world-famous watch company in Switzerland. She’s the single mother to a wonderful daughter, has an enviably close relationship to her brother (and co-director), and has a dear male friend who would love to take their relationship to the next step. Those are the cold, hard facts, and that’s where anything resembling normalcy ends. Because a magic watch lets Fiona live/dream short bursts of Becca’s life and cleaves her heart in two. My impossibly sky-high to-be-read pile makes me try to hurry through every book I read or listen to, but I slowed down as I approached the end of Fated, both because I feared what looked like a heart-breaking conclusion (have faith – it’s a ROMANCE!) and because I never wanted the story to end. Lovely. I started listening to the audiobook, but I requested a digital copy as well in order to better savor every word.

I've loved the Ghosted series and will say that the third, Fated, was no disappointment.  You will find yourself laughing, stressing, and having all kinds of feelings while reading this latest novel by Sarah Ready. Our main character, Fiona, finds the man of her dreams through a mysterious book. While this is the third in a series, it could be read as a stand-alone.
Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

Fated by Sarah Ready

Fated was my first read by Sarah Ready and it definitely will not be my last. In many ways Fiona Arby is blessed. She is part owner of a watch company that has been passed down to her and her brother Daniel, she has a beautiful little girl, and a best friend that is always there for her. Even though she has so much, she has never felt completely loved and accepted. Deep down she still feels like she’s the little girl abandoned by her mother, with this feeling of abandonment continuing with her daughter’s father, who left her after she found out she was expecting.
When he mothers gives her a family heirloom watch, and tells her it will help her see her desire, Fiona never dreams, pun intended, that she will see the man of her dreams, living a dual life, and falling completely for her dream lover.

The story switches between her dreams, and her life during the day. As she continues her dream journey, she pursues the chance of love in reality. This book has a nice mix of two realities mixed with magical elements. I enjoyed the way the author wove her tale, quickly being drawn into this interesting enchanting world. I loved the character development, quickly rooting for a happily ever after. The story had me engrossed and I didn’t want to miss anything. I loved the magical elements, with a literal race against time. Will love find a way to defeat time? Or will love conquer all? This magical tale will have you believing that it is possible.

Absolutely adored this book! Being content with your life but believing that there is someone out there for you. Your desire to have that one true magical love. Fiona has her wonderful daughter and best guy friend Max who loves and adores here but there just isn’t that ‘spark’. Given a magical chance to find the love of her life, Fi thinks it’s all a dream until she realizes it isn’t. This incredible magical book will transport you to such a beautiful island filled with love, sacrifice, and heartache. You’ll be rooting for the characters the whole way through.

This is the angsty book in the series but it still gets almost all my stars, I couldn't put it down or pin down what was happening next and I needed to know desperately even if that crush me. It is told from Fiona's voice and point of view and as beautiful as it is, full of details, like only Sarah Ready can write, I felt the pull and nostalgia along with her sorrow and her guarded heart.
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The narration was perfect and helped me continue reading despite feeling sadness and nostalgia. And with the same passion I felt a lot of surprise and happiness for Fiona at the end. That only want to make me go to the physical copy and re read everything marking quotes all over. I feel like this would be a perfect movie like “The Lake House” with Sandra Bullock
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Fiona Abry is dedicated to keeping her Family watch company and legacy alive. After years of effort with her brother to save the company left her exhausted and with a huge void and the feeling that she can't trust in anybody else outside of her brother and best friend 
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But when an antique heirloom clock comes into her hands with the possibility of showing her the dream her heart desires, she decides to give it a try, and see what could happen. But when she closes her eyes she finds herself on a small island married with two children.
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During the day she works and lives with her little daugther in Geneva but at night she dreams away in a life in a little island with two kids and the man of her dreams
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As time passes and her nights are filled with summer beach days, and she begin to feel that her heart remains in those dreams. But it can't be love because it's just a dream, and none of people in there exists, right?
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As always, in every book she writes, it is full of images and flavors so vivid, full of colors and sensations that when I heard the audio version, narrated by Shakira Schute I could close my eyes and live on that beautiful island and return to Geneva.
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Also seeing Daniel again made me want to read Ghosted, the first book in the series. And as if deciding which one is my favorite wasn't difficult, I found the cover of the next book and I'm in a state of shock, imagining how great it's going to be, I can’t wait to read more.
If you enjoy romantic fantasy/ Magic/ Science fiction stories you are going to love this serie and this book would break and put together your heart
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Thanks to Sarah Ready and her team for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

REVIEW
cw: parental abandonment, injury, cheating*, suicidal ideation, mentions of death and toxic family dynamics, PTSD
Introvert and workaholic Fiona Abry runs her family's luxury Swiss watchmaking company. She's scared of falling in love again after a terrible betrayal. But when she's given a heirloom watch that allows you to dream of one's greatest desire, she can't help but fall in love with the man she meets in her dreams. McCormick is married with two children and Fiona appears in the dreams as his wife on a remote island. It's safe. He isn't real. So, if she can learn to love someone risk-free, maybe eventually she can take that chance in the real world.

Sarah Ready knows exactly how to tear out my heart! Thankfully, she always repairs it by the end of her stories. There were quite a few twists in this book that caught me off-guard, so I'm going to be extra careful not to spoil anything, which means this review might seem a bit vague at times. But trust me when I say if you love emotional, beautiful reads with a bit of angst, lots of pining and some swoony moments, you NEED to read this book!
Fiona is the older sister of Daniel from Ghosted, and it was fun to catch up with him (although this story is set before he meets Jillian). My heart broke for Fiona even after the first few chapters. Her abandonment issues were so well-written, and I loved the development of her character. Her relationship with her daughter was so sweet, and Mila was adorable. I wish the watch Fiona designed was real because it sounded STUNNING. Aaron (McCormick) was SUCH a good man and a wonderful father. I loved his openness around Fiona, and how readily he was to accept her, seeing her for herself (I know that probably doesn't make sense but trust me, it will once you've read the book). My heart broke for him so many times. You could feel all of his pain, loneliness, and guilt at different points in the story, but especially about the loss of friendships. The slow-burn romance was so exquisite, and even though the author put my emotions well and truly through the wringer so many times, it was worth every moment of pain. I loved them together so much.
The supporting characters mainly appeared on the island, and I loved the camaraderie among the islanders, especially the older women. I hated Becca, and my heart broke every time Fiona came back to some new destructive behaviour or comment from her. I particularly loved Amy, especially her love of literature, and I adored Fiona's relationship with her. I also loved how giving Aaron was, and how much he helped each of the islanders in some way. I had a lot of feelings about Robert, sometimes I felt for him, especially after we learned about the swim, but mostly I disliked him. However, back in Geneva, I adored Max. He was such a sweetheart, but my heart broke when he spoke of his childhood. I was SO excited to see he'll be getting his own story next.
As mentioned, the twists in this story were often unexpected. Chapters 42 and 48 legitimately broke my heart. Seriously! I was overwhelmed by gut-wrenching sobs. Meanwhile, the final dozen chapters had me flipping between being bereft, intrigued, and finally, giddily jubilant. I squealed so much at chapter 56, that I scared my cat!
This was another truly beautiful, unique romance in this series by Sarah Ready. A must-read.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: 🔥

*Though I've added a content warning for cheating, please be assured that it doesn't relate to the relationship between Aaron and Fiona.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own**

*thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my review*

This is by far my favorite Sarah Ready book. Fiona is a beautiful and complex character, and her story will keep you guessing until the end. I went into this read completely blind, and I’m so happy that I did. I actually recommend a blind read to everyone because it will make the ending so much more satisfying.

So here’s what you need to know—this book is heart-wrenching and beautiful. The characters are complex and relatable, with varied backgrounds. Ready shines in this narrative about what it means to dream, and she will take you by surprise and even warm your heart as Fiona’s story unfolds.

This book is, at its core, a compassionate story. A rare gem where we get to explore both platonic and romantic love. It’s incredible and you will love it.

Stuff and things:
-single mom
-attempted murder??
-found family
-love triangle
-open door
-guaranteed HEA

I loved this book. It is very different from most books I have read. This book will rip your heart out, make you ugly cry and yet you will still want to read it again.

Fated by Sarah Ready is the 3rd book in the Ghosted series and mixes romance with the mystical/fantasy. Whilst I enjoyed the second book - Switched, and couldn't wait to finish it, Fated was a very slow read for me. I enjoyed the twists at the end, but the build-up was quite slow and a little confusing. Thank you, Netgalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC, for giving me the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Fiona is given a family heirloom for her birthday/not birthday that allows the user to see what they wish and dream for in life. She falls asleep one night with it in her hand, and wakes up in a new life as Becka, an unhappily married mother of two, who is cheating on her husband with her husband's best friend. And when she is awake and not in the other world, she is a single mother, who is pregnant, and her best friend is in love with her.

Throughout the story, it explores Fiona as Becka, as she learns more about her husband, and falls for him and finds herself wishing for her dream life to be reality. Due to the heirloom "showing her what she wishes for", she also decides to give her best friend a chance (As normal Fiona), hoping that this is what she is meant to do.

This book was so well written and well-paced, and the descriptions of the scenery were so descriptive that it made it so easy to close my eyes and picture the scene itself.

Also, how dare you give us 80%-90(ish)% of this book. What an emotional rollercoaster.

I've heard that the next book is based around Max, and I will be keeping both eyes wide open waiting to see that that book has dropped. Even though I had a feeling that he would not be who the FMC would end up with, I still became emotionally invested in his story and hoping for a happy ending for him.

I will fight for this book until the end of the world. I went into this, not having read any other book by this author, but after this book, I will be adding the rest of the series to my TBR and adding this author to my following list. I was first drawn in by the cover, which is stunning, and then the synopsis, which is a concept that I have not read about before.

I am fascinated by Sarah Ready’s mind. Every single one of the books in this series has gone a different way than I initially thought it would and I’ve enjoyed the journey SO much. It felt like Sarah was saying ‘just trust me on this,’ taking me by the hand, and creating a beautiful garden for me to explore and overanalyse the paradoxes of.
I spent a good portion of this book being like ‘is X bad thing going to happen?’ And I was wrong every time - everything fell into place in the most satisfying way and Fi’s love story was arguably my favourite in the series to date.

Sarah Ready’s stories have always captivated me with their unique and engaging narratives, and "Fated" is no exception. This novel was a real page-turner, keeping me eagerly guessing how Fiona would find her happily ever after with Aaron.

There are numerous aspects of "Fated" that I found delightful. Firstly, the book cover is simply adorable. The "Ghosted" series has consistently featured the cutest and most eye-catching covers. I love the blue and pink watercolor-like design of “Fated”, complete with a chateau and tropical island.

The main characters are both well-developed and utterly charming. Fiona, whom readers got a glimpse of in "Ghosted," the first book of the series, truly comes into her own in this story. Despite her past hurts and issues, she strives to save the company and provide a loving and comfortable life for her daughter. Aaron is equally admirable, showing resilience and courage in the face of personal losses. Despite the challenges in his marriage, he remains a good father and a valuable member of their community.

Ready also excels in crafting memorable side characters that add depth to the story and highlight the nature of the main characters. Max, for instance, is a standout, and I’m thrilled that he’s getting his own story in Book 4, "Wished." Amy, with her intelligent and poetic brain, is another wonderful addition, as are the residents of the island and Mila. Daniel is also present, the lead from the first book, offering a glimpse into his life before meeting his wife, Jillian.

However, one aspect that slightly detracted from my enjoyment and led me to rate the book four stars instead of five was the heavy use of descriptions. Every place, gesture, facial expression, and even food was meticulously detailed, which sometimes felt excessive. While I appreciate descriptive storytelling, in "Fated," it occasionally bordered on overkill.

Despite this minor critique, "Fated" remains a memorable and unique story – one that readers will cherish as one of the year's standout reads. It certainly holds that place for me.

"Fated" is set to hit the shelves on July 16th, and I am once again grateful to Sarah Ready, Netgalley, and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC for providing early access in exchange for an honest review.

“I don’t trust easily, I’ve learned a long time ago that if you don’t trust then you’ll live a lonely life. You have to choose. You can trust or you can die alone. I chose trust” Sarah Ready’s stories are full of emotions, feelings, plot twists you never see coming and a magic that keep you reading until the end. Fated is Fiona and Aaron impossible story. They meet in a dream that feels so real that they can’t help but fall in love even if they are worlds apart. The audiobook with Shakira Shute brings the story and their characters magically real. The narration tugs at your heart and you can’t help but fall in love with all of them.

I love this series from Sarah Ready, the magical realism is written in vivid detail, I kept getting lost in this world. The execution was perfect. Three potential love interests that are eliminated one by one as the story goes on, it was such a fun time getting to know these men and realizing they weren’t it.

Fated by S. Ready, published by Swift & Lewis LLC, is the third book of four in the Ghosted Series.
An intriguing read that had me glued to the pages. I loved story and characters, 4,5 stars.
Blurb: Fiona Abry excels at keeping busy, running her family’s company, and guarding her heart. She’s so busy she doesn’t have time for a vacation much less a love life.
But then she’s given a family heirloom rumored to let you dream your greatest desire.
Suddenly, Fiona is spending her nights on a tiny tropical island in a completely different life.
She’s married. She has two kids. She lives in a colorful cottage on the beach.
This dream life is so different from her hectic, busy life in the city that Fiona decides to live her dreams to the fullest.
Swimming in the turquoise sea. Picnics under palms. Star-gazing on the beach. It’s a slow, seductive dream life that conveniently stays in her dreams.
But after kisses and confessions and long nights on the beach, Fiona starts to fall hard for her dream husband and her dream life.
But what happens when opening yourself to love means falling for a life that isn’t real and a man who doesn’t exist?
Because in the end, it’s not fate, it’s just a dream.

Book #3 in the Ghosted series. While this can be read as a stand alone it does contain a character from the previous book. I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first two, but it was still an enjoyable read. I felt like it was missing some of the usual Sarah Ready sense of humor. This one was more serious in a way and really leaves you thinking. The main character Fi definitely goes through a lot of personal growth and that was fun to see. This entire series touches on finding love in unconventional ways and I like the uniqueness of the storylines. I am looking forward to the fourth and final book in the series!

Thanks to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.