Thank you to NetGalley and Skyscrape for the ARC of “Something Like Fate” by Amy Lea.

This is such an incredibly sweet, light hearted YA romance novel. Despite a heavy reliance on fate, destiny and soulmates in the plot line throughout the story, the characters in Lea’s novel are flawed and show that free will and shucking the expectations can make you just as happy.

I enjoyed the slow burn, friends-to-lovers trope in the novel, although I must admit I was frustrated it took so long for Lo and Teller to “discover” their feelings for one another. I was even more frustrated by Lo’s decision to just stay in Italy with Caleb so close to the ending of the story.

It felt like so much of the story moved slowly through Teller and Lo’s travels through Italy (the span of only a few short weeks), only to hit the fast forward button and speed through nearly 6+ months of Lo’s extended travels in Europe with Caleb.

While I understand his motivations, I was also frustrated by Teller’s lack of fight for Lo - a part of me really wished he would realize at the airport he should stay and fight.

In the end, I’m happy that Lo came to her senses and returned home, and while the predictability of her vision actually referring to Teller (as soon as I learned his mom owned a coffee shop, that was game over) was an easy one to sense from the beginning of the story, I still enjoyed the cute reveal at the end.

All in all, I am a little disappointed by the abrupt ending of the story - it would have been nice to have a small epilogue to learn about what happened to their budding relationship - I definitely think this is a story worth reading.

Amy Lea has such a lovely writing style and while it’s not spicy like some of her other novels, the chemistry is there between the characters.

If you’re a fan of Lynn Painter’s “Better than the Movies” and Ai Hazelwood’s Check & Mate, you will want to grab a copy of “Something Like Fate” when it becomes available!

“The sun to my moon.”

I loved 'Woke Up Like This' so the second I saw Amy’s post, I rushed to get my hands on this book and locked in.

- nerdy mmc & sunshine fmc
- invisible string coded
- fun dialogue & banter
- if you loved 'People We Meet On Vacation' by Emily Henry, you might like this!

Thank you to Amy Lea, Netgalley, and Skyscape for the advanced reader copy!

I was a little worried about the potential love triangle (I'm not too fond of those), but this was a well-executed slow-burn friends to lovers. Lo and Teller are hilarious together. I love that Lo respected Teller’s boundaries but still made way for him to step out of his comfort zone at his own pace. Additionally, Teller is the sweetest guy ever and is always considerate of everyone, especially Lo! These two are so patient with each other. Despite being best friends, they continue to learn more about each other and feel safe with one another. They even help each other out with their respective romantic endeavours. But then there's Caleb, the guy Lo falls head over heels for after he saves her from a runaway trolley. Caleb is hot, spontaneous, and loves to adventure. Best of all, she's convinced he's her soulmate.

"Do you want to be someone else?"
"Doesn't everyone?"
"I wouldn't want you to be anyone else."

Amy Lea does a great job setting the scene because I literally want to hop on a plane right now. This was such a charming book that I finished the book in one sitting. I truly admired Lo's connection and love for her family. The last third of the book was a bit relentless with the whole ‘soulmate’ stuff, but I can understand why Lo was so desperate to find her soulmate. I would've loved to see more tension/romantic build-up between the main characters, especially in the earlier parts of the book. The ending was also slightly rushed but everything tied up quite nicely. There is something like fate, and it’s called choice. Will Lo continue to let her search for her soulmate overcome what her heart truly wants?

Something Like Fate will be released Feb 2025, right around Valentine's Day 💌

3.5 ⭐️s

I am a huge Amy Lea fan, she is an auto buy author for me and her first YA book “Woke Up Like This” was my favorite of her books so far.

I was over the moon to get an ARC of this book and was even more excited when I saw that it was best friends to lovers. The premise with the two backpacking through Italy together sounded fantastic and the added magical realism w/ her family’s psychic abilities & the curse made it really promising!

The vibes very much felt like Love & Gelato meets Red String Theory (both books I LOVED) and I enjoyed the setting a lot! :)

Where it started to lose me was with the feel of the book. While the book is labeled as YA, the characters are college students putting it more in the older YA category of New Adult. However, the characters themselves acted very much like younger YA MCs would. So it got a little confusing at times trying to figure out who the intended audience would be for this book. I still absolutely fell in love with the characters, but I kept being pulled out of the story when they’d mention college and marriage because they really did act like younger high school students. I feel like this could have either been a great YA book or a great adult book but it kept floating back from one to the other and it was harder to focus on the story.

Things I Loved:
- the family dynamics and drama (they were seriously adorable and funny)
- the best friends to lovers trope (it had all the awkward will they or won’t they chemistry of friends realizing they want to be more and I LOVED that!)
- the humor and quippy dialogue/banter was perfect and made the story fun

Things I Didn’t Love:
- the love triangle (I’m a fan of love triangles but I couldn’t stand the other love interest in this one)
- the pacing got a little funky and slow towards the 75% mark
- the internal conflict of the MC got a little repetitive, it was mentioned over and over and over and it got a little frustrating

Overall, this was cute but it wasn’t my favorite of Amy Lea’s books. I will definitely still be picking any book she writes up because they’re so fun but this wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC!

I don't really know what to say about this one. It had a cool premise and foundation for the story, but for some reason I just didn't connect with it. Magical elements and culture aspects aside, this one felt like reading another version of the same stories that are already out there and there was nothing that stood out and made a book one to remember. The characters felt a bit juvenile at times, even given their ages, and, romance aspects aside, very predictable. This is my first Amy Lea book and I really wanted to fully enjoy it, but unfortunately wasn't the case.

to be honest, the main reason i requested this book was because it was being compared to people we meet on vacation which is one of my favorite romance books of all time. maybe i was primed, but something like fate does feel a little bit like an amalgamation of popular romance books but written for ya. don't get me wrong, i still loved the self growth of lo's connection to her family, especially since her mother died so young. however, like with some friends to lovers, the build up wasn't there and some of the plot b with lo's father felt a bit juvenile.

Review to Come!

Thank-you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Looking forward to reading this book.

Love the cover!

Liked the other works from this author

Cute friends to lovers story, although at times predictable. This was my first time reading something from the this author and although this wasn’t that great I might still read her catalog, which I’ve seen praise for. I like the way Something Like Fate iexplored the idea of destiny versus free will, and the twist about her parents was a good example of this. I’m not quite clear whether her vision was about Teller all along or it was Caleb, but it’s obvious she made the right choice, and it was a little frustrating how long it took her to make that choice. Since she was so obviously pushing herself to be content with Caleb.

Something Like Fate offers a captivating exploration of Lo’s turbulent transition into adulthood. An outspoken extrovert, Lo thrives in disorder but feels confined by the life her father envisions for her. Desperately searching for a connection to her late mother, she longs to be accepted by her maternal family and dreams of meeting “The One.” Exhausted by meaningless flings and yearning for the companionship of her estranged best friend, Teller, Lo’s first vision convinces her that a trip to Italy holds the answers she seeks: clarity for her future, a chance to connect with her mother’s memory, renewed friendship with Teller, and perhaps, the discovery of her soulmate.

Lo’s life is a whirlwind, and her messy journey made for an engrossing read. Watching her grapple with her emotions and navigate difficult situations felt authentic and relatable. Her bond with Teller was a highlight, and seeing how their relationship evolved over the years was heartwarming. While I sometimes questioned Lo’s choices, I respected how thoughtfully she approached her decisions. I found myself wishing I could get inside Teller’s head during some of the story’s pivotal moments—it would’ve added another layer to the narrative. On the other hand, Caleb’s perspective wasn’t necessary; Lo’s view of him was enough to showcase his impulsive charm and how it impacted her worldview.

Though love triangles often bring heavy drama, this one felt refreshingly light, without the typical angst. Even as the story tackled some serious themes, it maintained an overall breezy feel. The conclusion was satisfying, wrapping up a heartfelt coming-of-age story intertwined with a tender romance.

That said, I’d advise readers that this book tackles more mature themes, better suited for a new adult audience. While there aren’t explicit sex scenes, discussions around intimacy, hookups, sharing pictures, kissing, and alcohol are prevalent throughout the story

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I loved Woke Up Like This so when I heard about this one I immediately added it to my list. And it did not disappoint. Lo, a sweet optimistic and outgoing college student, comes from a long line of phychics and when she has vision of meeting her soulmate on her trip to Italy, she is even more excited for it? However, her friend breaks her foot & can't go - so what happens, she invites her best friend, Teller, a handsome introverted numbers-loving, calendar planning guy, to come with her! But what happens when she starts looking at Teller through different eyes even though she's had a vision of her soulmate & it's not him? You'll have to read to find out ;) but needless to say I really enjoyed this one! Makes me want to travel to Italy ASAP & I love Lo + Teller's friendship. Pick this one up & fall in love with Italy & Teller with me!

While this was mostly closed door, I would probably categorize it as more NA than YA just based on the main characters being in college & talking about sex, drinking, etc quite a lot

While I enjoyed Something Like Fate, there were various times throughout the book that felt juvenile. I understand this book is in the YA genre, but I felt it didn't match the moment. That's why I'm giving it 3 stars.

The premise was there and held promise (it's what instantly drew me into the book) but I didn't connect with how the story unfolded. While it's a destination book, and had the hallmarks of great getaway for personal growth, it felt...stereotypical. It lacked originality. The sad part for me as a reader: it isn't memorable. I always walk away from a book with a memorable quote, moment, character growth, setting. But for some reason, this felt like a haze. It felt like several moments were cherry-picked from other published novels and put together. The potential was there but I just feel like the author didn't stick the landing.

I really wanted to love this book but it just didn't connect.

Thank you NetGalley and Skyscape for providing an ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Skyscape for the ARC

I've read one adult novel by Amy Lea earlier and found her YA book just as good! The setting was amazing. Italy, backpacking, the Amalfi coast, incredible. A perfect scenery for a sweet romance. I also liked and appreciated the Asian representation.

As for the plot, I found it really interesting and unique. The magical realism component was well explored and cool. The romance was sweet and charming. All in all a great YA romance.

This book is a solid 3.5 stars for me. It had all the elements of a classic laugh-out-loud rom-com with the friends-to-lovers trope, but something was holding me back from rating it higher.

One thing I absolutely loved was the setting—there’s just something magical about a European romance that instantly sweeps you away. ✨ However, I wish the chemistry between the two main characters had been established earlier. The first half of the book didn’t quite give me the romantic tension I was craving.

On the plus side, the spice level was low, which I always appreciate in a romance! Overall, I enjoyed the book and devoured it in under 24 hours. I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 Stars
Something Like Fate was a journey of becoming an adult. Lo is an outspoken extravert who thrives in chaos. She has felt stuck to the path her dad wants for her and is hungry for anything that might give her a piece of her mom. She wants to fit into her mother's family and find "The One". Lo is tired of hookups and missing her best friend. After finally having her first vision, Lo knows that Italy is going to bring her everything she wants: a decision on her path in life, a way to connect to her mom while gaining independence from her dad, a reconnection with her best friend Teller, and her soulmate.

Lo was kind of a mess, but I enjoyed the experience of wading through her emotions and the situations she ended up in. Her friendship with Teller was so special. I loved learning about their friendship and all of the things that made them close throughout the years. I worried about Lo when she made decisions that didn't feel right for her but respected her thought process. At times, I wish I had Teller's perspective because I would have loved to have known what was going on in that guy's head through some of the ups and downs of the trip. I didn't really want Caleb's POV like I did Teller's. I learned enough about him through Lo's eyes. I liked the spontaneity he brought to the story and how his actions influenced Lo and her life perspective. I'm not normally one for love triangles, but I could easily handle this one because I didn't feel the heavy angst I usually feel when I read them. Even though this book dealt with some tough issues, it managed to keep a light tone. I'm very happy with how everything ended up. In the end, I got an emotional journey to adulthood mixed with a sweet romance.

I do want to caution readers that the themes in this book are mature and more suited to a new adult audience than a young adult one. While this book is closed door when it comes to sex, there is a lot of talk about sex and hooking up, pictures that have been sent, kissing, drinking alcohol, etc.

I adore Amy Lea and scooped up this ARC so fast!
Every one of her books feels like a Netflix romcom that I'm dying for someone to make!
Teller is my new favourite book boyfriend. His and Lo's friendship was my favourite part of the book. Their love for one another came right off the page. Thank you for the ARC!

This book was good!! Story was nice however the writing was a little flat. Italy made this a great read

Super cute romcom! Felt like reading an early 2000's romcom movie. I really enjoyed the setting and how the relationships were shown. Friends to lovers is a favorite of mine and this really knocked it out of the park. Would recommend!

I received an advanced copy of Amy Lea’s newest from #NetGalley. Amy Lea has quickly became one of my go-to authors to follow. I loved this one so much. It’s a deep dive into Europe, traveling, and romcoms. Her books are always filled with quirky humor, good romance, and provides a dreamy escape. I absolutely cannot wait for the next one! (No pressure!)

I loved this so much! I’ve never been to Italy but this book was so detailed that it felt like I was there eating gelato with Lo and Teller ❤️

Thank you NetGalley & Skyscape for allowing me access to this ebook! Something like Fate by Amy Lea will be released Feb 11th next year.

In this delightful romantic comedy, Lo Zhao-Jensen embarks on a summer backpacking adventure through Italy, where she hopes to find The One, following a long-standing family tradition of fortune-telling women. But unlike her relatives, Lo has no psychic abilities, only rom-com fantasies and a string of bad dating choices. Things take a turn when Lo finally has the vision she’s been waiting for, prompting her aunties to declare that her true love awaits in Italy.

She will be joined by her best friend, Teller Owens, who is her complete opposite, Lo's trip takes on a magical, fateful tone when she meets Caleb, a fellow traveler who saves her in a dramatic meet-cute moment in Venice. Read this if you want some very swoony moments, humor, heart, and the scenic beauty of Italy!

This was such a strong young adult romantic comedy, it had that element that I was hoping for and thought the overall concept worked. I thought the use of fortune-teller in generations worked overall and that the characters had the realism that I was looking for. I was invested in the story and characters going through this story. Amy Lea wrote this perfectly and left me wanting to read more.