Lo recently obtained "The Gift" all women in her family have-- the ability to have visions, primarily of who their soulmate is. She runs away mid-hookup and prepares for a month long trip to Italy a la her (of course) deceased mother. She plan on going with her friend, but a mishap at Costco leads to her going with her recently single best guy friend. When a mishap of her own leads to her meeting the man of her visions, Lo can't believe it., Until the "perfect man" doesn't seem so perfect.

I liked it. I might be leaning too hard back into my revived interest of romance novels, though I do still love Amy Lea's dip into new adult novels. Definitely feel more realistic than The Influencers series (though I did like those!)

Thanks, NetGalley!

Amy Lea has become one of my favorite authors. This was a super fun story where we meet Lo, who ends up traveling to Italy in search of her soulmate, thanks to her family’s history of female psychics and their ability to have visions of their true soulmates. I absolutely loved reading about the visit to Largo di Torre Argentina, my absolute favorite lesser-known spot in Rome. Overall, this story was very good, and it definitely made me feel like I was in Italy. It wasn't a top tier 5 star favorite for me, but it's definitely one I'd recommend!

There are some books that make me feel the initial joys of reading romance as a teenager, and this book was absolutely that. I wish this book could somehow go back in time so that my teenage self could enjoy traversing Rome with Lo, Caleb and Teller while cheering for Lo to select the boy I want her to get with. (Hard to write that phrase without telling you who I wanted Lo to end up with!)

It's the end of freshman year of college, and Lo is miserable. She isn't interested in her major (or any other subject, to be honest), and she's tired of having meaningless hook-ups. She wants to meet her soulmate, which the women of her family have foreseen for generations. Except for Lo. She apparently did not inherit the fortune-telling genes from her mom, and, if she cannot find her soulmate, she will be cursed. The only thing motivating her is her trip to Italy. She is going to retrace the trip her mom and Aunt Mei took in their youth.

Days before she leaves, she finally has a vision! She has foreseen her soulmate, who she believes she will meet in Italy, given the espresso scent and landscape. But when her travel partner breaks her foot, she asks her recently dumped best friend, Teller to join her. He's her opposite in every way, but she cannot imagine traveling through Italy on her own.

Days into the trip, IT HAPPENS! She meets her soulmate, Caleb. And swoon. She definitely leveled up with him. She cannot ditch Teller, though, so the three of them end of spending a lot of time together, and Lo finds herself developing feelings for both Caleb and Teller. If she goes against the vision and chooses Teller, she will be cursed. But if she chooses Caleb, will she lose her best friend? How is a girl to choose?!?!?

Given that it's insanely dark and cold right now, I really loved traipsing through Italy with Lo, Teller and Caleb. I could feel the sunshine in Positano, and it really brightened my spirits.

It's always difficult reading a YA romance as an adult - it's difficult to connect to a 19 year old's views of love and relationships, but, like I said, my teenage self would have absolutely loved this book. And swooned over Teller's abs.

What I loved the most about this book was the ending, which I want to tell you about but not spoil for you! I appreciated all the conversations Lo had with her dad and aunts - it was truly beautiful to read these conversations in which Lo learned about her mom, the history behind her family's fortune telling abilities as well as her parents' relationship. The advice could be useful for anyone - of any age - making a big decision.

Read this book if you love:
💕 Love Triangles
💚 Fade to black / closed door romance
💕 Traveling
💚 Friends to Lovers
💕 Fortune-telling
💚 Coming of age stories

TW: This female main character lost her mother as a child. Navigating this loss is a theme throughout the book.

I will be posting my review of this book on my instagram account, @thecozybookgal closer to the publishing date!

Amy Lea books are a lot of fun, so I was excited to jump into this YA book. I’ve been on a YA kick lately and this one was fairly fun. I do think that this book struggled a bit with the target audience. However, the characters were college students, and they acted so much younger. I anticipate a slew of immature behavior from this age group, and like I said I do read this age often, but these characters felt like they read younger. I do think that the themes are more mature that are dealt with in this book, which further my reconciliation with the age and acting issue. I wouldn’t have had any hang ups if they were high school students. Despite the age issue, I did enjoy this book a lot. Friends to lovers is my favorite romance trope, and this one was done well. I also really loved the family dynamics and family drama. That was such a fun part of this book. The banter and humor was also top notch and exactly what I picture from this author.

If you’re looking for a fun book on the upper end of the YA spectrum in terms of issues, then you should check this one out.

This was disappointing. My biggest issues were:
- I disliked the characters. Lo was self-centered. She didn’t seem to have any feelings for Teller before this and him getting hotter. Teller sucked because he had feelings for her the entire time, still dated someone else for 3 years, and was never honest with her.. I knew Caleb sucked when he said he was Italian when he’s Canadian. Her aunts and even other friend gave Lo terrible advice.
- It was an odd in between of a YA romance and a new adult romance.
- I knew it was a love triangle (with an obvious choice at the end) and that there would be OM/OW drama, but this was too much. You also had Teller’s ex, who he misses almost the entire book and a girl he flirts with on the trip. Then the love triangle, which is dragged on almost the entire book.
- I dropped this from a 3 star to a 2 star for the 3rd act and her choice, which she continues for 6 months!

There were some cute moments between Lo and Teller. I wish there had been more, even if it was just an epilogue! I could see others liking this, but it was not for me.

For generations, the fortune-telling women in Lo Zhao-Jensen’s family have foreseen The One—the great loves of their lives—before ever meeting them. Except for Lo, who has zero psychic abilities. Just memories of old rom-coms and a lot of poor judgment when it comes to love.

Until now.

When Lo finally has the vision she’s been waiting for, her delighted aunties are convinced she’ll meet The One on her backpacking trip in Italy. Vero amore, here she comes.

Along for the summer is Lo’s best friend and confidant, Teller Owens, her opposite in every way. Upon arrival in Venice, Lo is saved from a runaway trolley by Caleb, a fellow backpacker. It’s a meet-cute so swoony, it has to be fate. But with each destination, Lo’s complicated feelings for Teller are becoming harder to ignore. From the cobblestone streets of Rome to the rocky cliffs of Amalfi, Lo begins to wonder if fate has other plans.

Loved it. Will recommend to others.

This rom-com has an interesting concept about psychic visions and finding your soulmate, but the execution felt a bit cringey at times. The story is about Loren's journey to Italy, where she believes she’ll meet her soulmate, but she begins to question if soulmates are overrated after meeting someone unexpected.

3.75/5⭐️

Amy Lea’s Something Like Fate is a lighthearted and swoon-worthy romance that explores themes of fate, friendship, and self-discovery. Set against a backdrop of quirky characters and heartfelt moments, it captures the messy, magical journey of navigating relationships and life’s unexpected twists.

As a local author from Ottawa, Canada, Amy Lea brings an authentic voice and a distinctly Canadian warmth to her storytelling. Her writing shines when diving into the vulnerabilities of her characters, making them relatable and endearing. The protagonist’s emotional struggles feel genuine, and the romantic tension is sure to satisfy fans of contemporary romance.

While the book is engaging and charming, it occasionally leans on predictable tropes, which slightly tempers its impact. Some secondary characters could have been developed further to enrich the narrative. However, Lea’s humor and heartfelt prose elevate the story, making it an enjoyable read despite its familiar elements.

Overall, Something Like Fate is an entertaining romance with a strong sense of place and emotional depth. It’s perfect for readers looking for a cozy escape and a reminder that love often finds us when we least expect it. As an Ottawa reader, it’s especially delightful to support a local author with such a promising voice in the romance genre.

First I would like to think NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy of Amy Lea’s Something Like Fate.

I read all 3 of The Influencers Series and absolutely loved them. So when I saw Lea had a new book coming out I was excited!

This book follows Lo and her best friend Teller as they backpack around Italy. The women in Lo’s family have had vision of meeting their one true love, and visions of other important events. Poor Lo feels like the black sheep of the family because she’s never had a vision. Finally just before she leaves for her trip, she has THE VISION! And she’s convinced she’s going to meet The One on this trip.

I loved the idea of this book and while I did enjoy it, I just couldn’t connect with Lo or Teller or Lo’s one true love Caleb. Overall it was a good book, I just didn’t feel the romance or connection between the characters

Thanks to Netgalley & Skyscape for access to this
E-ARC! So cute! Fun characters & liked the themes. Amy Lea is a very under-rated author.

This book felt never ending, which is never a good sign. I understand she was only 19, but Lo felt so immature it was hard to root for her. The fact the whole (fresh) premise of the book ends up being flipped on its head in the end was also disappointing. I enjoy a little magic realism and this fell short.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy in return for an honest review. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This was another super cute novel by Amy Lea. I really enjoyed the ride of the book but the premise of it did get a little repetitive at times. But overall a super cute book.

Disclaimer, I received a complementary copy of this book, but the opinions I express in this review are completely my own. Super cute YA romance! Reminds me a little of Ashley Poston's, realism with a twist! Friends-to-Lovers and realizing that love can change as we change. Lo and Teller feel like my high school friends and the challenges that you face. Super cute, but frustrating because of the tension between them at times I do worry about what will happen but don't worry - this book is a true HEA!

Cute best friends to lovers rom com, but not my favorite amy lea book (my favorite is Woke Up Like This). I wasn’t a fan of the love triangle. I liked the premise of the book, but it wasn’t memorable.

I ... I did not finish this one. I couldn't relate to it / didn't get sucked in. I usually love anything by Amy Lea but this one missed my mark.

Something Like Fate is a very cute rom-com with a fun trope where the main character can "see" her soulmate. Lo goes on a trip to Italy with her best friend thinking she's going to run into her soulmate from her visions. Although she does meet someone, she also learns that fate might be more complicated than she imagined. This is a perfect book for a vacation (maybe even to Italy?).

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I like Amy Lea’s other titles so I was excited to read this but it didn’t really hit for me. Lo is stuck on the idea of something for the entirety of the book and it’s frustrating because you can sense from very early on in the book that she’s wrong. A little too predictable for me.

Something Like Fate is a delightful, sun-soaked romp through Italy that explores whether true love is written in the stars or shaped by choice. Lo Zhao-Jensen has finally had her long-awaited vision of The One, and her family is thrilled for her romantic Italian summer. But as she searches for her destined love with her best friend Teller by her side, it’s Teller who begins to capture her heart. The auhtor's vivid, postcard-perfect settings and witty dialogue bring both the romance and Italy to life, making this a charming journey through friendship, love, and self-discovery. Perfect for fans of fate-meets-free-will romances!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

*Something Like Fate* by Amy Lea is a sweet, heartfelt romance that captures the complexities of friendship, love, and destiny. The characters are relatable, with genuine chemistry and emotional depth that make their story feel authentic. Lea’s writing is warm and engaging, making this a great read for romance lovers.

Amy Lea’s YA novels will really have you swooning and soul searching in all the best ways. I read Woke Up Like This last year and loved it so much I read it again in 1 day a few weeks later. Something Like Fate has the same bit of magic, appreciation for the love that’s right in front of you, and the idea that something can seem wrong for you but it’s so right. Teller and Lo are the kinds of friends everyone wants, and Lo’s eclectic family members are so supportive even if they are a bit silly. If you love love and magic and Italy, this is a must read.