The Meeting Point

I read this as part of a book tour and I am so glad I signed up!! This book was my biggest feel good read of the year so far. I am not a hugely romantic person but this read left me wanting to give everything up and find my own adventure.

The characters were seriously loveable and I want each and everyone of them in my lives. If I could have jumped into the pages and been a part of their make shift family, I would have done so without hesitation. A heart warming story from start to finish. I can't wait to hear more from this author.

I will be publishing my review on my Instagram for my day on the blog tour.

I absolutely adored this book! It hooked me from the start. Maya tries to surprise her boyfriend, but ends up finding out he’s cheating on her. But then, the driver who has his phone tells her what to do, so she can still manage to have a good birthday. But the day end up going better than she imagined.
This book was so good. I loved these characters. Maya is a strong character, and ends up packing up and trying to find her happily ever after.. She’s been hurt, but still believes in love and finding her love story. Ethan, you start out not liking him. As he seems like he’s not a nice character. But, as the story goes on, you end up falling for him. This book was so beautifully written, and I’ll definitely be reading the others previous book. Definitely recommend.. A fast read. And very entertaining.

THE MEETING POINT follows Maya Maas. What better way to spend your birthday than to surprise your long-term, long distance boyfriend with a visit? What Maya doesn’t expect is a stranger to text her off of her boyfriends lost phone. Maya is left crying in the airport after her boyfriends Lyft drivers reveals to her that her boyfriend has been cheating on her. To cheer her up, the stranger helps Maya plan a day full of fun adventures and the two have a connection over text that Maya never could have dreamed of.
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This book was exactly what I needed right now. Fast paced, fun and romantic! I loved both Maya and her mystery man “Max.” I love books about anonymous texting-relationships, and this one was especially good. Their chemistry had me grinning throughout the entire book. I actually finished this book in one day because I used every spare moment I had to read. I was completely hooked— this story and these characters are going to stay with me. I’d love to read anything else Lara has written and will write!
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4.5/5 stars, THE MEETING POINT by Olivia Lara is available September 2, 2021!
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Thank you to Netgalley and Aria & Aries for sending me an eARC to review!

I loved this book….. I was hooked the very beginning, I was transported with the characters and loved seeing the story unfold, a really intense feel good book.

5 stars from me

Do you want a book that will make you scream
IM IN LOVE !! IM IN LOVE 🥰🥰
Well!! you got it.

Summary.
Maya plans to surprise her boyfriend David by visiting him in san Fransisco but what she ends up finding out hurts and she ends up spending a day texting with a stranger .
That day can either be the end or the start of her life.

Is it really possible to fall in love with someone you’ve never seen or heard ?
Anything’s possible in the land of fiction right?

This is a stranger to lovers love story,
A journey to evolve yourself in,
A getaway to being brave enough to admit and choose what you want.

Writing this review isn’t really expressing my real love for this book , I loved each and every part of this book.
It’s a book that I will forever recommend to everyone and will never shut up about it

It’s my first Olivia Lara’s book and yah she got herself a hardcore fan already

Thank you NetGalley for giving me this gem 💜🤍

This was a real light-hearted romance that I finished in a day. The premise was fun: In attempting to surprise her boyfriend in San Francisco, Maya learns that he's cheating on her via his phone he left in the Lyft driver's car. Anonymous driver "Max" helps Maya get over her terrible birthday surprise with a personalized itinerary in a nearby beach town. It's a super cute summer read!

The Meeting point by Olivia Lara a meet cute of a five-star read. This was such a good story overall, it did have moments that I worried I was drifting as it waffled a little, but I am a waffler, so I got it. The overall story though that was amazing. The whole journey that Maya Mass goes on, was tumultuous and at times not a path I would have chosen, but I am a huge romantic so sue me. I loved being swept away with the beach, and the cute little houses, the food descriptions will have you drooling. The journey Maya goes on to find the truth, does have clues along the way, and I was convinced and then I wasn’t, but the ending was so perfect, as there was a tiny if only. But the ending was just so sublime.

Simply amazing!!! I figured Max out early on, but still loved the story!!! This was a quick and enjoyable read! Great characters and good depiction of how we go back and forth in new relationships and situations!!

This story was amazing! I just finished and I’m laying here with a full heart.

Even though the twist can be seen from a million miles away I really enjoyed this book. The love, chemistry, friendships and a women taking control of her life.

This is a slow burn, no 🔥 but definitely worth picking up when it’s released.

Thank you so much for an arc Aria and #netgalley. This is 💯 my honest review.

Loved this book so much!! The characters are beyond well done. They could be people you see everyday. The settings are fully done which makes it super easy to visualize the story as it happens. Amazing book!

Wow! This book is wonderful. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC copy. The story of Maya and Ethan is a cute romance. I loved being back in California visiting one of my favorite places ever - Carmel by the Sea. I was a little concerned that the book had over 80 chapters - but each one was needed for their back story. It’s a feel good romance. I found myself smiling throughout the whole book. Preorder it - it comes out September 2nd. I would give it 5+ stars if I could.

Thank you NetGalley and Aria Fiction for the ARC!

This was just the cutest story. The imagery was beautiful to the point where I was Googling all of the locations mentioned in California.

I adored aspiring writer, Maya and the mystery Lift driver (no spoilers!). It’s always a plus when I love all of the side characters as well.

I think part of the book description says it perfectly well, “What if the Lift driver who finds your cheating boyfriend’s phone holds the directions to true love?” This would also be amazing as a movie. It was such a lovely read, I’m off to buy Olivia’s Lara’s other book!

This will be an especially good read to those who are writers, but also those of us that believe in love.

Five stars.

I could NOT put this down. This is such a sweet, unexpected love story! I loved every second- such an original story! Maya plans a surprise for her bf, only to find out his “business” trip is anything but. After her bf forgets his phone in a Lift, Maya finds out the truth and the driver tries to turn her day around by sending her on an adventure for her birthday by texting her directions from the boyfriends phone. What will happen? Will it be love at first text? Thank you @netgalley for providing this early read!

What if the Lift driver who finds your cheating boyfriend's phone holds the directions to true love?
After Maya flies to California on her birthday to surprise her boyfriend and finds him cheating, she is left single and stranded in a strange town on her birthday. Instead of flying home, she proceeds to have a one-night texting adventure with Max, the lift driver, who leads her all over Carmel-by-the-sea to cheer her up.

Things I love:
-the texting adventure- i love the never meeting face-to-face but falling in love trope. I think the author did it so well!
-the adventure- also done really well. I felt like i was going along with Maya.
-the relationships- i really enjoyed the interactions with Maya, Ethan, and Celine.
-Book within a book- usually this doesn't work for me but i was here for it.

Things I didn't like:
-The predictability- I guess the twist after the first couple of chapters but I don't think that took away from my enjoyment of the story at all.
-the cluelessness- I felt like the main character was clueless about who Max was and it was slightly annoying. I guess that was the intention but I just wanted to scream at her sometimes.

Thank you NetGalley and Are& Aries for the eARC!

Thank you NetGalley and Aria for providing me with the ARC of The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara.

I absolutely loved this book. I thought it was an adorable, fun and romantic filled story. It was a quick and fun read and I found that I didn't want to put it down. Definitely add this book to your list, you won't be disappointed.

I liked this! It wasn’t so amazing that I’d drop everything and read the author’s entire catalog, but I really enjoyed it.

Great story! I really enjoyed this book. I thought the story was original and even when I thought I had it figured out, the author would give a little more information to make me question what I thought I knew.

Maya flies cross country to surprise her boyfriend on her birthday. The surprise is on her when another guy responds to a text she sends to her boyfriend's phone to let him know she arrived. "Max" tells Maya that her boyfriend left his phone in Max's rideshare car, where the boyfriend was making out with another girl.

Through texts, Maya spends the day with Max and has so many new experiences. Even thought it happens fast, their feelings grow. Maya ends up going back home with the boyfriend, but about a year later realizes that she needs to find that guy who she fell for through text messages that one day. She sets off on an adventure to find him.

I loved the images created by the author when describing the towns and scenery in the story. I also loved the dialogue and relationships between characters. It felt real and not contrived or forced. I was guessing til the end and the story kept my interest all the way though. Wonderful book!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc.

Cute, heartfelt and special, The Meeting Point is an adorable read with a original and unique story.

Capturing the essence of a perfect day, in a charming and picturesque little town, this book was such a pleasant surprise. The twist might have been obvious, but like Olivia says, although some things in the novel were far-fetched, they didn't take away from the beauty of the story or from hoping the characters would find a way to get past their heartbreaks and fears and just take a chance on each other.

4.5 stars and a day

The Meeting Point drew me in and did not let me go until I had finished it. I’ve got myself into a bit of a habit of starting books in the evening and finishing them the following day. I couldn’t put this down and was desperate to follow the relationships between the characters.

This book follows Maya, a journalist and aspiring author, who flies to San Francisco to surprise her long-term boyfriend on her birthday. Except when she gets there, a Lift driver answers her boyfriend’s phone and informs her that he had been cheating on her. Maya then proceeds to have a whirlwind day out directed by the Lift driver from text, who she calls Max. Flash forward a year later and Maya is still thinking about that day and wondering what life would be like if the outcome was different. She goes back to the town she visited in order to find her mystery Max and I was 100% invested in search. However, her search was not that simple as she becomes attached to the town and a certain man living there called Ethan.

'"Who knows where life will take me?" Wherever you want it to take you," he said. "You're not a feather in the wind."'

I didn’t want this story to end and there were so many cute bits and lots of tension between Maya and Ethan. Whilst it was predictable and I could tell what was going to happen, I still couldn’t stop reading and wanted the characters to realise how they felt. Maya grows during this story and discovers who she is and the path she actually wants to take and I loved it. She was a likable and real character who you couldn’t help rooting for. Celine, the Café owner who takes Maya in, was a great character also, and I loved following her own little romance story.

All in all, this book was a great lighthearted romcom and I couldn’t recommend it more! I really enjoyed it and would happily read it again.

I LOVED this book - it had major You’ve Got Mail vibes which is one of my favorite movies of all time. I loved the setting of the book: I really felt like I was in the quaint little town of Carmel and it really had me wishing I was at a California beach!
The Meeting Point was a sweet and charming romance that I couldn’t put down! Maya was the main character and you only got her POV which was nice since it helped keep the other persons identity a secret.
This was a very clean book and had little to no language in it! This will for sure be one of my favorite books of the year.

Absolutely, insanely sweet. I didn't LOVE all the deception on both sides, but jeez this was just so swoony. This was such a unique story and I couldn't put it down!

The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara had absolutely everything that I'm looking for in a book. It made me smile, it made me anxious and most of all it made my heart beat faster.

There were so many things to like in this book:

- First and foremost the characters. Even though the female main character couldn't have a more different life than myself, I was able to identify with her and understand where she was coming from. Even though she is guilty of poor judgement from time to time, it was one of her unique traits that made her so lovable. Needless to say, the banter between the main characters was exquisite and witty. It was intelligent and childish at the same time, without being cringey.

- The setting. The description of the small town (Carmel) was on point and painted a beautiful picture. You could almost feel the serenity and beauty through the pages.

- As a personal preference I love my main characters being writers. I guess it's because of the creativity and the colorful words and thoughts the characters use.

- The slow burn. I really appreciated the pace of the story. It was believable at all times and not a forced 'they lived happily ever after even though they know each other for mere seconds'.

The only downer would be, that I'm not able to read this fantastic book for the first time again ;)

I would totally recommend The Meeting Point and thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to discover such a gem.

This book is so good it was like reading something made to become the next Netflix small town drama! I loved the setting of Carmel by the sea and kept finding myself googling the locations. All three of the main characters are likeable and her ex boyfriend is the perfect blend of over confident idiot to make you honestly dislike a fictional character. I loved it.

I would definitely recommend this as a summer read or for anyone feeling like they want to up sticks and make some major changes in their life. This book gives you a massive confidence boost. The first NetGalley book I’ve reviewed in a while and I wasn’t disappointed.

The Meeting Point was super cute and better than expected!

This story follows Maya, a writer who steps out of her shell after a twist of fate leaves her alone on her birthday in an unfamiliar city. She starts texting with the Lift driver who has her cheating boyfriend's phone, and he leads her on a day of adventure that changes her life.

I found this story fun and interesting. It was a little slow to start, but really picks up about a third of the way through and then I couldn't put it down. While Maya starts out hesitant and sheltered, her magical day encourages her to eventually break out of her shell and think differently about herself and her life.

I enjoyed Maya's journey and all the supporting characters. My only gripe is I figured out the little mystery of who the Lift driver was fairly soon so I found that more predictable than I would have liked. Otherwise, I thought this was a super cute rom-com and I would definitely recommend it!

First, a big thank you to the publishers at Aria and Netgalley for this e-ARC of The Meeting Point.

The Meeting Point! Oh, what to say about this absolutely adorable story! I wanted to be Maya Maas!

Maya is an aspiring writer who’s been turned down by more publishers than she can count. Apparently her love stories are too unrealistic. After losing her job (not her fault), she flies out to San Francisco to surprise her long time boyfriend. When she texts him to inform him of her surprise, a Lyft driver responds instead, and inadvertently informs Maya of her boyfriend’s cheating.

Devastated and alone in a foreign city, on her birthday no less, Maya is taken on an adventure from afar by the mysterious Lyft driver to Carmel by the Sea. Falling in love slowly through text messages, they arrange to meet at the end of a magical day. What happens next? You’ll have to read to find out!

This was such an incredible love story about two strangers falling in love in the most unlikeliest of ways. I loved every second of it. The entire story is told from Maya’s point of view, which was great in my opinion, because it kept the other’s identity a secret that much better. You won’t find lewd scenes or much cursing in this book, which is always nice if that’s something you look to avoid! I highly recommend The Meeting Point if you’re looking for a sweet, unputdownable romance this fall!

The Meeting Point releases September 2!

4.5 cute stars. I loved this book. The characters were perfect and I fell in love with Max, Ethan and Maya. I loved the story line and different aspects of it. I’m so excited to read more of this authors books. Super cute. Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy of this book.

In the course of a day, Maya traveled across the country, found out her boyfriend was cheating on her, and had her day take a complete turnaround...all on what happened to be her birthday.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot of this book because I’m afraid to give anything away, and I want readers to be as captivated by and sucked into this story as I was. I could not put it down. It was charming, warm, and a bit mysterious (but not in a spooky way). There were questions to be answered that I was trying to piece together until the very end. When I say this book drew me in, that could be the understatement of the year. I couldn’t get enough.

If you enjoy a romantic tale with lots of heart, you won’t want to miss this.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I could not put this book down! I was so engrossed to know who Max was, and when it hit me, I couldn't wait for Maya to find out! This books is such a heartwarming and fun read. The characters fit together perfectly and the story is gripping! I would recommend this book to any romance novel lover.

The Meeting Point is a charming, heartwarming romantic comedy with such a unique premise! When Maya Maas’ plans a trip from New York to California to surprise her longtime boyfriend on his business trip, she’s the one who’s surprised when she learns that he’s been cheating on her - from the car share driver that finds her boyfriend’s lost phone. On her birthday no less. So when the mystery driver offers to give her some travel tips while she’s in an unfamiliar beach town, she takes his advice to distract herself from her heartbreak, not expecting to receive a personalized itinerary or this new virtual companion. But she realizes that maybe she isn’t so broken-hearted after all, because otherwise she wouldn’t so quickly feel so comfortable with the mystery driver she nicknamed Max. After what feels like a magical day together, they make plans to finally meet in person, only to have life intervene. What follows is the story of a woman with a new perspective take control of her life and try to follow her heart.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the advance reader copy - this was such a delightful read!

The meeting point was a such a sweet story and a fun premise! I felt like this was sort of a fun spin off of You've Got Mail, but had its own unique flair to set it apart!

A few things I really loved:
- Max's Itinerary (So thoughtful and sweet, and the kind of good we are all looking for in this world.)
- The setting! (Carmel by the sea was just lovely!)
- The question game

If you're a romance reader that prefers your romance plot to be a little more on the chick lit side, I think you'll adore this book!

Content: Clean, no language.

* I received a free copy of this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *

THIS WAS SO CUTE. I loved every bit of it. I stayed up too late to finish reading it because I had to know how it ended. I guessed part of the plot line just under halfway through, but for once, it didn't ruin the story.. it made it even better. I loved the characters - Maya, Ethan, and Celine were my favorites, for sure. The setting was wonderful too; I lived in Monterey for a while and would go to Carmel, so that was a fun bit for me. I also really liked that Maya had such good growth. I love when a character realizes that life isn't working the way they wanted and so they do something to change it, even if that something is a little crazy. that's the kind of growth I love to see! Honestly, this is a must read if you love rom-coms.

*thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a free early copy in exchange for an honest review*

OKAY WOWWWW this book had me hooked from the beginning!!
I really thought that this book was going to be about the one day, but instead took us on this wonderful and beautiful journey of a woman finding who she wants to be and finding a new home on the other side of the country.

What I liked:
I loved the whole premise of the book, I loved the beginning, middle, and end.
I loved that it was MORE than just their meet-cute like I thought it was going to be.
I loved the story after she moves
I love the main character's development
I fell in love with all of the characters
I fell in love with the seaside beach town (which is based on a real place!)
I devoured this book like no other in a long time

What I didn't love:
I didn't love that I figured out the ending super early, and I don't know and couldn't tell if that was the author's intent for the reader to figure it out before the main character, which led me to be a bit frustrated at the main character right before she figured it out.


Read it or Leave it?
READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

I loved The Meeting Point. From the beginning I connected with Maya. I hated her boss and her boyfriend and I wanted her to find happiness. When the texts send her on a birthday adventure I was along for the ride, and what a beautiful ride it is.
I’ve never been to Carmel by the Sea, but it’s on my list of dream vacations now just so I can see the places Maya visits in this beautiful fairy tale of a book.
I love how we know what Maya doesn’t as the story progresses. And even though the dark moment at the end feels a little contrived, it leads to a wonderful conclusion complete with the grand gesture.
It’s been forever since I watched Sleepless in Seattle, but the feelings the book evokes remind me of what I felt while watching that movie the first time.
Great characters, great plot and a beautiful happily ever after.
Highly recommend.

I received an ARC of The Meeting Point from NetGalley for this review.

Such a fun story about what could happen if you take a chance, close your eyes, and take a leap.

I adored Maya and her journey to her Happily Ever After.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves romance and good stories.

The writing was so playful, also enjoyable to read. Both these characters were so relatable.
If you're looking for something to kick a reading slump or if you just want a fun, romantic book to sweep you off your feet this summer: look no further. This was such a good book. To be read by the beach or in the garden. Let this story take you away for a few hours of reading bliss.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a review. This book was a joy to read. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. The romance felt like a story I had not read before and that can sometimes be hard to find in romance. In this story, Maya "meets" a man who sends her on a wonderful birthday adventure in a new city after being heartbroken by a cheating man. The beauty is finding love in a place you never expected to find it and trusting that it was worth it all along.

This was so sweet! I was really hoping for a happily ever after and The Meeting point did not disappoint.

When I first read the synopsis for this one, I was intrigued, but hesitant. With such an interesting concept it felt like the author would have to thread a pretty small needle to make it work, and I really think it does!

This story follows Maya, a writer who steps out of her shell after a twist of fate leaves her alone on her birthday in an unfamiliar city. She starts texting with the Lift driver who has her cheating boyfriend's phone, and he leads her on a day of adventure that changes her life.

I found this story really interesting. While the character starts out hesitant and sheltered, her magical day encourages her to eventually break out of her shell and think differently about herself and her life. As she tries to find the man who had such an impact on her, she may just find a place where she belongs.

The main character's journey reminded me of my own journey, so I understood her actions and her hesitations. I enjoyed the twists of fate that she faced, and the heartwarming romantic moments. I will definitely enjoy revisiting this story and these characters!

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries publishers for the change to read an advance copy of this lovely book!

While I was reading this book, I just didn’t want it to come to an end but I wanted to know that the HEA (Happily Ever After) had come! Such suspense!

Maya yearns to be a writer and is always penning stories but she has never been published.

She works as a journalist in New York, lives with her litigation lawyer boyfriend but knows that all is not well.

When she flies one weekend to surprise him (it’s her birthday) the Lift driver has picked up his phone and let’s slip that he was with another woman in the car.

What follows first is a magical day at the coast in Carmel where the mystery Lift driver “Max” guides Maya around town to have the best day of her life.

They never meet, but a year later, Maya still hasn’t forgotten him. She leaves the boyfriend and the not great job and travels back to Carmel looking for Max.

I so enjoyed reading how the story evolved and couldn’t wait for Max to be revealed! ❤️ ✈️ 📚 🏖

I stayed up way too late reading this one. I couldn't put it down.

The story is told from Maya's POV, so we only know what she knows, but I had a strong suspicion, of course.

Maya is not having the best time at work and she quits her job in NY. She decides to surprise her boyfriend in SanFran, but when she gets there, she finds out he's cheating on her. And it's her birthday.

The lift driver who found her boyfriend's phone wants to give her a good birthday and tells her to go to Carmel. Throughout the day, they play a game of 50 questions and get to know each other, all through text. Maya feels a connection with this guy, but she doesn't even know his real name or what he looks like.

A year later, Maya leaves her boyfriend and her job and goes to Carmel with a couple of suitcases and nothing more, except the strong wish to find Max (the name she gave him).

It was a different kind of story but it kept going in one sitting.

Clean. No language.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

If I have to describe this book in one word it'd be "buoyant". It was super hyper duper cute and sweet. I've never been eager to visit California but after reading this book all I want to do is to go to Carmel by-the-Sea! Can someone take me, please?
So, the instant-love trope is one of my least favourites. I avoid it as much as I can, and when I realized that this book had it, I freaked out a little. But it surprised me in the best way possible. I ended up loving it! Olivia wrote it in such a smart and beautiful way that is inevitable to love this story. And not only that, you end up loving the story, the characters, the places, everything.

The only thing I didn't like much, is the ending. It was sweet and cute but I'd have loved it for it to be a bit longer, to actually see more of them together, of their relationship. An epilogue would have been phenomenal!

If you like the instant-love trope, enjoy rom-com, and are a sucker for happy endings (like me), seriously you CAN'T-MISS this book!! Now, if you don’t love this trope so much, I’d say give it a shot, it might surprise you.

Maya is surprising her boyfriend and meeting him out of town for her birthday. When she can’t get hold of him, a Lyft driver answers his phone asking her if she is the hot blonde. Upon discovering her boyfriend’s infidelity Maya is lost, with no plans the driver sends her on a magical mystery tour, making this birthday one she will never forget.

I read this is one sitting. It had the perfect amount of romance and mystery.

This was the cutest story I’ve read in awhile.
Maya and her mystery Lift driver created an adventure that sent me from place to place within this beach town, and I adored it. That feeling of experiencing somewhere new, even through someone else’s eyes, soothed my wanderlusting heart.
And in the second half, I throughly enjoyed the mystery, as well as the back and forth, and the genuine friendships portrayed.

I can't recommend this book highly enough! I devoured the whole thing in one sitting, then just sat back and actually felt a slight amount of grief that it was over. It's so well written that I got very attached to the characters and sympathised with them all. I solved the mystery quite soon into the story, but it was nice to see how it played out, and I appreciated having a book that was realistic, with people misunderstanding each other and feeling the same insecurities as us. I have already recommended this book to others, and have added the author to my watch list for future publications.

This book really took me by surprise, in the best way. It gave me all the feels! Really, the writing and the story was so endearing. I loved how strong maya was and how sweet and intense Ethan was. It almost has that “ you’ve got mail “ vibe to it where you know as the reader exactly what’s going on and you are just waiting for the heroine to catch up. Thanks to nergalley for the ARC and all opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book; I very much appreciate it.

The best word I can use to describe this book is cute. The characters were all loveable (except for the cheating ex-boyfriend, of course) and I'd love to be friends with them all. It took me a chapter or two to get used to the author's writing style, but once I got used to it, it was a very quick read. The heroine was a very sweet woman and the hero was considerate and caring. The descriptions of Carmel were vivid and made me want to hop on a plane to go visit. While the plot was predictable, I didn't mind it much.

A perfect summer read. 4.5 stars.

At first, I would like to thank Netgalley and Aria & Ariesfor allowing me to review this book. Keep in mind that my review, however, is my true opinion on this book.

Maya Maas just wants people to be happy. She writes love stories and she makes up love stories everywhere she goes. To random people on the street who do not even know each other will in her imagination end up getting married. That is because she just wants them to be happy. She gives these people fake names and emotions, because she does not know them. It kind of seems like a nice gesture or something.

There is enough sadness in the world - as Maya Maas would put it. This is your chance to get some more light into yours. And this book will help you on the way and make a smile on your face. Because it is a cute story.

Maya Maas also says: “why make life easy?” I kind of like her mentality. She seems like a fun character.

I love the mysterious driver, Max, and his fun games. He sure seems to want to help Maya and he seems like a genuinely nice character just like Maya. And all of the time spent on trying to figure out who this guy is, is absolutely wonderfully written!

All the characters actually seem quite nice. Ethan and Celine are especially lovely characters. They are so sweet. You just can not help but love them.

This is a book showing how there is always another side to the story. There will always be two perspectives. And it is easy to misunderstand each other.

This is a kind of book, where you more or less know the ending very early on. But this does not make it less enjoyable to read. It is just as exciting to read this amazing story. It is just so lovely!

I loved this book! And I will highly recommend this!

I adored this story so much! A good mix of romance and comedy I need now in my life. Lol.

Thanks Netgalley for the copy. I will post the whole review on my IG account.

4.5

There’s a lot to unpack with this novel and a lot of it I will keep close to my heart because I don’t want to give anything away!

I will start by saying that the beginning of this book is sweet and unexpected! What I loved about it was that it was our first introduction into who Maya is! This story is told through just her point of view and throughout the book we see many sides of her! At the heart of her character though she is someone who wants to see every one find their HEA! She is a romantic who just wants the world to experience the beauty of love!

When the day trip of a life time becomes the premise of an upcoming book Maya knows she must find the man responsible for her amazing day! He’s the key to what her future! What she embarks on is a journey of discovery in more ways than just love!

I really enjoyed Maya’s character, and that she had such a great foundation with her best friend and her mom! She also meets new people on her journey and each character really added to the story!

The book did feel a little slow at certain parts and I know it’s building up to the climax so my warning is to stick it out! Continue to read because when the book picks up at about the 60% mark you will be mind blown and completely invested just like I was!

5 stars for this super cute story !

Maya Maas is having the worst birthday until it becomes one of her bests adventures.

The scenery (Carmel-by-the sea in California) and its description are awesome and add to the long list of places I want to visit thanks to a book !

I could totally be Maya at work and get carried away by a stranger who would have found my cheating boyfriend's phone in his Lyft. I really appreciated that it takes some time for Maya and her mysterious "texter" to be reunited (it wouldn't have worked for me if it had been an insta-love, even if it kind of is).

I've been very lucky to have been granted an eARC of this book by the publisher and Netgalley (thank you so much !) and to read it while on holidays. It's a perfect timing if you want a romantic novel with funny twists and really nice secondary characters.

This book had no business being as good as it was and making me feel all the feels. It completely encaptured my attention and I've never read anything like it. There isn't much spice but there is lots of sexy tension, banter, and chemistry.

It took me less than 24 hours to finish Olivia Lara’s sophomore novel, “The Meeting Point.” Definitely a beach read, feel good book that most definitely will have a place in my library upon its release in September. Another ARC I was lucky to read before it hits shelves, Lara captivated me with the California coast and characters I wish I had in my everyday life.

I read so much I constantly ask myself what makes something a good book, or why did I like this more than the last thing I read. The answer for me is consistent- if a book makes me feel things I’m in. And this book gave me alllll the feels. I was hooked from the beginning and flew through the first few chapters, and then something happened and I had to stop reading. I was so mad. Got over my anger pretty quickly and continued reading to see how the story continued.

The main character, Maya, was someone I both identified with and wanted to be my best friend. I am so grateful I got to live life with her for a little while.

After staying up most of the night reading, I stopped around 70% through because I didn’t want the story to end. I read more this morning and again stalled at 91%. Another characteristic of a good book is when you don’t want it to end. I did finish however and as sad as I am it is over I’m so lucky I got to read it early. Such a great book, I’m sure the wait list at the library is already long. Preorder it now, add it to your TBR list, and add September 2 (it’s release date) to your calendar! This one is not to be missed!

Rating: 4.5/5

ABSOLUTELY FREAKING BRILLIANT. I loved this storyline, the characters, and just flat out everything!! It was so different and I was completely Intrigued the entire time!! My heart is still melting as we speak. As you can tell by my start and finish time for this book, I finished it in less than a day because I literally couldn’t put it down. One of the fastest romance reads I’ve had to date! Ugh you guys. I’m sad it’s over. I hope this becomes a series because I. NEED. MORE. I did guess the big reveal, but regardless I still loved it! Who doesn’t love warm fuzzies that come from a good ole romance?! Oh my goodness. Olivia Lara knows what she’s doing!! You guys definitely need to add this to your TBR! It was definitely what I hoped for and what I enjoy in romance novels: slow burn, a bit of mystery, enemies-to-lovers, and a fun storyline and makes you want more! Give this one a chance, you definitely won’t regret it!

Lovely summer rom com read and shows how out of something crappy a beautiful friendship can spark. I read it within 2 days and had me laughing and smiling throughout.

This book has a totally unique premise and I loved this emotional journey! This is sort of a second chance romance with a twist - only one person knows who the other is.

Max saves Maya from the worst birthday ever by sending her on a fun one-day adventure via text. And she kind of falls in love with the guy on the other side of the phone. But when push comes to shove, she has to choose between going back to her old life or taking a chance on Max?

This book is so clean, you can loan it to your most conservative friend, but I didn’t care. This is such a well developed slow burn, I was totally along for the ride.

This book is almost entirely in Maya’s POV and the emotional punch of finally getting a peek into Max’s head was so amazing!

Loved this one!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Aria for an advance reader copy of this book. These are my honest opinions.

This is the first book I read from the author and it won' t be the last . From the first to last page it was amazing .A must read . A woman who is romantic and makes love stories with people she just meet at the road - cafe - bus . The day of her birthday she makes a surprice trip to her boyfriend and she ends texting with the lift driver who drove her boyfriend . After discovers she is being cheated she decide to spend the day to a city the driver tells her about . While texting she realises that is in love with him . After a year she returns back to the city and try to find him and explain why she did not meet him like she promised . While she is looking for him she meets Ethan and slowly falling in love with him without realising it . What will happen at the end ?
I received this book from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Maya Maas, lives in New York with her boyfriend of 5 years. When David is on a work trip in California, she decides to go surprise him. When in reality she gets the surprise of a lifetime. David leaves his phone in a "lyft." When the lyft driver starts texting her, and lets her know that David has been cheating, not only did it ruin her day, it is also her birthday!! She ends up calling him Max, as they do not want to get to personal. He ends up taking her all around the small city of Carmel, California! The best 24 hours of both of their lives. When they decide to meet at 6am before Maya has to get on a plan, David is demanding his phone back, and instead of meeting Max at the meeting point, it is David who she see's instead.

A whole year later, Max is still all Maya can think about, and when she finds out an author is writing HER story. She heads back to Carmel, California to find him, and let him know that she wrote this first, and doesn't want her story exposed. But what she finds is so much more!

I absolutely loved this story, it was so different from your typical love story. It took Maya awhile to realize that she hated her job, she didn't like her cheating, lying boyfriend, and she was determined to get answers on who Max was and why he didn't show up at their meeting point the day after her birthday a year ago. Her determination no matter what to find Max is breath taking, because it wasn't about looks, or what he did for a living. It was the fact that he was nice to her, and took her through a whole city through text message, I just have to say it would drive me nuts for a year too! Especially when you have no way of contacting them! I hope other reads enjoy Maya and Max's story as much as I did! I would love to read my from Olivia Lara! A solid 5/5 for a very different, cute, and awesome love story! That by the way I read in 6 hours!!

Oh how I loved this fun romcom by Olivia Lara! I took this lovely read with me on a weekend getaway, and it was the perfect escape to add to my escape! This book promises romance, originality, characters you’ll love, strong chapters and a satisfying ending. I loved Maya instantly. She finds a story in almost any situation (which I can relate). I found the texting that went on between her and the Lyft driver on point! I loved it all, from their silly road games to finding out about each other. Readers of the genre will love this new swoony romance by Olivia Lara. Highly recommend!

The Meeting Point a quick little read that I would recommend after reading an intense, thrilling novel. Maya a young women who is working at a dead end job. Who is living with a man she thought she would spend the rest of her life with. Until she decides to not take a writing assignment because of her birthday weekend surprise for David. Only Maya is the one surprised on her birthday. David 's phone is left in a lift car and when Maya finally tracks down the driver she finds out that her wonderful boyfriend of five years has been cheating on her. What is she to do. Maya goes on an adventure through texts with this mystery Lift driver Max. She goes on this wonderful journey to try to forget that she has no job, boyfriend or place to life. She is a mess, but Max helps her have the best time of her life. Everything is fine until she tries to meet Max but ends up going back home with David. Never meeting this mysterious, caring and possibly loving man Max. Maya wakes up a year later knowing she mad the biggest mistake of her life by coming home with David. She is so unhappy and needs to find out who Max is. Her best friend Alisa helps her on her next adventure back to California to see who this elusive Max is. Ms. Lara wrote a very funny, easy going story with a character that will make a reader feel like she is writing about them. The story gets really chaotic when you through in a highly famous author Ethan Deplay who Maya thinks can hold all the answers to finding out who Max is. To find out how Mayas second adventure turns out I would suggest you read this book. It is funny, loving and makes you root for Maya to find out all the answers to her questions. Even if she goes about it the wrong way. Thank you Olivia Lara for an entertaining story. Thank you NetGalley and Ari-Aries for the approval for this ARC. Totally loved it.

Would you start a conversation via text with a complete stranger? Maya did and it was the start to the sweetest love story. I loved this book so much and was smiling so much throughout it.

What I Loved:
-Mayas relationship with all the other characters (except David, he's a scumbag). I just loved seeing her interact with people.
-Mayas little HEAs that she writes, so cute!
-The location (Carmel By The Sea) which is now on my list of places I NEED to visit.

What I didn't love as much:
-Sometimes I got annoyed with Maya and her behavior or how clueless she seemed to some things. But that didn't last long or ruin the book for me at all.

This is a very clean romance with no language and no steam. I usually prefer some steam but this book was so good even without it! I can't wait to read the authors other book.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved this! I so rarely give romance books 5 stars but I finished this one with a huge smile on my face and tears in my eyes. It was the perfect blend of realistic and fantasy romance. Yes, I knew what was going to happen and I was ready to give it 4 stars because of it, but the slight twist at the end really took me for a loop (since I saw the "big twist") and really pushed this one over the edge. It gave it that "I need to know what happens next" feeling even though I knew in my heart what the ultimate ending needed to be.

Maya's journey is so relatable and intriguing. The whole time I kept thinking this was a modern twist on "You've Got Mail" (which I love) but it improved upon it in many ways. The relationships seems real. The matchmaking bits were fun. And to top it off, the characters were so delightful. If you're in the mood for a rom-com, this one is fantastic!

Ooooh I liked this one. A lot. I love it when a book has one of those moments where you are just so desperate to intervene and stop a situation but you can see it unravelling in front of your eyes and can do nothing to stop it. Thats exactly how I felt with a moment in this one. But wow the rest of the book does not disappoint. I love the matchmaker and romantic in Maya as she is like a modern day Jane Austen's Emma (only better) but misses the point in her own love life. I'm sure many of us can relate. This is fun, fresh, cheeky, cringy at times but overall everything you could want from this type of novel.

I really enjoyed this romcom. First off, the story line was perfect. I love a good exes to lovers story. I loved the chemistry between all of the characters and that there was more than one love story in the book. I also really enjoyed the cover of this book, it was perfect for the story! Overall, this was the perfect frenemies to lovers romcom and I really enjoyed it.

My what a book
This book deserves no stars because it has the entire universe in my opinion. When i first saw the chapters i was shocked but David and Maya quickly melted my heart with their beautiful love story. The hopeless romantic couldn't get enough of this beautiful small town goodnes and the suspense weaved in this story.
I loved all the characters save for David and Janice but the rest of them i was rooting and cheering them on throughout
If you're a hopeless romantic like me looking for your next book to curl up to. Then this beauty right here should be up your tbr.

Have you ever started a book but you did not care that it had a predictable ending because it was so cute? Well, that was this book. Book meets girl in an unexpected way, they have internal obstacles to overcome, they end up happy. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone that wants a good easy romance. It’s not gonna make you want to change who you are as a human but it will make you be happy to be part of a world where books like this exist.

So, I read a LOT of romance books and I think this is one of my new favorites! I really enjoyed the plot and the characters. Our main character texts her boyfriend, who lost his phone with his Lift driver. She proceeds to meet the driver, learn her boyfriend is cheating on her, and have a magical day with the Lift driver. Yes, this is an unlikely scenario, but it was really well done and I enjoyed it. The writing was fast paced and the plot was good. There are not any steamy sex scenes in it, but it was still SO GOOD! Can you tell how much I enjoyed this? It was clever and well done. I cannot wait to read another book by this author.

This book needs to be on your radar! I love it so much.

Maya is having the worst day. She gets fired. She flies out to visit her boyfriend only to find out by his Lift driver that he is cheating on her. And oh yeah, it’s her birthday. At text suggestion of the Lift driver’s, she begins to explore. And is it possible to fall for someone only over text messages?

This book was SUPER predictable. But goodness I couldn’t put it down! I was smiling throughout the whole book. It’s a cute, light romance.

The Meeting Point is an adorable romcom! I loved the plot and the main characters were super cute and very relatable.

Such a wonderful book!! I loved the story of Maya Maas and her wonderful birthday. What a great meet cute! The story was somewhat predictable in the middle but when Maya returns to Carmel, it doesn't quite go the way I thought it would. And it was very interesting to read about her birthday from his perspective. Get this book - you will enjoy it! I can't wait to read more from this author.

I'm so very very thankful to NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC. Truly loved this book!

“Everything worth something is always a little bit sad.”

Maya arrives in sunny California to surprise her boyfriend, David. But when she calls him, she finds out that a Lift driver has his forgotten phone. “Are you the blonde in the red dress who was with him?” ….Maya is a t-shirt-wearing brunette. Worst. Birthday. Ever… or is it? Maya starts texting the Lift driver (Max) and ends up having the BEST day, discovering the local beach town of Carmel with a text itinerary from Max. But can this relationship develop into something more, or will Maya go back to her familiar life in New York?

I could NOT put this book down! The story was fast-paced, and I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen between Maya and Max. I loved the friendships in this story, side relationship with supporting characters, setting in Carmel, and main characters (helloooo tattooed author male lead 😍). The insta-love trope worked really well here. This is SUCH a cute story and I highly recommend checking it out!

Thanks to NetGalley and Aria for this ARC!

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were fun, the descriptions made you feel like you could see it or that you were there, and the writing was well done and easy to follow. This was a great, light hearted read that anyone could read in less than a day!

Thank you NetGalley and Aria Fiction for the ARC for the exchange for a honest review!

The Meeting Point is a cute and delicious romantic story that is quickly devoured. I read it in one sitting, because the writing is fluid, but above all because I needed to know how the plot was ending.
Maya accumulates disappointments, she clings to a slight hope: her boyfriend. She decides to go to California to find him to celebrate her birthday with him, but without warning him beforehand.
At the airport, she calls him, but he's not the one answering, it's a lift driver who does. She discovers thanks to this stranger that her wonderful boyfriend is cheating on her. The stranger on the phone feels sorry for her and generously decides to help her overcome her disappointment and have a wonderful day. The two of them text each other, he advises her on places to visit, where to eat, where to relax ... Olivia Lara offers us a sublime postcard from Carmel-on-the-Sea, a small town very popular with writers, full of charms that she describes wonderfully, she makes us want to visit it.
Thanks to a man whose identity she does not know, she has a magical day, the best she has had since a very long time, a day that will change her life. Over the text messages, they get to know each other, they make each other laugh, exchange their feelings ... They therefore decide to meet but ... For unclear reasons, this meeting does not take place. And it is soooo frustrating !
A year later, Maya can no longer bear her disappointing life, especially after having lived an exceptional day several months before. She decides to give up everything and go in search of the lift driver. So she returns to California, to the city where her life has changed ... Conducting her investigation, she meets wonderful and generous people, she can finally let her heart express itself by helping others, by bringing them a smile...
In a way, looking for the man who changed her life, she finds herself, she becomes the real Maya again, a happy Maya.
She meets a writer who can help her find the lift driver but between them the mood is electric, she is angry with him, and he seems perplexed by her. It creates funny and enjoyable to read scenes. The situation of our heroine is more and more complicated.
It's hard to explain what I liked about this book without saying too much. The charm of the small town with its adorable inhabitants offers a very beautiful setting and a familiar and special atmosphere. The secondary characters all bring an additional charm.
Maya is a woman who got lost over the years, her day of discovering Carmel was a trigger, as much by the city as by the exchanges with the stranger of the texts. This day has shown her everything she misses by continuing to live a life that does not suit her. As for the lift driver ... he made me melt with his messages, he helps a woman he doesn't know, he offers her the keys to happiness without expecting anything in return, he has a sense of humor...
Maya falls in love, at the same time as us, with an exceptional man who will know how to make her happy.
There is a lot of magic in this love story, a lot of sweetness and energy too.
I loved discovering the first day from the point of view of the lift driver. Although it wasn't a big surprise, it was still super cute.
We quickly guess the end of the story but despite everything, we find ourselves impatiently waiting for the moment when Maya will understand. And the end does not disappoint at all !
No sex scene here, just seduction, tenderness, humor ... The birth of love, the discovery of the loved one.
In short, this novel is a little gold nugget that will make you smile!

Fun and yes fairly predictable romcom. I don't mind predictability. I feel thats pretty much a given with romcoms. I DO think though that since it was pretty obvious early on who Max is that we should have gotten more of his POV. I really liked the segments of his book where we got to see what he was experiencing. I do really dislike when there are so many lies and no communication but again thats to be expected sometimes to give some sort of conflict. I do think there was a little too much of Maya's inner thoughts and they were a little repetitive. She was a little immature at times as well, especially for her age. Claire was actually one of my favorite parts of the story and I really wish Maya had confided in her. I disagree with some other reviewers about Maya and Ethan. I really thought they had great chemistry. I was upset that Maya kept denying it so much. I did find it really odd though that Maya was so oblivious. I really think Maya would have at least at one point considered that Max could be Ethan. It was odd that she didn't. Or maybe even have Alisa give that as a theory. The one thing I really don't get though is why David kept calling for so long. It just didn't make sense that he would if he had the attitude Max wrote about in his book. Overall I really enjoyed it! It was a fast and fun read that I would recommend to anyone who loves the movie You've Got Mail, because it definitely made me think of it multiple times.

Do you believe in instalove or love at first text? Based on the characters in this book, I absolutely do!

The way Maya tore through June After Midnight is the way I devoured this book- I kept wanting more and more, then when I finished, I still wanted more! This book reeled me in from the beginning and was SO GOOD! From the moment Maya landed in Carmel for the second time, I knew the outcome but I giddily read through each chapter with a huge smile on my face. I loved all of the character interactions with one another, especially Maya, Ethan and Celine, plus the stories and matchmaking. Extra swoon at the wine tour and the hot air balloon ride. Prepare yourself for lots of laughter, smiles, eye rolling (in the best way!), friendship and, best of all, love.

Loved this book! I am a sucker for a sweet romance and this one definitely made the list! A chance meeting, beautiful setting, and entertaining characters? Sign me up! Thank you, NetGalley!

4.5/5 stars! This book had me hooked from the start. Maya finds out from a lift driver that her boyfriend is cheating on her. The Lift driver sends her on a birthday adventure, rather than letting her wallow and she has the best day of her life. A year later she returns to Caramel by the Sea to find out the identity of her secret lift driver.

I didn't know that this was the book I needed, but this light, fluffy romance kept me reading. The Meeting Point is a quick read, with short chapters and was happy and uplifting to read. I didn't want to put the book down, but I forced myself to, just so I could savour it a bit more.

The author did a great job setting the scene of the book in Caramel by the Sea. I felt like I could see myself there and it now has me itching to visit Northern California and Caramel by the Sea to see the beauty itself.

Olivia Lara did a great job building characters Maya, Ethan and "Max" so well that I felt for all of them. I loved Maya creating the stories of happily ever after for the people in her life and it was so sweet to hear these stories and really added to the romantic nature of the book. Maya is a person I could picture being friends with and seemed very endearing and likeable. I also enjoyed reading about Maya's friendships with both Alisa and Celine and how they were there for her when she needed them.

I liked the writing of a "secret pen pals" type of trope (sort of) and felt that Olivia really pulled it off in her writing. Some parts of the book did feel like it was starting to drag a bit, but the pay off was totally worth it for a cute, slow-burn romance.

Another interesting part of the book is that you read "Max's" perspective through small chapters of Ethan's book, which I found a unique way to add a perspective, rather than a back and forth dual perspective of many current romances.

All in all this was a light, contemporary romance and was super sweet. I am going to read Olivia's other book, and I look forward to her future novels! I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher for an open and honest review. All opinions are 100% mine.

I literally started this book quite late last night, but I read so much of it before I fell asleep and finished it this morning. I can’t believe how fast I got through it, also quite sad as I was SO invested.  

I loved it. I can’t even describe. I loved the writing, the characters, the story, the ending. ALL OF IT. I normally read thrillers but trying to try get back into my romance books especially and this was amazing. I LOVED Maya. I just wanted to hug her from the very beginning, then her very special birthday, I felt like I was on the journey with her too! It was so beautifully written too; I loved all the little moments. 

I was so invested; I couldn’t put it down and needed to know what was going to happen next. I did kinda guess who ‘max’ was, however I couldn’t wait for the moment for him to be revealed! And it was such a magical moment when it was.  

I'm still feeling so many emotions from this book, and honestly, I say this with every book I've loved, but I NEED a part 2!!! I need to know what happens next... for ALL the characters!

It is so easy to get attached to what we know, what we are used to, or simply not getting out of our comfort zone just because we are made to believe we don't have what it takes or can't find better options.

That is not true. We can do better than we are told, and deep inside we know it.

I enjoyed so much reading this book, carefully going through its pages, I didn't want to miss anything, I didn't want to finish it. I needed to read more of that encouragement. I needed to be reminded of that lack of bravery that we are so used to have.
To the readers, sometimes we need to be selfish.
To the author and team, Congratulations!

The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara is a sweet romcom that follows Maya as she’s looking for a Lift driver she fell in love with after spending a perfect day “with him”

This was a fast paced read, I really liked that you don’t have to wait long for Maya and mystery Lift driver Max to start interacting and I loved that we don’t get to see much of David, he just seemed obnoxious and horrible to be honest!
Getting to know Maya throughout the story and following her one year later when she’s back in Carmel-by-the-Sea looking for Max was so much fun! The setting was beautiful, the people were so nice and I really loved how inspired Maya felt surrounded by all of them. I loved the relationships she forms and the places she visits with wonderful company.

I’m keeping this review spoiler free but I will say this — even if I figured what was going on early on, I really enjoyed the journey and I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cute romcoms with likeable characters, swoony moments and a little bit of banter.

Keep an eye out for this one, it’s out on September 2nd!!! 🗓

✨Thank you to the author, NetGalley & Aria for an eARC of this book in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own. ✨

This review will be posted closer to publication date on my Instagram account: @bm.bookish.girl

Such a cute and romantic story set in such a beautiful location! I love the bond that forms between Maya and Max and it didn't feel rushed at all. This book felt like such a classic Rom Com and I am so here for it!

Another new author to me and another author I now love. What a seriously beautiful story.

Maya decides to surprise her long standing boyfriend, David, when he is on a business trip by visiting him as it is her birthday. However, she didn’t bargain on him losing his phone and when the person who finds the phone inadvertently tells her David is cheating on her she ends up chatting to the anonymous person who is kind and friendly. He decides to make her day special as no-one should be unhappy on their birthday, right? But that day changes both Maya and the unknown guy she’s been speaking to. Will she ever find out who he is? And will she find herself along the way? You must read this amazing book to find out.

Well, what an amazing story by Olivia Lara. By chapter 4 I was already loving the feeling of the book, it felt so magical, and it started making me feel really good while I was reading it. It is only the second book EVER to make me throw my head back and laugh out loud, that is an achievement in itself. I really understood Maya, especially all her over analysing and over thinking every situation. I also really liked Celine, what an all-round lovely lady! By about halfway through I was certain I had figured out who Max (the anonymous guy) was and I was right however, this defo did not spoil my enjoyment of the book. I was desperate for Maya to find out who he was too and was constantly on the edge of my seat waiting for her to figure it out. I was so happy when she finally did.

I had no choice but to award this book 5* it literally gave me all the feels and I’m so very sad that I’ve finished it. Brilliant, just brilliant Olivia Lara.

Thank you to NetGalley, Aria & Aries and Olivia Lara for my advanced reading copy. Due out 2nd September 2021.

This book was so much fun and absolutely perfect for a summer read! I devoured it in two sittings becasue it was just so good and I had to know how it ended.

Maya was a brilliant main character and while some of her decisions were dubious I just loved watching her change over the course of the book as she learned more about herself and became more and more comfortable in Carmel. Ethan was a great character too and I liked that we were able to get his perspective on the story closer to the end as it was all winding up towards the end, plus he was flawed and he changed too. Something that I love to see. Celine and all the other residents of Carmel were wonderful characters too and I thought the way they all touched Maya's story was wonderful, plus they all felt like their own characters with plots of their own, not jsut side characters in the main plot of the book.

The plot itself was brilliantly written and I thoroughly enjoyed the direction that the story took after the part advertised on the blurb had come to pass. I was hooked as I watched Maya try to find out who her mysterious Max, a great Gladiator reference if I may say so myself, even though I figured it out about halfway through the book. I also really liked that every little character had some sort of plotline that got fulfilled in some way and I really enjoyed how it all got concluded becasue that final chapter was so sweet and I just loved reading it so much.

Olivia Lara has such a wonderful writing style. She is funny and serious and can really just make the characters come to life off of the page. I just absolutely loved it all so much and I am definitely going to check out her other books!!

This was an adorable romance about Maya, who finds out and befriends a Lift driver over text. The Lift driver is the one who breaks the news her boyfriend may be cheating, and before long, Maya is seeking a life makeover.

The book has a great cast of characters and a perfect setting for author turned cafe worker Maya.

I adored this book and cannot wait to read others by Lara.

Maya has been writing for years but her book never seems to be good enough for publication. So she put her writing on the back burner and works a job she hates (a girl has to eat). At least she has a good relationship with her super stable boyfriend who is currently out of town on business. She decides to travel to surprise him on her Birthday only for his phone to be answered by a Lift driver who mistakenly informs her that her boyfriend is cheating on her.

Rather than go back home (which belongs to her boyfriend), she takes the advice of the lift driver and explores the nearby beach town. He tell her places to visit and she had a great day with him showing her around the town without them even meeting or see each other (or she thinks). She is Maya to him and to her he is Max. Unfortunately, her boyfriend shows up and basically gaslights her into going back home with him.

After this, Maya's life is basically on standstill. She no longer loves David, her boyfriend and she has finally written the story of the man she never met at the beach town. So when her friends tells her of a book that is about to be published by a bestselling author that basically is a story of her adventure with the man she never met. She decides to go find the author in hopes that he would tell her the name of the man he heard the story from. 

She quits her job and goes on the journey to find the man she loves but never met. This book will turn you inside out. I mean, I knew who the guy was, I could already guess but the fact that she was standing on pins without knowing she was falling in love with the same guy again was just heartbreakingly funny.

This is both so fast paced but at the same time very long. I felt that some of the scenes where so prolonged that I jumped a few paragraphs just to get the story going. I did enjoy this book a lot. It is NOT a steamy book but there was too much chemistry and intensity that I forgot about them clapping cheeks.

Rating edit: 4.5 stars

It's so wonderful to read a delightful love story. The Meeting Point is a lovely love story that kept me hooked throughout. It's so interesting and very smartly crafted. Although it's a love story, and you somehow know but the author manages to keep the readers curious.

We don't meet the male protagonist for a long time, but he is connected through texts and that's so entertaining, the chats. I love the protagonists and their conversation. Both as a reader and a writer, I felt deeply connected. So much that the book traveled with me to my kitchen, and it doesn't happen often. I love the settings: the lovely locations, the cafe, beach, cottages...

Just the ending seemed a bit rushed. I was expecting something deeper, nevertheless, it's one of my favourites this year.

Overall, a very interesting, engrossing and endearing read. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

This book was such a breath of fresh air and felt like a love story not only for Maya and Ethan but also for creatives everywhere. It gave credence to coloring outside the lines and using your imagination. I really enjoyed this story and characters from the start.

Each chapter was so short and the story was so engaging that I never felt like there was a slow point. Everything progressed so organically and there was just so much to love. Although as the reader, I figured out who Max was I was also extremely happy with how the author created the mystery for Maya and how each little reveal added to her bond with Ethan.

I was a huge fan of Maya's friendship with her best friend Alisa and how they managed to maintain a fully remote best friendship for years. This concept gave credence to how easily Maya was able to develop a connection and strong feelings for Ethan without ever having met him in person.

I was absolutely enamored with the idea of two sides to every story and am excited to recommend this book to my friends.

4.5 Stars. I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. I have not read Someday in Paris, so I was not sure of what to expect from Olivia Lara. I loved the concept of this book and it was executed in the most darling of ways. First off, I adored the setting for this book. Carmel by the Sea has been on my to visit list since I read Meg Cabot’s mediator series in middle school and this book made me want to visit it even more as this book is a love letter to the town.

The book is single POV from Maya’s perspective and it is necessary for the plot to be single POV. Because we were in Maya’s head for the entire book she felt like a very full and real character. I love that she not only found love, but gained a found family. I love that she became the town’s matchmaker and really made the lives of the people she cam across better. I liked her dynamic with both Ethan and Max. I love that the author was able to keep some tension as to who Max’s identity mysterious to Maya while being obvious to me as a reader, which made me feel all the feels.

I wish that this book was going to be a part of a series because I would love to return to this world, but everything was wrapped up so neatly that a sequel isn’t necessary. Oh well, I’ll just have to read Someday in Pairs and reread this book. Content wise, this book is a clean romance with almost no language, so it can be read by anyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for the ARC.

Oh man, I got sucked into this book and could not put it down!

Plot Summary: Maya Maas travels from NYC to California to surprise her boyfriend but when lands at the airport and tries to reach him she is shocked to get a response from him previous Lift driver who lets her know that he left his phone in the back of the Lift after being dropped off with a pretty blonde whom he was all over. Obviously this doesn't sit well with Maya. To add insult to injury -- its Maya's birthday! The Lift driver who Maya calls "Max" gives Maya instructions for this beautiful little town close by where she can have a great day to herself before returning to NYC. Max and Maya spend the day texting each other as he sets up a personalized itinerary for her. An unexpected ending to her trip leaves her longing for her exchanges and the Lift driver so o year later she returns to the little town to see if there if she can find what she has been looking for in life and in love.

Review: This book was so much fun. I was never sure where the story was going next. While the ultimate ending wasn't a surprise, the twists and turns to get there kept me engaged and turning each page wanting to know where this story would take me. At one point Maya says "he didn't ruin the magic, he created it" and man does Olivia Lara create some magic with these beautifully written characters and intriguing story! I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a fun, engaging love story.

After Maya gets fired, she flies to San Francisco to surprise her boyfriend is cheating on her what a duck head. Maya day couldn't get any worse right luckily the cab driver is a sweetheart and a great tour guide.

This is a lovely light and fluffy romace and I would highly recommend it.

This is a wonderful, warm romance which would transfer brilliantly to the big screen. The ‘meet cute ‘ premise works so well in this story of Maya, and I loved getting to know her through the text chat she has with her mystery man. Her hopes and fears are so clearly defined as she bears her soul in this perfect romance read.

Maya is having the most terrible day of her life when she's fired from her job, and finds out that her long term boyfriend has been cheating on her. She's practically jobless and homeless on her birthday. The lift driver who informed Maya about her cheating boyfriend is now determined to help Maya make her birthday better. He suggests that she go to a nearby city, Carmel-by-the-sea. Maya is reluctant at first for obvious reasons and then decides to just go and hops on a bus. The lift driver, whom she decides to call Max has planned her entire itinerary and plays the tour guide virtually through text. What Maya didn't expect was that her worst birthday would turn out to be the most magical day of her life.
I loved this book! I didn't expect to like it so much while I into first few chapters because I hate the idea of vacation romances and all, but this book turned out to be so good, so unique and so so so much beautiful. It's definitely my best read for this month.
The plot of this book was totally unique and quite unpredictable. So unpredictable and so much of slow burn romance that I literally read this book in one sitting. I was so much dying to find out who Max is and when I finally figured out who he is, I couldn't keep this book down because I had to make sure that Maya and Max end up together. I love those books which have these little connections and coincidences. Maya and Max were surely a match made in heaven.
My rating: 4.75/5 Thank you to Netgally for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The description does not even begin to cover this story. I won't give anything away but if you think you know this story from the blurb, you're in for a wild ride. I'm having trouble putting all of my many feelings for this book into words. There are sort of three sections to this book, two main sections and the transition between the two. The transition section is a bit slow but it doesn't last for long and the last section more than makes up for it. And really, it makes sense that it feels slow because that's what Maya would be feeling. I thought I had the ending pinned down pretty early in the third section (and I ended up being right) but the story had me second-guessing until the very end, which is a big plus in my book. And the way it got to that conclusion was so much better than I'd anticipated. The only issue I have with this book is how much I want more of these characters. It ended in the best place but I want so much more. I want to know the next part of the story too. I will be recommending this book a lot!

The Meeting Point follows Maya whose life looks perfect from the outside but in reality is falling apart. She has a seemingly perfect job and boyfriend but a phone call from a mysterious taxi driver throws a spanner in the works. After catching her boyfriend cheating the mystery driver leads Maya on a scavenger hunt across the town which is tragically cut short. A year later after returning to her disenchanting life Maya decides its time for a change and sets out to find the mysterious Max and ends up finding a lot more excitement along the way…
Overall The Meeting Place is a super fun and easy read perfect for summer! I guarantee you’ll devour this super new rom com.

Wow, I just finished The Meeting Point and I have a serious book hangover! You know the type where you are so invested, it comes to a end, you have to go back to real life and all you can think about is the characters in the book and where they are right now. That is me right now! I honestly don't know which book to go to next!
Maya decides to surprise her boyfriend who is in San Francisco on her birthday and things don't go to plan. She goes to the airport to wait for her return flight to New York and then the excitement starts. Maya has a memorable birthday, with a travel guide she doesn't actually meet but the ending just doesn't work out. After this, Maya returns to her life in New York but she cannot settle for this life anymore. She decides that she is going back to Carmel by the Sea to try and find out who the mystery texter from that day actually is. Maya has named him Max and decides to go and revisit all the places she went to that day, in the hope that she will eventually hunt him down.
It is a story not just of romance but of self discovery and you can see that Maya is thriving in her new surroundings while she hunts the mysterious Max.. She makes so many new friends and the description of Carmel by the Sea is just amazing, it makes me want to book a ticket and go myself, right now!
You have to read this book, it really is just wonderful. The only drawback from reading it, is having to follow it by something as good, this is going to be difficult! I am so envious you get to read it for the first time!!
Thank you to Netgalley, Aria & Aries and Olivia Lara for allowing me to read this book as an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, It was fun, quirky and romantic which made it the perfect book to lose yourself in.

I must admit that the first chapter I wasn't overly sure I was going to enjoy it but stick with it because it doesn't take long at all to hook you in and once it does you don't want to put it down.

Maya started off the story not knowing what she wanted or standing up for herself but was incredibly likable and I found myself hoping for the best for her, But when her dream weekend away goes wrong she finds a stranger by the name of 'Max' stepping in to save the day, I really enjoyed this element and the 50 questions getting to know you game where they both start to realise that they would like to meet each other.

Whilst some of the story was easy to guess what would happen it in no way detracts from the story, I would absolutely recommend The Meeting Point to anyway who wants to escape in a great story!

|Fantastic, this was a great read and one to be re-read later on. The characters were amazing and the settings were very well set and it felt like you wanted to be there with them. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this eARC

What I Loved
The story's premise completely intrigued me, just as the telling of the tale thoroughly captivated me from page 1 until the end. I can imagine touring a beach town through text from a stranger and am happy to suspend disbelief that this wouldn't be a dangerous thing to do. It sounds like it could be a great deal of fun, actually.

Whether I loved them or didn't care for them, all the characters are well-developed and intricately layered, with their defining struggles standing out and shaping their current choices. This added a richness to the story and an intensity that went deep below the humor, popping up when relevant. With the feeling like you know each character you're introduced to, the town comes to life in a way that places the reader on a charming book vacation.

I loved that the ending is so predictable. Yes, you read that correctly but hear me out. Just as Maya likes to write happily ever after's for strangers she observes through the course of her day, I found myself invested in Maya finding her happily ever after, whatever that might be. The Meeting Point made me happy for all that is right in a world full of wrong, and that is a priceless quality in a book.

Characters
Maya is the main character. She travels to California to join her amazingly horrible boyfriend, David, only to discover that he left his phone on a Lift and can't be reached. The Lift driver, who finds the phone, ends up in a text conversation with Maya that enlightens her and makes her take a chance on a day in Carmel being guided on tour via texts by a stranger. I loved her adventurous spirit, but she drove me crazy at times with her inability to make hard decisions and to see what is right in front of her face.

Ethan is a romance writer whose next novel is Maya's story of that fateful day in Carmel. A friend told him about the story, and he is so inspired, he turns it into a novel. By far, he is my favorite character, as he remains cool-headed even when everything and everyone around him is in tumult. Not to mention that he is generous to a fault, always trying to find people to help other people in need. He is a solid character and steadfast in his devotion.

What I Wish
My only wish is that Maya didn't drive me crazy with her over-the-top focus on finding Max, which almost causes her to lose everything.

To Read or Not to Read
If you are looking for that one story that will make you look at the world in a new and improved way, The Meeting Point is where you want to be.

I absolutely loved this! It was exactly what I needed out of a summer read. The synopsis intrigued me massively, and the story as a whole did not disappoint! I absolutely adored both Ethan and Celina the whole way through the book, and Maya was the perfect main character for this book - Lara has created such an amazing set of characters!

ABSOLUTELY FREAKING CUTE!

I thought my jaw would break with all the jaw dropping and giggling every flip of a page.

First of all thank you to Netgalley and Aria & Aries for providing me with a digital arc.

What's the worst thing that could happen to your birthday? Lost your job or fly to another place to surprise your boyfriend but finds out that his been cheating on you all this time? Maya has all of those. After losing her job, she decided to make a surprise visit to her boyfriend who is on a meeting. When she called his cellphone, a lift driver answered it telling that he left the phone and was with another woman. Totally messed up but turned into something magical when the lift driver made a plan to make Maya happy on her birthday.

First of all, I love how each place was describe with so much detail that it almost felt like I was there. Searching each location while reading and Carmel by the sea is an absolute beauty. Hoping to visit it one day.

Another one is the plot. Reading the synopsis you will expect a stranger to lover but its not. I love how it turns into an enemies to lover kind of thing and that is one of my top romance trope. It was not as cliche as it sounds like because there are hidden gems in each chapter. I find myself going back and forth just to locate each of it. It was absolutely lovely I couldn't put it down. It was not a fast paced one too which I find very hard to believe in.

The characters are adorable. I love Maya as a character. She's been through a lot and she deserves a great ending. I love how she makes certain love stories based on the people she meets and an absolute matchmaker. Her attitude is actually not far from mine. Being a bookworm and someone who spends most of her time thinking of different love scenarios is typically me. Another character that I love is Celine. She is an absolute angel! I hope the author will think of making a book that revolves around Celine. I would read that in a heartbeat.

This probably counts as a great valentine read or is you are looking for a book that will just makes you want to fall in love. I highly! Highly recommend you check this one out!

Okay I just absolutely adored this book and need book 2 so I can see what happens next. I could barely bring myself to put this book down and was reading to the point my eyes could not physically stay open. I don’t normally read romances but the storyline was thoroughly enjoyable, gripping and funny I found myself laughing to myself a lot. The characters were well thought if (David is a bit of a dick) and besides from David I didn’t dislike any others so all in all this was a fabulous book and I really want to visit Carmel by the sea.

The Meeting Point is one of the best drama-filled, adorable romances I’ve read in a long time. Everything from the sweet plotline, lovable characters and cute Californian town kept me absorbed from start to finish. I can’t count how many times I laughed, smiled and even blushed throughout this book, it truly ticks all the boxes.

I fell in love with the story as soon as that first text was sent. I knew I was in for a ride of fluffy romance, drama, back and forth banter and wanting to shout, ‘WHAT ARE YOU DOING!’ at Maya. I signed up for this and it’s exactly what I got and more. It is such an enchanting story about love and friendship, set in a charming town, that you easily get pulled into. I’ve never been to California but I can easily imagine the beautiful beaches, the houses, cafes and understand why Maya loved it so much.

The story is told from Maya’s point of view and we can see how romance and love is a big thing in her life. I love how creative her mind is, how she turns everything into its own little love story. Although at times I wanted to shake her by the shoulders, I thought she was just the most lovely character and it’s great that we get to know her so well. She grew a lot throughout the book a sense of happiness at her becoming more comfortable in her surroundings and what she wanted.

Ethan is another great character and I adored him. He brought so much charm and humour to the book including his banter with Maya that I couldn’t help but smile at. His twin sister, Celine is one of my favourite characters because although she is going through a lot, she tried to stay upbeat and bubbly. There are many other characters that we meet along the way that make the story just that bit more entertaining and make Maya who she is at the end.

Although the storyline of finding Max is a bit predictable, it didn’t take away from the story at all. In fact, I got even more hooked when I knew who it was. I couldn’t read fast or get enough of the countless romantic gestures

Overall, The Meeting Point is a beautiful and captivating story of two strangers who fall in love unexpectedly. You don’t want to miss the immense amount of chemistry and angst that make this love story what it is. It’s a really easy and quick read and I highly recommend it if you are looking for something cute and fun!

Soooo goood!!! Loved it! I hadn't heard of this concept before. Very original, very good. I liked the story and loved the characters. Very fun read.

Tender and sweet story of finding true love.

Maya has many troubles in her life but she decide to visit her boyfriend in the other side of the US. Her visit turns to a nightmaire but fortunatley she gets an guardian angel and she has a beutiful birthday. I wish that day never ends. But unfortunately her guardian angel disapears and Maya goes back with her boyfriend. After one year she is not happy and her life take an other turn. She goes back to the Caramel on the Sea in California. There she wants to discover what happened a year a go. Who was her helper and why her story is beccomig a novel.

The story was so great I have troubles to describe my feelings. How little we need to be happy. With little gestures we can do so much and unfortunately also vice versa. But lets be positive!

The Meeting Point follows Maya, who decides to surprise her boyfriend only to discover he has be cheating on her. She discovers this by his Lyft driver informing her via text. What develops is a humorous, “You’ve Got Mail” style, romantic comedy.

The story is told through Maya’s POV and had me hooked from the beginning. The characters were great as were their development throughout the story. The chemistry was amazing. Also, Olivia Lara’s depiction of the setting made me wish I was there.

Add the The Meeting Point to your TBR if you enjoy heartfelt romantic comedies, beautiful settings and an original meet cute!

Thank you to Aria and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All reviews are my own opinion.

I was hooked right from the start with this book. I honestly felt like I was right there in Carmel by the sea with Maya, experiencing all these things with her.
Maya decides to surprise her boyfriend on her birthday with a surprise visit. What she doesn’t expect is the taxi driver ‘Max’ finding her boyfriends phone and telling her that he is cheating on her.
I did guess who ‘Max’ was pretty early, but this just made it better as I was constantly on edge about how Maya would find out.
Would love to see this adapted for TV.

A very cute romcom! I loved the different take on the meeting and it had surprising depth, well written story. I will look for more by this author!

This is an excellently planned romantic story that will warm you up from the inside. The storytelling is so natural and engaging that it is quite easy to imagine yourself see the scenes unfold. The story is simply told but the devil lies in the details which the author manages to convey beautifully. I loved how one day changed Maya’s life and it was as if I could empathize and understand the situation she found herself in. The way the first part of the book unfolds like an itinerary was one of the highlights for me. In the second part of the book, I loved how Maya retraces her journey to find one person, but ends up with a lot more. The message that the book manages to send across is subtle but quite powerful. The summer romance is the vibe that starts from page 1 and continues till the end, for I had a continuous smile plastered on my face the whole time. The climax is super cheesy and almost like a movie, but it fits in perfectly with the overall vibe of the book.

Coming to the characters, Maya’s character is a bit complex in terms of her emotions and relationships, but I liked how her arc changes as the story progresses. The character development is quite steep, and I liked how different examples are given by her to set the tone for this transformation. Another interesting character is that of Max, and how he effortlessly managed to help a girl, facing one of her worst birthdays, turn it into a memory she cannot forget. Ethan’s character impressed me with the maturity that he displays.

Overall, if you love a romantic story, then this is a definite recommendation

This was a wonderful book and one I enjoyed very much, Maya wants to surprise her boyfriend on her birthday and goes to San Francisco where is is on a business weekend. On ringing his phone, it is answered by someone else and she embarks on an adventure that she didn’t expect to be having! Her character is great and I love her story. All she wants to find is happy ever after but where will that be? An entertaining, quick read.

This was such a cute story! The kind where you get upset with the characters because they are being stubborn and won't put aside their differences and just get together. Loved it!

First, I want to thank TLC book tours, Aria, Netgalley, & Olivia Lara for allowing me to read and review this adorable one. This was such a sweet story! I most definitely have a book hangover after finishing this.

This was the kind of book that you close afterwards, hug, and keep it close to your heart. I loved Maya & Ethan’s dynamic throughout the book. At times, I wanted to shake Maya, because I guessed what was happening/going to happen long before. But I loved reading how it all unfolded. And Ethan, major swoon! This one definitely gave my heart the flutters and I loved it so much.

THE MEETING POINT - OLIVIA LARA
PUBLISHED BY ARIA &ARIES
4.5⭐
PLOT - Maya is a brunette dressed in a T-shirt has planned a surprise for her boyfriend David - but she is in for a shock!!
When the lyft driver answers David's phone and asks if she is the blonde in red dress with David from last night her life turns upside down.
Sensing her sadness on being stuck at the airport on her birthday the mystery driver asks Maya is she is up for some adventure to explore the beach town of Carmel!!
She is in for a treat with a detailed itinerary making it her best day of her life!! But can this text only relationship turn into something more???
MY THOUGHTS -
Fans of instalove check this book out!! The whole detailed itinerary about exploring Carmel is so so beautiful. I had to google check it and it's definitely on my itinerary when I viist the bay area!!
Maya and the other character are writers it's so nice to see them taking inspiration from random people & writing stories about them.
Though it's very predictable there are some really cute , aww moments and it's a perfect feel good romance!!
Am definitely checking out the author's other book too!!
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion

Maya wants to surprise her boyfriend, she’s the one who gets surprised when she finds out he’s been cheating!
I enjoyed travelling along with Maya on her adventurous journey of discovery, she’s finding herself and growing everyday. It’s wonderful to see Maya make decisions for herself and to look forward in her life!
It’s intriguing to hear Maya’s viewpoint of life and love as she travels searching for her place in the world.
Thank you Olivia Lara for this fabulously well written book, definitely a must read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Aria & Aries

Even though Maya has been through a bad breakup and made a few questionable decisions, her ability to spin real life into her own HEA makes the book a bit more magical. When she cares for someone, she cares deeply. We see that in her friendship with Celine and her devotion to Max. It was courageous to hop on the plane and head back to Carmel to see if she can find Max. Love can make us do strange and impulsive things, but it’s the right choice for her.

Never has a book made me want to visit a location more than The Meeting Point. Lara has richly described Carmel by the Sea. It’s a town that begs the reader to hop on the next plane for a vacation. Ethan is a great character. His seemingly prickly exterior was hiding a true romantic underneath, which makes him the perfect book boyfriend. I binged this book while sitting next to the ocean on a mini-vacation, and I highly recommend it. Thanks to the publisher and The Write Reads for sending this along!

What if the Lift driver who finds your cheating boyfriend's phone has all the direction to true love?

YA'LL!!!!! This was one of the most unique written plots I have ever experienced in my life! The Meeting Point had me in all my feels and even made my eyes leak! Ah-Mazing!

I loved Maya's self-discovery journey and trying to figure out what she wants in life. The ending was predictable, but it was worth it!

This was my first book I've read by Olivia Lara and I will seek out her other books!

If you love an enemies to lovers trope, this is a book you do NOT want to miss!

Thank you to Olivia Lara, Netgalley, Aria & Aries for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was my first time reading a book by Olivia Lara and I was instantly drawn to it by the title and blurb! It was definitely an interesting read and just what I needed, though I’m kicking myself for putting it off for so long because it ended up being a 5 star read for me!

To start off, I really enjoyed the writing style and how the main character, Maya, is very 3d and has lots of feelings and an internal struggle at the start that stretches throughout the book.

I really enjoyed the adventure the character goes on and how important the supporting characters were to the plot. The ‘meet cute’ and start of something really appeals to teen and ya readers and I loved seeing it in a book!

Some noteable quotes I really liked were “Love, because it is the only true adventure.” and “Like a hamster who never gets anywhere despite running ion the spinning wheel incessantly.”

I would describe this book as adventurous, healing, investigative and slow burn. It shows that you should take a shot at happiness, even if it is a big leap.

There were points after the half way mark where the reader gets to see things from a different perspective and you really start cheering on the characters, which I thought was a really nice touch, especially as it wasn’t through character to character dialogue!

Overall I found this book really enjoyable and read this book in two sittings, I really should’ve read it earlier! I am giving it 5 stars and I hope to read Olivia Lara’s other book too!

What an awesome take on a modern love story!

This book was tons of fun! I loved the idea of the story and the whole insta-love second chance tropes that were the main aspects of this story. I know not everyone loves insta-love (it's even mentioned in the book!) but I'm a fan! I think it's super cute and very romancy.

This book will take you on an adventure and a half, have you fall in love and find it again and will just bring a plain old smile to your face!

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the earc in return for an honest review.

4,5 ⭐️

I had never heard about this book or author until Lisa from TLC Book Tours offered me an eARC and a spot in “The Meeting Point” Blog Tour, and I’m so glad she did. This was exactly what I needed right now! I LOVED IT! It was so darn cute that I still haven’t wiped off the smile from my face three days after finishing it.

I was completely in from the get go. If there’s a writer character or a book subplot involved I will probably love it and that was the case here. I loved Maya so much that when the first half finished I actually yelled at my Kindle so against her decision I was.

I’m not usually a fan of insta-love stories but I adored this one. The fact they hadn’t even met made it even cuter. Let’s be honest, that was a better “first date” than many real life face to face ones we’ve all had, so I can’t fault her for falling in love with Max (I would have too!).

Once she went back to Carmel-by-the-Sea she met lots of fantastic characters that added to the level of adorableness of the story.

I loved Maya’s journey of self-discovery, taking risks to try and find out what she really wanted in life. The love story was predictable (which rom-com isn’t?) but I still enjoyed the journey there.

Who went and googled Carmel-by-the-Sea the minute he finished the book and it’s ready to book some flights there to go and visit? What a gorgeous place! All the vivid descriptions of the streets, the ocean, the cottages…made the town another character in the story.

Fun and heartwarming story with a great cast of characters and a love story that had one of the most enchanting first dates I’ve ever read. Absolutely recommended it! Now I can’t wait to read the author’s first book.

Thanks to NetGalley, Aria & Aries, TLC Book Tours and the author for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars

I'm so happy I got the chance to read this book because as soon as I started I knew I was going to loved it.
It sucked me into the plot from page one until the last page.
I loved everything about this. The romance was the sweetest kind. The mystery was fabulous, enthralling and very entertaining. Even if you find out what the mystery is before our heroine, you still wanna go through her journey to find out.
Maya was such a likeable main character. She was the perfect balance of everything I love in a female lead.
I even loved and was very into the side characters plots! I was rooting for everyone in this story, every single side plot/romance and that's super weird for me!
Overall this was a fantastic book and I can't wait to read more of this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

It only took two seconds to convince me to sign up for the tour for The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara but I forgot I had signed up not long after. So when it showed up on my Netgalley shelf I was delighted. After I finished my current read at the time, I immediately dove into this one and finished it in one go. I loved it.

Ok, that was the short version of the review. Here’s the longer one. The Meeting Point is a contemporary romance with a lot of things I love. A mystery, a small town on the coast, lovely architecture, books, and a cafe. Maya, our leading lady, has the worst day of her life turned into the best one by a mysterious stranger and she falls in love with him without knowing what he looks like or what his name is. She calls him Max. The danger of falling in love with a figment of the imagination is that reality can disappoint. And when Max turns out to be someone unexpected, her whole life is turned upside down again.

I absolutely love the characters. They’re flawed and emotional. They fight, argue, and love. And they’re all incredibly stubborn. Although miscommunication is one of the biggest sources of conflict, it didn’t annoy me as much as in other stories. The reason why they’re keeping secrets is self-protection instead of trying to protect the other. The ups and downs they experience only heighten the tension and make the climax only more emotional. Yes, I shed a few tears.

I’d also like to add that Carmel, the town this story takes place in, is almost like its own character. It has character, you become familiar with it, and because of the guided tour in the first few chapters, I feel like I’ve been there. I haven’t, but maybe if we ever go in that direction, I want to.

I give The Meeting Point five stars. A lovely summer read you won’t be able to put down.

Maya adores writing stories, watching people, and imagining a magical story is what she loves to do. But her own story is far from romantic. Because she needs to earn money before publishing her stories she works as a journalist. But the gigs are unsatisfying. And to give her now boring relationship with her boyfriend a revival push, she decides to give him a surprise by landing unexpectedly in California, on her birthday.

But as if destiny had other plans for Maya, she learns about her boyfriend’s cheating ways through a Lyft driver(she calls him Max) in whose car David forgot his phone. Angry, disappointed, and with nothing to do but go back by the next flight which is 24 hours away she begins a conversation with the cab driver over text. And in 24 hours they fall in love with each other, without having seen each other.

Is this true love or a passing fancy? Will Maya have the courage to her tell her boyfriend what she wants?
After a very long time, I read a book that kept me up all night. The will she won’t she dilemma just had me turning page after page and I was lost in Carmel by the sea.

The mystery element about who the driver might turn out to be and who will Maya choose kept the story extremely interesting. The characters were all super cute and delivered without the need for any villainy. Short chapters kept the pace of the novel pretty great. I just breezed the 80 chapters.

Although falling in love with a stranger without ever having met him and only in 24 hours seems a little over the top, but so what? That’s what books are meant for right? To imagine the unimagined, to believe the unbelievable.

I’ve decided. Once in a while, I’m going to seek out Rom-Coms just to remind myself of the fun and love, and sweetness still possible in this world.

An fun, feel good read. I breezed through this in one sitting. A few parts in the middle felt a bit too convenient but it didnt bothetr me. The romance had me swooning and I couldn't stop smiling. Need to find my own rideshare now. :)

Okay, I am writing this with a face that looks like the heart eye emoji. I am absolutely in love with this book. I already miss the characters. This is just the hit of serotonin I needed right now.

The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara is exactly the kind of book that is highly needed right now. At least for me it was the perfect fit. The pandemic has changed my reading habits extremely, the genres I read most almost switched completely. I see myself reaching for happy and hopeful stories more and more, the exact opposite of what I read before (and hope to read after this all is over) But right now? I’m in love with the atmosphere, it’s so hopeful and happy even though Maya doesn’t have it as easy as one might think when looking at her life from afar.

She seems to have it all. A good job, the boyfriend, an apartment in New York and yet … it’s not as good as it seems which she realizes not only because she finds out that her boyfriend cheated on her but also how life can be in a place like Carmel and most importantly how she can be when she is not stifled by a job she isn’t valued in or a big and busy city but surrounded by kind people and with a goal in front of her.

Maya is a wonderful character to follow. She has been in a kind of stillstand for a long time and her day in Carmel wakes her up a bit. But she still needed one more push to finally go find her happiness.

Her search for Max, the Lyft driver, began anew and she really commits this time. Even though I guessed quite quickly who Max was, it was still very interesting to see how Maya would find out and how everything would play out.

The strength of this novel is the writing style, the hopeful atmosphere Lara created and the fun and kind characters. I really liked the friendships included and also, the small stories Maya creates about all the people around her. I loved how her ability to create these stories mirrows her mental and emotional state.

This is the perfect read to escape reality for a day (it’s a quick read) and dream a little.

Would recommend to:
Everyone in need of something positive and some comfort who loves second chances and reading about someone finding their way.

The Meeting Point is my new book in which I will compare all other romances against. This was absolutely the cutest story and perfect summer read.

Do you believe in love at first sight, or maybe text? When Maya discovers from a Lift driver that her boyfriend is cheating, she finds herself alone in California. She begins an excursion in a charming sea side town with the help of text from the Lift driver. By the end of the perfect day Maya wonders if love at firsts text is real and if she is the only one who feels this way.

I absolutely loved the setting for this book, a quaint place along the California coast. All the characters were so enjoyable to read about. The angst of our hero and heroine was perfect and they will be a favorite couple of mine for now on. This story has character development, a strong female friendship, and a lot of swooning. I found myself smiling throughout this book, I just loved it.

This is such a romantic story but one that is so cleverly told. When Maya Maas decides to surprise her boyfriend David with an unexpected visit, little does she know that it will change her life. On trying to call him, she finds that a Lift driver has David’s phone and he unsuspectingly reveals her boyfriend’s cheating ways. Finding herself single and stranded in an unknown city on her birthday, the Lift driver Max, gives her a personalised itinerary via text messages. Their chance to meet is thwarted leaving Maya to wonder ‘what if’.
Without revealing too much of this story, I am so thrilled that I got the chance to read this very cleverly told story. As Maya tries to discover the identity of Max one year later, she finds that her story is being sold as a book, by Ethan, an author friend of Max. Could Ethan be the one to bring her back to Max, or could her friendship with Ethan cloud her feelings for Max. The more time that Maya spends with Ethan, the more confused she becomes.
This romance had me read through to the early hours of the morning as I was so intrigued as to how this would all play out. Both Maya and Ethan have been hurt in the past, so as they struggle with their friendship, it seems as if their past hurts make them so very vulnerable and cautious. I enjoyed the secondary characters of Celine, Ethan’s sister, and many of the other characters in this charming book. This book is destined to keep all readers hooked until the end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This story pulled me in and kept me wanting more. I was so sad to see it end.

What would you do if you wished you lived in a happily-ever-after world, find out your boyfriend of five years is cheating on you, and then meet someone who gets you, has the same humor, and does his best to make you smile for no reason?

What would you do if you never even met the guy who makes your heart swoon?

Maya tries to surprise her boyfriend on a business trip only to find out from the Lift driver who found the guy’s phone that her boyfriend was last seen with someone who was most definitely not her. While stuck in California for the day, these two strangers text the entire time as he directs her through places in a small town that feel like vacation-land. But it doesn’t end how she wishes it had. And she can’t stop thinking about this day.

So when she finally gets the courage to leave the cheating jerk, she just has to go back to find him. But what starts out as a spontaneous trip of determination quickly turns into one of finding herself, friends, and a life. And turning someone she viewed as an enemy into the last person she expected to meet.

Also, I would love to see this book adapted to a movie (and I rarely say that!).

The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara is not your average rom-com. The story is completely original. Yet has those silly misunderstandings that all romance novels have. But, this book didn’t only meet expectations but blasted all the way through to phenomenal.

Maya lives a stunted life. She works at a job with no potential for growth, not to mention the boss is a bully. But, on a birthday whim, Maya heads to California from New York to meet up with her boyfriend. And, he turns out to be the biggest loser on the planet. Though, Maya finds salvation in a Lift driver. This driver accidentally informs Maya that her boyfriend is a cheat. But, he takes her on the most beautiful journey. Unfortunately, real-life beats down Maya’s door, and her dreams shatter. Back in New York, Maya feels lonely and depressed. She realizes that her life is going nowhere. After a year of this, Maya packs up and leaves to find the man who made her fall in love through text. Will Maya’s fairytale come true?

I wasn’t quite sure what I thought of Maya in the beginning. She seemed a bit down in the mouth and weak. She came to grow on me as the book went on, especially her jaunt to Carmel on the Sea for her birthday. She acted strong and brave. It was then that I fell in love with her myself. As her story moved on, I put her back in that coward spot. She makes too many assumptions and does her best to wreck her life. But, this is the same problem I have with most contemporary romances. Why are women of today acting like cowards and why so needy? Can’t we have strong females in the 21st century?

The entire town of Carmel on the Sea knows who Maya is when she returns to find her dream man. Though, not one of them lets the cat out of the bag. The townsfolk let her find out for herself, which made the story a lot more fun. I loved how Maya blindly trusted a stranger who led her on my fantasy vacation. I found it easy to picture myself as the main character of this novel. Maya’s one-day birthday surprise is everything I’ve ever dreamed about having. The perfect man, on the perfect beach, with the perfect cup of hot cocoa as I sat around a bonfire. Yes, this is my ultimate fantasy at play.

I also adored that Maya writes little love stories about people she sees. Her random thoughts made me smile. And, strangely enough, I tend to do the same. There is nothing more fun than people watching and making up stories about them in my head. I’ve never written any down, but it is still fun to think them up. My daughter and I even make up stories about the dogs we see out for a walk in the neighborhood.

I want to take a moment to thank Olivia Lara for bringing this amazing story into my life. Seeing myself in Maya made this book so special for me. I admit to full-on sobbing through the last quarter of the book. Not because the story is sad, but because it is so beautiful and so me. So thank you again, Olivia.

I award The Meeting Point a full 5 out of 5 stars. Contemporary romances are not my thing. I much prefer historical romances, but this lovely tome makes the exception. If you need a little pick me up, I recommend you read this book. I read this book in one day because I couldn’t put it down. If you love romance, this one has the most down-to-earth characters I’ve come across in a long time.

The Meeting Point is a captivating, heart-warming story. The main characters are easy to love and connect with, while the minor characters add richness and depth to the tale. The gorgeous settings around Carmel by the Sea and the Bay area fit beautifully with the plotline.

Everyone can relate to Maya. She’s a bit naive, a little sarcastic, somewhat klutzy, and struggling to get a grip on her life. Will mysterious Max be the catalyst she needs to begin standing up for herself and finally figure out what she whats in her life?

Friendship and caring for those around you is the thread that ties everyone together in this novel. While Maya has a bit of a matchmaker in her, Ethan uses his status and goodwill to make life better for those he cares about. They seem to have incredible chemistry, but this story is about finding Max, the Lift driver who anonymously gave her the best birthday of her life. Or is it?

I highly recommend you read a copy of this delightful book. It captured my attention in the early pages and demanded I read it almost in one sitting. I finished the story hoping for more from this author and her characters.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

“A romantic and heartfelt Story”

A perfect summer read, which I read in over a day. I wanted to find out how it ends.

The character of Maya was brilliant but I felt some her decisions a bit wary but enjoyed reading how her character change as the story progressed.
Ethan, too was a brilliant character, reading his thoughts on how the story towards the end, having some flaws but his character changed too.
The other characters of Carmel, such as Celine we’re lovely and how they all played a part in Maya's story,

The story was so well written and I loved the route the story took. It had me hooked, as I read from page to page, Maya trying to find out who mysterious Max was.

I love the way Olivia Lara’s style of writing, funny, and serious at the same time.

Absolutely loved reading this.

Maya is not entirely sure what she’s doing or what she wants, totally stubborn and stuck in a rut. She is a journalist, a job she hates and secretly writes love stories about the people she watches. So on her birthday she jumps on a plane to surprise her boyfriend only to discover with a little help from a Lift driver and a lost phone that he’s a cheating rat. All is not lost though and her worst day is about to become her best when the driver persuades her to take a trip to Carmel by the Sea and play a game of fifty questions.

So how come a year later she’s back with the cheating rat, more miserable than before and still unaware of the real identity of driver Max and why he disappeared on her.

Ever find a book that’s just so you it’s like the stars aligned? One that you wanted to gobble up greedily and yet slowly savour at the same time. This was mine! Is it a little bit sappy? Yes it is. Is it a little bit obvious? Yes it is. But you know what I don’t care one iota. It’s got everything I want in a good romance.

I wrongly assumed the setting was fictional as it’s just so fairytale perfect until I read the acknowledgments. I feel like I know the place intimately and if I am ever lucky enough to find myself there then I plan to visit every stop from Maya’s perfect day.

Max the mysterious Lift driver is everything I thought I wanted in a book hero but like Maya my head got completely confused with the appearance of author Ethan Delphy who is about to publish Max and Maya’s story much to Maya’s disdain. Determined to find out how he knows about their day and if he can help her find Max she heads back to Carmel and integrates herself into Ethan and his twin sister Celine’s lives.

All the characters in this book are a joy, best friend Alisa is always there for her even when the time differences between Carmel and London should mean otherwise. Celine who runs the cafe and gives her both a job and a home is warm and welcoming and I feel I know her and all her customers. Then there is mysterious Max and enigmatic Ethan, polar opposite in her feelings towards them but both are there with her. One in her heart and the other in her face.

Romantic perfection!

This is the only book I've read by Olivia Lara, but I am so excited to read her other one! I LOVED this book. Yes, it's predictable, but it is so sweet, and I read it extremely fast because I couldn't wait to see what happened. The characters are cute, and I just fell completely in love with them. I really needed a sweet little romantic story right now, and this was the perfect one. I will definitely be recommending it to friends, and I can't wait to read more from Olivia Lara.

Maya leaves New York to surprise her boyfriend, David, in California on her birthday, but little does she know her boyfriend has been cheating on her. Maya calls him and send texts trying to get a hold of him, but David never answers. Finally, the Lyft driver, "Max," who drove David around answers the texts revealing to Maya that her boyfriend has been cheating on her with a Blonde, and she's not blonde. After she figures it out, she's devastated on her birthday no less. The Lyft driver feels very sorry for her and tries to make her birthday the best one yet by giving her tips and places to visit while she's in California. She doesn't know the Lyft driver, not even his name, but she falls in love with him during all of their texts. They finally decide to meet up the next day at a certain bench, but he never shows. David tracks Maya down, and they leave together. A year later, Maya still wonders what happened to the Lyft driver. Why didn't he meet her at the bench that day? When she finds out someone has written a book about that day in California, Maya gets extremely upset because it's her story, not some writer guy who's publishing a book about it. Determined to find out who he is and what actually happened that day, Maya goes back to California on the hunt for that Max. Will she find him and still feel the same way about him once she knows who he is? Will he even remember her?

Follow me on Instagram at readwithcupcake for more reviews and bookish content.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Aria for the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you are a hopeless romantic like me who is looking for a light, easy read that will warm your heart and keep you laughing, you'll have to pick up this book on its pub day which is TOMORROW, September 2nd! Because honestly, who doesn't love a good contemporary romance?!

Review:

Everyone has a crazy birthday story, but Maya's might take the cake! Could you imagine getting fired from your job of 4 years and then flying all the way to San Fran to surprise your boyfriend only to find out from a lift driver that he's cheating on you?! However, then imagine that lift driver then acting as your virtual tour guide for the night and blowing your mind through texts by suggesting you to visit all their favorite places and making your birthday absolutely unforgettable. Maya's day turned from the worst birthday ever to the best birthday ever all thanks to this stranger that she texted all day and met by chance and this one night changed and influenced the rest of her life forever.

This book's story is so natural, engaging, and is sure to warm you up inside as you read it. This was my first book by Olivia Lara and I was not disappointed!

Maya is an aspiring writer. When she decides to surprise her boyfriend, who is on a business trip, on her birthday, things go haywire. She gets to California and calls him but his Lift driver answers his phone. The driver unknowingly lets Maya know that he has been cheating on her. Somehow, the driver guides her, over text, to Carmel and the best day of her life. A year later, she returns to Carmel in search of him after his friend writes their story into a book.
Opinion
As I read the first chapter I thought "Wow, this author knows how to grab your attention!" I don't remember how long it has been since I have been so vested in a book within the first few pages. As the story continued, that interest did not subside.
The whole premise of the book is absolutely charming. A driver who, through text, guides a broken hearted woman to the best day of her life...what a story! I think this book is a big win.
Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Maya is a writer. Although she’s sort of given up on her dreams of publishing a novel and is frustrated with the lack of opportunity in her role as a journalist, she does something else to scratch the writing itch. Maya makes up small stories for the people she sees, pairing them with an ‘ideal’ partner and giving them the happy ever after they deserve. But after an eventful trip away to Carmel-by-the-sea, guided by the mysterious lift driver (who, accidentally, revealed to Maya her boyfriend was cheating on her), she stops. For a while, anyway.

I start with this little fact about Maya because it’s a large part of why I so easily fell in love with her. It’s something I adore about the Romances I’ve read recently – the heroines have these small aspects to their personalities, these small quirks that make them feel real and help the reader connect even more deeply with them.

Although there is a ‘mystery’ here as to who the driver is, it’s not completely unpredictable, but that doesn’t detract from the story at all. I loved the direction of the story, and I adored the characters. And the setting! Definitely another place to add to my ever-growing ‘US Destinations to One Day Visit’. It just sounds so pretty and gorgeous!

Maya does return to Carmel-by-the-sea, and there she meets another writer. They do not get along! Well, not at first, and poor Maya’s head ends up in a right mess. I loved it. This book is full of light, fluffy fun, and contains a fair few tropes, but they’re all handled pretty well.

Some parts were frustrating, especially as some of the secrets and the lying between various characters felt a bit forced, but I found it easy to ‘move on’ from these and enjoy the story instead. And I really did enjoy it, you can probably tell. This is the kind of book you read and want to see on screen, especially with the setting and the use of locations.

The supporting characters are also delightful, really giving an added sense of community around Maya. The people of Carmel embrace her, and she becomes part of the town itself. But even outside that she has her best friend, and the relationship between the pair was written well, with the friend only ever really getting part of the story and trying to nudge Maya towards what she thinks is best for her.

This is an adorable, heart-warming read that had me absolutely gripped. It feels like the right length, too – we get enough so we can have moments of pure joy, with some frustration sprinkled in here and there, and it doesn’t feel like it overstays its welcome. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Carmel-by-the-sea, and if you enjoy sweet, cute Romances, I think you will, too.

Thank you to TheWriteReads for having me on this tour, and for Aria for providing a copy of this book.

Let me tell you, this is a book that you read in one setting, setting in your most conformable chair, wrapped in blankets with a hot coco and a fire near by.
Now that you know what kind of book this is... then just GO AHEAD AND GET IT.... you will thank me later..... i promise you.
The author did an incredible job writing it.. all the sweet moments, the little situations, the REALISTIC plot and above all the main couple.... all of these helped put forward a beautiful story that tickles all the senses.... it wasn't cheesy or overly romantic, it has that nice dash of perfection that makes you wish there was an after story just to see how they are doing.
Also CARMEL has been launched to the top of my "place to see before you die" list... GOD the way the author described the tiny city just made me fall in love with it.. i was googling the places as i was reading.

5☆ An Unputdownable Romance!


Wow oh wow one thing is for sure this book NEEDS to be made into a film!
If you adore cosy, sweet romances, with a dash of intrigue, then this has it in abundance.

I am not going into the plot with this one as this is a book you most definitely need to read for yourself to truly get the beauty of the story.

What I will say is I was totally swept away with the mystery and warmth of this story and it's a book that not only will make you believe in love, but that there are good people out there.
I wish that someone could plan an mystery adventure like that for me on my birthday!

What I loved most about this story was the ambiance, the characters and the whole will they won't they romance.
It's one of those Uplifting reads that gives you a warm cosy hug!
The Meeting Point truly is a Feel-good, Heartfelt, Inspiring and Heart Warming Romance that once I started reading I couldn't put it down!

Is it possible to fall for someone you've never met and only shared a conversation through texts off of your cheating boyfriend's phone? Well Maya finds herself in a very unique situation when someone finds her boyfriend's phone and everything changes. A fake name but a real meeting awaits her but nothing goes to plan and once back home she realizes someone has stolen her blind meet-cute story. After meeting Ethan she tries to get to the bottom of her story and is determined to meet "Max" to see why he never showed up. Loved Maya and her crazy adventures. A vacation and possible romance is all she needs to figure things out but sometimes what you begin searching for changes.
You'll fall for Ethan easily and love Carmel and all the people in it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

Ahhhh I'm not sure if this is gonna be a coherent review but please be patient whilst I swoon over this book because it's just glorious. A small disclaimer I'm not a huge romance reader and find a lot particularly cheesy but this was like a balm to my soul.

Maya Maas an aspiring writer feels like her relationship is going through a bit of a dry patch, Her and David have been together for years and she needs to inject some oomph back into their lives.
Currently a journalist for a small publication Maya is in a rather awkward situation when she gets offered a job which instead of being her big break leads to her being fired. Spontaneity strikes and she decides to surprise her boyfriend in San Francisco and spend her birthday there with him, instead of worrying what the future holds. When she lands she calls his phone only to receive a text saying that David has left his phone in the Lift car he took earlier from the driver informing her that he was probably distracted with the blonde woman he was all over. Obviously Maya is devastated, she's alone at the airport on her birthday, realising that her partner has cheated on her. One text really does change everything but this Lift Driver doesn't want to see her hurt so after an impromptu itinerary is texted to her with the aim of cheering Maya up, could this be first text in love?

Ahhh I honestly loved every second of this book! It's cute and so romantic without being cringey. I loved Maya, she's such a likeable character and really doesn't sit around feeling sorry for herself. She doesn't settle and knows what she wants and I championed her the whole way through. We need uber drivers like Ethan please all though in real life I might be slightly creeped out I just absolutely love how far he went to get his girl. He's slightly vulnerable and such an old soul, he kinda restored my faith in love and romance though not gonna lie.
I just need like a sequel and then another one Please! Like I want to see what happens in their lives. Being honest happy romances make me cry because I can be soppy! The Meeting Point made me shed a tear or two because I was just so happy for them both.
Just easily one of my favourite romance books I've read! I think everyone who enjoys a love story needs to read this ❤

Maya spends an incredible 24 hours in L.A. But once those 24 hours are up, she resumes her life with her mediocre life with her boyfriend by her side.
Now almost 1 whole year later, she is second guessing everything. She isn't happy and needs a change. So she heads back to L.A. in hopes to find the man who completely changed her life. But honestly, she finds so much more.

This story, while pleasantly predictable, will pull you in from the first chapter and keep your attention until the very last.

I'm a SUCKER for a good happy ever after. And let me tell you, Olivia delivered!

Thank you to @netgalley for my copy🧡

Maya Maas likes to daydream the strangers around her into perfect meet cutes and HEA's. She gives them fake names and scenarios and writes them in her journal.

She decides to surprise her boyfriend in SF from NY on her birthday weekend while he's on a business trip. When she arrives she texts to see if he'll pick her up and a Lift driver asks if she's the blond from the other night, ruining all her plans. Because she's a brunette 😳

After texting back and forth, the Lift driver convinces her to take a day trip to Carmel by the Sea and she has an unforgettable day while texting him the whole time.

When they were supposed to meet, her boyfriend shows up and tells her she misunderstood and she goes back with him and wonders what would have been. Ok, a year goes by.

Then a upcoming book about a Lift driver who falls in love and gets his heart broken is about to come out and she goes in search of the truth of that day.

Omg I loved this book! I'm so much better in text and writing that's how I started off dating my husband. The perfect day was so sweet and was a nice idea for someone who's life just got pulled out from under them.

The settings of Carmel and Napa are places I grew up in so that was so fun going places I knew or finding places I haven't been. I spent time in the Valley where my Grandparents lived now I need to go to Carmel by the Sea. Those cottages sound so cute!

I loved how she cut off the toxic pieces of her life and went in search of this small piece of happiness from this one day to see if it could be more happy days. We don't always need to hold on to relationships just cause we've put time into them if they are treating us badly.

This gave me all the feels!

I kept wondering about that sweatshirt! 

Thank you ariafiction and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

What do a Lift driver, a hot air balloon ride and fairy tale cottages all have in common? They are all parts of the compulsively readable romance, The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara. I absolutely loved this sweet story! When our main character, Maya, flies across the country to surprise her long term boyfriend, she discovers he has been cheating on her. On what could have been her worst birthday ever, a perfect stranger makes it one of the most enjoyable days she’s had…all through a texting adventure. From the premise, to the characters and the beautiful sense of place, Olivia Lara’s sophomore novel was so much fun to read. The icing on this reader’s cake was the happy ending. Thank you to NetGalley and Aria Fiction for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY!!!

I read this book at the perfect time. It took me away to a beautiful town by the sea where the people are friendly and the houses are quirky. A place where a woman whose heart shoud be shattered learning that her boyfriend is a cheater but instead she finds herself stepping out of her boundaries to connect with a stranger on a level she never expected. But things take a turn & a year later she realizes she is not living the life she should be. She ditches the boyfriend, ditches the job that only brings her sadness and decides to hop on a plane to find the stranger who gave her the best birthday without ever meeting him. What follows is her quest to discover the identity of the mystery LIFT driver and see if the connection made over multiple text and 50 questions will be just as profound when they finally meet. Sometimes what you want doesn't always come easy and along the way lessons will be learned about what her heart really wants.

I cannot praise this book enough. It really brought me so much joy.

Thanks to NetGalley & Aria and Aries for an ARC. Voluntarily reviewed.

I absolutely adored this book! The character development was awesome, I loved each one of them. This is a super fun, fast paced story that is guaranteed to draw you in.

Thanks to netgalley and the author/publisher for letting read an advanced copy.

I freaking loved this book! It was such a comfort read for me! I could not put it down until I had read every word! It had such 90s-early 2000s rom-com movie energy and I was sold! I loved the characters. I loved the relationships. I loved the story. I loved it all. It could be predictable at times but I loved that about it. It's what made it feel so comforting and familiar like a warm blanket. But I also felt like the story was fresh! I will always have this on my shelf and come back to it time and time again.