I was a little taken aback when I saw that this book was about Jasper and Renee, not Jasper and Wynn. But, I decided to trust the author and I'm glad I did. I ended up really enjoying Meant to Be Yours. It's probably my favorite out of the series. I just loved watching Jasper and Renee fall in love despite fighting it. They had great chemistry. Jasper has grown a lot since he showed up earlier in the series. I think the author made the right choice in not pairing him with Wynn. Renee was a much better match. I definitely recommend this one. I hope that Wynn gets a book. She deserves some love..

Jasper is a former military man turned writer. Renee is a wedding coordinator. They enter into a mutual agreement of being bed partners. I didn't feel they had chemistry. There were a lot of scenes that I didn't feel move the story forward and so I didn't connect with the characters as I would have liked.
Thank you, Netgalley and HQN.

Jasper left the military with severe PTSD and found a talent for writing novels. He still sees himself as broken and has never gotten involved in relationships for more than sex. This suits Renee just fine because she had back luck with relationships in the past. They wind up getting closer to each other, and maybe there is more than just the physical between them.

Though this is book five in the series, you don't have to have read prior novels before reading this one. This is actually an adorable story with very serious themes running through it. Jasper's PTSD is seriously dealt with, and we see how it impacts his day to day life as well as his sense of self. Renee is wholly invested in her job as a wedding coordinator, and the two have physical chemistry even as they clash over his hands-on approach to research for novel writing. The reader gets a look into the world of wedding planning as well as novel writing, and there is plenty of characterization for both outside of the relationship that develops between the two of them. It's a romance novel, we know that the booty calls are going to catch feels, but how it goes along is part of the fun of reading this novel.

All of the friends and family members that we see here are wonderfully rendered and just as real as Renee and Jasper. They're sounding boards for both of them, and help push the plot along. The potentially goofy aspects of Renee's mother's gifts are treated honestly and tenderly by the author, as well as the friends that Renee had made in Happily Inc. I don't feel as though they side with anyone or overshadow our main couple as the novel progresses, and they do have their own story arcs in the background. In fact, we get a bonus novella outlining one of the couples' origin within this book, which is fun to read. I adored all of the characters in this novel and cheered internally when Renee and Jasper were able to push past their fear and insecurities to take a risk on love and happiness.

A Susan Mallery story will be full of angst, joy, sadness, friendship and confusion, but will have a HEA for one or more couple. In this story we find out the mystery behind Renee Grothen's behavior, but I am not going to give an spoilers here.

Jasper left the army with PTSD and started writing as therapy, but it grew into a well paying career. By chance he ended up in Happily Inc., and has been slowly healing, but still thinks he is too damaged to ever have a relationship, but then adopts a dog and makes a number of friends. Renee has been hurt and is no longer willing to give a man the chance to break her heart again, but she is looking for a no strings affair. When Jasper has problems developing a woman character for his latest books, he turns to Renee for help, but is surprised how much he enjoys spending time with her. But will she be willing to open up to him?

I was offered an ARC from NetGalley.com to read, but because I got behind in my reading, in the end I read a hardback copy from the library. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Renee Grothen & Jasper Dembenski thought they couldn't have a long term relationship with anyone. Their pasts have gotten in the way. A new pet and a visit from a family member have them wondering if the future can be changed. Are they Meant To Be Yours?

Renee Grothen is the manager of Weddings Out of the Box in Happily, Inc. California. She's been kept very busy with the owner out on maternity leave. Jasper Dembenski is on his way home from a tour for his latest book. A stop at an RV park has him taking in a stray dog. Thinking he'll leave it at the vet's office he comes to but changes his mind when the dog gets to him. Everyone's meeting up at the locals favorite hangout the bar & grill Board Game. Renee and Jasper are thrown together at the same table and an instant attraction comes to light. Renee is good with their one night stand. Jasper is thinking of a longer term agreement. Jasper decides he wants to set his next and final book of his successful detective series at a wedding. So, he insinuates his way into an upcoming wedding that Renee is planning. That ups the tension between them. They're both agreed to go for as long as the relationship lasts and then part ways. Their feeling begin to grow as they get to know each other. Both of them don't want to have deeper feelings that are happening between them. Renee is worried that her friend and his former girlfriend won't be okay with them seeing each other. Jasper gets used to his new dog. He asks Renee for help writing his female character and also the love scenes for his book. She goes into a panic when she realizes that Jasper has a dog. Renee has kept her mother from coming to town by going to visit her. When her mother shows up in Happily, Inc. Renee panics and figures she'll have to move and loose the opportunity to become a partner in Weddings Out of the Box. She's surprised when her friends embrace her mother and the unique ability she has by asking for her advice. Renee figures with her mother's news everyone will find out eventually what her mother has come to tell her. Jasper meets Renee's mom. Her mom ends up in a romantic relationship with a friends father. Renee realizes that her perception of herself and her mom as been all wrong. Renee asks Jasper to come help her find a cat. She decides on the most difficult one at the shelter then asks for her mom's help in finding out the cat's problem. Another trip to the animal shelter results in a friend for her cat. Renee brings her mom in on a wedding to find out what's wrong with the bride's dog and the truth is revealed. A wedding is canceled. Jasper gets advice from his ex-girlfriend. Both realize that they want a permanent relationship. Renee moves bringing her cats with her. A proposal is made and accepted.

Susan Mallery takes you back to her new beloved series Happily, Inc. for the story of novelist Jasper Dembenski and wedding planner Renee Grothen. Each believing that their pasts preclude them from having a loving permanent relationship with some one or each other. Along the way secrets are revealed and realizations made that bring two people who thought they were destined to be alone for the rest of their lives. Showing these two lovable characters that they were Meant To Be Yours.

Jasper is an author needing to close out his famous series with a love interest for his main character. However, there is a problem. Jasper does not write women. He actually considers himself too damaged for a relationship. Enter resident wedding planner, Renee. She is determined to keep their relationship completely casual. Until it isn’t…
I am not a huge fan of Renee. She is just too MUCH. She tends to be a little rude…and then some. However, Jasper was just plain HOT! These two get together as just a casual fling. And as it develops into a “big time” love interest, the story takes off.
I have enjoyed many of Susan Mallery novels. And this one is a perfect palate cleanser. It is hugely entertaining and there is nothing like getting lost in a great romance! Grab this one today!

Susan Mallery is the undisputed queen of small town romance and she is back with another enchanting tale set in Happily Inc full of all the humor, heart and charm that have become her hallmarks: Meant to Be Yours.

Renee Grothen might be a wedding coordinator whose entire business revolves around romance, but while she is perfectly happy to plan the perfect wedding for other people, she has vowed never to walk down the aisle herself. Renee simply isn’t meant for marriage or for long-term relationships. She is perfectly happy being single and in keeping any kind of romantic attachment short, sweet and temporary. But just because she never wants to put on a white dress and be somebody’s wife doesn’t mean that she doesn’t get crushes on guys and she simply cannot stop thinking about one of the town’s most attractive residents: Jasper Dembenski….

Former military man turned thriller writer Jasper has seen too much and endured too much to even bear contemplate a relationship. Still haunted by nightmares from his past, Jasper prefers to put all of his thoughts, energies and efforts into the thrillers which have made him an international bestseller. Jasper is perfectly content spending most of his time either writing his books or traveling all around the world meeting his readers. He is certainly not looking for a relationship nor does he want to get attached to anyone yet when he meets gorgeous redhead Renee Grothen, Jasper is determined to get to know her better.

With the chemistry between them positively electric, indulging in a no-strings fling proves to be a no-brainer. But when their attraction gives way to something far deeper than either one of them imagined, what are they going to do? Are they going to let the past get in the way of the best thing that’s ever happened to them? Or are they going to throw caution to the wind and grab this unexpected chance at happiness with both hands?

Susan Mallery has done it again and penned an irresistible contemporary romance I simply did not want to put down. Meant to Be Yours is a wonderfully emotional, immensely funny and highly uplifting romance about unexpected blessings, second chances and healing from old wounds that kept me glued to its pages throughout. A writer who can deftly juggle light-hearted banter with heart-rending drama, Susan Mallery makes her readers feel every single emotion her characters are going through and keeps them engrossed, entertained and on the edge of their seat throughout.

A first class contemporary romance from the best of the best, Meant to Be Yours is another fabulous tale by a writer who never disappoints: Susan Mallery.

Welcome to Happily Inc. The wedding destination capital of the USA. Here, your every wedding desire is fulfilled. Renee is a wedding coordinator at Weddings Outside of the Box, and she’s really good at her job. You want a Scottish Highland wedding? No problem. A Star Trek Wedding? Easy Peasy. You love apples? Then an apple wedding it is!
But Renee’s problem is that she can’t find love herself. Her father ran off when he was a child, but not before telling her things a parent should never tell their child. Then, after her fiancé finds out her secret, he leaves as well. She’s resigned herself to the fact that she’s not meant to find love and is ok with it.
But then she meets Jasper Dembenski, Jasper’s pretty new to town as well. He’s a bestselling author who was driving through Happily Inc when his car broke down. While waiting for the needed parts, he discovered just how great the town was, found a home, and decided to stay. He loves his pretty solitary life on the mountain and knows that he doesn’t want a relationship because he’s still damaged from his time as a military police officer. He’s had years of therapy, but he still suffers from nightmares and anxiety attacks.
Renee and Jasper have seen each other around town, but hadn’t actually talked to each other until they’re paired up for game night at the local bar.
Ms. Mallery is a wonderful writer, she knows just how to evoke emotions with just the words on a page. You root for these characters, and just when you think that things are bad, she brings it right back around. This is the 5th book in the series, but you can read it just fine without having read the previous ones. But, let me tell you, after reading Jasper and Renee’s story, you’ll want to dive in from the beginning. I know I do. This has a Happily Ever After, but I want more. I’ve got question. I now can’t wait to dive in and immerse myself in all the stories from Happily Inc.

Love is magical in Happily Inc, and this is no exception. Renee is a wedding coordinator but does not want her own HEA, Justin is new to town and is a thriller writer but wants to add a love story to his work in progress, so Renee would be the perfect person to help. Jasper has suffered from PTSD from the military, so he is convinced that he is damaged in the relationship department. So what would be better the friends with benefits!!

This is a sweet but sexy romance with plenty of humor, loved how their relationship developed. Loved catching up with previous characters. Wonderful friendships that have developed. Loved, loved the wedding. All animal lovers must read, loved Koda!!

I love Susan Mallery and I absolutely love this book! First off there are two lost souls that just want to be left alone, RIGHT! Then you have a dog and cats and safari animals. Then in comes the person who the animals can talk to and to top all this off a wacky wedding planner. What’s not to love about this book? You must get it to find out how it all works out! Thanks for the great story Susan!

Meant to Be Yours is a fun, quirky read featuring Jasper, a military vet, who thinks he is too broken to be able to love long-term. And Renee, a wedding planner, who is pretty sure a wedding is NEVER is store for her future. These two meet and decide to "hook up" for as long things work out.

In the meantime, Jasper, who is a writer, takes an interest in Renee's career as a wedding planner to help him study how the female mind works. He thinks this can help him with a female character he's writing. Jasper has a lot to learn, not only about how the female mind works, but about what his heart may need as well.

I really enjoyed this story. Both characters had to do some maturing and growing, but it was nice to see them both work through hard things. The Happily Inc series is great and can be read as standalones, but I'd recommend starting from the beginning to truly get the most out of each story.

Jasper writes suspense novels but lately his readers or perhaps more importantly his editor want him to build a love interest for his swashbuckling mystery solving detective character. His first attempts at a female character has his beta readers in splits; definitely not a winner. Can Renee be his salvation in creating a three dimensional female character for his series?
While Jasper is delightful, Renee didn't exactly endear herself to me from the get go but then the magic of the story catches up and before you know it, it's the end of another delightful chapter in the Happily Inc. series.
Jasper is suffering from PTSD when he first comes to Happily Inc but soon the town calls to him and he finds himself buying a house and settling in to write. Things have gotten a lot better for him since then and he's even recently adopted a dog. He finds Renee intriguing when they partner each other at a Monopoly game and before long they're in bed. Jasper finally gets answers on what a wedding planner does as he searches to flesh out the character in the latest book he's writing. I love how he glazes over and forgets that Renee is around when the muse is calling and his fingers are typing.
Renee however isn't so easy. She's carrying a lot of baggage and definitely comes across as irritating in the beginning. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to tell her to get over herself. She does however have a strong group of girl friends and it's great catching up on the happily ever after's on some of the couples from earlier stories. Renee's life long embarrassment is that her mom can talk to animals. Her reaction to her mom make me cringe but fortunately her friends and even her lover are a lot more accepting than Renee herself. Once Renee accepts her mom for what she is and begins to finally like herself that we see a sea change that turned the tide for me in how I felt about Renee.
While every book in the series features weddings in a box it's great fun to be a part of the planning and execution and even a couple of mishaps with weddings. This sweet romance which even through it comes after the Summer is done brings alive memories of light hearted reading on the beach or on vacation.

A fun book which depicted the romance between the wedding planner Renée and an author who was ex-military Jasper. Friends with benefits transformed to love.

Reading a Susan Mallery after a long time, the story retained her trademark signs of humor and warm relationships. Both Kasper and Renée had their own pasts with secrets slowly getting revealed down the book. Jasper's PTSD was dealt with sensitively.

I liked the constant tug and war and skirmishes between the two main characters. Jasper needed the softer side to be written in the novel and the suggestions given by his friends had humorous results. Romance was a slow burn in its development and chemistry wtitten. The other characters added to the loving atmosphere of the book.

Of note was Renée's mother, she was sweet and and her gifts were a wonder to read. I loved the inclusion of it in the story. The entire story was long and felt a bit slow, but had the sweetness of likable characters. Book 5 in the series, that didn't bother me as I was more involved with Renee and Jasper and their dog Koda.

Overall, a sweet read which warmed the heart and put a smile on my face.

I read other books by Susan Mallery by it's the first I read in this series.
It was a fun and entertaining read, well written and with a cast of interesting characters.
I rooted by Jasper and Renee who are both complex and damaged and I loved their character development and their path to heal and to start trusting each other.
Jasper learns about women, learns how to interact with Renee and how to gain her trust. He's damaged his character development bring him to heal. Renee must learn how to trust again and how to build a meaningful romantic relationship. Their character development is oriented toward a romantic relationship but it also shows how they grow as person.
The cast of characters, both humans and pets, is interesting and well thought, I liked to read the backstory of those featured in the previous instalment and I liked the pets, realistic and lovely.
I'd like to visit the quaint town, so lovely and well described.
The book is well written, full of humour and it always keep your attention.
I think I will read the previous instalment in this series as I really loved this one.
It was an engrossing read and I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to HQN and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

MEANT TO BE YOURS (Happily Inc Book 5) by Susan Mallery is a contemporary romance set in the wedding destination town of Happily Inc. Renee Grothen is a wedding planner at "Weddings Out of the Box". She loves her job and does her best to make sure that every couple has a perfect wedding, or at least as perfect as she can make it. Even though she spends her life creating memorable days for happy couples, she has sworn off marriage and serious relationships. Enter Jasper Dembenski, a novelist who began writing as a way to combat PTSD. After five years, he is comfortable in his life on the mountain just outside Happily Inc. He has recently acquired a older dog, Koda, and is relatively happy. With all his scars, he feels he is too broken for a serious or permanent relationship. It seems that Renee and Jasper are perfect for each other. A friends with benefits type of relationship to suit them both. As they get to know each other better, their feelings grow stronger. Will they be able to share their secrets and hurts from their past? Will they get over the fear of commitment?

I really enjoyed this book, and read it in one day while the rain poured down outside. I knew there would be a HEA, but I had to idea how they would get there. I enjoyed the whole story. There was a lot happening with Jasper writing his book and needing help, all the goings on at Weddings Out of the Box, Renee's mom and her special gift, and all the wonderful characters that form the friendships in Happily Inc. I loved the character of Jasper. From the moment he decided to take Koda home after finding him abandoned and starving to learning about his past, I wanted him to have a happy relationship beyond just a few months. Renee could be annoying at times. I understood her feelings about her mother's gift, but her fear seemed a bit irrational to me and I am glad she got over it. The dialogue was very realistic and well-written. It seemed right from the start that these two needed each other and were fated to get together. Their "disagreements" were always entertaining and it never took them long to realize they were wrong and make up. There was some intimacy in the story, but it was brief and not graphically described which I liked. Overall, this was a wonderful story of second chances, romance, acceptance, friendship and taking chances. I also loved that the novella written between books 2 & 3 included in the back which is the story of one of the friends in town. I definitely recommend this one to lovers of romance.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this book 4 stars. It was very entertaining and cute. I didn't know it was book #5 in a series. Although it does stand well on it's own. I was rooting for all the characters and just wanted them to get their happily ever after.

Rene and Jasper live in a wedding destination town, Happily, Inc. Rene is a successful wedding planner that works at Wedding in A Box. Jasper is retired veteran is a successful writer. They both want nothing to do with relationships and agree to a "friends with benefits" no strings attached arrangement. Both have their reasons that are significant to the story. When Jasper decides that his character will begin a new relationship, he finds that he can't write women and asks Rene for help. He takes it a step further and that could be the end of their arrangement. Always a pleasure to revisit this town and its characters.

Susan Mallery knows how to write an emotional and intriguing story with unforgettable characters. This is a smoothly written story with great dynamics between complex and interesting characters. It is the fifth book in the Happily, Inc series and this story takes place in the small town of Happily, Inc., a wedding destination town.

Jasper was in the military and is still trying to recover from PTSD. He is big and exudes strength and confidence, yet he is vulnerable, reclusive and resigned to being a different person than he was before being in the military. He has become a successful author and is content with his solitary life; he knows he is too damaged for a relationship.

Renee has been hurt in the past and she lacks confidence and is afraid to trust anyone. She is a wedding planner and when she meets Jasper, she is immediately attracted to him.

Jasper and Renee are total opposites, but somehow they click and help each other with their issues. They are two wounded souls who get together and find they make a whole. They help each other accept who they are, so they can slowly heal and enjoy life again. I enjoyed this engaging story.

I was provided with an ARC of this title by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was a light-hearted romance about a couple who wants nothing more than a casual, no strings attached relationship.

Renee has been burned too many times by her own expectations. Her family is unique, and has cost her disappointment in love. She is determined to avoid being hurt, and knows she will never find the supportive bond her friends have found.

Jasper is a veteran who witnessed horrific things during his deployment. He is haunted by those memories, and believes his PTSD leaves him ill-equipped for the emotional side of a relationship. Jasper has writer's block, and he convinces Renee to let him shadow her work as a wedding planner in the hopes that he'll be able to realistically portray a relationship in his work-in-progress.

Soon their relationship slips past the boundaries they have erected around it, and they have to decide if they will move past their fear to chase it.

The fifth book in the series follows Renee the wedding coordinator and novelist Jasper, both are convinced (and solidly so) that they aren’t interested in a relationship that involves any sort of commitment. Jasper comes with a pile of issues -> he’s got PTSD, and while he uses his personal experience to fuel his hard-hitting detective on his search for serial killers. Unfortunately, his writing hasn’t helped to allay his own recurring thoughts, and his editor and publisher decide that he needs to stretch his character to include a relationship – either girlfriend or wife – something Jasper has no interest or experience with. Here is where Renee can help – if only he’ll let her in.

The oft-used premise of two people who claim to not want relationships but fall into one in a pseudo friends-with-benefits and no commitments to relying on one another is familiar, and their friendship and conversations build naturally despite the recurring use of the trope. Both Renee and Jasper have plenty of opportunity for growth, and there are some wonderful “chick flick” moments and pop-culture references that will ‘date’ this story for readers in several years, but they mix nicely to add a pop of ‘familiar’ to a situation that, while plausible, is fictional and not of this world.

Having only read the first book in this series before this one, even with no current grounding in the Happily, Inc. world, this story stands on its own two feet, and brings a sense of place and people without needing the background. With behind the scenes wedding moments and the gradual incorporation of the couple, together and separately, into the community with often laughable moments, the story was easy to read and engaging. The addition of a short story that left a smile, the story leaves you with a sense of completeness and belief in ‘a lid for every pot’ as both Jasper and Renee find their new normal and it’s far different than they ever expected.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-ayo/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>