As an avid Susan Mallery fan, I can safely boast that this is my favorite book so far! From the animals, to the quirky mom (that I was a bit unsure of at first, but quickly grew to love her!), to the writer that's perpetually up to no good - you can't go wrong with this story. If you're an animal lover, then be prepared to have all the feels while reading this. I loved Jasper and his take on the wedding craziness. It was also fun to see the process of writing a book from the authors POV, especially while trying to write the opposite gender. This is a must-read, and I'll be buying the audio book as well. LOVED it!

'Meant to Be Yours' is my first foray into the world of Susan Mallery's writing but it won't be the last; the duet of love stories, set largely in the town of Happily Inc. has everything I love in a romance; steamy sex scenes, a lack of mushiness, and strong characters with voices that grab my attention and keep it as long as they have something to say.
Plenty of heart without gushing, smooth writing, puppies, kittens, horses, and RVs- this book had it all and then some; good stuff.
I highly recommend if sweet and salty romances are your thing like they are mine- this title dropped yesterday; go snap it up. You won't regret it.
(This review was commissioned by Harper Collins.)

Meant to Be Yours by Susan Mallery
Happily Inc. #5

Cute story with two people who don’t want a “relationship” or feeling they will ever fall in love doing just that by the end of the book. Jasper thinks he is “broken” after all he has seen in the military and Renee is fearful of having her heart broken again. Their agreement to have a monogamous benefits only type friendship without emotion is settled into fairly quickly and then Jasper’s need to research the wedding planning business for his next book throws them together frequently.

The two are no doubt meant for one another but seem to have blinders on or minds shut down to the idea of “more” - found that a bit strange, actually. People from previous books (I have not read) made appearances so those invested in the series will enjoy seeing them all again. The book does not require reading previous books to make sense.

What I liked about the book:
* Learning more about wedding planning
* The animals
* Jasper – sometimes a bit clueless but always willing to ask for help
* Renee – most of the time though she could be snippy and abrupt at times when deTaling with jasper
* The animals
* Verity – Renee’s mother – what an interesting “gift” she had

What I did not like:
* The Bridezilla
* The times Renee seemed to overreact to events/words that should not have triggered such emotions

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in the series? Maybe
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

Susan Mallory has a knack for writing heart warming romances that invite you into the story & keep you emotionally involved to the end. In this story, Jasper is a mystery writer needed to establish a connection with the female love interest of his detective. He’s an award winning writer but can’t make her three dimensional & less wooden. Once he starts spending time with Renee, his muse takes hold & his female character comes to life. Now if he can just keep her interested in spending time with him without any possibility of it being permanent. He’s just too broken for a true relationship.

Renee is a wedding coordinator for Weddings Out of the Box. They pull out all the stops to give you the wedding of your dreams. She knows she isn’t a candidate for happily ever after but that doesn’t mean she can’t have fun. She’s been attracted to Jasper & is happy he’s only interested in short term too. You know what they say about the best laid plans!

Ms. Malley crafts characters that are down to earth & easily relatable. Happily Inc is a wonderful small town built around the wedding business. Everyone knows everyone else’s business & are there to help when needed. I love the way the characters interact & the fact that they all show up in each other’s books. You can easily read this as a stand alone but you will be pulled in & want to read them all. This story hit all of the emotions from the very beginning. Jasper rescues an older abandoned dog & seems bewildered as to why he didn’t leave him at the shelter like he’d planned. Renee is overseeing a firefighter wedding &, thanks to a fountain mishap & the bride’s younger brother, ends up drenched from head to toe. Ms. Mallory manages to get the sexual tension & intense interest across without any explicit scenes which is a wonderful change in this day.

This was an enjoyable read and its a two for one romance. The main romance concentrates between a mystery thriller writer and a wedding planner, which sounds like an original pairing. Planning for your HEA with a killer for a bridesmaid! Anyway, Meant To Be Yours is a small town romance between two commitment phobes, Renee and Jasper. Set in the town of Happily Inc, which is also a premier wedding destination, these two seems like fish out of water. Of course, they engage in a very passionate one night stand that becomes an arrangement. But the more they spend time out of bed together, the more they realize a happily ever after is possible. The problem is can they overcome past traumatic experiences to grab for their dream. Meant to Be Yours is adorable and quirky, really sexy and imbibes all the main themes of small town love stories. But it also holds snippets of real life concerns in the pursuit of love.

Jasper was on the last leg of a three month book tour for his latest suspense book. His publisher had sold Jasper the idea of traveling via RV. Jasper didn’t mind driving long distances , he enjoyed the solitude and time to think. He was eleven hundred miles from home. The RV parks were pretty decent. He wanted some coffee and hoped there was some in the main office. As he was walking to the office he heard a man threaten someone/thing. It turned out to be a stray dog who had been dumped at the RV park and was starving. He was an older dog. Jasper told the man not to shoot the dog. When he got to the office there was coffee, he filled his travel mug and went back to his RV. When he got there the dog was sitting by his side door. Jasper opened the door and the dog jumped in, he found a vet and took the dog to be checked . he was going to take the dog to a shelter but the dog looked so sad and defeated he decided to keep him and named him Koda. Jasper believed he was too broken to ever be fixed and felt the therapist s agreed with him even though they didn’t say it in that way. Jasper had been in the Army for eight years and had seen things. Sometimes he had flashbacks.jasper though longingly of his quiet house. The sameness of his life when he was home. He had friends. But on his terms. He had relationships with women. Sort of. Reese was a wedding coordinator For Monica -now Martinez -tonight. She was waiting for everything to end. Her boss Pallas Mitchell walked toward Reese and reese told her again to go home. Monica had just returned to work from having her baby. Pallas said Reese she had been running things for nearly six months. She needed a break. Reese was a little ragged around the edges but she loved handling Weddings Out Of The Box. While Pallas had been gone She enjoyed the challenges and watching the details fall into place on the big day. Jasper and renee have seen each other around town. Renee is hoping for a friends with benefits type thing with Jasper. She believes he wants the same thing. Reese is afraid of opening herself up and being hurt. Jasper’s editor wants him to end his detective series with the lead is happy with someone. But jasper can’t write women. When he and reese start together he gets some tips from her. Jasper doesn’t believe in falling in love in real life. Reese has a phobia which makes it hard for her to get to know Koda.
I enjoyed this book a lot. It was a sweet fun romantic read. At times I laughed out loud while reading this and that is rare for me to do. I really loved watching Jasper and reese grow throughout this book. I also loved how the author brought in the need for animal rescue. I really enjoyed the ending. I love that Jasper kept Koda. I loved the characters and the twists of this book and I recommend it.

I thought that this was a very enjoyable read. Jasper and Renee were both charismatic characters. I liked the fact that neither one was perfect because that created an even playing field and it made them easy to connect with. The storyline was fun and it kept me entertained and actively rooting for this couple. I felt that their chemistry was good and I found it very easy to get invested in these imperfect people and the doubts that plagued them on the road from no strings to HEA. In my opinion there was a lot of sweetness, humor and charm in this emotional romance.

This is a story of two people who know they are not candidates for marriage but they want to take a chance on a relationship. This trope can go either way, in my experience, but I have to say I liked how Susan Mallery brought her characters along. All in all, an enjoyable read. Recommended to fans of the series and Susan Mallery.

Renee is a wedding coordinator who loves planning other peoples themed weddings but she is done having her heart broken and won’t be planning her own anytime soon. And that’s ok with her.
Jasper is a writer who is suffering PTSD from years in the military and is fine with his solitary life up in the woods. He’s slowly coming back to being “normal” whatever that might be, and he is fine just how he is.

One night at a local game night Renee and Jasper “hook up” for a one night stand. They both agree this is the perfect arrangement and settle on being friends with benefits. All goes well until Renee and Jasper find they like spending time together and are comfortable with each other….could this be love?

This was such a fun read. I loved the banter between Renee and Jasper. Throw in her quirky mother that talks to animals, a rescue dog and cat, some fun loving friends and you have the perfect recipe for an excellent feel good story. Although I haven’t read any of the other books in the series, Susan Mallery did an excellent job of catching the reader up on who was who so you could follow along. I’m now off to start reading from the beginning of the series. Thanks so much to Harlequin-Mira, Susan Mallery and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to read.

Susan Mallery is one of my go to author's. I just love her books. The more I read of her books the more I love Susan Mallery. She writes real heartfelt stories that just captivate my heart and soul. Susan Mallery has a rare gift for writing. She is very creative. I would read any book she writes.

In Meant to be Yours we get a very sweet and heartswooning story. I fell in love with this story from the begining. The characters were very believable. Their struggles were realistic and relatable. I loved watching them grow during the story. I felt as if I were actually there and not just reading a story. I loved the plot and was able to follow along with the storyline. I had heartswooning moments. From page one Susan captivated my heart and attention and never let it go. I read Meant to be Yours in one day and have read it for a second time. This is definitely a must read for anyone who loves romance. The words danced off the page and into my heart forever. The magic that Susan Mallery creates with her words is phenomenal. Phenomenal book by an equally phenomenal author.

Such a cute, quirky, easy ready!
Has some sass and steamy moments throw in there!

Wedding Coordinator Renee Grothen isn’t meant for marriage. Those who can, do. Those who can’t, plan. But she could never have planned on a gorgeous, talented thriller writer Jasper Dembenski proposing- a fling. Fun without a future. And the attraction between them is too strong for Renee to resist. Now she can have her no-wedding cake and eat it too.

After years in the military, Jasper is convinced he’s too damaged for relationships. So a flirtation- and more- with a fiery, determined Renee is way too good to pass up, until his flame becomes his muse.

Renee is an expert at averting every crisis. But is she finally ready to leap into the one thing that can never be controlled: Love?

I fell in love with the little town of Happily Inc. I mean, who wouldn't love a wedding destination town?? Renee has tons of sass and attitude and wasn’t afraid to stand up to Jasper. Both characters believed they were damaged in some ways. Renee from growing up with a mom who can talk to animals. Jasper from his time at war. This was a super quirky and easy read and I blew threw it in one sitting! I have to admit, this is the first Susan Mallery novel I had read and it will not be my last!

***Thank you Harlequin Books for the ARC of Meant To Be Yours

There is nothing better than kicking back with a good old fashion romance book. A story filled with magical first kisses, romantic tension and a happy ending is my kind of escape. Susan Mallery, #1 New York Times best selling author has written countless (and I mean countless) romance novels. Her latest, Meant To Be Yours hits shelves today. It is the fifth book in her Happily Inc. series. If you are looking for a story that will put a smile on your face, then start filling that dusty bathtub with some suds. Put down your thrillers, memoirs and courtroom dramas for just a moment. Relax in the warm bubbles while your mind drifts to a town named Happily, Inc. I hope you enjoy your stay.
Renee is a wedding coordinator who specializes in "theme" weddings in the town of Happily, Inc. One would think that someone who plans the biggest day of someone else's life would be gaga over getting married. One would be wrong. Renee's past makes her weary of ever settling down. When her mother arrives in town for visit, things start to get interesting. In comes Jasper, Happily, Inc.'s resident novelist (love that there is an author in the actual story). Jasper is struggling with writing his next mystery book. Writing about a love interest for his lead character in his book is not coming naturally. He doesn't have much to draw from his own love life since returning from his military assignment. His PTSD makes him feel less than whole. Taking on a relationship just doesn't seem to be in the cards for him. However, when Jasper runs into Renee at the local bar, they hit it off. While neither of them are looking for a relationship, "friends with benefits" seems to be the perfect solution. Though their time together is piping hot, it also becomes complicated. Can they each battle their pasts in order for a brighter future together?????
Meant To Be Yours was the perfect lazy morning read. In a town where everyone knows everyone, Happily, Inc. was reminiscent of Stars Hollow from the Gilmore Girls and BlueBell from Heart of Dixie. Let's face it, small towns always have the best drama and romances. Mallery's characters each have their own unique storylines that make all of their relationships with one another entertaining. It was the banter and steamy bedroom scenes between Renee and Jasper that kept the pages turning for me. Details of Renee's crazy themed weddings and Jasper's novel writing process were most certainly delightful. Animal lovers will adore how Mallery incorporated her love of animals in this story. From rescued pets, to an animal preservation to a woman who can interpret what animals are thinking, our fury friends most definitely have a supporting role in this romance. Most importantly though, it was the hope and anticipation of a happily ever after that left me feeling giddy. Though I haven't read any other books in Mallery's Happily, Inc. series, I can honestly say that this worked fine for me as a stand alone book. I am eager to start from the beginning to learn more about the cozy town of Happily, Inc. and all of its lovely occupants. I hope you enjoy this comforting romance!!! Happy reading and happy soaking!

Happily Inc sounds like a delightful little town to live in. I was surprised to find that this was the fifth book in the series about the town and its residents.

This was a fun read. I liked the quirky characters, especially Renee and her mother. The way the series is set up is pretty obvious – there are a few couples in the small town who of course interact with each other. A few times over the course of the story, someone references when so-and-so and their flame got together, which is surely an earlier book in the series. I like these kind of light-hearted series – you feel like a citizen of their quaint little town as you meet everyone.

I enjoy books where they present careers that lend themselves to fun daydreaming about an alternative life. Renee was a wedding coordinator, and her love-interest Jasper was an author. I don’t know how realistically either career was depicted, but they sounded like fun, and the book made them sound believably realistic.

The book also included a novella at the end. It was another pleasant read, but kind of annoying that it obviously took place sometime before the actual book. See, the characters in the novella are married and expecting their first child in the book that the novella followed. Still a fun story, but maybe they should have been presented in a different order?

Overall, I enjoyed reading Meant to Be Yours. It also kind of made me want to watch the old 2001 movie with J.Lo, The Wedding Planner. Wedding planning was the only overlap (well, that and finding love), but the movie and the book make it seem like a fun job. I’d give the book 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for a great beach read, or for this time of year, cuddled under a blanket in front of a fireplace. Enjoy!

I love visiting Susan Mallery’s Happily, Inc stories. They are always so full of hope, and love; albeit nothing is easy. All of these books are standalone, but I love visiting characters from previous books. Susan Mallery’s books are the epitome of romance and I know I will feel “ahhhh” when I finish. One of the best things about this book was Jasper. He is a writer, who has to write a female character into his mostly all male fiction books, and he has no idea how to make that happen. Enter Renee, a wedding planner, and the book takes off. Always reliable and always a great romance!

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

How cute are Renee and Jasper? We all know that hook-up situations never quite work out the way the parties involved intend them to. Before long, feelings are involved and lives become intertwined. The same is true for these two. A hook up turns into Jasper wanting to use Renee and Weddings Out of the Box as a setting for his next novel. That means a lot of time spent together, both in and out of bed.

Mallery continues the wonderful Happily Inc series with a story that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. These characters aren't perfect, and are in fact dealing with some pretty heavy baggage, but none of that seems to matter when they're together. Watching them overcome the various obstacles they're facing was a lot of fun. The book ended a little more abruptly than I would have liked, but it didn't stop me from really enjoying the read. Another great Mallery read!

I love this book, it's a love story with a lot of struggles, but it's still sweet and fun with plenty delightful moments that warms my heart. The struggles is so real, it happens in real life, the feelings that you just want to belong, to fit in, to be acceptable and how terrified it is to keep the relationships, you just don't want to risk it, don;t want to lose it.
This book really brings all the feelings for me. The laughters and frustrations keep me turning page after page.
And don't forget all the loveable characters, each has personality that so unique and captivating (some really got me frustrating but still love them anyway), they definitely put a big smile on my face.

Great story and wonderful characters, yup totally recommended.

If you're looking for a fun and sweet story that warms your heart, this is the book for you.

Happily Inc is a town focused completely on weddings. With that, romance and happily ever after is not hard to come by. From the very beginning of the book when he took care of the stray dog I liked Jasper and enjoyed getting to know him.. I have not read any of the other books in this series but based on other reviews, I don’t think that affected this book. I enjoyed the story but the sex scenes were a big graphic for me.

Meant to Be Yours is the fifth book in the Happily, Inc. series. Though part of a series, this is definitely a stand alone book that can be enjoyed just as much without reading the previous books in the series.

I loved revisiting the characters from this series again. This story is about Renee and Jasper.
The characters are well developed and fleshed out all while being flawed and complex.

The story had a perfectly timed pace. It was nice to have some new additions to the story, mainly Jaspers dog Koda, he was quite a scene stealer!

This book was really hard to put down. I was excited to see a bonus story at the end of the book, A Very Merry Princess which was a fun bonus.

Susan Mallery is one of my favorite authors in the contemporary fiction/romance genre. This book is one of her best. If you haven't read the rest of the series yet, I highly recommend it!

One of my favorite things is reading Susan Mallery's romances. I just love them. I think it's because it's also about the people and not just the end result. Mallery builds a world that seems alive and real. I enjoy that in my authors.

We are back in Happily, Inc and ready to visit. From the moment you meet Jasper, you want to know more about him. There is a cloud of mystery about him that needs to be blown away. Pretty quickly you get to know him. Which makes you really want to see him happy. He's a wonderful guy that doesn't really see that. He's happier and healthier than he believes.

He needs to realize that he's dealing with his past which is making his mental health so much better. I think it takes him so long to believe this because for him having an issue is almost like its part of his body.

I'm so glad when it finally dawned on him that his new life, his friends, his dog and the woman he loves has made his stronger.

You'll enjoy Renee too. She truly loves her job and works hard at it. You wants the best for her brides and grooms and works hard to make sure of it. The funny part is that she never wants to get married herself so you have to wonder why she'd take a job like this.

Poor Renee wants to feel part of this small town but as much as she starts to get close to people and becomes friends with them she all has this worry in the back of her head that what would happen if they met her mother.

When mom comes to town she finds out. You won't be able to not love her mother. She's a wonderful person who has worked very hard for her and her daughter. Notice how I don't mention a father? Might be why Renee doesn't want to marry. Silly Renee. Love doesn't care about your hangups.

These two together are so much fun. They really get each other and love each other anyway. That's what true love is.

Meant to Be Your is a sweet, fun, happy romance that made me feel so good reading it. I love this series and if you haven't yet read it, you really should. I would read the series in order only because it reads better that way.

This romance book is just that...romance with a lot of the author’s signature humor added in. The sex scenes were very graphic, but if you like that kind of thing, it will work for you, but it had me skipping pages. Renee is a wedding planner who wants a relationship with no strings attached. Enter Jasper, the new resident writer, who fits the bill nicely and volunteers for the position. Renee and Jasper have an interesting relationship that develops throughout the book, with a little meandering here and there to include pets. I enjoyed the book but was surprised when it seemed to end so suddenly when I wanted more of the story. Fans of Mallery and fans of romance in general will enjoy this book. But I would say that it is for mature readers because of the almost erotic sex scenes. I haven’t read any of the other Happily, Inc. series, so I don’t know if this is a general theme in these books.