This may be a favorite book of mine this year. It had everything I needed. The characters were great as well as their chemistry and wittiness. I also fell in love with side characters. I will definitely be recommending this one to my friends and followers.

Well it is a good thing I buy tissues in bulk because oh my word, I needed them. I will admit that I am an emotional hot mess on a good day. I wear my heart on my sleeves and have so much empathy that I can barely contain it. I cry often and if something gets me in the feels ( I am looking at you Cerulean Sea and Meet me in Paradise) then once I start crying, well I just don't stop.

The blurb on this one is that Marin and Sadie are sisters, and their mother died on assignment as a journalist. Marin, has always played it safe and raised Sadie. Sadie is a wild free spirit, who was literally hanging from the rafters at her mothers funeral. Sadie comes home from her latest wild photography adventure and convinces Marin to go on a girls trip to an Island called Saba. Problem is Sadie has no intention of showing up on this trip and Marin has the worst travelling experience ever. In her hellish ride through the Caribbean she falls into the lap of Super hottie Lucas Tsai and he attempts to show her a good time on the island since her sister stood her up. Marin is confused and worried and trying to do as her sister asked because she knows she needs to step out of her comfort zone, but why is she on this island in the first place.

The emotional roller coaster that is this book is one that made this old lady relate and feel all the sadness and all the love. I felt as though I was on this trip with Marin ( I wish hello tropical island in the best suite on the property) and I was getting to experience everything she was. The writing is great and I loved the character development. My only complaint is the pacing of the book. I felt it was a bit slow, but I did read it in one sitting. There is no shock in this book. You are fairly quickly introduced to the idea of why Marin is on this trip alone, you the reader knows but Marin does not.

I loved this. I will recommend it highly. It is an emotional one. 4 & 1/2 stars from me. It broke my heart but put it back together in a very nice way.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the copy.

This has such great reviews and I was looking forward to it but I had such a hard time getting through the book. It just dragged on. Could have been a lot shorter. I didn’t connect to the characters either.

DNF -- I read a couple chapters but then other reviews informed me of a surprise cancer subplot and I'm not interested in reading anymore.

I am not sure if this book is being marketed as a romance, when in reality it isn't! It is more of a story of two sisters, one of whom is fearful and scared to take risks, and the other who is the ultimate risk taker and a fan of seeing the world. Sadie sends Marin to Saba - a real Caribbean island - and gets her to experience some adventure. Without spoilers, there is grief and sadness in this book, as well as some insta-love, which is not my favorite. I loved the island setting.

Reviewed for Shelf Awareness. Review will run near publication date.

Meet Me in Paradise, Libby Hubscher's debut contemporary novel blends one part self-discovery adventure, one part vacation romance and one part family heartbreak into a book that reads like a summer romantic comedy film with a surprisingly tragic base.
After the death of their mother while teens, Marin and her younger sister Sadie take two different approaches to life. Marin assumes responsibility for Sadie and everything else in their lives, while Sadie adopts a "life is short" mentality and follows their investigate journalist mother's footsteps as a risk-taker and world traveler. Hoping to convince Sadie to finally settle down, Marin agrees to her first ever vacation out of Tennessee, only for Sadie to abandon her before the flight. As Marin stumbles through a comedy of errors--an emergency plane landing, misplaced luggage, accidentally exposing herself to the sexy owner of the resort she's staying at--Sadie is at home coming up with more ways to keep Marin out of her comfort zone. While most of the book is told in Marin's point of view, short interstitial chapters from Sadie reveal the reason she's so determined to give Marin the adventure of a lifetime. After all, life is short.
Not simply a breezy romantic comedy, Hubscher captures the duality of life in Meet Me in Paradise. Every vacation has to end and as Marin finds herself and a new love with Lucas Tsai, she's about to lose something precious.

Meet Me in Paradise by Libby Hubscher is a excellent standalone romance novel. We meet Marin Cole and her sister, Sadie; after their mother’s death, Marin stepped up to watch over her younger sister. As they get older, she constantly worries about Sadie’s wild adventures, as she does a lot of traveling, being a photographer and thinks nothing of doing fun and dangerous things. When Sadie comes home after a time in China, she plans a sister getaway, forcing Marin to open up and go with her to a tropical island, Saba. When Marin gets on the flight, Sadie was late and missed the flight, promising that she will take the next flight out. A man who came in the last minute takes her sister’s seat, much to her chagrin.

Lucas Tsai is the handsome stranger, who ends up helping Marin during the flight, as she was a mess, being scared about the turbulence. When they arrive in Saba, she learns that Lucas Tsai is a wealthy man, who is a hotel tycoon, and owning the resort in Saba. Lucas goes out of his way to make Marin comfortable and to enjoy her stay; though he does notice that she is uptight about everything, since she has not really experienced a true vacation and time to learn to enjoy the things that her sister most certainly would have had.
In a short time, Marin will learn that Sadie has no intention to coming to Saba, and wants her sister to enjoy the things she has never had the time to do. Lucas will go out of his way to take her touring and taking chances to thing she was too afraid to try; such as going on trails, mountains, diving for pearls; not to mention having lost her luggage, etc. Marin begins to open up, and allow herself to have fun, especially spending time with the gorgeous Lucas, as well as befriending many of the local people. What follows is a slow build romance between Marin and Lucas, but will it last when she plans to return home?

Things will change when Marin learns the truth of why she is there, and why Sadie is doing everything to keep her on vacation. What follows becomes an emotional rollercoaster for the last third of the book; as anxiety, grief, tears, sadness changes everything. We spend a lot of time with Marin, Sadie, Felix, and Lucas during the emotional story line closer to the end.

Meet me in Paradise was an excellent story, split into two parts; one the fun and escapades that Marin did with Lucas and local friends and the complete change when grief and sadness take control. I do not want to give spoilers, since you need to read this book. I thought Libby Hubscher did a fabulous job in writing this wonderful novel.

Well I'm officially an emotional wreck after reading this book...

Probably my mistake, but I thought this was advertised as a vacation romance, which it is definitely NOT. This is an absolutely heart-wrenching story of grief, fear, and complex family relationships. I adored the the sisterhood trope and wish I could partake in a fierce three-way hug with Sadie and Marin - they were really special characters that I will not soon forget.

My only critique for this book is the romance. I found that it was not well-developed and lacked chemistry, so by the end it just seemed a little far-fetched. Lucas was a character I would have loved to understand better, and I think a few sections from his perspective would have made a big difference. I still really enjoyed this book - I actually think it could have been great without the romance at all - it just felt like more of an afterthought to me.

Read this for ALL the emotions and a beautiful island setting with sweet and lovable characters.

This book was truly heart-wrenching. If you're expecting a cute romantic-comedy, this is not it. That doesn't mean stay away--this is a truly excellent story--I just want everyone to go in eyes wide open. This story deals a lot with grief (CW: death of family member), and the romance is most definitely secondary. But the book is so emotional, and so well done, that it'll leave you thinking about it for days to come.

At first, I was a little thrown off by the disjointed writing style, of switching perspective for some chapters, but soon realized it was necessary to tell the story and helped the reader get tidbits of information in small doses that we wouldn't otherwise have. You get used to it after a bit and appreciate the uniqueness.

This book is one I would highly recommend if you're looking for:
An island fling (maybe more??)
Tropical vibes
A good cry
Excellent writing

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!

5 stars - 9/10

What in the world did I just endure?

I honestly feel like I read two different stories that were melded together so perfectly.

On the one hand we have this budding romance that is just so fun to watch.

We also have this familial subplot that just BROKE me! It reached so many facets of me and I simply just lathered it all in.

The storyline can be condensed to Marian finding herself. This sounds simple but it is oh so far from simply. Its beautifully mastered.

Definitely have some tissues ready.

Thank you so much @berkley and @Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Since their moms death. Marin has always been the safe one. The one that holds down the fort while Sadie is off taking risks and traveling the world. Sadie has a plan to change through. When she comes home home from a particularly hard trip, she plans a girls getaway for her and Marin. Marin is petrified of traveling, but is willing to go along for the ride in order to spend some much needed time with her sister. Only problem, Sadie doesn’t show up to the flight. In fact, she never had any intentions of turning up for the flight. With Sadie cheering her on, Marin is stepping outside her comfort zone and exploring the small island of Saba. Luckily for her, she has a very good looking and knowledgeable tour guide in Lucas.

Alright, I picked this one up thinking it was going to be a great rom com, funny, adorable, and filled with love. I did not expect to end up sitting on the couch sobbing trying to read through my tears. This book had all the emotions. Legit, ALL the emotions. I absolutely adored both Marin and Sadie, and the story of their sisterhood, friendship, and love for each other just filled my heart to the brim. You can’t leave out Lucas though. While she didn’t always see it that way, his love for Marin was so true and pure and lovely. I tend to be more of a Marin, but this book made me want to jump on a plane to a small island resort and just explore! I mean let’s be real, I would honestly like to go anywhere right now and am super over being stuck at home with no vacations in sight, but still! I just loved watching Marin find herself through Sadie’s antics, and the unexpected part had me in tears for the last quarter of the book. This book was an unexpected gem that I will be recommending a ton!

I dove into this book fully expecting a contemporary romance but instead I found an amazing, deeply emotional that at times became gut wrenching but a truly awe inspiring story about one of the greatest loves of all time.. the LOVE BETWEEN SISTERS.

⚠️ CW: death of a loved one, grief, cancer, anxiety and loss

✍🏻 Marin and 📸 Sadie are two sisters bound tightly together by the sudden and tragic loss of their mother when they were both in their teens. Marin stepped in to care for Sadie and in that time put herself in a protective bubble & casting her needs, wants and dreams aside to watch out for her sister meanwhile Sadie would go on to follow in their journalist mother's footsteps and explore the world, camera in hand.

🏝 After a job appears to have taken its toll on Sadie, Marin agrees to go on a sister trip to the Tropical Island of Saba. It was only after Marin arrives in Saba does she find out that Sadie had never planned to go with her, instead she wanted Marin to enjoy her life putting herself first and letting go of her fears.. so with the help of hotelier Lucas Tsai, he takes her around the island on adventures with the help of some truly lovable locals, Marin sets out to prove to her sister she could live a little and have fun... that is until she finds out the hearbreaking truth behind why she was sent there in the first place.

✅ Asian Representation. Mandarin was added as part of Lucas' dialogue although he does speak mostly in English. Loved seeing an Asian cast as a Male Lead & not in stereotypical fashion either.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved this book so much, I also preordered myself a physical copy!

MEET ME IN PARADISE is about sisters Sadie and Marin. After their mom died when they were teens, Sadie continued to live a free-spirited life as an adventurous photographer while older sister Marin stayed in Tennessee to take care of her little sister. Marin is a worrier and lived a cautious life. When Sadie returns from her latest assignment, she convinces Marin to go on a fun weekend trip on Saba. The trip kicks off to a rocky start. Sadie misses the flight and Marin loses her luggage and her passport. With the help of the extremely kind and good-looking hotelier, Lucas Tsai, Marin slowly begins to enjoy her time in paradise until she realizes the real, heartbreaking reason why she's there.

This book has all the parts you want out of a contemporary romcom: a tropical locale, a disaster meet-cute, awkward dates with the nicest hero. However, It is a story about grief and how we honor loved ones who've passed. It is about these sisters who frustrate each other and love each other even in their toughest moments of their lives. This book wonderfully captures the escapist adventures, the love between sisters, the depths of grief and the moments of humor in between.

Oh, Libby Hubscher, you make me cry! I know it's not personal, but your debut novel has absolutely blown me away, broken my heart, and put it back together again. I am the youngest of three sisters and, without any spoilers, it was at times difficult for me to read this book, but the story gave me enough laughs and joy to make it pitch perfect. The romance was everything, the descriptions of Saba and Italy were so vivid, I felt like I was there (and really wished I was)! The secondary characters and other people Marin met along the way were so kind, and the kindness filled my heart. I truly adored this book and I am positive this is going to be one of my favorite reads of 2021. I will end this now so I can return to my crying.

Don't judge Meet Me in Paradise by Libby Hubscher by its cover. The bright colors and carefree image don't do justice to the vulnerability and impact of grief and love in this story. Phew - I'm an emotional wreck after this book, and I absolutely love it!

Perhaps it's because I've walked through a lot of the same in my life, but I'm drawn to reading novels that bare the heart of loss and grief. I'm deeply critical of their accuracy, and don't want something profound and life-altering to be reduced to a passing emotion. Hubscher does not disappoint at all, and really leans in to what sudden loss can do to Marin (the main character).

If you're here for the romance, you'll get a little physical (closed-door) intimacy, and a whole lot of emotional support and deep caring. This is the devoted and doting side of love, while still finding humor and frustration between the moments of vulnerability. There's a reappearance of an old flame, and a new love interest as well, which makes for a great love triangle that forces Marin to inspect what she wants out of life.

I love how the main characters have to find their way to self-discovery and healing instead of being rescued from grief by a new relationship. (I'm not spoiling anything by saying whether or not there's a happy ending...read it to find out!) There's a diverse cast of characters, and a few location settings that honor different cultures and perspectives, as well.

Hubscher weaves this story as intricately as lace, and I'm in awe of the power of her story. This is a new favorite, and a must read!

CWs: anxiety, grief, previous death of a parent (off-page), cancer, end-of-life days detailed on-page.

Thank you to Berkley & NetGalley for this complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

Content Warnings: Death and grief

I was not prepared for this book. Not at all. I went into Meet Me in Paradise thinking I was getting a contemporary romance with maybe some laughs and fun times set in a lovely tropical location. What I got was a deep, emotional story full of love, and sacrifice, and a woman’s journey through grief to find herself on the other side.

Meet Marin, a woman full of anxiety who’s world revolves around her younger sister. At the age of 17 Marin finds herself taking over Sadie’s care after the death of their mother. Marin has given up on her dreams and any adventure she may have craved in her younger life, now she lives vicariously through Sadie, while at the same time wishing her bright, sunny sister would settle down.

When Sadie comes home from a job in China, she seems rundown and more tired than usual. This leads to a discussion of a sister’s trip and a weekend of fun. Only Sadie misses the plane and Marin is forced to step way out of her comfort zone and do things she wouldn’t normally contemplate doing. She even meets a mysterious, glamorously good-looking man on the plane who somehow takes over as her tour guide/host while stuck alone sisterless on the paradise island of Saba.

It doesn’t take readers long to realize that Sadie is up to something and has no intention of interrupting Marin’s vacation. While Marin is living her best life and becoming a bit of an adventurer while also falling for Lucas, who happens to also own the resort, there is this sense that something else is really going on. And there is. Something big. Something heartbreaking. Something had me crying big buckets full of tears and clutching my chest.

While I think this is billed as a romantic comedy and even has that cute artsy cover, don’t be fooled. This is a profound book about loss and grief and time slipping away. And how do we live our best lives and honor those we love at the end? For me, this story was more about Marin’s journey through grief than about her falling in love. Although, maybe I’m wrong. The romance with Lucas, and her weighing her current feelings for him against that of an old flame that suddenly appears at such a tumultuous time, is part of her figuring out what she truly wants her life to look like going forward.

This book starts out a bit slow and as the drama and angst pick up so does the pacing. I loved the scenes of Marin and Lucas getting to know each other and falling into like and then love. I loved the island setting and the secondary characters. They brought a vibrancy to the story, and they helped me understand Lucas better. I think the scenes at the end between Marin and Sadie will stay with me for a good long while.

Meet Me in Paradise will be on my best-of list at the end of the year. While I do think this tends to be more on the side of women’s fiction rather than a true contemporary romance, I would definitely recommend. I loved it and I hope readers will choose to add it to their TBR lists.

Final grade- A

Meet Me in Paradise is a book I cannot recommend enough. It was beautiful, funny, and emotional.

Ever since she lost her mother at a young age, Marin has been living a safe life. She had to grow up overnight to take care of her sister and because of that she gave up a lot. Marin gave up on her dreams and lost sight of what made her happy.

The romance is adorable and sweet. It felt like a slow burn but also didn't feel like a slow burn. I felt what Marin was feeling.

I cried when I realized what led Marin to wind up in this island paradise with her mystery hottie. The book neve felt rushed, rather it felt as though everything took place at the speed with which it was meant to.

I loved how Libby explored the bond between sisters and how sisters make painful sacrifices to give the other joy. It reminded me so much of the relationship I have with my sister.

You do not want to miss this wonderful debut novel, just make sure you have some tissues on hand and are ready to feel emotions.

CWs: anxiety, grief, previous death of a parent, cancer, death of a main character

This was an immersive story focused more on the bond between 2 sisters and the stages of grief. And knowing that now, it was beautiful. However I came into this book thinking it would be a romantic comedy which changed my expectations of it.

That being said, we get to follow the uptight Marin and the free-spirited Sadie through this tale and their sisterly love shows. Add in the atmosphere of a tropical island and a handsome hotel owner? You've got a destination novel cruising for success.

Oh wow! I’m simply at a loss for words. I went into this story expecting a lighthearted romcom filled with hilarious mishaps and swoon worthy moments. Although this book did have its sweet moments, it’s so much more than the beautiful cover and laidback plot. This story is an emotional rollercoaster with a love that goes beyond a meet cute on a tropical island. It’s a gripping story about love in all forms, life and it’s many tribulations, and the power of grief and how it can shape the trajectory of our life.

Marin lives in a well protected bubble, never stepping out, but this story is her journey of discovering herself by living vicariously through her sister's wishes.The details to this story made you feel as if you were in the pages of this book. The author spoke true to the situations Marin went through with captivating writing and a compelling well-rounded cast. There’s a mystery to the story and I love the alternating POV between Sadie and Marin and how seamlessly the author intertwines both past and present.

This story is completely heartbreaking, but between the tears, there are moments of quirky humor through perfectly planned mishaps. This isn’t the perfect cookie cutter story. It reflects the true mess that life is with moments that take you by surprise, while others leave you filled with regret.

At the core of this book is human connection. It expresses how we interact with the people in our lives, like the impact of just sitting next to another person expressing feelings that have been repressed, and how cathartic and liberating it can be. It's amazing how often we forget how precious family is and the days we are given are not guaranteed. This story isn’t like any other contemporary romance story I have read. It’s a beautifully tragic story unlike any other book out there. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC

5 tropical + adventure filled + heartwrenching + sincere stars to this stunning debut by Libby Hubscher. What I thought would be a straight forward romance novel, ended up being a beautifully written, poignant story on the power of hope, the bonds of family and community, the healing qualities of nature, and the joys of unexpected adventures.. Marin Cole, an advertising executive, thrives on having control and stability; her younger sister, Sadie, a travel photojournalist, does not. Marin agrees to a sister's getaway trip on an exclusive island resort as a way to connect more with her little sister. However, the trip doesn't go as planned and Marin is forced to step outside her comfort zone in so many ways. Told from perspectives of both sisters, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel- the breathtaking descriptions of the gorgeous island and the dynamic, engaging characters. This book had me in tears, laughing out loud and all the feelings in between.

Don't miss this story! Pub day is March 23rd. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Berkeley Books for the advanced reader copy in return for an honest review.