Meant to Be by Louisa Leaman was just the book I needed to get me back into my reading groove! Having struggled through a previous book , (different author and genre), thankfully this one gripped me quickly. Great character development. A wee puzzle with just enough romance and reality thrown in and I was enthralled by the story behind the butterfly necklace. How lovely to have a link to your maternal lineage and their stories through the ages. I loved Jessica’s spirit but totally got Aggie’s frustration and concern. It does help widen one’s life perspective when you can escape to engage with different personalities and begin to get a glimpse of what makes them tick- and understand that one size definitely doesn’t fit all! Now I want to book a last minute trip away.......but currently that can’t happen anytime soon. Thank goodness for virtual escapes like this during lockdown. A happy 4 stars from me

The cover of this book grabbed my attention. The synopsis sounded great. So I was grateful to receive a copy from the publisher.

I really do enjoy stories where the two main characters meet in this unconventional and awkward way.

I liked Jess, I found her well written and relatable. The story flowed well and I felt engaged and wanting to know what happened.

The author is new to me, but I would happily read more from them in future.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 📚

A delightful romantic comedy that is simply enchanting, Louisa Leaman’s Meant to Be is sure to raise the spirits and make readers laugh out loud.

Poor Jess doesn’t have much luck in the romance department. Her relationship history is chequered at best and full to the brim with a motley assortment of misfits and losers. Having long since realised that she will never have the great Hollywood love story, Jess has instead chosen to be sensible and practical and has opted for dependable – and at times rather dull – Tim. Jess has given up hope of ever finding her soulmate and although life with Tim will be sedate and unexciting, at least she knows that she can always rely on him. Jess is certainly not looking for anyone else to come along and sweep her off her feet – until her grandmother tasks her with a challenging task that throws her straight into the path of a very charming stranger…

With her grandmother’s health declining, Jess is determined to do whatever it takes to make her wish of getting back a priceless family heirloom a reality. When she tracks down the necklace at an auction, Jess is delighted – only someone else has managed to get there before her. Handsome Guy has already bought the necklace and he simply will not part with it. Guy rejects every single one of her offers, but he might just change his mind if Jess agrees to go out with him on a date….

Jess cannot help but scoff at Guy’s ridiculous proposition! She has a boyfriend already and besides, she would never dream of going out to dinner with a perfect stranger. But with her grandmother’s health deteriorating and realising that this might very well be her only chance of getting her necklace back, Jess finds herself with no other choice but to agree to go out to dinner with Guy. One dinner won’t hurt…or will it? Will Jess realise that her resolve to be sensible is making her desperately unhappy? Is Guy the right man for her? Or should she stop listening to her heart and continue to listen to her head and stick with dull as dishwater Tim?

Louisa Leaman’s Meant to Be is a charming, escapist and thoroughly enjoyable romantic comedy that will go down a treat with Sophie Kinsella fans. Sparkling with humour, glamour and fun, Meant to Be is a magical and heart-warming tale full of hope and heart about new beginnings, life’s unexpected surprises and taking a leap of faith and a chance on love that kept me engrossed and entertained throughout.

Louisa Leaman’s writing sparkles with plenty of verve and effervescence and Meant to Be fizzes and shines with hilarity and mischief which will leave readers completely riveted to the pages of this first class romantic comp by a superb new voice in the genre.

I did enjoy this book but I did find lots of stories entwined sometimes difficult to follow. All characters back stories going on within a couple of pages is hard to keep track of their stories individually. I liked Guy, his character was energetic and a bit like a rebel but a revel with a heart. The story was still enjoyable. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. A beautiful, sweet book telling the tale about a family going back generations all through the journey of a family heirloom. Jess is determined to win the necklace back before her grandmother dies. Her romantic life might depend on it. Jess must make the choice of dependable Tim or exciting Guy. Will the necklace be able to guide her. The characters were likeable, especially the main character Jess. I loved the story and how it brought us back years through the families life.

Oh my goodness I really enjoyed this book a nice romantic book.

Jess is trying to find a butterfly necklace that her Grandmother wants as it is a family heirloom but disappeared when Jess's Mum died. Jess does not know much of her Grandmother Nancy's upbringing as she does not talk about it.

Jess is at the auction where the butterfly necklace is up for sale and she hopes to buy it. She meets Guy there who seems to stand out to her.

Jess is going out with Tim who is very steady and is very good to her but is he the man for her. Jess decides to find out more of her Grandmother's history and try and work out what this necklace means to the woman in her family this is where she takes a few journeys to discover more.

Jess meets a Guy a few times and they seem to have a connection. Will she go with her head or her heart time will tell.

Hope to read more from this author.

I read this for a blog tour.

This was a fun, sweet rom com, with a family history kept secret at the heart of it. Jess' grandmother Nancy doesn't talk about her past but it's all tied up with the necklace her grandmother made, a priceless heirloom that a jewellery trader Guy gazumped Jess at an auction for.

As Jess attempts to get the necklace back for Nancy, who's dying, she unravels the story of the women in her family, and the necklace. She's also starting to fall for Guy, despite her steady (and dull) boyfriend Tim.

Really enjoyed this book! A great read, a mix of romance and adventure, where I absolutely loved the central element of the story which is the wonderful butterfly necklace. I love jewellery and would so love to own this necklace! It was great following Jess' quest to reclaim the family heirloom after she loses out at auction and her journey to uncover the history of the piece was really well written and a fab story.

I was rooting for Jess to make what I considered to be the right decision with regards to her own life (and particularly love life!), although I was never quite sure how things were going to end.

Really like Louisa Leaman, having read and really enjoyed The Perfect Dress - another great story if you haven't read that one already. I would really recommend them both to you. I'm sure you will not be disappointed!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review, which is what I have given.

This was my 2nd Louisa Leaman novel and I enjoyed this one as much as the first.

Some escapism, some historical context, great characters and a novel that you can get lost in and find yourself desperately wanting things to work out for the people within it.

Jess is on a mission to find her grandmther's necklace, missing for many years. She gets lucky and finds it bu someone else wins the auction. Can she get it back from him and what does he offer her life. She has her steady, safe man but is that what she really wants?

This was a nice read and a sweet family story but sadly just didn't draw me in as much as i had hoped. I wanted to feel more for the characters. The story is slow and slightly predictable but the ending was sweet. I did really enjoy the memories of Nancy and the older generations. I loved Nancy the most but just couldn't quite warm to Jess and her sister really annoyed me. A sweet tale but not for me

This is a charming story about family and taking risks in life. I found the history of the vintage True Love necklace fascinating as I love family history elements of stories like this. Jess and her family were engaging characters, although her sister would have driven me mad with her controlling manner!

This is a fast-moving, interesting romance that revolves around a vintage butterfly necklace.

Jess makes for a lovely heroine. She’s strong-willed, yet also lacking in confidence due to boyfriend disasters and an accident that has left her walking with a stick. Aggie, her sister, is the perfect foil. They’re chalk and cheese but united by family loyalty and love.

The two main male characters of dependable boyfriend Tim and the charming, impulsive newcomer Guy – well, we’ve met them a hundred times before in other romcoms, but that doesn’t make them any less effective here. They fulfil their roles splendidly, and Guy is definitely multi-faceted and fascinating.

The opening setting of an auction room is excellent, a real eye-opener to those of us who’ve never ventured into one. The recurrent themes of art nouveau and jewellery are equally attention-grabbing, and really set the book apart.

The plot keeps a tight hold of the reader’s attention, so this is certainly a very entertaining book, as sparkly as some of the gems we come across within its pages.

It's written in the present tense, which I personally am not mad keen on, but once you're into the story it's not too intrusive.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ Meant To Be - Louisa Leaman - Release date 17th December 2020.
I did find it took me a little while to get into the story but I’m so glad I kept reading! It was such a lovely, well told story with relatable characters with great relationships. It particularly spoke to me as the women in my family for generations have always been very close and are frighteningly similar. I could see ourselves clear as day in the Taylor ladies.
I loved reading Jess’ journey, the effort she put into finding her family heirloom necklace, the power it had on everyone and also the realisation she had along the way that a debilitating injury doesn’t have to clip your wings and change who you really are.
I would love to read more about Jess and her life after the book, maybe even a fast forward into the life of her niece Steph to see how things work out for her.
After reading this book I will certainly check out more of this author’s work.
Thanks again Netgally for the opportunity to have a sneak peak at this new release!

Do you believe in love at first sight?
Jess and Guy feel sparks the first time they met; but circumstances are not on their side. Jess has a dull boyfriend and Guy’s life is full of lies, is this love meant to be or will it have the same fate of the necklace that connects them?
This is a romance book, about fate and love, how love can make you the luckiest person in the world and even if you lose this love it can warm your heart forever. I liked the persistence of Jess to fulfill her grandmother’s dream, to wear the heirloom necklace, she doesn’t believe in love until she meets Guy. But the circumstances made Jess distrust any men, in particular the ones that seem to love high risk activities… Guy seems to hide something from the beginning, he is not clear but at the same time the feelings he has for Jess seem genuine and ready to try to be more than friends with her… Will they overcome their fears? Of course you’ll have to read the story to discover the ending!
There was one character I didn’t like at all from the story, Jess’ sister, instead of giving Jess strength and support she seemed jealous of her to have fulfilled her dreams and try to find what’s important for her. I read this book in just one sit, it was addictive, believe me!
If you want a book to disconnect this night, this is your book. Ready for “Meant To Be”?

There is something magical about the way Louisa Leaman writes and I found this book just as enchanting as The Perfect Dress.

When bidding on a lost family heirloom at an auction brings Jess and Guy together is she destined for life with dependable Tim or ...........

I loved everything about this book, the stories of the generations of Taylor women, the descriptions of the jewellery, the dynamics between Jess and Guy. All the characters are well written and likeable and I thought the ending fitted the story perfectly.

A joy to read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This was sweet read. But this just didn't rock my world. It was little slow burn for me. And the ending was disappointing.
I love the theme about family heirloom.
Sweet and cute.
3 stars.

Kind of a slow burn and it doesn’t exactly set your world on fire in the end anyway.
It’s a romantic notion of a family heirloom lost and whilst searching for it Jess discovers more about her family and herself but maybe discovers what is love but I found many of the characters to be obnoxious and lacking any real depth or warrant of empathy, which made it difficult to really care all that much on the ending.

I was fascinated by the premise of this book, vintage jewellery, family secrets and strong women really grabbed my attention.

The story begins with Jess and her sister Aggie at an auction house trying to buy back a family heirloom. A necklace that belonged to her great-great Grandmother Minnie. Unfortunately the auction does not go as they planned and she loses to Guy a jewellery dealer. Jess has to tell Nancy, her Grandmother that they were unsuccessful. Nancy tells Jess the story of Minnie and asks Jess where her spirit has gone. Jess has had a series of terrible boyfriends and an accident has left her battered emotionally and physically. Tim, her latest book boyfriend, is steady and reliable and has just been promoted to Deputy Head at the school he works at.

When Nancy takes a turn for the worst at her care home. Jess decides she must get in contact with Guy to see if he will let her borrow the necklace. There is something about Guy that unnerves Jess, and he says he will try to help her but can she trust him?

I liked Jess she has forgotten who she really is and Tim has asked her to move in with him and although she has persuaded herself that it is the right thing to do and men like Guy are no good for her.

She heads off to Snowdonia to Nancy’s cabin if she can uncover the truth about the necklace and Nancy.

This is a great read, I was hooked from the beginning the auction was tense and it made me want to find out about the history of the beautiful necklace and it’s origin.

I loved when Jess visits the home of Emery Floyd, the joint maker of the necklace with Minnie. Jess uncovers how Minnie ended up at the house and how she had a daughter Anna, Nancy’s mother. Also how Nancy ended living there too. What she uncovers is great sadness and how life is short and you should grab opportunities to be happy. It is an emotional read and I lost my dear Nanny this year and feisty Nancy reminded me of her.

If like me you enjoy a bit of a mystery, a love story and a historical origin of the family heirloom you will love this. I couldn’t put it down. I love Snowdonia and the references to my favourite spot Beddgelert made it even more special.

The more she discovers the more Jess starts to want know more about her family and how the necklace left the family. She begins to discover her own spontaneity again and this drives a wedge between her and Tim. Does she stay with him or fly off to Hollywood and rediscover her old self ?

You will have to read it to find out…..

An escapist, adventurous story, with old Hollywood glamour with twists and turns which kept me enthralled until the end.

I loved it !

5 stars *****

My thanks to Random House U.K./Transworld Digital for an invitation to read and review, via NetGalley, ‘Meant To Be’ by Louisa Leaman.

Last year I had read and enjoyed her debut novel, ‘The Perfect Dress’, and was aware of her writing for the Victoria and Albert Museum. So know that she is knowledgeable on the subject of vintage fashion, including jewellery. ‘Meant To Be’ focuses upon a unique silver Art Nouveau necklace. Its USA title will be ‘The Lost and Found Necklace’.

Jess has had a run of terrible boyfriends and is also still recovering from an accident that happened in Mexico while backpacking with her then boyfriend, who was an extreme sports instructor. She now seeks a quieter life and has found Tim, a teacher who is loyal and dependable, though occasionally a bit dull.

Her grandmother, whose health is fading, has tasked Jess with retrieving a family heirloom: the above mentioned necklace. Jess has her own small jewellery business and so knows where to look. Then after months of searching she discovers that the necklace is coming up for auction. Yet on the day she is outbid by a charming stranger, Guy, himself an antique jewellery dealer.

Jess tries to buy it from him but he convinces her to go on a date with him in order to put forward her case. She agrees though is adamant that she is only going in order to obtain the necklace. Oh Jess...

This was a charming romantic comedy that also involved Jess seeking out the history of the necklace that had been designed by Minnie, her great, great-grandmother, in the early years of the 20th Century. It was known in the family as the True Love Necklace as it was believed that everyone who wore it found their soul mate. It is also a novel about family and the connections between the generations.

I enjoyed this novel very much. It was sweet yet not sentimental. There were also serious themes such as Jess’ coming to terms with the changes in her life post accident as well as her grandmother’s decline.

Overall, a lovely book that offered a few hours of escapism.

I loved this story.
A dependable man, settling down, beautiful jewellery, whats not to love. But wait, a dashing casanova, a dying relative, a family history to uncover. Let's rush off to America and throw caution to the wind.
I read this book in one take, loving the achingly beautiful descriptions of past relatives, days gone by and beautifully crafted jewellery, with a touch of Hollywood thrown in too.
Another perfect book.