This was not my favorite. A bit slow going and I just couldn’t get into the story. I wanted to like this but just couldn’t bring myself to pick up the book and decided to DNF.

A little too fluffy (I really need to find more books about women my own age!) for me, but a cute poolside read for sure.

*ARC provided via NetGalley

This was a lovely contemporary romance with a sweet ensemble of characters that reads like a love letter to New York City. I really enjoyed the inclusion of Jewish foods and traditions, and the vibrancy of Edie and her family. Intsta-love is a tricky trope for me because I find it can prevent emotional depth to a connection, but I thought the author did a really good job with creating a relationship I was rooting for. 2/5 steam - primarily closed door.

The idea of meeting your soulmate on a certain day is fun, but I didn't love how Edie's belief in a fated relationship led to her expecting that het soulmate would bend to her wishes if they were truly meant to be, rather than accepting that her own desires might change. Relationships are about compromise, and I found the fate aspect of the story limited Edie's willingness to compromise.

Review will be posted on 3./10/23
Edie Meyer's grandmother has prophesized that she would meet her true love on June 24, 2022. Her grandmother has accurately predicted other family members for years, so Edie has never questioned it. Meanwhile, she is living the life in New York City as a stylist and dating Jonah, but she knows she will have to break up with him as she didn't meet him on 6/24/22. So, the June day has finally come and she is on a flight and sits next to Theo, a wannabe rock star/musician, and this must be the guy. Right? They start dating, but slowly she realizes that they want different things. She wants to settle down and he doesn't want to be married. But this obviously can't be right. They are destined to be together.....or so she thought! Meant to be Mine by Hannah Orenstein is a frothy romance that reminded me of The Matchmaker's Gift.

My favorite parts of Meant to Be Mine were Orenstein's depictions of New York City, which were just wonderful. It was the NYC before COVID and I enjoyed it thoroughly. With the fun depictions of NYC and Edie being a fashionista turned stylist, it was giving me major Carrie Bradshaw vibes and I was here for it.

Lastly, the themes of destiny were a little bit hokey in Meant to Be Mine, but I loved the connection to Edie's grandmother. Once I got over that, I was able to enjoy the story a little bit more. In the end, Edie must ask herself what she really wants out of life and love--not just some prophecy.

You know how some people say "I just wish I could see the future so i could know how things are going to go?" Well in a round about way, Edie is living that life. Knowing the date that you are going to meet the person you are supposed to be with is a wild concept, but I loved how caring the MC was to her sweet grandma.

This book was super well written and explores so many topics that people can relate to, and it makes it a perfect quick read!

This was my first Hannah Orenstein. The story was so cute. I loved it! I would love to read more books by this author.

Overall I liked this book for what it was, an intriguing journey. I will say I didn't fully understand why the FMC Edie put so much stock in her "destiny". I think due to that she felt hard to connect to for me. The author did touch base with that though, showing how sometimes making your own path is just as important. I defiantly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to people. This is a closed door romance.

I saw a lot of hype surrounding this book when it came out and I have to say that I was underwhelmed by it. It was very much a romance story of finding your perfect match, the one, your soulmate, etc. Our female protagonist was OBSESSED with finding her perfect match, right off the bat of this book. As it progressed, I felt that all I knew about her was that she loves fashion and she is desperate to find her soulmate. Desperation is exactly what it came across as unfortunately. She latched on to the male protagonist and forced their connection to last, just so she could have that 'perfect', whirlwind romance that her grandmother prophesied. It became obvious to the reader that these two were not right for each other. I was annoyed with how much focus this woman put on finding a man. While I myself can relate to wanting to find my match, this took it overboard and I became withdrawn from the story. I did love the supporting characters. The sister and grandmother were fantastic and I loved that close knit family feeling. What I also loved was the Jewish representation. I came out of this book having learned about the Jewish culture and for that, I absolutely praise the author. Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me and I didn't connect with the main character or the romance.

✨Book Review✨
Meant to Be Mine by Hannah Orenstein
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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I really really loved this book. Everyone in Edie's family knows the date they are going to meet the love of their life. Her grandma Gloria has accurately predicted this date for everyone in the family. So when Edie has already fallen in love, she knows she has to end things so that she will be single when this special date rolls around.
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I'm really not sure why I loved this book so much, but I really did. I loved the connections between characters, the relationship between Edie, her twin, and her best friend, the connection between Edie and her grandma, and the various other friendships and relationships in the book. I don't want to spoil things, but the fact that this was not the perfect love story made it so much better. I also loved all of the Jewish cultural representation. Reading about so many of my family traditions was really comforting, and was something I never knew I wanted out of a rom com. I look forward to reading the rest of Hannah's backlist!

A fun-filled romcom with a great premise. I enjoyed the ride from page one to the end. I can't wait for Hannah Orenstein's next book!

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for my gifted copy of Meant to be Mine, by Hannah Orenstein. This book about a grandmother who can predict when you’ll meet the love of your life and her granddaughter, who desperately wants to fall in love, is out now.

While I loved Orenstein’s past books, this one wasn’t my favorite. I’m not a huge fan of magic or predictions like were in this plot, so I didn’t connect with this one quickly. It didn’t feel very romantic either (and I was expecting more, given the title and the premise). I also didn’t like the ending, it didn’t feel like it was wrapped up well.

THANK YOU for sharing Hannah Orenstein's Meant to Be Mine with me.
I loved this story and how knowing when you meet might not be the best and Mr. Perfect isn't always Mr. Right.
THANK YOU

Hannah Orenstein is a fav of mine, so I was delighted to receive a copy of Meant to Be Mine.

Edie Meyer's grandma predicts when one's true love will show up, so what does it mean if the guy Edie wants isn't the guy she meets on the predestined day? I loved the concept of this one - what's the role of fate in love and what's the role of free will?

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

There is something about quirky grandmothers that make my heart so so happy, and for me this grandma was the star of the book. I thought the premise was so cute and it definitely put a little more pressure on a normal meet cute. I think as a whole the story is sweet and easy to get into and overall just a joy of a read.

What if you knew the exact day you’d meet the love of your life? Edie Meyer knows. Her grandmother, Gloria, has a gift. She is able to accurately predict the date on which her family members will meet their match. And today is Edie’s day. I thought this was a very unique premise. Many of us wonder, “When will I meet that special someone?” The planner in me thinks this would be very practical information, while the romantic in me thinks it would ruin the whole experience. Although somewhat predictable, I really enjoyed this book. I was 100% invested in following Edie’s love story and loved her grandmother, Gloria! Also, sweet not steamy, which is just my speed!

I became a Hannah Orenstein fan at the beginning of the pandemic and I am glad to read another book by her. This one was very enjoyable, and while predictable at times, the ending was not what I was expecting. I can't wait for her next book!

I had such good hopes for this one. Unfortunately it was incredibly hard to stay focused and continue on with this one. Maybe this author is just not for me

3.25 ⭐

Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, slow burn, no steamage, political talk

June 24th is the day and Edie thinks it could be fate that the man sitting next to her on the plane is her one true love. Could he be the one she's been waiting for? You'll have to wait an awfully long time to find out.

This has an interesting and unique premise, but it puts a lot of pressure on how you think your life should play out. I do believe in soulmates and the one and whatnot, but I felt like it really consumed Edie's life and that's all she could think or talk about.

I enjoyed Edie's relationship with her family, especially grandma, Gloria.

Overall, this was a decent read, but I'm not sure how I feel about the ending.

I was able to listen to the final version on audio, as well, so I went back and forth between the two and either format worked out fine. It was narrated by Erin Ruth Walker for 9 hours and 33 minutes, easy to follow at 2-2.5x. She did a fine job.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of ‘Meant to be Mine’ by Hannah Orenstein.

3 stars! Honestly, it took me a little while to really get into this book. I think I had super high hopes from the premise (such a sweet idea!).

Edie’s (very charming) Grandma has a special gift… predicting the day her family members will meet their soul mates. Edie has counted down the moments to this day for a good portion of her life, so when she meets a handsome guy on a flight she KNOWS he is the one.

You will follow Edie throughout this book facing tough questions and situations that make her reevaluate many aspects of her life.

If you are looking for a light, quick read, this is for you!

I am a big fan of Hannah Orenstein. She created such a unique concept of finding love within this story that kept me wanting, even needing, to read the next page.