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jasmineshollow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
doremelodie's review against another edition
5.0
And they say girls send mixed signals? Who goes from literally serenading a girl in the streets of London to flirtingly whispering with his freshman year ex? Who helps you connect with a random British boy you meant at a drunken party and then gets jealous when he found out about your crush on a boy back home? Who recalls random facts about you then ignores you the rest of the trip? Who gives you the most amazing kiss one day to scribbling on a note that he made a horrible mistake the next? Who is somehow in all the perfect moments you plan to honor your mom and late dad’s anniversary trip that never actually happened? UGH!
Three guys: an estranged guy who married you when y’all were kids, a jokester guy who teases you yet somehow proves that opposites attract, a mystery guy who shares your favorite quotes of Shakespeare over texts. It’s crazy how perfectly chaotic these three guys contrast each other to prove who the one guy is THE MTB.
Three guys: an estranged guy who married you when y’all were kids, a jokester guy who teases you yet somehow proves that opposites attract, a mystery guy who shares your favorite quotes of Shakespeare over texts. It’s crazy how perfectly chaotic these three guys contrast each other to prove who the one guy is THE MTB.
miloulou's review against another edition
3.0
So much fun, with genuine moments that were heartfelt and passages I'd reread. However, I didn't quite understand Jason's behaviour, the on and off times, the answer to why he did it was rushed. Plus, I just did not think the final scene felt genuine... it felt out of place and just so over the top, like a nice way to tie the story up and end it.
pikasqueaks's review against another edition
2.0
There are comments all over the place about how much this book reminds people of Anna and the French Kiss, and I’ve got to wonder—did we read the same book?
Julia, Julia, Julia. Of all the self-important, stuck-up, “not like those other girls” characters, you had to be in this book. I looked forward to this book. But instead, you brought a pocket Shakespeare with you to London.
You’d never think of breaking the rules!
You’re the model student, the model child, the model everything – but you’re just so bookish!
Like you’ve made very clear from the start, you are absolutely, positively, without a doubt, not like those other girls.
Because we all know being like those other girls is just positively terrible. After all, the love of your life would surely have nothing to do with you if he imagined you had sex with someone else!
Yeah, that is a line that appears in the book. This girl is terrified that if her “Meant to Be” heard the rumor that she’d hooked up with one of her classmates, he wouldn’t want her. And that’s the person that she actually thinks is her Meant to Be.
There is this unfortunate stereotype you’ll stumble across in YA lit, and it’s something that drives me up the wall. The smart girls are never popular, they are always plain, and they’re just so forgettable. All of the popular girls hate them, mock them, roll their eyes at them! But instead of fighting against it, the “smart girls” grow bitter, lashing back, mocking those girls. Look at what they’re wearing, look at their behavior! Look at how often they text message, look how they’re just completely undesirable because they’re not nearly as smart as me.
This is Julia. Now that I’ve introduced you to Julia, we can continue. Meant to Be is one of those books that tries so hard to be exactly what it wants to be. It’s a cutesy romance with a familiar plot (girl goes to a new country, romance blooms, what happens next?) that doesn’t make up for it by being particularly engaging. We watch as over-the-top Julia tries to “loosen up,” break some rules, and still keep her head. But she’s assigned to buddy up with Jason, who pushes her and pushes her while being an obnoxious, immature jerk.
I’m going to make this clear: I understand that Julia coming to terms with her weird notions of what romance should be, and the fairytale she’s concocted in her head is a huge plot in this book. But does it have to turn what could have been a terrific book into just another book filled with girl-hate and sexual double standards?
The “love interest” in this book was the kind of obnoxious that doesn’t even make sense. There is nothing particularly spicy, interesting, provocative, or daring about Jason. He's not charming. The most he does it challenge her, and keep his eye out for yet. At the same time, it's at the cost of attempting to change this girl's personality -- and believe me, I'm not complaining about that. But I do think it's too bad that she had to have a personality transplant in order to really get along with this kid?
While I wouldn't read Meant to Be for its characters, or blossoming romance, I would recommend it to people who like a good laugh. It’s funny, I will absolutely give it that. There are some moments (tackling someone in a museum, some of Julia’s conversations with Phoebe) that made me laugh aloud. Like any book that takes place in a country or region that the majority of its readers wouldn’t be familiar with, it does set the scene nicely. There’s a deeply romanticized arc in how London is portrayed, although one could argue that works well with the tone of the book. Phoebe, the best friend, is also a great side-character, but I wish that the off-scene best friend wasn’t something that happened so frequently in YA romances.
Those good things were overshadowed by how utterly obnoxious Julia was, and how little I cared if she got her way in the end.
Julia, Julia, Julia. Of all the self-important, stuck-up, “not like those other girls” characters, you had to be in this book. I looked forward to this book. But instead, you brought a pocket Shakespeare with you to London.
You’d never think of breaking the rules!
You’re the model student, the model child, the model everything – but you’re just so bookish!
Like you’ve made very clear from the start, you are absolutely, positively, without a doubt, not like those other girls.
Because we all know being like those other girls is just positively terrible. After all, the love of your life would surely have nothing to do with you if he imagined you had sex with someone else!
Yeah, that is a line that appears in the book. This girl is terrified that if her “Meant to Be” heard the rumor that she’d hooked up with one of her classmates, he wouldn’t want her. And that’s the person that she actually thinks is her Meant to Be.
There is this unfortunate stereotype you’ll stumble across in YA lit, and it’s something that drives me up the wall. The smart girls are never popular, they are always plain, and they’re just so forgettable. All of the popular girls hate them, mock them, roll their eyes at them! But instead of fighting against it, the “smart girls” grow bitter, lashing back, mocking those girls. Look at what they’re wearing, look at their behavior! Look at how often they text message, look how they’re just completely undesirable because they’re not nearly as smart as me.
This is Julia. Now that I’ve introduced you to Julia, we can continue. Meant to Be is one of those books that tries so hard to be exactly what it wants to be. It’s a cutesy romance with a familiar plot (girl goes to a new country, romance blooms, what happens next?) that doesn’t make up for it by being particularly engaging. We watch as over-the-top Julia tries to “loosen up,” break some rules, and still keep her head. But she’s assigned to buddy up with Jason, who pushes her and pushes her while being an obnoxious, immature jerk.
I’m going to make this clear: I understand that Julia coming to terms with her weird notions of what romance should be, and the fairytale she’s concocted in her head is a huge plot in this book. But does it have to turn what could have been a terrific book into just another book filled with girl-hate and sexual double standards?
The “love interest” in this book was the kind of obnoxious that doesn’t even make sense. There is nothing particularly spicy, interesting, provocative, or daring about Jason. He's not charming. The most he does it challenge her, and keep his eye out for yet. At the same time, it's at the cost of attempting to change this girl's personality -- and believe me, I'm not complaining about that. But I do think it's too bad that she had to have a personality transplant in order to really get along with this kid?
While I wouldn't read Meant to Be for its characters, or blossoming romance, I would recommend it to people who like a good laugh. It’s funny, I will absolutely give it that. There are some moments (tackling someone in a museum, some of Julia’s conversations with Phoebe) that made me laugh aloud. Like any book that takes place in a country or region that the majority of its readers wouldn’t be familiar with, it does set the scene nicely. There’s a deeply romanticized arc in how London is portrayed, although one could argue that works well with the tone of the book. Phoebe, the best friend, is also a great side-character, but I wish that the off-scene best friend wasn’t something that happened so frequently in YA romances.
Those good things were overshadowed by how utterly obnoxious Julia was, and how little I cared if she got her way in the end.
esterbrs's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
skywalkersyd's review against another edition
4.0
more of a 4.5 rating. A super cute and cheeky read overall. The writing style was hilarious and I loved the way things were described with a quirky little tone. I thought I had the plot twist figured out by reading the synopsis but I was so so so wrong. I was completely surprised and I loved it!
cowboylikepayton's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alyssa_rae's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25