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beckyrendon's review against another edition
4.0
Guilty Pleasures series is a lot of naughty fun.
Sofia and Burke have a history that they've kept locked away. Hiding feelings, locking out emotions, and putting blinders on is what they did. But history won't stay hidden forever...especially when Sofia comes back to the last place she called home. It also happens to be the first.
Sweet, sensitive, and kind- three words never uttered about Burke Wolf, excepted by a naive sick girl who was hopelessly infatuated with him. But naivete and infatuation no longer cloud Sofia's vision, and she can't seem to stop staring at the man who has replaced the boy.
Past, present, and future lives...
You can only run so far from the past and then you find yourself back there again.
Their present is messy and complicated.
He doesn't want a future.
Can a past bring them together or will it continue to rip them apart? Will the present be enough for her? What kind of future can she really hope for?
So many questions asked and the only way to unravel the truth is to read Meant to Be Mine. A naughty store, some great friends, and a new start in life...Add in a man so hot even the fire department gets flashes. Yeah, life just got fun.
A tale about a not so sweet duo who learn love isn't all they previously assigned it to be. There are many ways to love. You just might learn a few.
reviewed for Reviews From the Heart
Sofia and Burke have a history that they've kept locked away. Hiding feelings, locking out emotions, and putting blinders on is what they did. But history won't stay hidden forever...especially when Sofia comes back to the last place she called home. It also happens to be the first.
Sweet, sensitive, and kind- three words never uttered about Burke Wolf, excepted by a naive sick girl who was hopelessly infatuated with him. But naivete and infatuation no longer cloud Sofia's vision, and she can't seem to stop staring at the man who has replaced the boy.
Past, present, and future lives...
You can only run so far from the past and then you find yourself back there again.
Their present is messy and complicated.
He doesn't want a future.
Can a past bring them together or will it continue to rip them apart? Will the present be enough for her? What kind of future can she really hope for?
So many questions asked and the only way to unravel the truth is to read Meant to Be Mine. A naughty store, some great friends, and a new start in life...Add in a man so hot even the fire department gets flashes. Yeah, life just got fun.
A tale about a not so sweet duo who learn love isn't all they previously assigned it to be. There are many ways to love. You just might learn a few.
reviewed for Reviews From the Heart
alwaysbooking's review against another edition
3.0
This book is the start of a new series by Lisa Marie Perry. This novel is mostly about Sofia and Burke. They have such a complicated back story, that starts to unravel when Sofia comes back to town for her Aunt's funeral.
Let's start with Sofia, she is such a strong character yet she felt naive in certain areas. She has had so many battles when she was younger that she has learned to be strong for herself. The only positive she had while she was younger was her Aunt Luz. Sofia does seem to suffer from some PTSD from her surgery. Lisa did well on explaining panic attacks as someone who suffers from them it was the first time in a novel that they were explained well. I loved the run in that Burke and Sofia have in the beginning of the novel. I actually have a tab on the ice scene. I really enjoyed the flash backs of how Sofia's relationship with people was when she was younger as to where it stands now. It really helped in understanding why she thinks the way she does.
On to Burke... he of course is very handsome. I picture him almost like a lumberjack. He seems to genuinely want to help Sofia. However whenever he helps her she seems to have a set back. Burke is carrying a burden of his own that he doesn't want Sofia to know. He would like nothing more than to go back out to sea and forget he ever saw her again. They seem thrown into each other's path at every turn. He can't escape the feelings he has for her. I really loved how he stepped up and helped her and her friends when needed, he didn't care what the rest of the town thought.
a little snippet..
"Everytime we try to be apart, you end up in my arms,"he said, standing and leaving the hall on her heels. "I'm saying this okay? I care about you so fucking much, and that's why I'm telling you when it comes to me, if you've got to choose all or nothing, let it be nothing"
That took my heart right there and just broke it...
Overall while this was an enjoyable read it was a bit long for me. I would've liked to have seen a little bit of the drama cut out of it. I get that most HEA's have some angst in them but I felt these two could've talked a lot sooner than playing high school games with one another. I did enjoy the book and I will probably try another Lisa Marie Perry book just to see how her writing style evolves with this series. I do have a question for Lisa though, how did you research the store products?? While I was reading certain parts about the store I was like how does she know this?? :D
Let's start with Sofia, she is such a strong character yet she felt naive in certain areas. She has had so many battles when she was younger that she has learned to be strong for herself. The only positive she had while she was younger was her Aunt Luz. Sofia does seem to suffer from some PTSD from her surgery. Lisa did well on explaining panic attacks as someone who suffers from them it was the first time in a novel that they were explained well. I loved the run in that Burke and Sofia have in the beginning of the novel. I actually have a tab on the ice scene. I really enjoyed the flash backs of how Sofia's relationship with people was when she was younger as to where it stands now. It really helped in understanding why she thinks the way she does.
On to Burke... he of course is very handsome. I picture him almost like a lumberjack. He seems to genuinely want to help Sofia. However whenever he helps her she seems to have a set back. Burke is carrying a burden of his own that he doesn't want Sofia to know. He would like nothing more than to go back out to sea and forget he ever saw her again. They seem thrown into each other's path at every turn. He can't escape the feelings he has for her. I really loved how he stepped up and helped her and her friends when needed, he didn't care what the rest of the town thought.
a little snippet..
"Everytime we try to be apart, you end up in my arms,"he said, standing and leaving the hall on her heels. "I'm saying this okay? I care about you so fucking much, and that's why I'm telling you when it comes to me, if you've got to choose all or nothing, let it be nothing"
That took my heart right there and just broke it...
Overall while this was an enjoyable read it was a bit long for me. I would've liked to have seen a little bit of the drama cut out of it. I get that most HEA's have some angst in them but I felt these two could've talked a lot sooner than playing high school games with one another. I did enjoy the book and I will probably try another Lisa Marie Perry book just to see how her writing style evolves with this series. I do have a question for Lisa though, how did you research the store products?? While I was reading certain parts about the store I was like how does she know this?? :D
tessanne's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a surprise to me. I have no idea when or why I added it to my list, but I’m glad I did. It’s a bit out of my normal reading range but it was really interesting. The main characters both had serious issues in their lives and they weren’t glossed over, but they still got their HEA.
This book was packed with characters, setting them up for their own books in the series. It made things a little choppy at times, but maybe that is also this author’s style. It was odd how at times more time than you’d expect had passed by the time the next chapter began. It made the timeline seem rushed, when we could maybe have used a bit more in between.
I would happily fit in more by this author in the future.
This book was packed with characters, setting them up for their own books in the series. It made things a little choppy at times, but maybe that is also this author’s style. It was odd how at times more time than you’d expect had passed by the time the next chapter began. It made the timeline seem rushed, when we could maybe have used a bit more in between.
I would happily fit in more by this author in the future.
tiggeruo's review against another edition
2.0
Sofia has not been back to Cap Cod since she was a teenager and her dad took her to New York for medical reasons. However the town forever left its mark on Sofia and she now it back in town to say goodbye to your great aunt and the only person she has ever felt like a mom to her. However what happens next is not what she expected now will she stay in Cape and reconnect with a past she would rather forget or will she head back with her best friend to New York and let those Demons lie? Burke can't believe he is see Sofia again after all this time but he knows its only for a short time and from a distance. They are both there to say good bye to an amazing lady who touched their lives but Burke knows he needs to keep his distance from Sofia. However she's like a bad drug that just can't stay away from. Will he be able to keep her at arms length or will she force him to deal with a past he rather stay in the past.
Where to begin the book seemed to be all over the place one minute it was on Sofia and Burke and then on to another character. It seemed like the author spent most of the book preparing for a series to come telling town folks story and then when it seemed fit told bits and pieces of Sofia and Burke's story. With this happening it seemed hard to connect to the story itself. However once you did catch the storyline it was good. Sofia and Burke spent a lot of time fighting each other and fighting demons of yesteryear. Sofia and Burke needed to find healing or risk loosing something they both valued. The story and the sexual innuendos where very tongue and cheek. Over all this story was ok, it did deal with some tough subjects and has some very adult scenes in it.
Disclosure: I received this book free of charge from the publisher, but this review consists of my honest opinions, not influenced in any way by the author or publisher
Where to begin the book seemed to be all over the place one minute it was on Sofia and Burke and then on to another character. It seemed like the author spent most of the book preparing for a series to come telling town folks story and then when it seemed fit told bits and pieces of Sofia and Burke's story. With this happening it seemed hard to connect to the story itself. However once you did catch the storyline it was good. Sofia and Burke spent a lot of time fighting each other and fighting demons of yesteryear. Sofia and Burke needed to find healing or risk loosing something they both valued. The story and the sexual innuendos where very tongue and cheek. Over all this story was ok, it did deal with some tough subjects and has some very adult scenes in it.
Disclosure: I received this book free of charge from the publisher, but this review consists of my honest opinions, not influenced in any way by the author or publisher
canadianbookaddict's review against another edition
4.0
Like all romance novels it didn't take me long to read.
This one wasn't one of those I just couldn't put down but the story was good enough to keep me reading it.
The book is well written and I liked the main characters and I do want to read the next book in the Guilty Pleasures series one it comes out.
I do recommend this book.
This one wasn't one of those I just couldn't put down but the story was good enough to keep me reading it.
The book is well written and I liked the main characters and I do want to read the next book in the Guilty Pleasures series one it comes out.
I do recommend this book.
kbranfield's review against another edition
3.0
The first installment in Lisa Marie Perry's Guilty Pleasures series, Meant to Be Mine is a second chance at love romance between former friends who have not seen one another for fourteen years.
Sophia Mercer has not been back to Eaves, MA since she and father left years earlier after a scandal. Following her beloved great aunt's death, Sophia returns for the funeral but after the service, she is more than ready to return to the anonymity of New York. However, Sophia decides to move back to the small town after inheriting her aunt’s specialty store and apartment. Running into her old friend Burke Wolf stirs up long forgotten feelings but will their complicated pasts prevent them acting on their scorching hot attraction?
A sickly child with a life threatening heart condition, Sophia has been fairly healthy since receiving a much needed heart transplant. She has a successful career but after returning from her aunt's funeral, her life does not seem to quite fit her any more. Realizing she would rather be in Eaves, she moves back home although she knows she will have to make peace with some of the ghosts of her past. Sophia is a smart and savvy business woman who has an uphill battle ahead of her as she makes some pretty gutsy changes to her aunt's business. One of the improvements she would like to make involves spending time with Burke, but their interactions are rather acrimonious due to their somewhat convoluted history with one another.
Several years ago, Burke finally managed to kick his drug addiction and he continues to work hard to maintain his sobriety. Running into Sophia brings back painful childhood memories he has tried very hard to forget. Despite their unlikely friendship, they were once thick as thieves and Sophia saved him more than once during his turbulent teen years. While he and Sophia supported on another during very tough times, he kept much of his life a secret from her and he still keeps a tight lid on the reasons for his substance abuse problems. Despite his unhappy history, Burke cannot quite leave Eaves for good although his career keeps him away from town for long stretches of time.
Burke and Sophia's relationship seems to be following the same frustrating pattern as when they were teenagers. They get along on a superficial level but the peace between them is tenuous which leads to an irritating pattern of them getting along, fighting and making up then turn around and repeat the cycle time and again. Neither of them has dealt with the lingering issues from their respective childhoods and they both have a tendency to shut down or run away instead of discussing their problems. Burke and Sophia spend so much time apart that it is difficult to connect with them as a couple and while there is plenty of passion between them, something always stops them before they consummate their desire.
While the plot is interesting, it does not seem to have much focus. There are multiple story arcs involving numerous secondary characters so the storyline often feels chaotic and disjointed. Every character seems to be keeping secrets and while this helps keep readers invested in the unfolding story, it is also irritating since there is little context for their actions or decisions. With so much going on with Burke and Sophia, the plot feels a little overly complicated and busy because there is plenty of drama going on with the secondary cast of characters as well.
Despite a few flaws, Meant to Be Mine is a nice introduction to the Guilty Pleasures series. Sophia is a strong female lead and her medical condition adds another layer to the storyline. Burke is a well-rounded hero and his struggle with recovery is realistically portrayed. The conflict between them is believable although it takes a little too long for begin working through their emotional baggage. Lisa Marie Perry's tantalizing glimpses of the secondary characters will leave readers anxiously awaiting the next installment in the series.
Sophia Mercer has not been back to Eaves, MA since she and father left years earlier after a scandal. Following her beloved great aunt's death, Sophia returns for the funeral but after the service, she is more than ready to return to the anonymity of New York. However, Sophia decides to move back to the small town after inheriting her aunt’s specialty store and apartment. Running into her old friend Burke Wolf stirs up long forgotten feelings but will their complicated pasts prevent them acting on their scorching hot attraction?
A sickly child with a life threatening heart condition, Sophia has been fairly healthy since receiving a much needed heart transplant. She has a successful career but after returning from her aunt's funeral, her life does not seem to quite fit her any more. Realizing she would rather be in Eaves, she moves back home although she knows she will have to make peace with some of the ghosts of her past. Sophia is a smart and savvy business woman who has an uphill battle ahead of her as she makes some pretty gutsy changes to her aunt's business. One of the improvements she would like to make involves spending time with Burke, but their interactions are rather acrimonious due to their somewhat convoluted history with one another.
Several years ago, Burke finally managed to kick his drug addiction and he continues to work hard to maintain his sobriety. Running into Sophia brings back painful childhood memories he has tried very hard to forget. Despite their unlikely friendship, they were once thick as thieves and Sophia saved him more than once during his turbulent teen years. While he and Sophia supported on another during very tough times, he kept much of his life a secret from her and he still keeps a tight lid on the reasons for his substance abuse problems. Despite his unhappy history, Burke cannot quite leave Eaves for good although his career keeps him away from town for long stretches of time.
Burke and Sophia's relationship seems to be following the same frustrating pattern as when they were teenagers. They get along on a superficial level but the peace between them is tenuous which leads to an irritating pattern of them getting along, fighting and making up then turn around and repeat the cycle time and again. Neither of them has dealt with the lingering issues from their respective childhoods and they both have a tendency to shut down or run away instead of discussing their problems. Burke and Sophia spend so much time apart that it is difficult to connect with them as a couple and while there is plenty of passion between them, something always stops them before they consummate their desire.
While the plot is interesting, it does not seem to have much focus. There are multiple story arcs involving numerous secondary characters so the storyline often feels chaotic and disjointed. Every character seems to be keeping secrets and while this helps keep readers invested in the unfolding story, it is also irritating since there is little context for their actions or decisions. With so much going on with Burke and Sophia, the plot feels a little overly complicated and busy because there is plenty of drama going on with the secondary cast of characters as well.
Despite a few flaws, Meant to Be Mine is a nice introduction to the Guilty Pleasures series. Sophia is a strong female lead and her medical condition adds another layer to the storyline. Burke is a well-rounded hero and his struggle with recovery is realistically portrayed. The conflict between them is believable although it takes a little too long for begin working through their emotional baggage. Lisa Marie Perry's tantalizing glimpses of the secondary characters will leave readers anxiously awaiting the next installment in the series.
whiskeyinthejar's review against another edition
2.0
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Sofia hasn't been back to Eaves ever since her father moved them away but it’s never been far from her heart. Leaving behind her Aunt Luz and bestfriend Burke was hard but with her heart transplant issues, she felt it needed to be done.
Burke had a turbulent home life and turned to drugs and alcohol but Sofia made him want to be better. When she left, he went into a downward spiral but eventual managed to get himself clean.
When Sofia comes back to town, old feelings that were never really buried come back to the forefront.
The first in a new series, Meant to Be Mine, focuses on Sofia. In a little bit of a women's fiction feel we get more about her dealing with all aspects of her life than a straight romantic relationship building with Burke. There aren't a lot of flashbacks to them and their highschool days but they discuss their highschool relationship to give the reader a good feel for it. With Sofia's heart issues, she eventual ends up getting a heart transplant, and her mother leaving her, father resenting her and being in jail for awhile and Burke's father blaming him for his mother's death and abusing him, it definitely showed how they were too young to process everything, including their feelings for one another. They were each other's rock in highschool but when Sofia does her best to push Burke away and then leaves town, they don't speak for many years.
The beginning of the story had a pretty rough and disjointed start, which I, unfortunately, felt last throughout the story. There is more than one pov and the secondary characters that consisted of Sofia's friend and townspeople, are obviously being set up for their own books. The secondary characters had interesting stories and who they are going to be paired up with made them enticing but the way they were inserted into the story made it feel off kilter. It also felt as if the author was trying to hit every single popular trend, motorcycle club guy, lumberjack looking guy, secret parental abuse, and the list goes on, there was even a mention of a Navy SEAL who I imagine will eventual make an appearance. Our two lead characters had extensive background stories on their own but then add in the secondary characters' drama and the story ended up feeling extremely overstuffed.
With so much going on, I never felt like I got to connect with Sofia and Burke, and with them already knowing and basically falling in love with each other in highschool, there wasn't a lot of building blocks to their relationship. They're hot for each other, they make-out, and they say hurtful things to one another, and rinse and repeat for 90% of the story, when we do get to see them together. Although, I did like how Burke's addiction and recovery from alcohol and drugs was shown to be a lifetime battle and not a mere mention that he just decided to get clean one day, it provided a realism and depth to the character.
Overall, this story was a bit too schizophrenic for me and the structure felt disordered. If you're looking for less of a focus on a single romantic relationship and wanting to invest in more than one couple, then this series looks like it has a few set-ups for you.
Sofia hasn't been back to Eaves ever since her father moved them away but it’s never been far from her heart. Leaving behind her Aunt Luz and bestfriend Burke was hard but with her heart transplant issues, she felt it needed to be done.
Burke had a turbulent home life and turned to drugs and alcohol but Sofia made him want to be better. When she left, he went into a downward spiral but eventual managed to get himself clean.
When Sofia comes back to town, old feelings that were never really buried come back to the forefront.
The first in a new series, Meant to Be Mine, focuses on Sofia. In a little bit of a women's fiction feel we get more about her dealing with all aspects of her life than a straight romantic relationship building with Burke. There aren't a lot of flashbacks to them and their highschool days but they discuss their highschool relationship to give the reader a good feel for it. With Sofia's heart issues, she eventual ends up getting a heart transplant, and her mother leaving her, father resenting her and being in jail for awhile and Burke's father blaming him for his mother's death and abusing him, it definitely showed how they were too young to process everything, including their feelings for one another. They were each other's rock in highschool but when Sofia does her best to push Burke away and then leaves town, they don't speak for many years.
The beginning of the story had a pretty rough and disjointed start, which I, unfortunately, felt last throughout the story. There is more than one pov and the secondary characters that consisted of Sofia's friend and townspeople, are obviously being set up for their own books. The secondary characters had interesting stories and who they are going to be paired up with made them enticing but the way they were inserted into the story made it feel off kilter. It also felt as if the author was trying to hit every single popular trend, motorcycle club guy, lumberjack looking guy, secret parental abuse, and the list goes on, there was even a mention of a Navy SEAL who I imagine will eventual make an appearance. Our two lead characters had extensive background stories on their own but then add in the secondary characters' drama and the story ended up feeling extremely overstuffed.
With so much going on, I never felt like I got to connect with Sofia and Burke, and with them already knowing and basically falling in love with each other in highschool, there wasn't a lot of building blocks to their relationship. They're hot for each other, they make-out, and they say hurtful things to one another, and rinse and repeat for 90% of the story, when we do get to see them together. Although, I did like how Burke's addiction and recovery from alcohol and drugs was shown to be a lifetime battle and not a mere mention that he just decided to get clean one day, it provided a realism and depth to the character.
Overall, this story was a bit too schizophrenic for me and the structure felt disordered. If you're looking for less of a focus on a single romantic relationship and wanting to invest in more than one couple, then this series looks like it has a few set-ups for you.
saschadarlington's review against another edition
4.0
The death of her fearless Great Aunt Luz brings Sofia back to her hometown of Eaves on Cape Cod. The town is full of memories of her family and when she was very sick and of her first love, Burke Wolf. Sofia learns that Luz left her everything, a shop, a dog, and a home. The decision for Sofia to return to live in Eaves comes easily.
Burke has been fighting his own demons. Once immersed in addictions, he has been clean and sober for many years. The one thing he hasn’t managed to conquer is his need to run and avoid. He’s a longshoreman and leaves Eaves frequently. Will Sofia’s decision to stay make him abandon Eaves and Sofia?
read more: https://saschadarlington.wordpress.com/2016/09/02/review-of-meant-to-be-mine/
Burke has been fighting his own demons. Once immersed in addictions, he has been clean and sober for many years. The one thing he hasn’t managed to conquer is his need to run and avoid. He’s a longshoreman and leaves Eaves frequently. Will Sofia’s decision to stay make him abandon Eaves and Sofia?
read more: https://saschadarlington.wordpress.com/2016/09/02/review-of-meant-to-be-mine/
theladyinreds's review against another edition
2.0
I've heard good things about this author and will likely try her again but this book had major pace issues for me and I just couldn't get into it.
Full review: http://goodbadandunread.com/2016/08/31/review-meant-to-be-mine-by-lisa-maria-perry/
Full review: http://goodbadandunread.com/2016/08/31/review-meant-to-be-mine-by-lisa-maria-perry/
lauraanne9's review against another edition
3.0
***ARC Provided by the Publisher and NetGalley***
I liked this overall. It is a small town romance, and par for the course in these, the town has it's quirky characters. Most of them add depth to the story, but I thought a couple of them detracted from it, and added a melancholy edge to it that I would have preferred was not present, as I think it took away from the central romance of Sofia and Burke.
I also had a couple of issues with the pacing of the story, as I thought it moved well in some places but suffered a little bit in the past in others. I thought, at least for me, if you are not going to meet a character until her funeral, then there needed to be a little less time spent on how others felt about her, aside from the central character.
Sofia and Burke were interesting, and their relationship was compelling...although more of a slow burn than I was expecting. While this is not a bad thing, I felt that the time to get them together possibly didn't give them enough time to deal with the realities of Sofia's health. If that makes sense...they needed, for me, more foundation before I was totally willing to believe in them as a HEA.
That said, the writing is strong and the characters are mostly believeable. I am interested to see where the next one in the series leads.
***This and other reviews also featured on “I’m A Sweet and Sassy Book Whore” http://www.imasweetandsassybookwhore.com***
I liked this overall. It is a small town romance, and par for the course in these, the town has it's quirky characters. Most of them add depth to the story, but I thought a couple of them detracted from it, and added a melancholy edge to it that I would have preferred was not present, as I think it took away from the central romance of Sofia and Burke.
I also had a couple of issues with the pacing of the story, as I thought it moved well in some places but suffered a little bit in the past in others. I thought, at least for me, if you are not going to meet a character until her funeral, then there needed to be a little less time spent on how others felt about her, aside from the central character.
Sofia and Burke were interesting, and their relationship was compelling...although more of a slow burn than I was expecting. While this is not a bad thing, I felt that the time to get them together possibly didn't give them enough time to deal with the realities of Sofia's health. If that makes sense...they needed, for me, more foundation before I was totally willing to believe in them as a HEA.
That said, the writing is strong and the characters are mostly believeable. I am interested to see where the next one in the series leads.
***This and other reviews also featured on “I’m A Sweet and Sassy Book Whore” http://www.imasweetandsassybookwhore.com***
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