Scan barcode
buenobooks's review against another edition
2.0
Unfortunately this book ended up being more of a skim at times. I nearly DNF'd multiple times.
Although I think the plot was a great idea and I could see where the author was going, I found the main character extremely hard to connect with. She was too negative too corny and too predictable. The plot was there but I found it a bit too much at times, which is probably because I am not extremely into astrology.
I feel I may have enjoyed this one a couple of years ago when I was first getting into romance novels.
The reason I am giving this book the two stars, is because there was some funny aspects and there was a good message trying to be portrayed within this story.
It just really wasn’t my type of rom-com.
Although I think the plot was a great idea and I could see where the author was going, I found the main character extremely hard to connect with. She was too negative too corny and too predictable. The plot was there but I found it a bit too much at times, which is probably because I am not extremely into astrology.
I feel I may have enjoyed this one a couple of years ago when I was first getting into romance novels.
The reason I am giving this book the two stars, is because there was some funny aspects and there was a good message trying to be portrayed within this story.
It just really wasn’t my type of rom-com.
lyndseegraham's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars
Mara is too insufferable for me. Her indecisive and self deprecating nature is an intentional part of the story but holy hell it was annoying.
The romance was unbelievable, and Mara’s obsession with Joe never felt endearing…… just creepy.
The highs of the book were the jokey dialog with her new lido friends and that’s really what carried me through to the end. Otherwise I would’ve DNF’d
Mara is too insufferable for me. Her indecisive and self deprecating nature is an intentional part of the story but holy hell it was annoying.
The romance was unbelievable, and Mara’s obsession with Joe never felt endearing…… just creepy.
The highs of the book were the jokey dialog with her new lido friends and that’s really what carried me through to the end. Otherwise I would’ve DNF’d
misscaitlin1707's review against another edition
3.0
This was a cute book to read. I thought it was fun and I wasn’t sure how it would end. Mara sees a fortune teller who tells her she will meet a tall man soon and that he’s the One….. then the fortune teller goes into labor and Mara stays to close the shop. Enter Joe. He is tall and Mara believes he fits the description of her One. So what does Mara do? She pretends to be the fortune teller and tells Joe he will meet his ‘the One’ in three months.
The rest of the book is Mara giving herself makeovers, trying to save her cool European pool/work, making friends, getting feelings for her hot new roommate Ash, and stalking Joe’s Instagram. She also has some ups and downs with her friend Charlie. I appreciate their relationship in the book and it was a good example of womens’ relationships and the interesting dynamics once motherhood is factored in.
It took me a week to read through this, and I wasn’t super busy. I related to the main character, Mara, a lot because of her difficulty in trusting her instincts and her indecisiveness. (I literally used to carry around a mini magic 8 ball on my keychain). Like Mara, we both obsess over daily conversations and how people think of us and her other insecurities.
I didn’t like that she basically just dropped joe at the end. Yes she has Ash, but come on. She went all the way there and still didn’t open the door and go in, and she knew he was there. I thought that was shitty of a person to do. Especially after she lied to him about his fortune. I wish there was a follow up on Joe!
Overall fun to read and I don’t regret it! Not highly up on my “OMG you have to read this book” list.
The rest of the book is Mara giving herself makeovers, trying to save her cool European pool/work, making friends, getting feelings for her hot new roommate Ash, and stalking Joe’s Instagram. She also has some ups and downs with her friend Charlie. I appreciate their relationship in the book and it was a good example of womens’ relationships and the interesting dynamics once motherhood is factored in.
It took me a week to read through this, and I wasn’t super busy. I related to the main character, Mara, a lot because of her difficulty in trusting her instincts and her indecisiveness. (I literally used to carry around a mini magic 8 ball on my keychain). Like Mara, we both obsess over daily conversations and how people think of us and her other insecurities.
I didn’t like that she basically just dropped joe at the end. Yes she has Ash, but come on. She went all the way there and still didn’t open the door and go in, and she knew he was there. I thought that was shitty of a person to do. Especially after she lied to him about his fortune. I wish there was a follow up on Joe!
Overall fun to read and I don’t regret it! Not highly up on my “OMG you have to read this book” list.
craftychelc's review against another edition
4.0
On a trip abroad to Budapest, Mara goes and gets her palm read. The reader informs Mara that she needs to change some things about her life in order to prepare to meet her dream man very imminently. Mara then poses as a fortune teller and tells a man, Joe, that he should come looking for a woman named Mara in a bar in England in August. She believes in fate and that it brought them together so they could start a relationship.
Most of Mara's friends see the huge flaw in the plan but she can’t be swayed in any other direction. There are moments where she comes across as nearly unhinged and downright stalkerish in her obsession with a man she doesn’t even know even though she thinks he is the one she will be with forever. She truly believes in fate and destiny and because of this she is crippled with being unable to make decisions and riddled with indecision at every turn.
This was a cute story overall, though Mara was a little annoying at times because she was always looking for answers anyplace but herself—though that was really the whole point of what she needed to work on!
I like that alongside the romantic relationship aspect Mara also was dealing with a long-time friendship that had changed and her relationship with her parents. Although there is the start of a resolution to those two aspects, I would have like to see little more of the resolution of those. I also liked the smaller town setting and the whole idea of community.
Most of Mara's friends see the huge flaw in the plan but she can’t be swayed in any other direction. There are moments where she comes across as nearly unhinged and downright stalkerish in her obsession with a man she doesn’t even know even though she thinks he is the one she will be with forever. She truly believes in fate and destiny and because of this she is crippled with being unable to make decisions and riddled with indecision at every turn.
This was a cute story overall, though Mara was a little annoying at times because she was always looking for answers anyplace but herself—though that was really the whole point of what she needed to work on!
I like that alongside the romantic relationship aspect Mara also was dealing with a long-time friendship that had changed and her relationship with her parents. Although there is the start of a resolution to those two aspects, I would have like to see little more of the resolution of those. I also liked the smaller town setting and the whole idea of community.
rebelqueen's review against another edition
1.0
Yes, I read the beforehand. I gave this a chance anyway because I thought it the horoscope obsession would be funny/ tongue-in-cheek. It’s not. This is a situation in which I am laughing at the protagonist not wither. I just can’t with the horoscope stuff. Like being obsessed with a man based on a horoscope reading without even meeting them is yikes.
kmkellermeyer's review against another edition
4.0
Did the main characters back and forthness drive me crazy? Yes.
Did I find her reliance on fate and astrology tedious? Yes.
Did I keep reading to find out what she chose? Yes.
Did I find her reliance on fate and astrology tedious? Yes.
Did I keep reading to find out what she chose? Yes.
onecrazykatie's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars! A great fit for fans of Alexandria Bellefleur! Mara believes in fate and astrology and doesn’t trust her own gut. This book is a great look into her journey of trusting herself and finding exactly what she didn’t know she needed. I loved seeing her grow and evolve into her true self and meet her perfect match. The characters were well rounded and leapt off the page.
Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
cathylpowell's review against another edition
4.0
Having read Lizzy Dent’s first book and really enjoying it, I hoped this would be enjoyable and it was.
Mara is a work in progress. She didn’t succeed in her dream career. Nor does she have a boyfriend. With an impromptu meeting with a fortune teller in Budapest, she believes her destiny is about to change.
She sets herself up by pretending to be a fortune teller and hoping an Austrian musician will be in her future.
She returns home to Kent and starts project Mara.
Will Joe the Austrian become her love interest or will Ash (her flat mate) be the one?
Mara is a work in progress. She didn’t succeed in her dream career. Nor does she have a boyfriend. With an impromptu meeting with a fortune teller in Budapest, she believes her destiny is about to change.
She sets herself up by pretending to be a fortune teller and hoping an Austrian musician will be in her future.
She returns home to Kent and starts project Mara.
Will Joe the Austrian become her love interest or will Ash (her flat mate) be the one?