Book Review: Meant to be Mine by Hannah Orenstein

A huge thank-you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy of Meant to Be Mine by Hannah Orenstein.

Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you knew for sure the day you would meet the love of your life? Hannah Orenstein deep-dives into this in her latest novel, Meant to Be Mine.

This was such a truly fascinating book and a very easy read. When I got on the plane bound for my Florida vacation and realized that I had left the paperback I was currently reading in my luggage, I snatched up my Kindle from my purse and started this book. During the 2-hour flight, I read almost half of it (and finished the rest a day later). It was the perfect vacation book and the story begins in an airport, which made it the ideal read for the flight!

I loved that this book was more than just a tale about fated love – though that was the primary plotline. It had such a heavy focus on friendship, family, and finding yourself! While it might not have stuck with me in quite the same way as other contemporary novels, I did thoroughly enjoy it and look forward to everyone reading it this summer!

Meant to Be Mine will be coming out on June 7, 2022. If you’re a fan of subtle magical realism, fated love, and close-knit female friends, you’ll want to add this one to your TBR! Keep on reading to check out my full review.

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My honest review of Meant to Be Mine by Hannah Orenstein.

Synopsis:

What if you knew exactly when you’d meet the love of your life? Edie Meyer knows. When her Grandma Gloria was a young woman, she had a vision of the exact day she would meet her soul mate—and then Grandpa Ray showed up.

Since then, Gloria has accurately predicted the day every single member of the family has met their match. Edie’s day arrives on June 24, 2022, when she’s twenty-nine years old. She has been waiting for it half her life. That morning, she boards an airplane to her twin sister’s surprise engagement, and when a handsome musician sits beside her, she knows it’s meant to be.

But fate comes with more complications than Edie expected and she can’t fight the nagging suspicion that her perfect guy doesn’t have perfect timing. After a tragedy and a shocking revelation rock Edie’s carefully constructed world, she’s forced to consider whether love chooses us, as simple as destiny, or if we choose it ourselves.

Content Warnings: (major) death and grief, (minor) sexual content

Meant to Be Mine has a very interesting concept. What if two people are fated to be together? If you knew exactly which day you would meet your soulmate, would it change the way you live? Would you keep yourself from dating other people or actively seek the love of your life on that predicted date?

Edie’s grandmother can foresee the future – the future of love. For every woman in her family, she’s been able to predict the exact date on which they would meet their soulmate. So naturally, Edie has lived her life accordingly. She’s dated minimally, broken up with someone she loved in order to be single on “her date” and wholly supports the other couples in her immediate circle. She wholeheartedly believes in her grandmother’s ability and trusts that when that person comes along, they’ll be the right person. Wouldn’t you do the same, knowing what Edie knows?

It was so much fun reading this book while on vacation. I happened to start the book on my flight, and the story opens at the airport! It was clearly the perfect read while I was traveling – and I had a tough time putting it down. I found myself carrying my Kindle with me everywhere, trying to read a chapter or two during car rides or while waiting for food at a restaurant. It was a quick and easy read, with short chapters, and a very simple plot. It didn’t require too much of me, which was another reason why it was the perfect “beach read.” I highly recommend this for a summer vacation!

I will say that the story felt really predictable. And maybe for some, that would be a refreshing change of pace. If you’ve been reading heavier books and you’re looking for something sweet and simple, this is made for you! I had hoped for a little more depth from it, but I certainly wasn’t disappointed or anything. I mostly loved the relationship between Edie and her twin sister. Their bond was absolutely precious and it gave the story just enough “oomph” – especially when Rae reveals something about her life that Edie never knew about. The questions that it causes Edie to ask herself are really good! Of course, you can’t help but adore Edie’s grandmother, Gloria, as well. She’s a little powerhouse and it’s obvious that she adores her family and wants the very best for them!

Truthfully, there were a few side characters who I would love to see get their own story in the future. I was especially interested in Shireen, Edie’s best friend (also, side note: Edie has the most amazing besties. The fact that Shireen and Rae are willing to drop anything to be there for her is just bestie goals). Shireen is such a strong character and I’d love to see her have her own happily ever after!

While I did mention that things are a bit predictable, I will say that it made the ending very satisfying. Things turned out precisely as I hoped they would from the beginning of the story – and there’s some fantastic character development along the way. I’d definitely read this book again, especially on another vacation! It’s just so much fun!

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