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Meant to Be
A girl with it all planned out discovers a romance she never expected in this funny debut about a class trip to London that HelloGiggles.com says you’ll love “if you’re into swoony romances with a little bit of history thrown in.”
This spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of true love. Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.
***
"Readers of Jennifer E. Smith and Stephanie Perkins will revel in this debate about love ruled by the stars or as a matter of the heart." -- Shelf Awareness
"Fun, fresh and irresistibly romantic. STB (SURE to be) loved!" --Sarah Mlynowski
“Star-crossed characters, hilarious dialogue, and a perfect London setting. I loved Meant to Be !” –Robin Benway, author of Emmy & Oliver
This spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of true love. Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.
***
"Readers of Jennifer E. Smith and Stephanie Perkins will revel in this debate about love ruled by the stars or as a matter of the heart." -- Shelf Awareness
"Fun, fresh and irresistibly romantic. STB (SURE to be) loved!" --Sarah Mlynowski
“Star-crossed characters, hilarious dialogue, and a perfect London setting. I loved Meant to Be !” –Robin Benway, author of Emmy & Oliver
304 pages, Paperback
First published November 13, 2012
297 people are currently reading
32727 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Morrill
18 books1,058 followersLauren Morrill is the author of spicy adult and sweet YA romance, including Sister of the Bride, Meant to Be (Delacorte) and It’s Kind of a Cheesy Love Story (Farrar, Straus and Giroux). She loves all things romantic comedy and specializes in kissing books. Lauren lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, Adam Ragusea, and their two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,189 reviews
January 7, 2013
Spoilers
This was awful. The story had the potential to be cute and quirky but because of the whiny-Mary Sue-judgy-bitchy heroine it was a bloody chore to read and if it hasn't already been made clear - I didn't enjoy it AT ALL.
I hated the main character, Julie - she was boring, pathetic and shrewish. Even though the silly cow was seventeen, she'd never had a boyfriend or even been kissed properly before, all because she was waiting for a boy she'd not seen since she was six years old!! Who the hell falls in love when they're six years old? And who the hell bloody stays in love for over 10 yrs with a boy they haven't seen or talked to for a decade?! It's fucking ridiculous and it showed how dumb Julie was.
Julie was unbelievably irritating, she acted like a grandma instead of a teenager, I'm guessing I was meant to find her strict and goody two shoes personality charming but she was fucking annoying. I hated the way she looked down at everyone and how she thought she was better than everyone else — she believed all the other girls were shallow, stupid and superficial and not worth her time. She made no effort to get to know them but she was all for getting cozy with the guys..Ugh, the sexist bitch.
Oh and she was also a clumsy idiot, she couldn't go anywhere without tripping or falling over like a fool.
The love interest Jason was supposed to be funny and charming but he came across as annoying and immature. I didn't buy that he liked Julie when he was constantly lying to her and humiliating her. He spent most of his time either out right ignoring her or hanging out with his ex girlfriend and his other friends… even though he knew that Julie had no-one else to chill with. His 'feelings' for her didn't come across as strong or genuine — she's just another girl that he'll end up dating for a little while and then dumping when he finds someone better.
Pretty much all the female characters were portrayed as dumb, mean, shallow bitches. Only Pheobe came across as half decent but she was barely in it.
A disappointing read — the plot fell flat, the heroine was vile and the romance was bloody awful.
This was awful. The story had the potential to be cute and quirky but because of the whiny-Mary Sue-judgy-bitchy heroine it was a bloody chore to read and if it hasn't already been made clear - I didn't enjoy it AT ALL.
I hated the main character, Julie - she was boring, pathetic and shrewish. Even though the silly cow was seventeen, she'd never had a boyfriend or even been kissed properly before, all because she was waiting for a boy she'd not seen since she was six years old!! Who the hell falls in love when they're six years old? And who the hell bloody stays in love for over 10 yrs with a boy they haven't seen or talked to for a decade?! It's fucking ridiculous and it showed how dumb Julie was.
Julie was unbelievably irritating, she acted like a grandma instead of a teenager, I'm guessing I was meant to find her strict and goody two shoes personality charming but she was fucking annoying. I hated the way she looked down at everyone and how she thought she was better than everyone else — she believed all the other girls were shallow, stupid and superficial and not worth her time. She made no effort to get to know them but she was all for getting cozy with the guys..Ugh, the sexist bitch.
Oh and she was also a clumsy idiot, she couldn't go anywhere without tripping or falling over like a fool.
The love interest Jason was supposed to be funny and charming but he came across as annoying and immature. I didn't buy that he liked Julie when he was constantly lying to her and humiliating her. He spent most of his time either out right ignoring her or hanging out with his ex girlfriend and his other friends… even though he knew that Julie had no-one else to chill with. His 'feelings' for her didn't come across as strong or genuine — she's just another girl that he'll end up dating for a little while and then dumping when he finds someone better.
Pretty much all the female characters were portrayed as dumb, mean, shallow bitches. Only Pheobe came across as half decent but she was barely in it.
A disappointing read — the plot fell flat, the heroine was vile and the romance was bloody awful.
May 31, 2017
3.5 stars
An adventurous, hilarious romantic story about a too smart, know-it-all, self-righteous Julia who wishes to find her MTB (Meant to Be) while on an educational tour around London when she was paired up (for “academic” purposes) with her least favorite person- a carefree, troublemaker, jerk-blooded Jason who seems intent on ruining all her carefully laid out plans.
I wasn’t a big fan of Julia in the beginning because I thought she was too smug but I soon realized all her “I’m better than everybody else” act is just her insecurities in careful disguise and eventually, I warmed up to her character. Like she said, “she’s not being mean, she’s just descriptive.” Lol.
The entire story is so much fun and I love that it’s set in London. Julia just cracked me up with her imaginative descriptions and general awkwardness and Jason although was unpredictable and annoying half of the time was also surprisingly adorable the remaining half.
Unavoidably, predictability and clichés are to be expected since it’s YA romance, ergo, the required eye rolls but since I laughed way more than the number of times I rolled my eyes, flaws are mostly forgiven. This is my first book from the author but now I’m eyeing her Being Sloane Jacobs with obvious malicious intent.
An adventurous, hilarious romantic story about a too smart, know-it-all, self-righteous Julia who wishes to find her MTB (Meant to Be) while on an educational tour around London when she was paired up (for “academic” purposes) with her least favorite person- a carefree, troublemaker, jerk-blooded Jason who seems intent on ruining all her carefully laid out plans.
I wasn’t a big fan of Julia in the beginning because I thought she was too smug but I soon realized all her “I’m better than everybody else” act is just her insecurities in careful disguise and eventually, I warmed up to her character. Like she said, “she’s not being mean, she’s just descriptive.” Lol.
The entire story is so much fun and I love that it’s set in London. Julia just cracked me up with her imaginative descriptions and general awkwardness and Jason although was unpredictable and annoying half of the time was also surprisingly adorable the remaining half.
Unavoidably, predictability and clichés are to be expected since it’s YA romance, ergo, the required eye rolls but since I laughed way more than the number of times I rolled my eyes, flaws are mostly forgiven. This is my first book from the author but now I’m eyeing her Being Sloane Jacobs with obvious malicious intent.
October 31, 2012
Meant to Be was entirely too cute! It was sweet, wacky, and fun, with a sweet romance a-brewing.
Julia is taking a class trip to London. A dream-trip, in Julia’s opinion, without parents, and as she says an “itinerary full of visits to places I’ve only read about or imagined.” Unfortunately for Julia, her trip “buddy” she’s assigned to is none other than the wisecracking, never-serious, and highly irritating Jason. They are basically stuck together like glue, and he is the complete opposite to her. She has the entire trip planned out with guidebooks filled with post-it notes, while he’s more of the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type of guy. She follows the rules, he breaks them. Really, a nightmare of a buddy in her opinion…..at first.
Jason is nothing like what she envisions as her Meant To Be, or MTB, someone who is perfect for her in every way. Julia has it in her mind that Mark, a close childhood friend who’s just moved back to her neighborhood, could her MTB. She remembers their fake wedding when they were five, and when she turned six he gave her a baggie full of yellow Starburst for her birthday, fished out of several packages. He remembered it was her favorite flavor. Then there’s Chris, a mysterious boy she met at a party who keeps texting sweet things to her.
Julia was so ordered and well-behaved, worrying about grades and following the rules. It’s funny how when a tightly wound girl breaks the rules, she REALLY breaks the rules. I may or may not know a thing or two about that, *ahem* Anyhow, moving on, Jason gets Julia to let her hair down a bit, to do the unexpected, and she slowly starts to see another side to Jason. She has fun with him. Maybe he’s not just the shallow prankster she’s always thought he was. But Jason’s hot and cold with her, one minute Julia thinks they’re becoming friends, and the next Jason’s ignoring her. But then they share some moments where sparks are definitely flying and she’s more confused than ever. Here’s a bit of spark to tempt you:
“Let me up!” I scream, trying to wriggle out from underneath him. But he doesn’t. And then something changes and I realize Jason’s lying on top of me, staring at me, and his lips are inches from my lips, and there is rain dripping off his hair, curling it around his ears, running down onto my neck. My heart pounds and I feel the tingle starting in my toes again. Jason drops his phone in the grass and uses the free hand to brush a fat, wet curl out of my eyes……….
I’ll leave it to your imagination from there. ;)
This story was predictable in parts but it was so utterly sweet, I didn’t care. It’s what I wanted to happen anyhow! There was a lot of adorable humor stemming from Julia and Jason’s total klutziness, making a lot of scenes madcap fun. Reading this seriously made me want to visit London. Julia and Jason visit touristy places like the Tower of London, the London Eye, and the famous Shakespearean theater, the Globe, making them sound so wonderful, I felt like I was touring London with them.
When I finished Meant To Be, I couldn’t help but mutter, “awww sooo sweet,” *sigh*. A vanilla queen’s dream.
Thanks to Random House Children’s Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.
You can find this review and more at The Readers Den.
February 19, 2015
1.5 stars
Can we boycott teenage girls that think they're better than everyone else because they read classic novels and listen to the Beatles? Can we boycott teenage girls who think they're better than other girls because they are more conservative and wear more clothes? We need to boycott this entire book to escape the pretentious and idiotic main characters and themes explored.
Can we boycott teenage girls that think they're better than everyone else because they read classic novels and listen to the Beatles? Can we boycott teenage girls who think they're better than other girls because they are more conservative and wear more clothes? We need to boycott this entire book to escape the pretentious and idiotic main characters and themes explored.
May 7, 2012
What a cute read! I spent a good deal of the book either grinning stupidly or laughing out loud. Yes, it was a bit cliche, and there were parts that were a bit cheesy, but there's that fun, sweet innocence of "I'm five years old, and I like you, so I'm going to pick on you" type of romance. And I'm usually good about figuring out things early on, but ooooh, I can't believe Morrill snuck that one by me. This was definitely one of those books that just leave you smiling in the end.
July 21, 2012
Similar Books: Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson, Anna & the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
I put off reading this book for quite a while because (1) I thought I was over contemps and (2) I had high expectations for this book's greatness and was afraid I'd be disappointed. I now have no idea why I was so worried - this book was everything I was hoping it'd be and SO. MUCH. MORE.
If I had to sum up my feelings for this book, I'd say I'm like...
And...
There are basically 3 elements that will make me go crazy and fangirl over a book. I like to call them the "3 F's," and this book has them all. It's funny, fluffy, and foreign.
First and foremost, this book is hilarious. I loved Julia as a narrator. People go around talking about this nebulous concept of "voice" and how it's so important for an author to have. Sometimes, it's hard to tell if an author has a good one or not, whether it's distinctive. But I'm just gonna say this: Lauren Morrill has a great voice! And it's absolutely perfect for this genre.
Something that kept me from loving Anna & the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins was the fact that I didn't much care for Anna. I didn't connect with her or her voice. But there's just so much to love about Julia. She's quirky and nerdy and basically 100% adorable.
And can I just say that this book is FULL of awkward.
But in a totally wonderful way. Julia literally football tackles someone in the middle of the Tate Museum. I had to re-read that passage to double-check that I hadn't made that up. Julia just gets herself into so many incredibly awkward, hilarious circumstances that you can't help but root for her.
Now. Let's talk about one of the best parts of the book.Jason Erm...I mean, the romance.
The cuteness, it killed me. Julia and Jason are just SO FREAKIN' CUTE TOGETHER! I loved their banter and how perfectly imperfect Jason is. Also, he's a ginger, which was totally unexpected and basically made me love him. I mean, how many redhead heroes are there in YA? Not many. And the fact that he's SO immature could have been off-putting, but I couldn't stop laughing at his antics. He reminded me of the funny guys in high school that you always liked but never dated because you were too busy crushing on the football star or the one in a band.
Thank you, Lauren Morrill, for helping score a point for the funny guy!
I also really liked that the romance felt very real and honest. Jason doesn't always say the right thing, and Julia has to lose a lot of her naivety about relationships before she can be happy. And while I was afraid going into the book that the romance would feel rushed because the book takes place over only 1 week, it never did. There's no dropping of the l-word, which was great, and really, Julia and Jason were just great together.
2012 has really been a year of contemps for me, and this is definitely one of my favorites. It might very well be my favorite book of the year period, tied with Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard.
More books like this please!
I put off reading this book for quite a while because (1) I thought I was over contemps and (2) I had high expectations for this book's greatness and was afraid I'd be disappointed. I now have no idea why I was so worried - this book was everything I was hoping it'd be and SO. MUCH. MORE.
If I had to sum up my feelings for this book, I'd say I'm like...
And...
There are basically 3 elements that will make me go crazy and fangirl over a book. I like to call them the "3 F's," and this book has them all. It's funny, fluffy, and foreign.
First and foremost, this book is hilarious. I loved Julia as a narrator. People go around talking about this nebulous concept of "voice" and how it's so important for an author to have. Sometimes, it's hard to tell if an author has a good one or not, whether it's distinctive. But I'm just gonna say this: Lauren Morrill has a great voice! And it's absolutely perfect for this genre.
Something that kept me from loving Anna & the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins was the fact that I didn't much care for Anna. I didn't connect with her or her voice. But there's just so much to love about Julia. She's quirky and nerdy and basically 100% adorable.
And can I just say that this book is FULL of awkward.
But in a totally wonderful way. Julia literally football tackles someone in the middle of the Tate Museum. I had to re-read that passage to double-check that I hadn't made that up. Julia just gets herself into so many incredibly awkward, hilarious circumstances that you can't help but root for her.
Now. Let's talk about one of the best parts of the book.
The cuteness, it killed me. Julia and Jason are just SO FREAKIN' CUTE TOGETHER! I loved their banter and how perfectly imperfect Jason is. Also, he's a ginger, which was totally unexpected and basically made me love him. I mean, how many redhead heroes are there in YA? Not many. And the fact that he's SO immature could have been off-putting, but I couldn't stop laughing at his antics. He reminded me of the funny guys in high school that you always liked but never dated because you were too busy crushing on the football star or the one in a band.
Thank you, Lauren Morrill, for helping score a point for the funny guy!
I also really liked that the romance felt very real and honest. Jason doesn't always say the right thing, and Julia has to lose a lot of her naivety about relationships before she can be happy. And while I was afraid going into the book that the romance would feel rushed because the book takes place over only 1 week, it never did. There's no dropping of the l-word, which was great, and really, Julia and Jason were just great together.
2012 has really been a year of contemps for me, and this is definitely one of my favorites. It might very well be my favorite book of the year period, tied with Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard.
More books like this please!
August 24, 2015
When I picked this book up, I honestly wasn't expecting too much. However, it ended up completely surprising me. This book is up there in the ranks with Stephanie Perkins for me...I feel like Perkins fans will absolutely love & adore this book. It didn't take me long to be completely sucked into the story, and I read the entire thing in one day.
The author just NAILED IT with this book, and there is so much about it that I loved. It was exactly what I needed and had been craving, so it was a completely satisfying read for me.
The characters were fantastic, and I especially loved the main character, Julia. Her and I, we are soul sisters.
The slight mystery aspect of the book was totally unexpected, but added SO MUCH to the story - it was like the perfect amount of icing on top of an already baked-to-perfection-cupcake.
If you are a fan of contemporary romance, pick this up, because it is a fantastic one. I feel like this book is grossly underrated, which makes me sad.
Also, this book was just an all around absolute blast, and it had me wanting to get to London for a vacation ASAP.
I can't wait to get my hands on the author's next book!
The author just NAILED IT with this book, and there is so much about it that I loved. It was exactly what I needed and had been craving, so it was a completely satisfying read for me.
The characters were fantastic, and I especially loved the main character, Julia. Her and I, we are soul sisters.
The slight mystery aspect of the book was totally unexpected, but added SO MUCH to the story - it was like the perfect amount of icing on top of an already baked-to-perfection-cupcake.
If you are a fan of contemporary romance, pick this up, because it is a fantastic one. I feel like this book is grossly underrated, which makes me sad.
Also, this book was just an all around absolute blast, and it had me wanting to get to London for a vacation ASAP.
I can't wait to get my hands on the author's next book!
August 4, 2015
1 DISAPPOINTED STAR.
I have absolutely no idea WHY so many people like this book! Here is an annoying, but true, encapsulation of my feelings for this book:
Me: Ooooh, pretty cover, decent ratings, and a cool blurb! Sounds fun! I should definitely get this!
MTB: Think twice, bitch, do you really want me? *goes out of stock on amazon*
Me: Hahaha, no, I'm gonna get you! *patiently waits for it to be back in stock and then orders it*
Me: Yay, I'm totally ready to love this!
Julia: *starts the book with a rant* *apparently hates this Jason we still don't know a lot about* *is in love with a guy named Mark who was her bff when she was 6 (no shit) and then left town but when he returned 2 months ago (after 10 years) she still has feelings for him/loves him/thinks they both are meant to be/blah blah blah*
Me: Umm, okay... How can you fall in love with someone when you're 6? And even if you somehow do, how are you not over him when you haven't seen him in 10 years? Right. But the super-adorable main guy still hasn't come! Maybe it'll get better!
Jason: Hi, I'm Jason Lippincot and I'm an absolute asshole! *acts like an immature 7th-grader* *spreads lies about having sex with Julia on a freaking airplane even though nothing happened* *pulls on Julia's bathrobe when she (stupidly) opens the door for him before going for a bath*
Me: Well... Maybe not. But maybe he changes! Maybe something happens!
Julia: *becomes a total hypocrite* *forgets her "rules"* *gets super drunk* *lies to everyone about being a super model* *circulates her number to a dozen drunk, teenage, hormone-crazed boys* ALL IN ONE NIGHT! (AND WITHIN 50 PAGES!)
Me: Errr, okay. This can't get any worse though, right?
MTB: HAHAHAHAHAHA.
Julia: *starts receiving perverted texts from a stranger she doesn't remember, about how much he "wants to kiss her" and how "there's always tonight to finish unfinished business"* OMGGG HOW CUTE! HOW ROMANTIC! HE WANTS ME! WHAT SHOULD I DO??
Jason: *finds out about the texts* Well, since you obviously can't get a guy unless you pretend to be a super-model, like you did that night, I think I'll take pity on you and help you.
Julia: Aww really? I mean, you're right, who would ever want me? It's better if I pretend to be someone else with your help!
Jason: Not so quick, girl, on one condition. You will let me show you around London and let me change your definition of "fun"! Agreed?
Julia: Okay, yay.
Me: Oh God, kill me now!
Jason: *starts helping Julia win over the creepy texter by sending more perverted replies which are apparently "confident-seeming"* *sings Julia's favourite Beatles song*
Julia: He isn't that bad I guess... Wait. What am I thinking? I don't like him... right? uh, yeah, right. I love Mark. Mark, Mark, Mark. He's my Meant To Be! Oh, and how can I forget the super romantic sexting stranger? Right. I don't like Jason. I like Mark. Mark and the stranger.
Me: dONE DONE DONE.
----
I can continue like this and sum up the whole book for you, but these were just the first 70 pages! You see, I don't want to spoil anything but don't worry, the ending is the lamest ending I've ever read.
So, as you can see, I gave this book a lot of opportunities and really did try to like it but, nope, sorry. JUST. COULDN'T. It was pathetically stupid, abrupt, insta-lovey, insta-hatey. Don't even know.
I don't recommend this AT ALL, unless you want to waste your dollars. Especially if you're looking for a cute, light romance, please DO NOT try this book.
I have absolutely no idea WHY so many people like this book! Here is an annoying, but true, encapsulation of my feelings for this book:
Me: Ooooh, pretty cover, decent ratings, and a cool blurb! Sounds fun! I should definitely get this!
MTB: Think twice, bitch, do you really want me? *goes out of stock on amazon*
Me: Hahaha, no, I'm gonna get you! *patiently waits for it to be back in stock and then orders it*
Me: Yay, I'm totally ready to love this!
Julia: *starts the book with a rant* *apparently hates this Jason we still don't know a lot about* *is in love with a guy named Mark who was her bff when she was 6 (no shit) and then left town but when he returned 2 months ago (after 10 years) she still has feelings for him/loves him/thinks they both are meant to be/blah blah blah*
Me: Umm, okay... How can you fall in love with someone when you're 6? And even if you somehow do, how are you not over him when you haven't seen him in 10 years? Right. But the super-adorable main guy still hasn't come! Maybe it'll get better!
Jason: Hi, I'm Jason Lippincot and I'm an absolute asshole! *acts like an immature 7th-grader* *spreads lies about having sex with Julia on a freaking airplane even though nothing happened* *pulls on Julia's bathrobe when she (stupidly) opens the door for him before going for a bath*
Me: Well... Maybe not. But maybe he changes! Maybe something happens!
Julia: *becomes a total hypocrite* *forgets her "rules"* *gets super drunk* *lies to everyone about being a super model* *circulates her number to a dozen drunk, teenage, hormone-crazed boys* ALL IN ONE NIGHT! (AND WITHIN 50 PAGES!)
Me: Errr, okay. This can't get any worse though, right?
MTB: HAHAHAHAHAHA.
Julia: *starts receiving perverted texts from a stranger she doesn't remember, about how much he "wants to kiss her" and how "there's always tonight to finish unfinished business"* OMGGG HOW CUTE! HOW ROMANTIC! HE WANTS ME! WHAT SHOULD I DO??
Jason: *finds out about the texts* Well, since you obviously can't get a guy unless you pretend to be a super-model, like you did that night, I think I'll take pity on you and help you.
Julia: Aww really? I mean, you're right, who would ever want me? It's better if I pretend to be someone else with your help!
Jason: Not so quick, girl, on one condition. You will let me show you around London and let me change your definition of "fun"! Agreed?
Julia: Okay, yay.
Me: Oh God, kill me now!
Jason: *starts helping Julia win over the creepy texter by sending more perverted replies which are apparently "confident-seeming"* *sings Julia's favourite Beatles song*
Julia: He isn't that bad I guess... Wait. What am I thinking? I don't like him... right? uh, yeah, right. I love Mark. Mark, Mark, Mark. He's my Meant To Be! Oh, and how can I forget the super romantic sexting stranger? Right. I don't like Jason. I like Mark. Mark and the stranger.
Me: dONE DONE DONE.
----
I can continue like this and sum up the whole book for you, but these were just the first 70 pages! You see, I don't want to spoil anything but don't worry, the ending is the lamest ending I've ever read.
So, as you can see, I gave this book a lot of opportunities and really did try to like it but, nope, sorry. JUST. COULDN'T. It was pathetically stupid, abrupt, insta-lovey, insta-hatey. Don't even know.
I don't recommend this AT ALL, unless you want to waste your dollars. Especially if you're looking for a cute, light romance, please DO NOT try this book.
September 25, 2015
Do you believe in meant to be?
Are we meant to fall in love with one particular person? Do we all have a meant to be? Meant to be here or there at a certain time for some magical moment or meeting? I’m not sure. My heart likes the idea, but my head gets in the way most days. :)
Our story revolves around a class trip to London. Classmates, flirts, couples, rules, and rule breakers! Come on, jump on the tour bus! Meet Jason and Julia, complete opposite personalities that cause havoc and adventure all around London.
Things I loved about Meant to Be...
Jason and London.
Jason could be the most realistic boy written for young adult fiction. He was frustrating, immature, sweet, and hilarious. And by the end, I adored him. His freckles, grin, and jump into life attitude made me smile and laugh. The trouble that boy could create! *shakes head* Haha...But then he would turn around and do the sweetest thing. The way he could show his feelings one minute and then cover them up the next drove me crazy AND “awww” all over the place. I want to say more, but really you just have to experience the chemistry, warmth, and surprises for yourself. Both Jason and London offer a world of surprises.
London! London came alive on the pages in pubs, tourist attractions, and weather. London has always been on my list of must get to cities. This book made me want to jump on a jet plane. Right now!
You will probably see a big plot point coming a mile away, but you won’t mind though. I didn’t. I just enjoyed the back and forth jabs, ease, and flirting between Jason and Julia as they explored London.
Hope you meet Jason and Julia soon.
I’m looking forward to reading more from Lauren Morrill.
January 14, 2013
Oh, man. This book. So cute. I read this in one sitting (well, really I was on my bed). I sat down, started reading, and didn’t stop until it was over.
I genuinely cannot see why someone would not like this book. It’s in LONDON, for crying out loud! I very much approved. This book is right up there with Anna and the French Kiss and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Really, it’s like the Holy Trinity (that’s not sacrilegious, right?).
Anyway, what I really loved about this book is the humor. It’s hilarious, right from the get-go. Our heroine, Julia, is sitting in her airplane seat going on about all the different things she hates (which include gum-wielding children, planes, and Jason Lippincott).
Oh yeah. That reminds me. Jason. Très yummy. Really.
(But in a non-creepy/stalker kind of way. Seriously.)
Here’s the equation:
Julia
(But she swims!)
+
Jason
(But he sings and plays the guitar!)
=
You get the idea. Julia gets saddled with Jason for her trip “buddy”. And if you’ve read any kind of YA novel recently, you probably know exactly where this is going, but I swear the interaction between these characters is very funny, and at times, pretty sweet.
This book is pretty heavy on the character development, which I love, since I don’t see enough of it these days. I was especially surprised since this is Morrill’s debut novel. She certainly has insight into showing emotion without, like, telling it.
Julia was a pretty cool character. I liked that despite her being very set in her ways she was willing to try new things (although it’s likely that was because of Jason). And the thing I really liked about Julia was that she was aware of her flaws and actually tried to do something about it—most of the time anyway. It isn’t very long before she starts breaking her carefully placed rules, after all.
And Jason was adorable. I’m pretty confident I would not mind having a boyfriend like him. At all. Although one thing I didn’t like about him was that he really jerked Julia around sometimes. At first it was amusing but then it just got annoying. I know he’s a poor confused teenage boy who doesn’t know how to express his feelings, but come on. Act like a decent human being.
Julia wasn’t a saint either, though. She would just go from one guy to the next, practically on whimsy. Mark, Chris, Jason, Mark, Chris, Jason (this literally happened in the book). I just wanted to be like “PICK ONE already!” It made her seem pretty shallow at times. And I also wished she would have stood up for herself more when she wanted to see certain sights, especially since some of them had personal meaning for her.
But characters would be boring (and unrealistic) if they were perfect, so I think these flaws work for the plot. They’re only high school juniors. And the ending was cute and funny, and ultimately satisfying.
I’ve been super looking forward to this book and it didn’t disappoint. I really recommend that you read it!
I genuinely cannot see why someone would not like this book. It’s in LONDON, for crying out loud! I very much approved. This book is right up there with Anna and the French Kiss and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Really, it’s like the Holy Trinity (that’s not sacrilegious, right?).
Anyway, what I really loved about this book is the humor. It’s hilarious, right from the get-go. Our heroine, Julia, is sitting in her airplane seat going on about all the different things she hates (which include gum-wielding children, planes, and Jason Lippincott).
Oh yeah. That reminds me. Jason. Très yummy. Really.
(But in a non-creepy/stalker kind of way. Seriously.)
Here’s the equation:
Julia
(But she swims!)
+
Jason
(But he sings and plays the guitar!)
=
You get the idea. Julia gets saddled with Jason for her trip “buddy”. And if you’ve read any kind of YA novel recently, you probably know exactly where this is going, but I swear the interaction between these characters is very funny, and at times, pretty sweet.
This book is pretty heavy on the character development, which I love, since I don’t see enough of it these days. I was especially surprised since this is Morrill’s debut novel. She certainly has insight into showing emotion without, like, telling it.
Julia was a pretty cool character. I liked that despite her being very set in her ways she was willing to try new things (although it’s likely that was because of Jason). And the thing I really liked about Julia was that she was aware of her flaws and actually tried to do something about it—most of the time anyway. It isn’t very long before she starts breaking her carefully placed rules, after all.
And Jason was adorable. I’m pretty confident I would not mind having a boyfriend like him. At all. Although one thing I didn’t like about him was that he really jerked Julia around sometimes. At first it was amusing but then it just got annoying. I know he’s a poor confused teenage boy who doesn’t know how to express his feelings, but come on. Act like a decent human being.
Julia wasn’t a saint either, though. She would just go from one guy to the next, practically on whimsy. Mark, Chris, Jason, Mark, Chris, Jason (this literally happened in the book). I just wanted to be like “PICK ONE already!” It made her seem pretty shallow at times. And I also wished she would have stood up for herself more when she wanted to see certain sights, especially since some of them had personal meaning for her.
But characters would be boring (and unrealistic) if they were perfect, so I think these flaws work for the plot. They’re only high school juniors. And the ending was cute and funny, and ultimately satisfying.
I’ve been super looking forward to this book and it didn’t disappoint. I really recommend that you read it!
November 1, 2012
This book. THIS BOOK! It may just be my favorite YA contemporary EVER! If you know me at all, you know I was once – okay, am still – very skeptical of contemporary novels. I’m afraid of finding them vapid and shallow and then having to review the insipid things. So, even before I started Meant to Be, I prayed to the book gods that it would be as good as
My Life Next Door
for me because prior to reading this novel, that was the best YA contemporary I’d ever read. But Meant to Be was even better…it surpassed my wildest expectations and then some!
I identified with this book on a level I never thought possible. So maybe I’ve never been in this exact situation before, but the way the author portrayed the characters and their interactions just made it so legitimately real that it was as if I had…like I was reliving a past memory and not simply reading a novel. I was transported to London, walking the streets with my classmates, taking in the culture and the people. I was sneaking out with my trip buddy to take in a party, even though that’s totally not my style. And even though this book isn’t about me….I really want it to be now. It was just so cute and quirky and full of awkward that I need to make it real and commit those moments to memory.
So, remember that antagonistic relationship Cole and Isabel had in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series? Yeah, that’s exactly how Julia and Jason behave towards each other throughout the entirety of the book. You see the chemistry from the get-go, but Julia’s narrating and it’s pretty obvious she’s kinda clueless about the male gender in general. She’s got the hots for this stuffy guy named Mark who was her playmate when they were younger. He moved away and only recently moved back to town and is attending her high school. And man, is Julia crushing hard. She seriously believes this guy is her “meant to be”, hence the premise of the story.
She may be book-smart, but poor Julia has got a lot to learn. And that’s where Jason comes in. He’s going to help the girl out, if she helps him out by writing all of his papers for the class trip. So they have tons of little adventures in London because this guy is not going to let Julia off the hook. She is super up-tight and needs to let loose, and Jason is just the guy to show her how. Julia is a very reluctant pupil, though, and hijinks ensue. Jason isn’t your usual swoony rogue, and so it’s going to take more than a little convincing for Julia to see the light. But he’s got some things working for him…namely, a great sense of humor, but best of all? He’s a GINGER!!!! I have so much love for this romance…you don’t even know!!
I don’t think it’s too spoilery to tell you to forget about that Mark guy…just forget he exists entirely. Don’t be mad…you can read the synopsis and figure that much out on your own. Trust me….I knew where it was going from the onset but the ride was sooo much fun! And in the end, that's all that matters, right? It was just too freaking adorable to be upset that I’d predicted it all. So, just sit back, relax, and enjoy this crazy, wild, TOTALLY AWKWARD ride for what it is. I’ve already pre-ordered my own copy so that I can go again. :) Plus, that cover is gorgeous and somehow, just knowing I’ll be able to look at it whenever I’m feeling down puts a smile on my face. The story is seriously that much fun.
Favorite quote:
“Julia, you are my ‘buddy,’” he says, using the requisite air quotes. “I would never put you in harm’s way.”
“Oh, right. You’d only take me to a party full of strangers in a foreign country and abandon me. Then get me caught in a street brawl, where I lose all my stuff including my pocket Shakespeare.”
“Your pocket what?” He raises an eyebrow. He probably thinks I’m talking about a mini-Shakespeare action figure. (Actually, I do have one of those. But I left it back in Newton, thankyouverymuch.) – p. 62 of galley
Thanks to Random House & Netgalley for providing a copy for review!
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
I identified with this book on a level I never thought possible. So maybe I’ve never been in this exact situation before, but the way the author portrayed the characters and their interactions just made it so legitimately real that it was as if I had…like I was reliving a past memory and not simply reading a novel. I was transported to London, walking the streets with my classmates, taking in the culture and the people. I was sneaking out with my trip buddy to take in a party, even though that’s totally not my style. And even though this book isn’t about me….I really want it to be now. It was just so cute and quirky and full of awkward that I need to make it real and commit those moments to memory.
So, remember that antagonistic relationship Cole and Isabel had in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series? Yeah, that’s exactly how Julia and Jason behave towards each other throughout the entirety of the book. You see the chemistry from the get-go, but Julia’s narrating and it’s pretty obvious she’s kinda clueless about the male gender in general. She’s got the hots for this stuffy guy named Mark who was her playmate when they were younger. He moved away and only recently moved back to town and is attending her high school. And man, is Julia crushing hard. She seriously believes this guy is her “meant to be”, hence the premise of the story.
She may be book-smart, but poor Julia has got a lot to learn. And that’s where Jason comes in. He’s going to help the girl out, if she helps him out by writing all of his papers for the class trip. So they have tons of little adventures in London because this guy is not going to let Julia off the hook. She is super up-tight and needs to let loose, and Jason is just the guy to show her how. Julia is a very reluctant pupil, though, and hijinks ensue. Jason isn’t your usual swoony rogue, and so it’s going to take more than a little convincing for Julia to see the light. But he’s got some things working for him…namely, a great sense of humor, but best of all? He’s a GINGER!!!! I have so much love for this romance…you don’t even know!!
I don’t think it’s too spoilery to tell you to forget about that Mark guy…just forget he exists entirely. Don’t be mad…you can read the synopsis and figure that much out on your own. Trust me….I knew where it was going from the onset but the ride was sooo much fun! And in the end, that's all that matters, right? It was just too freaking adorable to be upset that I’d predicted it all. So, just sit back, relax, and enjoy this crazy, wild, TOTALLY AWKWARD ride for what it is. I’ve already pre-ordered my own copy so that I can go again. :) Plus, that cover is gorgeous and somehow, just knowing I’ll be able to look at it whenever I’m feeling down puts a smile on my face. The story is seriously that much fun.
Favorite quote:
“Julia, you are my ‘buddy,’” he says, using the requisite air quotes. “I would never put you in harm’s way.”
“Oh, right. You’d only take me to a party full of strangers in a foreign country and abandon me. Then get me caught in a street brawl, where I lose all my stuff including my pocket Shakespeare.”
“Your pocket what?” He raises an eyebrow. He probably thinks I’m talking about a mini-Shakespeare action figure. (Actually, I do have one of those. But I left it back in Newton, thankyouverymuch.) – p. 62 of galley
Thanks to Random House & Netgalley for providing a copy for review!
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
October 25, 2016
This review is also posted on my blog, Anatea's Bookshelf.
I have wanted to read Meant To Be ever since I saw this beautiful cover (I'm a sucker for pretty covers, but then, who isn't?) The second reason why I really wanted to read this book was the setting. London is my favorite city in the world, and every book that is happening there will be in my hands eventually. The third reason why I wanted to read Meant To Be is because it just seemed like a perfect cute read. You get that feeling where you just have to read the book! Something was telling me that I'm going to enjoy this one.
Julia and her classmates are going on a school trip to London, but Julia's best friend and friends from her swimming team weren't able to come which leaves Julia with people she doesn't particularly hang out with. To make the trip even worse, she gets paired up with Jason, a guy who is the total opposite from her. While she is a stuck-up-goody-two-shoes, Jason is relaxed and he does what he wants, whenever he wants. Which also means, regularly rules breaking.
The week they spent in London together was so cute! I loved reading about their interactions, their adventures and the time they spent together. You could see that they liked each other, but Julia was oblivious to that. In her mind, she only saw Mark, her childhood friend, her MTB (meant to be). I was so anxious for the moment when she finally realizes how awesome Jason is, and what a douche Mark is (this is not really a spoiler).
Another thing why I liked this book so much is the similarities I have with it. I also went on a school trip with my classmates to London, and we did the exact same things they did! We visited the Tate Museum, we rode on London Eye, we went to Piccadilly Circus, to Globe theater, to Stratford-upon-Avon... Lauren described all those things so vividly, that even if you never actually were there, you got that the feeling that you were there, and for me, it was like reliving one of the best memories I have.
When I finally finished the book, I was grinning for the next few hours. I just couldn't stop. That ending was just too cute! Lauren Morrill definitely got on my list of authors whose books I read no matter what. I can't wait to read Being Sloane Jacobs and to see what her future works will be like!
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I have wanted to read Meant To Be ever since I saw this beautiful cover (I'm a sucker for pretty covers, but then, who isn't?) The second reason why I really wanted to read this book was the setting. London is my favorite city in the world, and every book that is happening there will be in my hands eventually. The third reason why I wanted to read Meant To Be is because it just seemed like a perfect cute read. You get that feeling where you just have to read the book! Something was telling me that I'm going to enjoy this one.
Dad was right. Screw Paris; London is the city for me.
Julia and her classmates are going on a school trip to London, but Julia's best friend and friends from her swimming team weren't able to come which leaves Julia with people she doesn't particularly hang out with. To make the trip even worse, she gets paired up with Jason, a guy who is the total opposite from her. While she is a stuck-up-goody-two-shoes, Jason is relaxed and he does what he wants, whenever he wants. Which also means, regularly rules breaking.
The week they spent in London together was so cute! I loved reading about their interactions, their adventures and the time they spent together. You could see that they liked each other, but Julia was oblivious to that. In her mind, she only saw Mark, her childhood friend, her MTB (meant to be). I was so anxious for the moment when she finally realizes how awesome Jason is, and what a douche Mark is (this is not really a spoiler).
Another thing why I liked this book so much is the similarities I have with it. I also went on a school trip with my classmates to London, and we did the exact same things they did! We visited the Tate Museum, we rode on London Eye, we went to Piccadilly Circus, to Globe theater, to Stratford-upon-Avon... Lauren described all those things so vividly, that even if you never actually were there, you got that the feeling that you were there, and for me, it was like reliving one of the best memories I have.
When I finally finished the book, I was grinning for the next few hours. I just couldn't stop. That ending was just too cute! Lauren Morrill definitely got on my list of authors whose books I read no matter what. I can't wait to read Being Sloane Jacobs and to see what her future works will be like!
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September 30, 2020
Tam çerezlik kafa dağıtmalık bir kitaptı
July 8, 2013
***Review originally posted on Ja čitam, a ti?
It's been a long time since last time I wrote review. Work, stress and, honestly, I've been into different kind of books since last summer. Well, it looks like I am again in sweet young adult novels phase. And what great book to start with.
Meant to Be goes in my special category - summer books. Light, fun reads about summer, road-trips, unexpected love, testing friendships and growing up. Books that make me think about warm nights spent outside with friends, ice-cream and chips we used to eat, boys on bikes and skates ( I don't ride, but I had this really soft spot for boys that do - one of them being my man), shorts and flip-flops, highlights in my hair...
This is perfect choice for everyone who read and loved Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - London, Shakespeare and love, what's not to like? I know, that was Paris, The City of Love, but you might change your mind after you read this.
I've noticed that some readers didn't like Julia that much, but I think she is something different. Maybe that's just my inner adult-romance-for-the-last-six-months reader, maybe I would find 101 reason to rant about her if I read this book just few days ago when I was in weird book funk, but now I can say just this - Julia is great girl. One of the reasons why I think that? Shakespeare. No, it's not because I'm teacher. I had similar introduction to his plays like Julia and I've spend good part of my teen years obsessing over them. Until this day no one in my family knows for sure how that book ended on our bookshelf. I'll just go with the flow and say... It was meant to be.:)
If you enjoy reading about sweet first love, you are going to devour this book in one sitting. Jason and Julia have this perfect chemistry, at first it looks like they have nothing in common, but just wait. Jason will make you fall on your knees and make silly, googly eyes. Scene in the skate park, in his room and there is one part that made me laugh so hard because it reminded me of all kinky books I've read.
Don't waste your time and go find this book and read it. If you did read it, find it and re-read your favorite parts. Meant to Be deserves big, shiny five stars.
It's been a long time since last time I wrote review. Work, stress and, honestly, I've been into different kind of books since last summer. Well, it looks like I am again in sweet young adult novels phase. And what great book to start with.
Meant to Be goes in my special category - summer books. Light, fun reads about summer, road-trips, unexpected love, testing friendships and growing up. Books that make me think about warm nights spent outside with friends, ice-cream and chips we used to eat, boys on bikes and skates ( I don't ride, but I had this really soft spot for boys that do - one of them being my man), shorts and flip-flops, highlights in my hair...
"Paris was a city of love for unimaginative folks."
This is perfect choice for everyone who read and loved Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - London, Shakespeare and love, what's not to like? I know, that was Paris, The City of Love, but you might change your mind after you read this.
I've noticed that some readers didn't like Julia that much, but I think she is something different. Maybe that's just my inner adult-romance-for-the-last-six-months reader, maybe I would find 101 reason to rant about her if I read this book just few days ago when I was in weird book funk, but now I can say just this - Julia is great girl. One of the reasons why I think that? Shakespeare. No, it's not because I'm teacher. I had similar introduction to his plays like Julia and I've spend good part of my teen years obsessing over them. Until this day no one in my family knows for sure how that book ended on our bookshelf. I'll just go with the flow and say... It was meant to be.:)
"I was just hoping that you'd realize that guys like me, go with girls like you."
If you enjoy reading about sweet first love, you are going to devour this book in one sitting. Jason and Julia have this perfect chemistry, at first it looks like they have nothing in common, but just wait. Jason will make you fall on your knees and make silly, googly eyes. Scene in the skate park, in his room and there is one part that made me laugh so hard because it reminded me of all kinky books I've read.
Don't waste your time and go find this book and read it. If you did read it, find it and re-read your favorite parts. Meant to Be deserves big, shiny five stars.
May 8, 2019
Two years later, and I still love this book.
I like Julia, she's strong, knows what she wants in life, and is not afraid to speak her mind. She's in love with the idea of love itself, she has this perfect man in her mind and she's prepared to do anything to find her MTB. Of course there were moments she was - just like Jason said - a pain in the ass, because she just doesn't know where to stop. She's hurting people with her know-it-all attitude, and she's not even aware of it. But her time in London helps her to realize that something or someone can be right for her without being utterly perfect.
I love Jason, he's the reason I'm rereading this book, clearly. He appears like a total jerk at the beginning of the book because he doesn't take anything seriously, but the more you read the more you realize he's not being a jerk, he's just trying to make Julia smiles, he wants her to enjoy her time in London and have some fun. He's trying his best to make the girl he has a crush on being happy. And he's nailing it. So what if he doesn't believe in MTB ? So what ? He believes in the moment, he believes in falling in love with people that make him a better person. This guy is seriously amazing.
I really enjoyed my reread, it made me feel happy and warm inside, and it was just what I needed :)
4.25
I like Julia, she's strong, knows what she wants in life, and is not afraid to speak her mind. She's in love with the idea of love itself, she has this perfect man in her mind and she's prepared to do anything to find her MTB. Of course there were moments she was - just like Jason said - a pain in the ass, because she just doesn't know where to stop. She's hurting people with her know-it-all attitude, and she's not even aware of it. But her time in London helps her to realize that something or someone can be right for her without being utterly perfect.
I love Jason, he's the reason I'm rereading this book, clearly. He appears like a total jerk at the beginning of the book because he doesn't take anything seriously, but the more you read the more you realize he's not being a jerk, he's just trying to make Julia smiles, he wants her to enjoy her time in London and have some fun. He's trying his best to make the girl he has a crush on being happy. And he's nailing it. So what if he doesn't believe in MTB ? So what ? He believes in the moment, he believes in falling in love with people that make him a better person. This guy is seriously amazing.
I really enjoyed my reread, it made me feel happy and warm inside, and it was just what I needed :)
4.25
June 18, 2024
3.5/5
oh my goodness i really almost abandoned this! all the complaints about the sluttiness and stupidness of the other girls, the complete obnoxiousness of jason. honestly i still don't really like either of the main characters, but at least their flaws were acknowledged!
this book had an interesting (if unrealistic) premise. i am always a sucker for contemporaries about american students in europe (just one day, anna and the french kiss, isla and the happily ever after...etc). of that list, this one was my least favorite, but it was a fun, light read.
thinking i'll go for some gillian flynn to break up all this fluff!
oh my goodness i really almost abandoned this! all the complaints about the sluttiness and stupidness of the other girls, the complete obnoxiousness of jason. honestly i still don't really like either of the main characters, but at least their flaws were acknowledged!
this book had an interesting (if unrealistic) premise. i am always a sucker for contemporaries about american students in europe (just one day, anna and the french kiss, isla and the happily ever after...etc). of that list, this one was my least favorite, but it was a fun, light read.
thinking i'll go for some gillian flynn to break up all this fluff!
February 17, 2015
Kitabı tek kelimeyle özetliyorum: Klişe.
Belki 1 yıldızı hak etmiyor olabilir fakat sabahın köründe 3 saatlik ceza hukuku dersiniz varsa ve günlerdir hastaysanız, ama buna rağmen kitap her an "ha şimdi iyiye gidecek" diye ümitlerle okumaya devam etmişseniz, inanın objektif olmak oldukça zorlaşıyor.
Belki 1 yıldızı hak etmiyor olabilir fakat sabahın köründe 3 saatlik ceza hukuku dersiniz varsa ve günlerdir hastaysanız, ama buna rağmen kitap her an "ha şimdi iyiye gidecek" diye ümitlerle okumaya devam etmişseniz, inanın objektif olmak oldukça zorlaşıyor.
July 18, 2015
2.75 Stars
Was this book incredibly predictable or I'm brighter than I'm giving myself credit for?
She's the perfect student and he's a troublemaker. It's not meant to be, or is it? I've got to say I'm a little unsure about the rating. It's a sweet story with a nice, hopeful message for all the romantic girls out there but when your female MC annoys the bejeezus out of you, the sweet story turns into something painful.
The good:
London. AMARITE?
Jason's childish attitude. The guy was a complete mess and I loved it. There're just a few things more attractive than a guy talking about something he's passionate about. Add a guy who can sing and I'm all his.
The bad:
Predictability. At one third of the book I already knew that And I think that stole the magic, because I was rolling my eyes every five minutes yelling at the screen like: "HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE IT?" However, I though the location and the characters would make this entertaining enough. And that leads me to my second problem:
Julia's attitude towards EVERYTHING. This chick was incredible judgmental. She kept mumbling about how shallow everyone was, looking down on her female classmates. I get it, people can be really mean with you sometimes, specially in high school. However, she was nothing but self-involved, thinking she was better than others just because she enjoyed reading more than shopping. She even complained about reading on a kindle!
"Evie spent the end of the flight paging through The Fashionista's Guide to London Shopping. It's the first book I've ever seen her read.
Oh, please. Cut it out with the snobby act. Judging your friends for the way they choose to enjoy London is close-minded and NOT YOUR FREAKING BUSINESS, btw.
"Unless you're singed to a major label with music I can find on iTunes, I don't want to hear your live performance."
Because if they're not famous surely they have no talent. Geez.
She's a shinning start, isn't she?
Nicely put, she's a pain in the ass and I've got no idea what Jason saw in her to begin with. Actually, he called her on this issue a few times but I didn't see any act of redemption from her despite several fights. The inconstancy in their relationship was so confusing. They fought and the next thing you know, they were hanging out like besties again.
And finally, the resolution felt rather contrived. Julia accepted everything like it wasn't such a big deal. The twist [gasp] was not a twist at all and the sit-com feel was a little disappointing. However, it was a nice, sweet story and I've seen other readers enjoy this very much so maybe it's just me.
Was this book incredibly predictable or I'm brighter than I'm giving myself credit for?
She's the perfect student and he's a troublemaker. It's not meant to be, or is it? I've got to say I'm a little unsure about the rating. It's a sweet story with a nice, hopeful message for all the romantic girls out there but when your female MC annoys the bejeezus out of you, the sweet story turns into something painful.
The good:
London. AMARITE?
Jason's childish attitude. The guy was a complete mess and I loved it. There're just a few things more attractive than a guy talking about something he's passionate about. Add a guy who can sing and I'm all his.
The bad:
Predictability. At one third of the book I already knew that And I think that stole the magic, because I was rolling my eyes every five minutes yelling at the screen like: "HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE IT?" However, I though the location and the characters would make this entertaining enough. And that leads me to my second problem:
Julia's attitude towards EVERYTHING. This chick was incredible judgmental. She kept mumbling about how shallow everyone was, looking down on her female classmates. I get it, people can be really mean with you sometimes, specially in high school. However, she was nothing but self-involved, thinking she was better than others just because she enjoyed reading more than shopping. She even complained about reading on a kindle!
"Evie spent the end of the flight paging through The Fashionista's Guide to London Shopping. It's the first book I've ever seen her read.
Oh, please. Cut it out with the snobby act. Judging your friends for the way they choose to enjoy London is close-minded and NOT YOUR FREAKING BUSINESS, btw.
"Unless you're singed to a major label with music I can find on iTunes, I don't want to hear your live performance."
Because if they're not famous surely they have no talent. Geez.
She's a shinning start, isn't she?
Nicely put, she's a pain in the ass and I've got no idea what Jason saw in her to begin with. Actually, he called her on this issue a few times but I didn't see any act of redemption from her despite several fights. The inconstancy in their relationship was so confusing. They fought and the next thing you know, they were hanging out like besties again.
And finally, the resolution felt rather contrived. Julia accepted everything like it wasn't such a big deal. The twist [gasp] was not a twist at all and the sit-com feel was a little disappointing. However, it was a nice, sweet story and I've seen other readers enjoy this very much so maybe it's just me.
July 11, 2015
Love isn't perfect or predictable.
Julia Lichtenstein has an educational trip to London. She's known as a nerd, disciplined and obedient. She keeps things organized & planned. Then, she's partnered to a guy she hates the most in class, Jason Lippincott. He's cocky, sarcastic, rule breaker and a funny guy. Definitely opposite to Julia's personality and it gets on her nerves.
Sometimes it's fun to break some rules.
Jason wants Julia to have fun. To escape all those nerdy, stressful things. They broke some rules by sneaking out to the bar late at night and party all night. Afterwards, Julia starts receiving texts from a guy named Chris. She's determined to find him and Jason helps to find her MTB (*Meant To Be). Is Chris her soul mate? is it her childhood friend, Mark? or maybe Jason?
This book is simply adorable.
It's sweet, romantic, funny and fast-paced. I finished it in one sitting on a rainy afternoon till midnight. The characters are lovable and I adore their embarrassing moments, and adventures in London. The writing style is great and made me instantly hooked. I am interested on reading Lauren Morrill's other books.
Julia Lichtenstein has an educational trip to London. She's known as a nerd, disciplined and obedient. She keeps things organized & planned. Then, she's partnered to a guy she hates the most in class, Jason Lippincott. He's cocky, sarcastic, rule breaker and a funny guy. Definitely opposite to Julia's personality and it gets on her nerves.
Sometimes it's fun to break some rules.
Jason wants Julia to have fun. To escape all those nerdy, stressful things. They broke some rules by sneaking out to the bar late at night and party all night. Afterwards, Julia starts receiving texts from a guy named Chris. She's determined to find him and Jason helps to find her MTB (*Meant To Be). Is Chris her soul mate? is it her childhood friend, Mark? or maybe Jason?
This book is simply adorable.
It's sweet, romantic, funny and fast-paced. I finished it in one sitting on a rainy afternoon till midnight. The characters are lovable and I adore their embarrassing moments, and adventures in London. The writing style is great and made me instantly hooked. I am interested on reading Lauren Morrill's other books.
June 8, 2012
The main character summed up in a gif:
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Lather, rinse, repeat.
Full review to come.
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Lather, rinse, repeat.
Full review to come.
September 4, 2019
4.5 stars
March 24, 2016
Review + Interview here on my blog!
This is a book that took me by utter surprise. I was thinking that I would be reading a cute contemporary novel. I hadn't read the description or even heard what it was about. You see, I met Lauren twice before I even thought about requesting it on NetGalley. If her book is as awesome as she is, it has GOT to be a good read.
Let's talk about the book. I was surprised at how much I was like Julia in high school, minus the grades. She's a stickler for rules and MAPS. Oh my gosh, maps are so important. There were times when this got in the way of a true London adventure, and that's when Jason steps in.
How much do I love Jason? I love him a lot. Like, he's up there with Augustus Waters. We meet him as this class clown kind of character, and as we move along through the story, we get to know more about him. I need to point out that he doesn't change. He doesn't go from being class clown to the guy who spouts bits of poetry and history when only Julia is listening. He is both. I seriously could shed a tear for how beautiful his character is. Oh, especially with the super awesome amazing twist at the end. It's one of those that will make you shoot out of your chair and yell, "NO WAY!" at 2am. Oh, just me? Oh… Okay.
There were some AMAZINGLY WRITTEN LINES. Well, the whole book is so good, but oh, there are some things that Jason says that are so A+. And when Julia has her epiphanies after being wrapped around the axle about the whole "meant to be" issue and the boys issue and the… Okay, she's a worrier. But I have felt some of the same things she's felt, so there were times when I was crying with her. Not TFiOS cries by any means, but I just… When you have felt those same things, it's like finding a new friend to confide in. Seriously, this book. It makes me want more from this author as soon as possible!
Overall, this book was pretty freakin' spectacular. Holy wow, as Julia would say! If you're looking for a book that is along the lines of Anna and the French Kiss and Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes, this is your book. Go get it November 13th!
This is a book that took me by utter surprise. I was thinking that I would be reading a cute contemporary novel. I hadn't read the description or even heard what it was about. You see, I met Lauren twice before I even thought about requesting it on NetGalley. If her book is as awesome as she is, it has GOT to be a good read.
Let's talk about the book. I was surprised at how much I was like Julia in high school, minus the grades. She's a stickler for rules and MAPS. Oh my gosh, maps are so important. There were times when this got in the way of a true London adventure, and that's when Jason steps in.
How much do I love Jason? I love him a lot. Like, he's up there with Augustus Waters. We meet him as this class clown kind of character, and as we move along through the story, we get to know more about him. I need to point out that he doesn't change. He doesn't go from being class clown to the guy who spouts bits of poetry and history when only Julia is listening. He is both. I seriously could shed a tear for how beautiful his character is. Oh, especially with the super awesome amazing twist at the end. It's one of those that will make you shoot out of your chair and yell, "NO WAY!" at 2am. Oh, just me? Oh… Okay.
There were some AMAZINGLY WRITTEN LINES. Well, the whole book is so good, but oh, there are some things that Jason says that are so A+. And when Julia has her epiphanies after being wrapped around the axle about the whole "meant to be" issue and the boys issue and the… Okay, she's a worrier. But I have felt some of the same things she's felt, so there were times when I was crying with her. Not TFiOS cries by any means, but I just… When you have felt those same things, it's like finding a new friend to confide in. Seriously, this book. It makes me want more from this author as soon as possible!
Overall, this book was pretty freakin' spectacular. Holy wow, as Julia would say! If you're looking for a book that is along the lines of Anna and the French Kiss and Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes, this is your book. Go get it November 13th!
April 11, 2017
4 stars
Review to come
This book was adorable!
Introvert girl + extrovert guy
Paired together on an international school trip
and my favorite of all tropes ... the hate to love <3
Yeah it's like all the other fluffy light reads ... cliché and cute and 100% worth a read if you like books like Anna and the French Kiss, and etc (except I thought this book had a lot more exciting things to offer).
I had only a few complaints that I will chronicle in a full review soon, but for the most part this book was cutsie romantic goodness <3
Review to come
This book was adorable!
Introvert girl + extrovert guy
Paired together on an international school trip
and my favorite of all tropes ... the hate to love <3
Yeah it's like all the other fluffy light reads ... cliché and cute and 100% worth a read if you like books like Anna and the French Kiss, and etc (except I thought this book had a lot more exciting things to offer).
I had only a few complaints that I will chronicle in a full review soon, but for the most part this book was cutsie romantic goodness <3
Want to read
November 25, 2012I bet that Jason guy is the one sending the texts. Obviously.
April 22, 2017
5 stars
OMG I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!!
RTC
OMG I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!!
RTC
January 18, 2021
packing my bags for london... who's with me?
July 16, 2013
This had all the ingredients for the light and fluffy read I was looking for:
☑ foreign location (London-town!)
☑ enemies-turned-sweethearts
☑ ginger hero
☑ cute cover
Sadly, it failed short of my expectations. *sigh* I must admit, I'm partly to blame. I was still in the middle of a fantastic series when I started this, but I convinced myself that I wouldn't be able to handle an emotionally exhausting read during a weekend that's supposed to be about getting some rest and relaxation. This seemed like the perfect fit, but I ended up thinking about that other book the entire time.
In addition to the distracted mind, I was also comparing this to an all-time favourite of mine. Maybe the similarities ended with the foreign country and the OCD heroine, but reviews of this book often likened the two and THAT book was full of cute and adorbs while this one was... not.
The premise was promising. Julia is a rule-follower who believes in having an MTB, a meant-to-be person who's the perfect guy for her. She thinks it's Mark, her childhood crush whom she "married" when she was five, but ever since Mark moved away and came back last year, she's been invisible girl. Presently, she's on the trip of her dreams, a school excursion to London, where her parents (the ultimate MTBs) went for their honeymoon. She's got her pocket Shakespeare in her bag and a luggageful of guidebooks ready. Her itinerary is set and she's determined to have the best nine days in the city of her dreams. However, her plans fall through when she is assigned to be trip buddies with Jason, the obnoxious class troublemaker. He's everything Mark is not - immature, idiotic and a complete rule-breaker.
The plot was predictable, but I was hoping that the location, the narration and the characters' personalities would still deliver an entertaining read. Unfortunately, I couldn't get past Julia's holier-than-thou attitude and Jason's childish antics. I tried to be patient and forgiving since they're kids but their constant bickering made them seem more like 12-year-olds than the 16-year-olds they were. Jason was the slightly better character of the two and he described Julia best when he said this to her:
So you know how it ends. Boy teaches girl to lighten up. Girl teaches flirty boy about love and they end up falling for each other. The transition from extreme dislike to sudden love was also choppy and unrealistic. The only thing that kept me from completely hating this was the surprise twist at the end and the few swoontastic moves by Jason. Other than that it was just okay for me. But as I've said, maybe it was just poor timing. I've seen other readers say they couldn't stop smiling the moment they began this so maybe it's just me. *shrug*
☑ foreign location (London-town!)
☑ enemies-turned-sweethearts
☑ ginger hero
☑ cute cover
Sadly, it failed short of my expectations. *sigh* I must admit, I'm partly to blame. I was still in the middle of a fantastic series when I started this, but I convinced myself that I wouldn't be able to handle an emotionally exhausting read during a weekend that's supposed to be about getting some rest and relaxation. This seemed like the perfect fit, but I ended up thinking about that other book the entire time.
In addition to the distracted mind, I was also comparing this to an all-time favourite of mine. Maybe the similarities ended with the foreign country and the OCD heroine, but reviews of this book often likened the two and THAT book was full of cute and adorbs while this one was... not.
The premise was promising. Julia is a rule-follower who believes in having an MTB, a meant-to-be person who's the perfect guy for her. She thinks it's Mark, her childhood crush whom she "married" when she was five, but ever since Mark moved away and came back last year, she's been invisible girl. Presently, she's on the trip of her dreams, a school excursion to London, where her parents (the ultimate MTBs) went for their honeymoon. She's got her pocket Shakespeare in her bag and a luggageful of guidebooks ready. Her itinerary is set and she's determined to have the best nine days in the city of her dreams. However, her plans fall through when she is assigned to be trip buddies with Jason, the obnoxious class troublemaker. He's everything Mark is not - immature, idiotic and a complete rule-breaker.
The plot was predictable, but I was hoping that the location, the narration and the characters' personalities would still deliver an entertaining read. Unfortunately, I couldn't get past Julia's holier-than-thou attitude and Jason's childish antics. I tried to be patient and forgiving since they're kids but their constant bickering made them seem more like 12-year-olds than the 16-year-olds they were. Jason was the slightly better character of the two and he described Julia best when he said this to her:
"Haven't you spent most of this trip thinking that all your classmates are shallow horndogs who couldn't appreciate the history and literature of London if it kicked them in the teeth?"
So you know how it ends. Boy teaches girl to lighten up. Girl teaches flirty boy about love and they end up falling for each other. The transition from extreme dislike to sudden love was also choppy and unrealistic. The only thing that kept me from completely hating this was the surprise twist at the end and the few swoontastic moves by Jason. Other than that it was just okay for me. But as I've said, maybe it was just poor timing. I've seen other readers say they couldn't stop smiling the moment they began this so maybe it's just me. *shrug*
September 18, 2017
Sanırım, çok da büyük bir beklentiyle başlamadığım için sevdim.
Ayrıca kitabın Türkçe adı iyi uyarlanmış ;D
Bir de ben değişik yerler keşfettirebilen kitapları seviyorum. Bu kitapla da Londra'nın başka yönlerini görebiliyoruz :)
Ayrıca kitabın Türkçe adı iyi uyarlanmış ;D
Bir de ben değişik yerler keşfettirebilen kitapları seviyorum. Bu kitapla da Londra'nın başka yönlerini görebiliyoruz :)
September 5, 2020
review on book blog: https://www.bookwormsandbibliophiles....
so underrated and for what?? read this now dpiasidlks
so underrated and for what?? read this now dpiasidlks
September 26, 2020
*Spoilers*
I just wasted so much of my time. And the worst part about that is that while I was reading this book, I was fully aware of that fact and... I didn't stop... *silent scream to the Elder Gods*
I feel like I always have this problem - I pick up these books that have descriptions like: "Hi! My names Bernadette. My name gets me bullied a lot along with my personality but that's only because I'm QUIRKY and TOO SMART COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE BELOW AVERAGE PLEBS IN MY HIGH SCHOOL. But among all the dumb kids in my school, there's one person I hate above all the others. He's funny, everybody likes him (EXCEPT FOR ME BECAUSE I'M QUIRKY), and he's relentlessly mean to me. But I think I might love him. Mainly because of the aforementioned descriptions of his personality and also because he's HOT. Boo. What am I gonna do?"
And I don't really think that it's the fault of anyone but my crippling need to buy every single book that I lay eyes. Not only that but I go into these books with an almost childlike naivety, hoping, desperately that one day I'll come across the Golden Grail. That definitely was not this book.
Remember that description I punched out before? Julie is all of those things with an added side of OCD (she takes obsessive notes on every single tour that they go through in London) and an extra serving of sexism. When I say that she embodies every bad thing in one human being what I mean is that I would rather sit down on the sidewalk and saw off my own legs with the beak of a duck than have to walk anywhere near her. She REPEATEDLY slut shames her female classmates, openly looking down her nose at them when they flirt with boys and idk, just act like teenagers?
But Julie wants to be edgy. She wants to travel down the bad boy road. (In secret, of course. She would never let her classmates now that her cheeks are anything but CLENCHED around the ten foot pole.)
So... what does she do? She follows her tour buddy, Jason to a party, gets kind of wasted but not wasted enough to make her look anything but fabulous as she walks home. And then she lies to as many people as she can about being a supermodel.
Things obviously spiral out of control pretty quickly from there because... I mean...
So we're booping along with Julie as she juggles three different guys - the one she lied to, the imaginary one that she kind of creepily obsesses over, and... Jason. Oh Jason.
When I say that I desperately wanted to like him, what I mean is that for the better part of half of the book, I was clinging onto him like a waterlogged sailer watching her ship go down.
And then, much like Rose, Jason tenderly pried my fingers away from our raft and let me slowly drift to the bottom of the ocean. It was lovely.
Jason was one of the most obnoxious, weirdly privileged white boys I have ever had the displeasure of reading. He constantly called her "book licker" which I have to say is probably one of the most disgusting, dumbest nicknames I've heard. And then *deep breath* we have the moment when her imaginary crush suddenly shows up at the hotel their staying in and asks Julie out. Jason has to go because their tour buddies and...
He starts to cartwheel around places, doing handstands, jumping on benches all in a bid to... idk. Win Julie's love?
And then... he bodily throws himself and Julie into a lake. Like... what? Is this teen romance? If this was what I was missing out on in high school than I thank all of the gods because if you've ever been tossed into a lake before... It's fucking awful! But sure. Jason is a huge man-child and he can't fathom any girl (especially one as anal-retentive as Julie) to ever not fall in love with him. Not that he gives her many signals from the constant efforts to get away from her, sneaking out at night to get drunk and mac on girls and generally embarrassing her when they're in large groups.
Oh. And then there's the little fact that even though he openly complains about not having good grades in his classes and needing them to not get disowned by his family or keep food on his plate, he makes zero effort. Which is one of my pet peeves. Like he just wants to mooch off of everyone for the rest of his life so maybe that's why he likes Julie. She does all of the essays for the trip for both of them. So that's hawt.
All in all, the two people that I was supposed to like were horrible human beings and the background characters had almost zero likable qualities either. 10 out of 10, would recommend.
I just wasted so much of my time. And the worst part about that is that while I was reading this book, I was fully aware of that fact and... I didn't stop... *silent scream to the Elder Gods*
I feel like I always have this problem - I pick up these books that have descriptions like: "Hi! My names Bernadette. My name gets me bullied a lot along with my personality but that's only because I'm QUIRKY and TOO SMART COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE BELOW AVERAGE PLEBS IN MY HIGH SCHOOL. But among all the dumb kids in my school, there's one person I hate above all the others. He's funny, everybody likes him (EXCEPT FOR ME BECAUSE I'M QUIRKY), and he's relentlessly mean to me. But I think I might love him. Mainly because of the aforementioned descriptions of his personality and also because he's HOT. Boo. What am I gonna do?"
And I don't really think that it's the fault of anyone but my crippling need to buy every single book that I lay eyes. Not only that but I go into these books with an almost childlike naivety, hoping, desperately that one day I'll come across the Golden Grail. That definitely was not this book.
Remember that description I punched out before? Julie is all of those things with an added side of OCD (she takes obsessive notes on every single tour that they go through in London) and an extra serving of sexism. When I say that she embodies every bad thing in one human being what I mean is that I would rather sit down on the sidewalk and saw off my own legs with the beak of a duck than have to walk anywhere near her. She REPEATEDLY slut shames her female classmates, openly looking down her nose at them when they flirt with boys and idk, just act like teenagers?
But Julie wants to be edgy. She wants to travel down the bad boy road. (In secret, of course. She would never let her classmates now that her cheeks are anything but CLENCHED around the ten foot pole.)
So... what does she do? She follows her tour buddy, Jason to a party, gets kind of wasted but not wasted enough to make her look anything but fabulous as she walks home. And then she lies to as many people as she can about being a supermodel.
Things obviously spiral out of control pretty quickly from there because... I mean...
So we're booping along with Julie as she juggles three different guys - the one she lied to, the imaginary one that she kind of creepily obsesses over, and... Jason. Oh Jason.
When I say that I desperately wanted to like him, what I mean is that for the better part of half of the book, I was clinging onto him like a waterlogged sailer watching her ship go down.
And then, much like Rose, Jason tenderly pried my fingers away from our raft and let me slowly drift to the bottom of the ocean. It was lovely.
Jason was one of the most obnoxious, weirdly privileged white boys I have ever had the displeasure of reading. He constantly called her "book licker" which I have to say is probably one of the most disgusting, dumbest nicknames I've heard. And then *deep breath* we have the moment when her imaginary crush suddenly shows up at the hotel their staying in and asks Julie out. Jason has to go because their tour buddies and...
He starts to cartwheel around places, doing handstands, jumping on benches all in a bid to... idk. Win Julie's love?
And then... he bodily throws himself and Julie into a lake. Like... what? Is this teen romance? If this was what I was missing out on in high school than I thank all of the gods because if you've ever been tossed into a lake before... It's fucking awful! But sure. Jason is a huge man-child and he can't fathom any girl (especially one as anal-retentive as Julie) to ever not fall in love with him. Not that he gives her many signals from the constant efforts to get away from her, sneaking out at night to get drunk and mac on girls and generally embarrassing her when they're in large groups.
Oh. And then there's the little fact that even though he openly complains about not having good grades in his classes and needing them to not get disowned by his family or keep food on his plate, he makes zero effort. Which is one of my pet peeves. Like he just wants to mooch off of everyone for the rest of his life so maybe that's why he likes Julie. She does all of the essays for the trip for both of them. So that's hawt.
All in all, the two people that I was supposed to like were horrible human beings and the background characters had almost zero likable qualities either. 10 out of 10, would recommend.
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