Whenever Hannah Orenstein comes out with a new book, I get incredibly excited. I love watching the process of her writing, editing, and further editing a draft live on Instagram stories and then seeing the final result come to life? It is truly breathtaking and one of my favorite things to witness.
I remember when Hannah started writing "Meant to be Mine" in the early weeks of the pandemic and I had that in my mind while reading. It made the reading experience extra special because I was able to fully appreciate how idyllic the story was, with New York as a backdrop and close family events... it was something we were robbed of and Hannah made that part of life truly shine.
There were lots of things I liked about this book and some I didn't... as much as I enjoyed it in totality, it wasn't my favorite Hannah Orenstein novel, but still worth the read. Let's get into it!
Publisher's Summary
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.
My Thoughts
"Meant to Be Mine" took me a little while to finish and even longer to get into; I was having trouble connecting with and believing the story. It was very whimsical with a hint of magic because of the supernatural capabilities of the grandmother character being able to predict everyone's soulmates.
I think when I read this I was in a cynical 'anti-love' place so I wasn't in the mood for a romance but truthfully, I think it was because I felt as if Edie was really immature and was trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
To me, Edie was too in the clouds, she was even a little annoying and I wanted to shake her to have her realize even though Gloria predicted her date, Theo was not her soulmate. They were too different, wanted completely different things and I just got major ick from him. Edie deserved more.
When Edie finally embraced herself and what she wanted versus chasing her fate, I screamed with joy. I felt like she came into her own throughout the novel and had to deal with some serious issues, such as death and it was oddly comforting to watch someone become one with themselves through heartbreak and ache.
At the end of the novel, I cried hysterically and felt like everything really came full circle. As much as I didn't like this at the beginning I ended up really liking it!
The one thing I loved through and through? Hannah's writing. It is utter perfection. I have watched her writing transform from debut to fourth novel and it is so beautiful, it actually makes me emotional. I love reading how she tells a story, how her words flow and how everything really comes together.
All of Hannah's stories are so unique and sound like the ideal rom com, one I would want to watch on the big screen. The stories are so clear and almost methodical but in the best way possible. I would read anything she wrote.
If you love the idea of fate, destiny, psychic abilities and don't mind being slightly irritated for a few chapters I think you will love Meant to Be Mine.
xoxo
B
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