A special thank you to the author, Emily Giffin, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A restless golden boy and a girl with a troubled past navigate a love story that may be doomed before it even begins in this irresistible new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Something Borrowed and The Lies That Bind.
The Kingsley family is practically American royalty, beloved for their military heroics, political service, and unmatched elegance. When Joseph S. Kingsley III is born in 1960, he inherits the weight of that legacy. Growing up with all the Kingsley looks and charisma, Joe should have no problem taking up the mantle after his father’s untimely death. But he is also a little bit reckless, and can’t seem to figure out how to channel the expectations of an entire country.
No one ever expected anything of Cate, on the other hand. She, too, grew up in a single-parent household—just her and her mom scraping by in their small apartment. As a teenager, though, Cate is discovered for her looks. Modeling may be her only ticket out of the cycle of disappointment that her mother has always inhabited. Before too long, her face is everywhere, though she is always aware that she’d be a pariah in her social circles if anyone knew her true story.
When Joe and Cate’s paths cross, their connection is instant. What remains to be seen is whether their relationship will survive the glare of the spotlight that follows Joe everywhere. And just as they find themselves in the make-or-break moment, the tragedy that seems to run in Joe’s family right alongside all that privilege will repeat itself.
Meant to Be is an against-all-odds love story that is inspired by Carolyn Bissette and John F. Kennedy Jr. It goes beyond the framework of their lives by musing the "what ifs" had they not perished in a plane crash. Although there are fresh backstories, the story is structured with actual events and captures Carolyn's iconic and timeless sense of style and John-John's charisma.
Emily Giffin excels at not only creating characters that have emotional depth, but at writing about relationships in all of their messy glory. She channels the difficulty that Bissette faced marrying into such a famous family by putting Cate into similar situations—being stalked by the paparazzi—and Joe, charming and handsome, is also shouldering the weight of his family's legacy like John-John.
Written in alternating perspectives, Meant to Be is an exploration of class and privilege against the backdrop of an unexpected love story. And like The Lies That Bind, it romanticizes the nostalgia of the 90s. With a fascination for the Kennedys, Giffin shines a light on the obsession of celebrity culture and what could've been. Meant to Be is an escapist love story—complicated and beautiful.
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EMILY GIFFIN is a graduate of Wake Forest University and the University of Virginia School of Law. She is the author of ten internationally bestselling novels: Something Borrowed, Something Blue, Baby Proof, Love the One You’re With, Heart of the Matter, Where We Belong, The One & Only, First Comes Love, All We Ever Wanted, and The Lies That Bind. Her books have been translated into thirty-one languages, with over twelve million copies sold worldwide. In addition, five of her novels have been optioned for the big screen and are in various stages of development.
Giffin lives in Atlanta with her husband and three children.
