Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Meant for Me

Rate this book
Sometimes you have to run away to find yourself

Reeling from the sudden loss of her older sister―her only family―Addie May flees Los Angeles without a plan or a destination, and ends up in Georgetown, Texas. Lost and alone, she’s taken in by some kind local ranchers, and there she meets farm hand Zac Ryan, who starts to cut through the grief and pain and show Addie that she has something to live for.

But the small town holds more than just a fresh start for Addie. Fate has brought her face-to-face with a piece of her past, and she can no longer ignore the parts of herself she thought she’d left behind. Without knowing what’s on the horizon, Addie must find the strength to move towards her dreams. Because healing happens when you let love in, and life happens when you start living it.

328 pages, Paperback

Published February 13, 2024

11 people are currently reading
4717 people want to read

About the author

Tay Marley

12 books398 followers
Wattpad: tayxwriter
Instagram: tayxwriter

Author of the most read book on wattpad in 2018, The QB Bad Boy and Me, now available in all leading book stores.

The prequel to The QB Bad Boy and Me, The Summer of '98 out now! Order it from Amazon, Book Depository and your local book stores.

Tay Marley wears many hats: bibliophile, entrepreneur, wife, mother, and featured Wattpad author. Her whirlwind journey on Wattpad began in 2017 and led to one hundred thousand dedicated followers, a five-part series, and three stand-alone books, including her breakout story, The QB Bad Boy and Me, which have amassed over forty-one million reads. She resides in New Zealand with her husband. When she isn’t writing about confident women and their love interests, she’s teaching her three small children how to be the leads in their own epic tales.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
105 (35%)
4 stars
120 (40%)
3 stars
49 (16%)
2 stars
15 (5%)
1 star
5 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
Profile Image for Lauren Jackson.
Author 5 books545 followers
December 20, 2023
I really enjoyed experiencing Tay’s debut adult book after falling in love with her YA work. I went into this one totally blind and I gasped out loud several times at the twists and turns it took! Just when I thought I had things figured out, more would happen!

The best way to describe this book is: Raw, heart breaking, bittersweet and wholesome — all at the same time.

Meant for Me takes you on an emotional roller coaster. This book certainly explores some heavy topics, so please research trigger warnings beforehand.

If you’re after an emotional book that will have you in all the feels, this one is for you!

Releasing Feb 13th, 2024 💜
Profile Image for bookswjb.
310 reviews60 followers
June 16, 2024
this was a reread & wow i forgot how much i loved it 🥹


arc review

this book. wow. i am blown away.

this story was so captivating & raw & real & emotional. it really took me on a roller coaster. i started this yesterday after i got it, & just got lost in the pages. THIS is what i love about reading.

Tay’s writing just has a way of fully immersing you into it & i’ve talked about this with her books before! i didn’t realize how much i needed one of her stories right now, this hit so hard.

Addie’s character is one of my favorites, there were so many aspects in which i related to her. & Zac 😭 my precious angel baby Zac ughhhhh my heart!!! he is so loving & understood her in such a way that just made my heart melt.

“She might be the best thing that’s ever stumbled into my life.”

i want to say so much more, but since this is an arc & i don’t want to spoil anything, just KNOW, you need to add this to your 2024 tbr!!!

*there are some content warnings, if you’d like to know what they are, feel free to message me!*

Meant For Me by Tay Marley releases February 13, 2024
again, thank you to netgalley & wattpad books for the early free copy!
Profile Image for Emilie.
324 reviews
Read
December 27, 2023
Meant for Me wasn't meant for me 😆 The pacing of the book felt inconsistent. As a result, I didn't feel motivated to see what happened next with the characters. Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for the ARC.
Profile Image for Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews.
2,901 reviews214 followers
February 13, 2024
This book blends romance, friendship, and family strife. The author hits just the right note on all three, which will draw you into the lives of the characters and potentially take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride.

Addie is grieving for the loss of her sister. We don't know how she died until much later in the book, and once certain details are revealed, her attempt to disappear makes sense. Addie runs from her home in California to Texas and Georgetown at that. Knowing that the author lives in another country, I always wonder how well they will portray a smaller town in Texas and how closely the town resembles fact. While I think it might be off just a little bit, since Georgetown is a little larger than portrayed in the book, it isn't too far off.

The friendship between Addie and Zac grows over time. There is an attraction between the two, but it takes time to grow into a full-blown relationship. But I like that because many times, relationships are rushed. This one meanders, much like Texas folks.

There are several twists and turns, and fate has stepped in to give Addie more than she ever bargained for. To share any of that would spoil the book, so you will have to pick it up and read it for yourself.

This is the first book by this author that I have read, and I can say that it truly did delight. We give it 4 paws up.
Profile Image for Beth Robinette.
60 reviews
February 4, 2025
This book was SO good! I got it with my ivory chapters book subscription so I didn’t know what to expect since I didn’t pick it out myself.. I couldn’t believe the twist and turns it took and I was hooked from the start!
Profile Image for Jen Lunning.
113 reviews4 followers
February 8, 2024
First I would like to thank NetGalley for an ARC of Meant for me by Tay Marley in exchange for an honest review.

Second… don’t come for me guys… I didn’t like it.

I wanted to DNF this book at least 10 times and honestly I wish I would have sooner. If it was my personal book I would have, but felt I needed to give it a fair chance as it’s an ARC.

Personally I felt like too many things were happening to make it not enjoyable. Miscarriages, adoptions, rape/SA, grief, loss ending up in a hospital 20+ miles from home. Oof. This book is somewhat similar to Colleen Hoovers book reminders of him and I would read that one instead. This one is really forgettable and I was forcing myself to finish it.

After looking at other reviews my opinion is not that popular, so I think if you like these types of books you should go for it, but it wasn’t meant for me. <——see what I did there?

P.s. please check trigger warnings before reading this.
Profile Image for Tamara.
129 reviews2 followers
January 1, 2024
In this book we follow Addie on an emotional journey through grief and self-discovery. A tale of resilience and healing unfolds in as she struggles to find herself after the storm of past trauma.
She meets Zac and his wonderful family by coincidence (or fate if you think anything like Raine).

I love a good Smalltown romance 💒 this absolutely hit the spot and was such a great book to end the year on.
Profile Image for Vivian Chi.
86 reviews4 followers
March 16, 2024
I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. If I could, I would’ve read it in one sitting.
I would recommend checking for tw before diving in.

From start to finish, this book was the most WHOLESOME read. I cried, I laughed, I swooned.

This story follows Addie’s life after immense tragedies as she experiences grief, new life experiences, and love all while learning to heal herself. I love that the author showed that ultimately, it’s within yourself to heal and not the expectations of others to heal you. My heart absolutely shattered for Addie and all she went through. Her strength is unmatched. I wish I could hug her.

Zac. Truly a character who will go down as one of my most adored fictional men of all time. My heart did leaps for this man. He is everything. And why is it that i suddenly want to be called “ma’am?” 😂🫠

I absolutely adored all the characters in this book. It all felt so real, so relatable, and so validating.

Hands down, one of my favorite reads. It was absolutely heartbreaking and beautiful all in one.

I cannot wait to have a copy of this physical book. I already know I’ll be re-reading it right away.

Thank you Netgalley and Tay Marley for allowing me this ARC. Congratulations on the adult debut! Excited to read more from this author.
17 reviews2 followers
January 29, 2024
There was. A lot going on in this book. It was hard for me to get into and hard for me to finish. I feel if it had one less trope it could have really locked in and expanded and really pushed it.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!
Profile Image for Courtney.
128 reviews
July 6, 2023
I loved all the characters, they were all so wholesome :)! The story was well-written and I couldn’t get enough of Addie and Zac!
Profile Image for Briana Bailon.
842 reviews16 followers
December 22, 2023
*Thank you Wattpad Books and Tay Marley for providing me an ARC of this book. As always I appreciate it, and all opinions are my own.

*Check Trigger Warnings Before Reading.

4.75⭐️/ 2🌶️

Something about this book caught my attention. When I heard this book was being described as something along the lines of being emotional, and set within a small town, I was intrigued. With the synopsis not giving much away in terms of what the story was about, I went into this book with a blind eye. This story followed, Addie as she was trying to find her way after going through an emotional loss. Along the way, she found herself in the small town of, Georgetown, Texas, where she met some kindhearted people. This story showed the past and present of Addie’s life and how much had changed in between. With the added fact of a romance brewing between Addie and a certain handsome man she met, Addie was about to discover all the ways her life would continue to change, but also feel stuck by her grief.

Addie seemed to be struggling with the loss of her older sister, which was understandable, but finding herself in Georgetown, Texas seemed like the perfect place for her to recover herself. All her life, it had always been Addie and her older sister, Margo, so now with Margo no longer being around, it was like Addie lost a big part of her family, basically the last family member she had. As a younger sister, I could understand the bond one has with their older sister. Me and my older sister are really close so, while reading I couldn’t help but picture my relationship with my sister and how we’ve always been together throughout our lives. This story focused on Addie dealing with her grief, but also trying to move forward. I feel like for those of you who have an older sibling might connect to some aspects of Addie and Margo’s relationship or even just feel emotional about the love these two sisters had for each other.

Something about small towns always just hits the spot for me, and I think Addie fell in love with the charm of the town and the people as well. Addie was use to living in the busy and glamorous life of Beverly Hills, but just because she lived there didn’t mean she loved it. Being in Georgetown, seemed more like Addie’s speed with the quiet and relaxed life within the town as opposed to all the glitz and glamour she was use to growing up in Los Angeles. Add in meeting Raine, Willa, Milo, and Zac, Addie met some really wonderful people who welcomed her with open arms.

This was my first time reading a book written by Tay Marley, and from the first few chapters, I immediately started to love this book! The way Tay wrote Addie and Zac was a testament to showing how much care and thought she put into their romance. Even the things that Addie thought about from her life, in some aspects I could relate to. I found Addie to be a relatable and lovable character. Plus, with the way that Zac swooped in and basically became the man that stole Addie’s heart, it wasn’t a tough sell for me either! I loved how patient, understanding, and sweet Zac was! The romance, the characters, and the overall story were fantastic!

This story had me going from experiencing the grief and loss Addie went through to the blooming romance between her and Zac. There was a variety of things explored in Addie’s story, but at one point in the story I was hit with a truth from Addie’s past I wasn’t expecting!!! Like I said, I went into this book with an open mind, not knowing much, but certain details started adding up that became glaringly apparent that things from Addie’s past and present were colliding. Prepare yourself for a bit of a plot twist because I sure wasn’t expecting the direction it went in!

(Sigh) I just adored and loved Zac! That man initially seemed like he couldn’t be bothered by Addie, but that quickly changed with the way he was so patient and kind with her. I especially loved the moments when Zac and Addie spent together because, not only did it highlight how close they got within a short amount of time, but also the sweet things Zac did. If a man (*ahem Zac) surprised me with a picnic while riding a horse to take me to a quiet, secluded cliff top for a romantic evening, I WOULD SNATCH HIM UP! Basically everything and anything Zac did was SWOON WORTHY AND UGH I LOVED HIM! Addie was use to living vicariously through the romance novels she read (SAME!) and for her to experience what she could only have read about with Zac showed her that fictional men COULD BE REAL! Zac was the epitome of what we book girlies all wish we could find, a tall, handsome, rugged man who was equal parts strong and sincere!

This book came full circle specifically in the meaning behind the title. I legitimately didn’t know what direction this story was going in, but with each chapter it became more unexpected and interesting. Addie’s journey from the beginning to end was a bit of a rollercoaster that I can’t even begin to imagine how she felt. I mean, I could imagine since she talked about parts of her life, but that was only something SHE would understand. Regardless, I was hooked and throughly intrigued by Addie’s story. The plot twists were shocking and I didn’t see them coming. Little details came together to tie in the overarching plot which in the end made SO MUCH SENSE! I lowkey expected an emotional small town romance, but it was much more than that! The relationship Addie and Margo had was stronger than just being sisters and that part of the story really hit home for me. Margo was Addie’s family and after losing her it was devastating. Meeting Raine, Willa, and Zac was a new beginning for Addie in some ways she couldn’t have seen coming. This was an emotional story that dealt with some heavy topics, but also had lighthearted and heartfelt moments as well. I loved Zac’s character and in the end he and Addie were perfect together. The ending of this story was sentimental, lovely, and the epilogue was the cherry on top to show a happy ending for Addie and Zac which was so freaking wholesome and beautiful! I’m really looking forward to reading more books by Tay Marley!
397 reviews2 followers
August 7, 2024
This is a well written and interesting book. Told in the first person by young Addie May, the author melds the past and present in diverging time frames. As Addie rides east from California by bus, she contemplates why she has left and where she is going.
There are a couple of reasons why this book rates four stars and not five for me.
The opening page and a half is one problem. I fail to see (even after going back and rereading that part a number of times) why the author chose that opening scene. It added nothing to the story...but actually served as a distraction for this reader. Had author Tay Marley begun with, "As I watched the expansive land from the bus window" (from page 2), and then reflected on her past in a later scene, I'd have been immediately transported into the novel.
Only one thing said in that introduction relating to Addie's future is important. Older sister, Margo, had once told her that "The universe brought people together in mysterious ways."
This brings me to the second thing I had trouble with, but that relates to something happening later in the novel. I won't talk about it here because it would be a spoiler for other readers. When I got there, it was still hard for me to assimilate.
Aside from these two blips, the book is fantastic. Addie feels hollow as she steps from the bus in Austin, Texas. What has she left behind? We soon learn this in bits and pieces deftly woven into the present.
Addie, in the depths of despair due to a great loss, eventually learns to live and love again. Two vital and well depicted characters (Addie and Zac Ryan) make this a very good novel. Their story is uplifting and heartwarming. Their stories filled the book with many surprises.
Profile Image for Melissa (honeybee.reads).
1,394 reviews45 followers
November 29, 2023
Wowza what a beautiful story, fantastically well done 👏 I was hooked from the first page and I took my time devouring this book, it's a slow burn, but so beautifully woven with all the other aspects of the story. This one has multiple layers and beautiful lessons to take with you. I am blown away by the originality, rawness, and emotional story the author created.

Addie is one of the most relatable FMC's I have read, everything about her reactions, her emotions, her feelings was so believable, she has been dealt a shitty hand in life, but it had other plans for her and her growth and HEA was amazing. Zac, this man deserves an award! He was beautiful, patient, loving, accepting, close to his emotions and he was just the perfect man to accept everything about Addie. I couldn't get enough of these two. The found family was also a huge add on, they were simply amazing.

Tay's writing was so captivating, it kept me hooked, kept me wanting more and kept me flipping those pages. I was completely immersed, the dialogues just everything hit perfectly. I've already downloaded another one of her books and I cannot wait to start it. I'm now obsessed!

Such a wholesome book that everyone needs to read, a great story of everything happens for a reason. I adored it ! It will wreck you in the best way. You'll want to add this one to your 2024 TBR.

If you're looking for a beautiful, emotional, realistic story with a happy ending don't miss out!

✨️Thank you to @fpxwpbooks, @wattpadbooks & @tayxwriter for my free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Morgan.
359 reviews27 followers
February 13, 2024
Full review on thegraduatedbookworm.com

First, I'd like to thank Frayed Pages x Wattpad Books for sending me an ARC copy to review! This book hooked me in and I cannot stop thinking about it and this world.

Meant for Me honestly has so much and it was perfect! There's steam, angst, loss, grief, growth and love. I swear if my heart ripped out of my chest, it would be Tay Marley's fault after reading Addie & Zac's story.

While there were aspects of the book that came out where I totally didn't expect it, I think Tay Marley wove it so well into this story between past and present. And those journal entries had me by the throat towards the end of the book. It was *chefs kiss*

Let's take a hot second though to talk about Zac. He came in a bit hot after first impressions, but boy did I find myself swooning HARD for this man the more I read between him and Addie. He was so gentle and kind towards her, helping her heal from her grief, showing and telling her that he was there for her while slowly letting one another in and falling hard and fast. The side glances, soft touches... ughh I loved it! And when they finally got together? Hot damn, was it hot in here!

Overall, this story was an emotional journey that had more than just the spice. It was beautifully heartbreaking, raw and powerful. I was broken apart and put back together. A MUST READ! I couldn't stop reading, devouring the pages as fast as my eyes were reading, but also not wanting this story to end. You could feel the emotions pouring out of the pages, and that ending? Man, it was perfect! Don't sleep on this book. If you love small town vibes, a super emotional read, with a dash of spice... pick this book up now!
Profile Image for Savanna.
337 reviews86 followers
January 22, 2024
God this book tore my heart to shreds and put it back together. This story was so real and emotional and captivating. I honestly couldn’t put it down.

After losing her sister suddenly, Addie is trying to figure out how to do life without her. This is a powerful story about grief and self discovery and will have you crying by the end.

I adored these characters so freaking much. Addie was a phenomenal MC and cinnamon roll Zac was just chefs kiss. He needs to be protected at all costs as well as little Willa. She stole my heart!!

Please check trigger warnings before picking this one up because it does deal with a lot of heavy topics!

Thank you so much to Wattpad Books for the arc! This beauty releases on February 13th.
Profile Image for Bergundy huggins.
2 reviews
November 27, 2023
I had the opportunity to read this book before the release date, and I absolutely loved this book. Throughout the story, i got upset that the author wasn’t telling us a main portion of the story, but when she finally did put it in; i understood why she waited. there were turns after turns, that always left me wanting more. Zac is my new book boyfriend for sure!! There were so so many things that made my jaw drop throughout this entire book. My recommendation is to sit down when you have some time and drink some wine while you read!! Tay is an amazing writer, and I can’t wait to read anything else she puts out! (i’ve already read the QB bad boy and me… it was also amazing)
78 reviews
August 1, 2024
This is a good found family story! I enjoyed the character growth and resilience when dealing with grief and finding one’s self. It was an emotional read with happy and giddy moments. Overall a good read!
Profile Image for Lisset.
158 reviews4 followers
February 16, 2024
⭐️3.8

Meant For Me, is an emotionally raw read. I was pulled in from the very beginning. This story is about self discovery, second chances, and a journey of coping with grief. I was shocked so many times by the events in this book.

Addie goes through so many things in life! I admire her strength. And Zac I almost lost it with him. But in the end he turned out to be a good fictional man for her!

This was difficult to rate because of the events that occurred in the story. I felt like I didn’t really connect with the characters. Also, I felt like what happened to Addie’s sister could have been more detailed. It was like it was just thrown in there.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Wattpad for gifting this e-ARC.
Profile Image for Kat Darby Lifted_pdx.
198 reviews5 followers
January 5, 2024
Meant for me, is an emotional roller coaster. I don’t know about you all but sometimes you just need to have an emotional response from a book whether it be happy, tears or sad tears, and this book delivers both.

Tropes: Starting Over, small town romance, overcoming grief, found family
Profile Image for Sierra.
474 reviews
February 6, 2024
While it takes a while to get into it, this story was perfection. Zac is *chef’s kiss*. If you don’t like fate, then this is not the book meant for you. It truly is “meant to be”. While some parts are predictable, some are shocking. I loved it and it gave me all the feels. I laughed, cried, & had my heart put back together.


I do wish the intimate scenes weren’t in it, that is one of the reasons I like Tay. I didn’t know this was a new adult book.


CW: minimal swearing, SA, 3 descriptive intimate scenes.
Profile Image for Brooke Hoover.
11 reviews
January 1, 2024
This was my first ARC read and my first read of the new year. A perfect small town romance filled with sweet, emotional, and heartbreaking moments! This book reminded me a lot of Archers Voice in the best ways!! Oh and the smut is good.
Profile Image for Dario Pacheco.
497 reviews32 followers
December 15, 2023
I could tell by the cover of this book that I was putting my emotions on the line and I haven’t done that in a while so I thought why not?
Sometimes you have to run away to find yourself
Reeling from the sudden loss of her older sister—her only family— Addie May flees Los Angeles without a plan or a destination, and ends up in Georgetown, Texas.
I quickly was in my feelings with even readying the synopsis. To imagine that kind of pain of losing a sister/mother figure all of sudden would absolute destroy anyone. Running away is such basic instinct that we could all relate to.
Without knowing what's on the horizon, Addie must find the strength to move towards her dreams.
Because healing happens when you let love in, and life happens when you start living it.
That journey to healing always begins in love.
Overall this vibe of the book was about loss and the journey to recovering from that loss.
I can honestly say that this book had me in my feelings a lot throughout my reading. Addie’s loss of her sister/mom figure absolutely gutted me and her journey of running away to recover resonated with me. Cause sometimes we run away until we are strong enough to face what forced us to break. Her love story for sure had its moments where I was rolling my eyes, especially with sex scenes I didn’t really care to read. But the ending for sure brought me back to focus on this book. A cute little ending that left me satisfied.
Overall a 4 star read.
Emotional, gut wrenching, hopeful and just a rollercoaster.
I would recommend it for sure.

Thanks to the folks at NetGalley for a ARC of this book. My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this booI.
Profile Image for Sophia B.
450 reviews41 followers
December 7, 2023
In #MeantToBe Addison May is adrift. She's living in a thick haze of grief after losing her oldest sister Margo, so suddenly that she still doesn't believe it true. The older sister who'd practically raised her after their parents died in an accident, her best friend. Though everything falls on her shoulders now, Addie leaves Margo's party planning company ' May We? ' (since they were the May girls), in the hands of her capable employees and skips town with no destination in mind.

Addie turns up in Texas and finds herself walking aimlessly for miles & miles, until police officer Raine comes upon her and catches her after she's fainted. When Raine realizes Addie has nowhere to go she invites her to stay at her family farm. There's something about her kindness that draws Addie in and before long she's stayed at the farm for weeks with no plans of returning home. At first, the caretaker of the farm, Zac, is outwardly rude, skeptical of this stranger invading his farm. But as she spends her days working beside him on the land, the draw between them becomes undeniable.

A secret from her past sneaks up on her like a bucket of ice water to the face. And that's not the only thing Addie is hiding...

I know it seems like I've said a lot in this synopsis but this novel is even more jam packed than that, I've barely scratched the surface! Aside for the romance aspect, the author keeps u reading by unraveling Addie's life prior to her sister's death slowly but surely throughout the novel- and the big reveals keep coming. The pace of the novel was perfect to allow the reader time to digest each reveal. I think the amount of unusual circumstances and unlikely coincidences Addie faces/has faced, gave it a little bit of a soap operatic feel but not in a cheesy way. A highly entertaining read with a satisfying ending, what more could u ask for?
Profile Image for Alex Lynch.
357 reviews3 followers
December 12, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Webtoon Book Group for the ARC of this title. I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I felt like too many tropes were thrown into one book. We've and orphan who experiencs death of a loved one, surrogacy, adoption, secret pregnancy, city girl goes to the country and more. I enjoyed the romance and I feel like overall it was a good read but the drama was a bit much on my opinion. Thank you for the opportunity to read it!
Profile Image for Libby.
15 reviews
October 17, 2023
Prewarning! Some minor spoilers!

I absolutely adored this book, from the first page I was hooked, and I’m so thankful I got the chance to read it. (Even though it had me sobbing in places)

Meant for me follows the journey of Addie May who struggles through grief, adulthood and motherhood, set in the beautiful countryside in Georgetown Texas. Following Addies story of overcoming her grief and finding herself and love along the way was so sweet to follow and really pulled at the heartstrings.

I loved the scene building, the character building and the plot was fantastic, the characters were so easy to fall inlove with, I especially adored Willa and her character throughout the book, she was absolutely adorable!

I overall loved everything about this book from the writing style to the whole plot line, and it 100% deserves the five stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Thindbooks.
1,232 reviews44 followers
March 5, 2024
4.5/5 stars
“With well-crafted emotions, a captivating small-town setting, and a satisfying happily ever after, this book is a must-read that beautifully captures the complexities of rebuilding one’s life after profound loss.” - thindbooks

This is a story about a woman whose sister passed away and she escapes to a small town in Texas where she hopes to find herself again. I really enjoyed this book. I have to say that at first I was about to DNF it because I wasn’t getting into the story but once we meet Raine, the story becomes so much better. This book mainly deals with grief and finding themselves again after the MC goes through so much loss. I loved the storyline which was so well-written and emotional. The author did a great job bringing different emotions to the story and capturing the perfect moments in the book. I loved the small-town setting and briefly going to Cali. This book is told from Addie’s pov and there are flashbacks of a couple of years throughout the book.

Addie is the MC of this book who deals with a lot of grief and doesn’t know how to begin with her life again. I enjoyed her character and the way she was written. She developed so much throughout this book and I loved seeing her grow. There are many side characters in this book. Raine is such a sweetheart and Willa is the cutest, kind little human. Then there is Zac who is the main love interest and let me say that I loved his character. He was caring and protective of Addie but there were moments he made mistakes. There is slow burn romance with enemies to friends to lovers romance that has 1-2 steamy scenes but other than that its closed door.

The ending was well done with a cute HEA of the characters. I loved how the story ended and I have to say that I was a bit worried about how it was going to be finished. This book was first published on Wattpad which I heard is different compared to this one with more content and povs. I really enjoyed this story and wouldn’t change a single thing about it. I recommend checking because it’s a fantastic book you don’t want to miss out.

*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*
Profile Image for Rebmay.
2,803 reviews50 followers
February 10, 2024
This book is an emotional read that requires tissues and chocolate. Addie is a woman reeling from grief when she arrives in Texas. She left her home and the event planning business that she had shared with her much older sister and simply boarded a bus going east. Heartbroken and weary, a kind police officer, Raine, takes her under her wing and introduces Addie to her family. Raine’s brother Zac is not exactly happy to have city-girl Addie on the family ranch, as his city-girl ex broke his heart, but even he can see the sadness and pain in this beautiful woman’s eyes. Even as he acknowledges her beauty and his attraction to he, he becomes determined to bury it. Fate keeps putting Zac and Addie in each other’s orbit, forcing both to look further and see a different side of each other. As it happens, Addie is in no hurry to go home and Raine is in need of help in planning a wedding. When she agrees to stay and help Raine, Addie also agrees to stay on ranch with Zac and his father. The ranch becomes a place of healing for Addie and getting to know Zac is not just a distraction from her pain, Her love of plants is allowed to flourish on the ranch and her feelings for Zac and her new friends begin to deepen and grow. Then Fate or a divine being throws a few other twists at Addie that change everything for her and her budding romance with Zac. With so many twists and emotional upheavals, what will happen next for Addie? Does her future include Zac and a new home in Texas?

These wonderful characters and heartstring-tugging story grabbed my attention and heart right from the first page. Addie’s pain is palpable as her story unfolds, but slowly her broken heart heals. The twists and turns in this book sometimes had me in tears and sometimes gave me reason to smile, but always made me eager to keep reading to discover how or if Addie and Zac attained a happily ever after.

I would certainly recommend this book to lovers of romance, but especially to those who enjoy emotional storylines.
Profile Image for Tonja Drecker.
Author 3 books236 followers
January 6, 2024
Heart and hurt swirl with the future and past in a weave of emotions, struggles, insecurity, and hope.

After a whirlwind of circumstances, which end with her sister's death, Addie copes in the only way she can—she runs away. In a small town near Austin, Texas, she wanders into a ranching family, who realizes there's something wrong and offer help...something she doesn't want but fate makes it impossible for her to avoid them. Or more importantly, Zac. The brother in the family isn't only handsome and caring, he's taken it on himself to help her work through whatever baggage has pinned her down. But it's a long journey to even begin to reach much needed healing.

The first scenes throw the reader into the turmoil as Addie steps out onto the Austin streets and walks. Her heartache and depression seep from the pages, while still maintaining enough integrity to make her sympathetic and someone to root for. It's clear she has a fighting spirit buried somewhere inside, and this spark adds the life and tiny rays of sunshine needed to keep the darker edges afloat. The story flows well, lets the characters gain plenty of depth, and sinks the reader into the problems Addie faces.

There are triggers, but all-in-all, this is a more wholesome read than I expected. The past Addie has to face is harsh, but her road to healing is inspiring. The carefully placed sub-plots weave in and out of the main plot to create a full web, which supports the tale and more. While the main story line stays in the present, flashbacks provide the background little by little until the entire picture is filled. I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of this style and fought to keep from skimming parts of these past scenes, but for those who love to dive into emotions and capture more bit by bit, it flows very well.

It's a read to get lost in, feel heartache and hope, and come out with a little more thought on the other side.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.