Leave It to Fate

by Beth Corby

When all else fails, you just have to leave it to Fate . . .

Just as twenty-nine-year-old Ella loses her dream job after an unfortunate incident (it was just a bit of hot sauce, for goodness' sake - he totally overreacted!), her phone rings. Her aunt Gillian, who lives in a tiny mountain village, has had a fall and needs her help. Ella gives in to Fate and agrees to go, looking forward to a few quiet weeks to work out what to do with her car crash of a life.

But as soon as she gets there, she realises it's not going to be the idyllic break she had hoped for. With Gillian struggling after the recent loss of her partner, Mike, Ella promises herself that she will show Gillian that life is still worth living - and will certainly not be distracted from her new purpose by Joe, Mike's disconcertingly handsome nephew . . .

Has Fate brought Ella and Gillian together at just the right time for them both? And do her plans extend to Ella's love life, as well?

This funny, romantic and uplifting novel is perfect for fans of Jo Watson, Laura Jane Williams and Sophie Kinsella.

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 26, 2020

About the author

Beth Corby began life in a small Welsh mining village, and pursued her interest in music through to a PhD. Finding academic writing constricting, she tried creative writing and fell for comedic storytelling at the first pen stroke. Beth relishes time writing, daydreaming, plotting and capturing those moments when her characters misbehave. Where There's a Will... is her debut novel.

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella loses her job, somewhat unjustly, because of a pot of yoghurt! She has no clue what to do, friend Vivienne advises her to leave it to fate ..... which leads her to Wales to help nurse her aunt Gillian who she has never met because of family estrangement.

What an absolute pleasure to spend a few hours in such delightful company. I fell in love with feisty Gillian from the start, Ella is a fabulous character and she’s more than up to the challenge her aunt presents! Ella wins the Welsh village over with her lovely personality, she gains friends and it’s probably fair to say she becomes central to the future of the Welsh village. She’s kind, creative and very thoughtful. Then there’s Joe .....say no more!! It’s a well written book, it’s lively and very engaging, I like the humour and it’s full of vivid descriptions so you can easily picture the settings. There are some unsettling things going on for Gillian and a few shocks for all concerned along the way but the outcome is positive. I love the arts and crafts element which is a central theme and it made me envy the skills since I struggle to draw a stick man or knit one, purl one!

Overall, a delightful read which is principally about belonging and finding out where your roots and anchors are. It’s fun, enjoyable, entertaining and has a good message. A perfect read for right now.

With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the arc for an honest review.

[preoccupiedbybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rtc

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy from Hodder & Stoughton through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As Ella inches her way toward thirty, she loses her job due to a hilarious and unfortunate event involving a yogurt thief and a trap set with yogurt spiked with hot sauce. A stranger urges her to leave it all up to fate and she does just that when Gillian, her estranged aunt, suffers a bad fall and needs someone to help her while she recovers. When Ella arrives, she discovers her aunt has been struggling with anger and grief after her long-time partner died, leading her to push everyone away. It seems fate has brought the pair together to repair their lives.

I read and loved Beth Corby’s first book, Where There's a Will, so I knew I had to check this out when I saw she published another book. While I did enjoy this one, I do have some mixed feelings that left me feeling a bit iffy about some things by the end. That said, I really did enjoy the story and great cast of characters.

We follow Ella, whose life has been floundering. Her art career never took off, she just lost what she was hoping would become her dream job, and she just had to go crawling back to her old soul sucking job so she can continue to make ends meet. Unsure about where her life is heading or what the point is, Ella is extremely relatable. She’s realistic, funny, creative, and a breath of fresh air. I also really liked her best friend. I wish we got to see more of her, but given Ella had to leave town to help her aunt, it makes sense that we didn’t see much of her.

We also closely follow Gillian, who is angry, and grief stricken after her long-time partner, Mike, suddenly passed away. Her house is a mess, she’s pushed everyone away, and now she needs help she doesn’t really want. The more time Ella spends with Gillian, the more we learn to love her. While abrasive, she’s smart, funny, and straight to the point. Gillian is someone who does not beat around the bushes and anyone who meets her will discover that right off the bat.

The characters in Gillian’s small town are mostly wonderful. It made me wish I knew most of these fictional people. Plus, while Mike is dead before the story starts, he plays a large role in the story due to some secrets that came out at his funeral. This plays a large role in while Gillian is so angry on top of extremely anguished.

While the story is cute, funny, and even sad at times, I will say that the romance was beyond flat. Ella’s biological father his heavily implied all book long. The foreshadowing is there. Her mom is extremely illusive about it and dislikes her own sister along with this guy. Everything is there and then, surprise! It’s revealed that her biological father is someone else. I assumed the romance between Ella and Joe was super flat because it was super obvious who her father was from the start, and that would make her and Joe cousins. Then it’s revealed that her father is someone else and they’re free to be together with their extreme lack of chemistry. Maybe I could accept this revelation if their romance was on fire before they found out they’re cousins only to find out they’re not, but this isn’t the case.

All in all, I did enjoy this cute and funny slice of life story. It just seems silly to do all that buildup only to not go through with it so that the story ends with Ella getting a cherry on top of her ice-cream sundae. It was not necessary for her to find romance while finding her place in life, so the revelation at the end and the romance that comes from it doesn’t make sense.

[Martina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The publisher provided the ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is Beth Corby's second novel, and I have to say it conquered me as the first one did, When There's a Will.
I'm always up for a good romance novel, and that is what Leave It To Fate is. I really loved Corby's portrayed of our main character, Ella, who suddenly finds herself at a dead-end, and she now has to understand what she wants to do with her life. That's when Fate jumps in, and things start to move and change for Ella. She decides to go to Wales to help her aunt Gillian, who's struggling after the death of her life partner, Mike.
Gillian is one of the best characters in the book: she's headstrong, fierce and always ready to speak her mind. Moreover, I think all the characters portrayed here are very well depicted. And I have to say that now I have a soft spot for almost every one of them.
I liked the love story, but what I liked most was being a part of the community here represented. Corby tells a story that may seem simple, but they are not like that because she adds a lot of depth to her characters. They seem all so realistic.
Leave It To Fate is an uplifting romance novel that will warm your heart and will make you emotional (like very emotional)!

[The Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

After loosing her job, Ella has to decided what to do to get her life back together. After an interesting encounter at the tube station she decides to leave it to fate and to see where it’ll bring her. Little did she know, that she will end up in Wales and have hers and everyone else’s life completely shaken.

I absolutely loved this book! Loved the constant squabbling between Gillian and Ella, Joe’s cavalry, Bryn’s pure heart, and the spirit of community in the village.
Every single character had been introduced slowly in the story so that you could really appreciate every single one of them and get to know their characteristics and know their stories. I personally loved Gillian, an apparent angry and rude woman, but in reality heartbroken by the many uncertainties the her husband’s death brought to light.
The book is an easy RomCom read, with two small twist in the mix which will keep you on the edge of your sit!

Thanks NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the free copy of the book.

[Divya · Rating 3 out of 5]

A hint of mystery and a double plot twist.

Mixed emotions throughout the book, but the ending leaves a nice feeling.

[K. Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Beth Corby’s debut novel (if you haven’t read Where There’s a Will go do it now) and was excited to read her second novel. While the plot of Leave it to Fate is completely different, I loved the shared thread of complex family dynamics and a main character who is trying to find herself and manages to find love at the same time. This was a great read and I’m looking forward to reading future books from Beth Corby.


Thank you to Netgalley and to Hodder & Stoughton for giving me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Convincing herself that the ‘assistant graphic design’ position was one that she wanted – as a steppingstone to the more creative ‘team’ of actual designers, Ella has been biding her time (and having her yoghurt stolen daily) at the office. Taking a bit to ‘discover’ the culprit, everything goes horribly wrong – and she’s without work or options. Returning to the soul-killing (and not a particular good use of her artistic creativity) job at the call center is the safe option, but in the meantime, and with a roommate who is loved up and loudly living her best moments, she’s got time on her hands.

A fraught relationship with her go-getter mother, and her mother’s dismissal of an aunt that Ella has never met becomes the impetus (with some pushing from best friends, the aforementioned empty schedule, a roommate with a new-ish boyfriend, the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday, and no romance on her own horizon. Ella agrees to head to a small Welsh village to help her aunt adjust to life after a hospital stay.

Sometimes a change of scenery and just stopping the whole merry-go-round is all that you need. From finding her own desire to draw and create again, to navigating the rather fraught relationship with her aunt, the questions she has for her mother, and discovering both old secrets, reasons and options that open in the most unlikely of places, we see Ella find her own path and new options and dare to take charge of her own happiness and career. From discovering long-held answers to questions, family and even a relationship that is based more in respect and admiration than a simple swipe left, Ella grows into a force to be reckoned with, even as she soft-pedals changes (most very necessary) to her recalcitrant aunt and the village in which they live. It’s a sweetly chaotic story that encompasses family, dreams, hopes and even friendships in ways unexpected, and allows the magic of time and possibilities to open doors, windows and options.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at I am, Indeed

[Nana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Hodder Paperbacks through NetGalley.for an honest review. When I read what the book was about, I knew I was going to like it. There was so much more to this book than I ever expected. There were secrets, surprises, shockers, and then when I thought things were going to be smooth, my heart dropped.
Ella loses her job and on the way to the train, she meets a man that tells her it was probably fate that interfered which caused her to lose her job. She thought about it and made her lists but nothing seemed right. Then her mother called her and said her sister called her thinking she would go there to take care of her so she could get out of the hospital. They haven't spoken in years and she wasn't going to do it. Ella said she would go and take care of her aunt. She stopped at the hospital to see her aunt but her aunt couldn't go home until the next day. So, Ella left and went to her aunt's house and what she found was shocking. Ella has determination and she manages to get a lot accomplished before her aunt comes home.
When her aunt gets home we meet the people in the community. There seem to be things not quite right and they seem distant. But Ella has a way with people and she gets invited into homes that they haven't been invited to for a long time. Ella seems to be just the person who can bring the community together and she does that. Don't get too comfy in your seat because Beth Corby starts letting out the secrets. Just as I finally said yes this was fate and we learn about Gillian's partner, Mike. That is where my heart dropped because I thought something so wonderful was something so wrong. Ella leaves and goes back home and I am sad because she is just so good for the people in the community and everyone loves her. But it isn't the end of the book and Beth tells us the rest of the story. The author seemed to reach deep inside each one of the people, and she brings it all to the surface. It was a wonderful book that offers so much.

[Cassandre · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Corby’s Where There’s A Will, but I think I like this one even better. There were twists and turns (and a few mysteries needing to be solved) that I didn’t see coming, and all of the characters were so well developed, I felt like I was visiting this small Welsh village right along with Ella.

There were a lot of characters in this book, if you include everyone who lived in Gillian’s tiny little village, and I felt like I got to know every one of them without having to try too hard. I could almost draw a map of where everyone lived, too, because Corby set it up so nicely. It’s a bit of a slow burn because you’re getting to know everyone and how they’re connected, but I think that gives a bigger payoff at the end. I also appreciated that there is a love story, but it’s not the sole focus of the story—this is truly about Ella and Gillian and how they’re meant to move onto the next chapters of their lives. Sometimes you really do just have to let Fate take the reins when you don’t know what to do next.

My only criticism would be that I wish Joe, the love interest, was fleshed out a little more. While I feel like I got a sense of the villagers—heck, I feel like I even know his sister Petra better, and she’s a very minor character—other than him being good-looking and very helpful-slash-caring, I don’t feel like I know him all that well or why he and Ella fell for each other so quickly. I suspect it had something to do with one of the twists, but I almost feel like if he weren’t part of the story, or if he were just a guy from the town, I wouldn’t have liked the story any less. Though his banter with Gillian is very entertaining.

If you enjoy a story with deep-seated, sometimes complicated, relationships; small-town dynamics; appreciate art and want a little love story mixed with a mystery or two, you won’t want to put this one down. I highly recommend it.

4.5 STARS

[Christina G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet romance.

Ella is felling a bit lost in life after being fired from a job she hoped would lead to her dream position. She hasn’t been dating anyone and her best friend is encouraging her to follow her dreams but they don’t seem practical after her last attempt failed. When she learns that her aunt needs help after falling and breaking her hip she decides to take a chance in getting out of her comfort zone. Ella travels to a small town in Wales to help her ailing aunt and decides for once to leave things to fate.

When she arrives she learns that her aunt Gillian has a greater need for help than she realized. After her partner, Mike, passed away a year and a half ago Aunt Gillian has been pushing everyone away. As Ella attempts to helps her reconnect with her friends and get her house to rights, she discovers that there may have been more to her aunt’s fall than she first realized. She decides to uncover the truth and finds more mysteries along the way.

I felt a great connection with Ella. She is quick-witted, kind and seems to handle Gillian’s tough and blunt exterior with ease. I also adored Aunt Gillian. She’s the type of character you can’t help but love with her one-liners, cantankerous ways, and deep caring for her loved ones. The rest of the residents of the town were quirky and lovable (for the most part - I’m sure you’ll soon discover who I didn’t love). I thought the romance in this story was sweet. It was more of a slow building relationship which worked well for this book.

There were a few points in the plot where I wished things moved along a bit faster. That was especially true at the end. There were a few surprises along the way but much of this story felt expected, making this a comforting romance read. Overall, I enjoyed it.

I was provided a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Monica Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! A good, solid read for the intelligent woman :)

Ella loses her job over an unfortunate incident at work. Why her colleague didn't have more of a sense of humour, she just doesn't know. This makes her think about what she really wants, and she finds herself drawing a blank. She has been trying very hard to make her career in art, but everywhere she turns, she runs into brick walls. As if it is fate, she runs into a busker who shares some of his wisdom with her.

Next thing she knows, her mother calls and tells her about her aunt Gillian, who has had a fall and needs help. Her mother certainly has no intention to going into the wilds of Wales, but Ella decides that she would like to get away from her flat mate anyway and borrows a friends car and goes there. Her aunt isn't anything like she expected, but despite first impressions, she thinks her aunt could do with a hand.

Her aunt's late partner's nephew is rather a handsome fella and he catches her eye straight away but of course, the path of true love never runs smooth and there are plenty of obstacles in the way of any possible love story here!

I don't want to give the plot away but this is a terrific story, with interesting characters and sweet moments without being sugary in any way. It did make me want to go and stay in Wales for a while, it has to be said. I am really looking forward to reading more books written by this author :)

5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton.

[Poppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Leave it to Fate' by Beth Corby is an adorable read full of romance, found family and a pleasing dab of mystery. Ella loses what she feels was her dream job, depressed to be without a job and stuck in a horrible flat (flatmate + boyfriend = too much PDA for one flat) with no relationship of her own. Cue her estranged Aunt Gillian having an accident, giving Ella the perfect excuse to decamp to rural Wales and attempt to find some purpose in life. It is here she explores her sense of self, with handsome Joe and crotchety Aunt Gillian to help her on her way.

The romantic element of this novel is very sweet and I enjoyed the growing relationship between Ella and Joe. However, the star relationship is the one between Ella and Gillian. Not only is Gillian hilarious (especially when tearing a strip off Joe's sister Petra) but there is a twisty mystery about why Gillian is so cut off from her former friends, receiving reams of junk mail and felt the need to invest in a super powerful outside light... Something does not add up and Ella's persistence in uncovering the truth and bringing joy to her Aunt's life is the best plotline, especially with an added 'who's your daddy' mystery thrown in for good measure!

Overall, this was a warm and cosy read (reminding me hugely of Beth O'Leary's 'The Switch') and will leave a huge smile on your face.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sara Oxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leave It to Fate by Beth Corby a five-star read that fate needs to encourage everyone to read. This was amazing, from the dedication to family and a Nanna spelt the right way (according to my Nanna), to a hospital car park that I am sure I have sat in, to freaking out about spider food!! There are so many moments in this story that will strike a cord with many of us, there is something for everyone in this great story, you will imagine yourselves in the beautiful Welsh hills in the driving rain, chasing ghosts and a beautiful view. I am lucky enough that I live in some other hills in Wales similar but not quiet as remote, and sadly not so filled with Art. I don’t know if it was simply the location, but this story just swept me away. Reading this story almost felt like I was being told a great and passionate story by my friend, like she was filling in the gaps for me, it was such a rich and detailed story that I could feel Bozz rubbing up against my leg wanting his dinner, feel the smoothness of a carved egg. Understand where Gillian is coming from and why she reacts like she does, and warm to the cantankerous older lady. Do yourself a favour and don’t leave it to fate, pick this amazing story up and enjoy your reading.

[KayleyHearts · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Leave It to Fate follows Ella who has just been fired from her job. Unsure what her next move is or what she really wants to do with her life she gets a phone call that due to a fall, her Aunt is in hospital and needs support. Ella spontaneously decides that fate might be telling her to go to Wales and look after her aunt and that is exactly what she does.

I think it's important to go into this book knowing exactly what this is. I was expecting a cute romance and whilst there is a little romance in here, this book is very much about family and how complex people and relationships can be. The book did feel realistic and I liked all of the characters and the little mystery throughout. The book started out really strong however the second half just fell a little flat for me. Without spoiling the story, there is a revelation in here about two characters and whilst it isn't what it first seems I was unsure how I felt about it and the ending felt kind of rushed.

Overall, I think this is a wholesome story of family, friendships and relationships. I just wished some elements had been more fleshed out and the romance to have had more page time.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute. I liked how Gillian's friends came around her after this tragic experience and even though she tried to get the town to leave her alone and become recluse. I liked that Ella and Joe stood up to Gillian even when she was rude and brash. I found the relationship between Ella and Joe cute, but also felt like they kissed twice and fell madly in love with each other without more context. I needed it to be a bigger arc of the story. I loved that towards the end how it kind of became a mystery of who was messing with Gillian and the story behind mike and his paintings. I found this storyline the most interesting and wished it had been brought forward sooner.

Some things I thought could have been better was the whole yogurt drama in the beginning. It was so trivial and unjust and could have totally been avoided. And while the main theme of this novel was about leaving it up to fate to decide, I felt like it wasn't a well thought out concept until the last couple chapters.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After losing her job Ella is at a loss on what she is going to do with her future. That is until she meets a busker in the Underground on her way home who makes her look a bit more deeper into why certain things have happened in her life.
Then a strange phone call from her mother has Ella going to Wales to look after an aunt she has never met and has never heard a good word about. After some awkward moments Ella begins to meet the locals and one in particular catches her eye and her his. But there is something not quite right with what is happening at her aunts and Ella wants get to the bottom of it but will it open up a can of worms that Ella and the locals are not ready to deal with.
I loved this book and found that I could not put it down. The main characters were all interesting and although the villain became obvious quite quickly for me it did not take away from the story and me wanting to know what was going on and why.

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley

This was a quick, cute romance novel. I enjoyed the characters of Ella and Joe. This is a book about Ella who moves in with her cranky aunty Gillian who has had an accident and needs help getting back on her feet. When she gets to her house in the valleys of Wales she comes face to face with how much her aunty has been struggling since the loss of her husband. With the help of a village full of lively characters and Joe - her cute saviour they help get Gillian back on her feet and Ella finds a new life for herself.


I wish the author had developed Joe's character a little more as I struggled to connect with him but the rest of the characters made up for this. It was a bit dramatic at times which really broke up the romance side to it. I liked the ending.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

After losing her job, Ella goes to Wales to care for her estranged aunt who's recovering from a fall. While she's there, all the broken pieces of Ella's life seem to fall into place. But will a stunning revelation shatter her hopes for the future?

This is a charming, quirky women's fiction with a sweet romance subplot. It was fun from the beginning, but it took me a bit to settle in with the characters. It wasn't long, though, before it was clear how and why Ella belonged in this remote little town. The story is warm and emotional, and the setting a lovely getaway.

I'm happy I had the chance to read this book. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Rach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly was in stitches during this book, starting with being fired over putting hot sauce into her yoghurt to catch the thief. I did think that getting fired over this was a huge overreaction to be honest, a warning surely would have been enough.
It was a sweet book but I could have used something more to buy the connection between Ella and Joe, it just wasn't 100 percent there for me. The parts involving Gillian sometimes I found hard to read but I found it worth it compared to Ellas part of the story which I'm not sure was what the author was aiming for but who knows.

I received a free copy of this book via netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.
3 Stars

[Rona Nimmo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leave it to fate by Beth Corby

Ella loses her job due to an incident with domestic violence hot sauce which isn’t appreciated. To help her sort out what she wanted to do with her life. Her Aunt has had a fall and needs some help as she lives in an isolated village in the hills of wales. This is not going to be the relaxing break Ella was expecting.

This is a multi faceted story with fabulous characters that draw you in from the beginning. Secret surprises and shocker just didn’t you think it’s all turned a corner and bam something but Ella has a way about her and she seems to have the ability to bring people/communities together. A great read from start to finish.

[Isabell · Rating 4 out of 5]

After losing her job Ella ends up in a Wales looking after her estranged aunt Gillian who needs help recovering from a fall. Throw in the mystery of why Gillian fell in the first place and how she managed to get so closed off from her former friends, lovely nephew Joe, a mix 0f interesting supporting characters and fate waving her hand over all the proceedings and you have a very enjoyable read. I liked how fate led Ella to Gillian and it helped them both find their ways. Well written, engaging read.

[Kym G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book.
I have read Beth Corby's previous book, Where There's a Will, and really enjoyed that one. This one is similar in the way that it's about family with a little mystery thrown in.
It was a little slow to start, but once Ella gets to her Aunt's place it becomes quite interesting. The characters in the area are lovely and the plot is well thought out.
It wasn't especially heavy on the romance, but I really enjoyed this book.

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit I was a bit disappointed in reading this, as I expected more romance involved based on the description, but it is a good story centred around about families and relationships, the first half of the book I really enjoyed, but I felt the second half wasn’t as strong and the ending itself didn’t feel well thought out and also felt rushed to me. A nice read, but not what I thought I was getting going onto this.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

If you haven’t checked out Corby’s first book, “Where there’s a will”, definitely pick it up! I had high hopes for this second book and it was good but fell short of expectations. The narrative felt choppy to me, the storyline didn’t feel flushed out or I guess realistic but the ending was satisfying which was redeeming.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

[Franzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, that was such a warm and wonderfully written story. I loved all the kind and interesting people in it. Right from the beginning, I was in sympathy with gorgeous Ella and I almost wanted her to stand up for herself because of that yogurt incident! But that's only the Jumpstart to all that's yet to come 😉 instantly I was in love with Joe and his kind, sweet but also mysterious nature and I was forever rooting for their happy ending...! Well done @bethcorby 😍

[Liv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book but I wasn’t dying to read it all in one go or anything. There was a bit nearer to the end where I couldn’t put it down but other than that I was quite happy slowly plodding on. I was still interested enough to finish the book however and I am glad I did, even got a bit emotional at the end as I was so invested in the characters. Nice lightweight sorta book, fun and comforting just not anything to write home about!

[Zuza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say the second half of this book was much more engaging and interesting than the first but I had a good time reading “Leave It to Fate” nonetheless. The character development was well executed and I found myself wanting to belong to a community similar to that depicted in this story. Overall, it was a really enjoyable read!

[Violetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this book because I loved "Where There's a Will", and this one has a similar tone and vibe. However, it felt a bit boring to me, and unfortunately the romance storyline is not at the center but more of an added bonus to family drama and self-discovery themes. I enjoyed it nonetheless, and loved Beth Corby's charming writing style.

[Courtney Cardona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this on paperback! I was at the library, saw the cover, thought it looked good, and read it! I liked the author's style. It was not a romance but had pieces of one that got you excited and rooting for them which was nice! An unexpected twist too. I liked this one. Going to read more of her stuff!