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Meant to Be
Josie Mayor fled Fern Grove after a scandal that rocked the town, turning her back on her friends and family. She disappeared with no contact, no forwarding address, and abandoned the only life she knew.
Now, she’s back and has to face the life she left behind. When Josie runs into her ex-boyfriend, Nick, and Harley, the boy who stole her heart, she is faced with the pain and heartache of a past she’s desperate to forget. Josie must make a choice in doing what’s best for her, or risk repeating history once more.
Meant to Be is a new adult enemies-to-lovers, small-town romance told over two timelines of the past and the present. Perfect for those looking for a steamy romance with a Happily Ever After
Now, she’s back and has to face the life she left behind. When Josie runs into her ex-boyfriend, Nick, and Harley, the boy who stole her heart, she is faced with the pain and heartache of a past she’s desperate to forget. Josie must make a choice in doing what’s best for her, or risk repeating history once more.
Meant to Be is a new adult enemies-to-lovers, small-town romance told over two timelines of the past and the present. Perfect for those looking for a steamy romance with a Happily Ever After
372 pages, Paperback
Published June 9, 2022
298 people are currently reading
14524 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 467 reviews
June 1, 2022
I wrote this!
March 17, 2023
i give this book a 3 stars! the reason i didn’t give it 4 was because i didn’t feel invested in this story, i’m not sure how to explain it. i think that the plot could’ve been better and the writing could’ve been better too. also a lot of the characters i absolutely hated except for josie and harley. i would recommend this book if you’re looking for a super fast paced book…the chapters are very short which i liked, but it also made the ending feel a bit rushed. i definitely liked the tropes…small town, enemies to lovers, second chance romance, and reverse grumpy sunshine. i absolutely adored harley, i thought he was super sweet and josie!!! ugh love her sm too. also i’d say the spice was okay. i read a lot of dark romance so it’s definitely not spicy spicy to me, but if you don’t read dark romance then this would be spicy for you. but yeah 3 stars , i just wanted more or maybe i was just like upset about everything that was going on in this book that it kinda just annoyed me lol idk. like honestly if you’re interested in the tropes i listed and you like them, then i would recommend you read it because everyone is gonna have a different opinion…it was mainly just the other characters in this story that made me not enjoy it as much as i wish i could’ve. if there was one thing i was invested in…it was harley and josie🫶🏼
SPOILER WARNING besties, stop now if you haven’t read the book🫶🏼
these fucking characters guys. like y’all i been complaining about nick since the beginning. now i get that was josie’s first love and she did cheat on him which was wrong but DAMN IDK. her heart was always with harley, but deep down she is a good person and didn’t want to hurt nick which i can understand but idk. nick seriously gave me the ick soooooooooooooooo bad! just the stuff about him being like 22 or something and he still had his mom do his laundry and shit like that boy NO. my girl josie needed a real man and that’s what she got i’m sorry😭😭😭like nick was sweet and he was waiting for marriage to have sex which not everyone does. and josie tried but nick always kinda embarrassed her and it just made me CRINGE. idk guys in real life the cheating and shit is a no go obviously, but in this book for me i feel like it was just done right. josie wasn’t a malicious person it’s just how everything happened. heart wants what it wants 😭 where are my selena girlies at???? ANYWAYS yeah nick sorry dude but i didn’t like you at all. BRENNON THAT STUPID BITCH OMFG y’all he died at the end of the book and i did not shed a single tear. he was a terrible fucking person. did he deserve to die? no but that’s how it was written and there’s nothing i can do so i really just don’t give a damn😭the way he leaked that sex tape like brooooooooo and then was fucking around w other girls while elise was interested in him which btw i’m so sad about elise still and how she died in a car accident and left on bad terms with josie :( made me so sad. OMG JOSIE’S FATHER. i fucking hate him, i don’t care that he came around at the end i fucking hated him. he was so shitty to josie. elliott….we all know why i hate that disgusting bitch omg the way he physically and emotionally abused josie :( ugh that shit hurt me because i really did adore her and felt that she just had a tough time with literally everything and yeah she made mistakes but damn idk i love her. ugh idk if i have much more to say. harley and josie made this book a 3 star for me🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼i do love them. just fucking hated the rest of the characters😭if this whole book was just about josie and harley this woulda been a 4 star for me hands down. he was so kind to her and fell hard for her😭so cute. and my bb josie was insecure about her weight growing up and it made me SAD she’s so beautiful ik it. okay i think i’m done now lol.
SPOILER WARNING besties, stop now if you haven’t read the book🫶🏼
these fucking characters guys. like y’all i been complaining about nick since the beginning. now i get that was josie’s first love and she did cheat on him which was wrong but DAMN IDK. her heart was always with harley, but deep down she is a good person and didn’t want to hurt nick which i can understand but idk. nick seriously gave me the ick soooooooooooooooo bad! just the stuff about him being like 22 or something and he still had his mom do his laundry and shit like that boy NO. my girl josie needed a real man and that’s what she got i’m sorry😭😭😭like nick was sweet and he was waiting for marriage to have sex which not everyone does. and josie tried but nick always kinda embarrassed her and it just made me CRINGE. idk guys in real life the cheating and shit is a no go obviously, but in this book for me i feel like it was just done right. josie wasn’t a malicious person it’s just how everything happened. heart wants what it wants 😭 where are my selena girlies at???? ANYWAYS yeah nick sorry dude but i didn’t like you at all. BRENNON THAT STUPID BITCH OMFG y’all he died at the end of the book and i did not shed a single tear. he was a terrible fucking person. did he deserve to die? no but that’s how it was written and there’s nothing i can do so i really just don’t give a damn😭the way he leaked that sex tape like brooooooooo and then was fucking around w other girls while elise was interested in him which btw i’m so sad about elise still and how she died in a car accident and left on bad terms with josie :( made me so sad. OMG JOSIE’S FATHER. i fucking hate him, i don’t care that he came around at the end i fucking hated him. he was so shitty to josie. elliott….we all know why i hate that disgusting bitch omg the way he physically and emotionally abused josie :( ugh that shit hurt me because i really did adore her and felt that she just had a tough time with literally everything and yeah she made mistakes but damn idk i love her. ugh idk if i have much more to say. harley and josie made this book a 3 star for me🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼i do love them. just fucking hated the rest of the characters😭if this whole book was just about josie and harley this woulda been a 4 star for me hands down. he was so kind to her and fell hard for her😭so cute. and my bb josie was insecure about her weight growing up and it made me SAD she’s so beautiful ik it. okay i think i’m done now lol.
May 4, 2023
DNF
Meant to Be is not for me. The writing style is like a diary. Detailing every encounter and every banter even it has nothing to do with the story development nor the character development.
Do not have patience to finish it.
2 stars
Meant to Be is not for me. The writing style is like a diary. Detailing every encounter and every banter even it has nothing to do with the story development nor the character development.
Do not have patience to finish it.
2 stars
May 5, 2023
I’m sorry,” I say, and I mean it. “I just can’t believe someone like you could like someone like me. I’m trying to protect myself.” I pull my lips inside my mouth. “You’ll break my heart, Harley.”
“Have you ever thought that you might break mine?”
Nope.
Not it for me.
TW: cheating, abusive parents and partners
I will read a cheating book anyday with a good plot and good writing but this just was annoying.
The writing felt like a diary entry.
I wasn't invested in the story in any way.
The one person we were meant to hate and the one person who was at fault for 60% of the shit happening in the book was somehow redeemed at the end.
The cheating was just unnecessary, she just cheated because she liked a bad boy and was too pussy to break up with the good boy.
The whole thing of 'oh i cannot hurt Nick because he's a good golden boy and he's my safe comfort place and i would hate to hurt him' was annoying because she was actively cheating on the man she apparently didn't wanna hurt.
ALSO doing it one time is still tolerable.
She did the same thing TWICE.
Cheated on the same man TWICE. With the same person and expected different outcomes.
She just cheated because she wanted to fuck and the good boy wanted to wait till marriage.
Harley gave her sex.
So ...she went to him.
I know it's written how she felt sparks with Harley and all that but as a reader what i absorbed was that she was young and wanted to have sex and wasn't getting it so she went to the second good looking person who gave her attention.
Also she was rude and Harley was just this big block of mud. No personality at all.
This woman sobbed and wailed and wanted to be different but did the same things over and over and expected different outcomes.
“Have you ever thought that you might break mine?”
Nope.
Not it for me.
TW: cheating, abusive parents and partners
I will read a cheating book anyday with a good plot and good writing but this just was annoying.
The writing felt like a diary entry.
I wasn't invested in the story in any way.
The one person we were meant to hate and the one person who was at fault for 60% of the shit happening in the book was somehow redeemed at the end.
The cheating was just unnecessary, she just cheated because she liked a bad boy and was too pussy to break up with the good boy.
The whole thing of 'oh i cannot hurt Nick because he's a good golden boy and he's my safe comfort place and i would hate to hurt him' was annoying because she was actively cheating on the man she apparently didn't wanna hurt.
ALSO doing it one time is still tolerable.
She did the same thing TWICE.
Cheated on the same man TWICE. With the same person and expected different outcomes.
She just cheated because she wanted to fuck and the good boy wanted to wait till marriage.
Harley gave her sex.
So ...she went to him.
I know it's written how she felt sparks with Harley and all that but as a reader what i absorbed was that she was young and wanted to have sex and wasn't getting it so she went to the second good looking person who gave her attention.
Also she was rude and Harley was just this big block of mud. No personality at all.
This woman sobbed and wailed and wanted to be different but did the same things over and over and expected different outcomes.
June 13, 2023
This book felt like crawling on broken glass and then drinking a mouthful of molten lava
June 16, 2022
I mean it just wasn't my type at all. Rather than describing it as enemies to lovers I'd say it was full of infidelity. I know the characters aren't meant to be perfect but i just can't understand why you'd live your life like " i don't like him but i don't want to hurt him so I'll fulfill my desires with the one I'm 'meant to be' with" it just doesn't make sense and felt so immature like there was no character development at all🤷
November 12, 2022
Rating: ⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Infidelity to exclusive lovers essentially.
FMC was unlikeable and lowkey kept trying to SA one of the male MMCs throughout the book despite him saying no and I fucking hate that. She showed no growth or regard for legit any of her actions.
Harley is the only reason I kept reading. He was interesting and a good MMC.
Elliot plot twist at the end was thrown in there for some zest and I feel like more could’ve been done with his storyline in general.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Infidelity to exclusive lovers essentially.
FMC was unlikeable and lowkey kept trying to SA one of the male MMCs throughout the book despite him saying no and I fucking hate that. She showed no growth or regard for legit any of her actions.
Harley is the only reason I kept reading. He was interesting and a good MMC.
Elliot plot twist at the end was thrown in there for some zest and I feel like more could’ve been done with his storyline in general.
dnf
January 13, 2025Dnf at 54 percent.
I tried to persevere with this one but I couldn't do it. I haven't really been enjoying it the whole time and Josie is kind of awful. She's been leading Nick and Harley on even though she is clearly going to end up with Harley. Maybe I will return to this book at some point.
I tried to persevere with this one but I couldn't do it. I haven't really been enjoying it the whole time and Josie is kind of awful. She's been leading Nick and Harley on even though she is clearly going to end up with Harley. Maybe I will return to this book at some point.
June 19, 2022
There is something raw and deeply flawed about Harley and Josie, and altogether authentic as past and present collide simultaneously in Lauren Jackson’s knockout debut.
On the run from the city and the shackles of an abusive ex, Josie hits the road running, running back to Fern Grove and its mixed receptions, bitter reunions, and old flames. Four years has passed, but not much has changed back home when past mistakes seem fit to resurface and Josie is faced with a familiar choice; Nick, the safe but spark-less boy, or Harley, the rough around the edges “bad-boy” who sets her heart racing?
The characters actions may not have always been likeable, but it was this very notion paired with Jackson’s skill that made for a gripping, standout story regardless; human and realistic in every way. Were there times the cheating bothered me? Yes. Was I still enthralled by the story told, and the emotions that muddied the waters for our conflicted lovers? Absolutely. Bound by their kindred spirits, Josie and Harley’s was a love that was relentless, a wildfire that wouldn’t be stopped, and Jackson brought it to life beautifully.
There was no shortage of angst or tension, and the cohesion of the past and present timelines woven with the dual POV only enhanced the passion these two shared - Nick never stood a chance! The shadowed threat lurking behind every word as Josie’s dangerous past drew closer added an extra dose of suspense that kept me on my toes waiting for that inevitable strike.
Jackson’s ability to carry tension and craft a love story that gets the heart racing is undoubted. The chemistry that Josie and Harley shared was electric, and beneath his tough exterior Harley was an absolute sweetheart. I loved the small town vibes and second chance these two were given. I really wanted to love this book more, but unfortunately I just wasn’t a fan of how dominant the cheating was, but more-so Josie’s attitude towards it, especially after how things had played out in the past. Otherwise, this was a great read and I am excited for what Jackson is going to do next!
Thank you to the author for the complimentary arc of this book. I am leaving my honest review.
TW: Cheating, Domestic Abuse
On the run from the city and the shackles of an abusive ex, Josie hits the road running, running back to Fern Grove and its mixed receptions, bitter reunions, and old flames. Four years has passed, but not much has changed back home when past mistakes seem fit to resurface and Josie is faced with a familiar choice; Nick, the safe but spark-less boy, or Harley, the rough around the edges “bad-boy” who sets her heart racing?
The characters actions may not have always been likeable, but it was this very notion paired with Jackson’s skill that made for a gripping, standout story regardless; human and realistic in every way. Were there times the cheating bothered me? Yes. Was I still enthralled by the story told, and the emotions that muddied the waters for our conflicted lovers? Absolutely. Bound by their kindred spirits, Josie and Harley’s was a love that was relentless, a wildfire that wouldn’t be stopped, and Jackson brought it to life beautifully.
There was no shortage of angst or tension, and the cohesion of the past and present timelines woven with the dual POV only enhanced the passion these two shared - Nick never stood a chance! The shadowed threat lurking behind every word as Josie’s dangerous past drew closer added an extra dose of suspense that kept me on my toes waiting for that inevitable strike.
Jackson’s ability to carry tension and craft a love story that gets the heart racing is undoubted. The chemistry that Josie and Harley shared was electric, and beneath his tough exterior Harley was an absolute sweetheart. I loved the small town vibes and second chance these two were given. I really wanted to love this book more, but unfortunately I just wasn’t a fan of how dominant the cheating was, but more-so Josie’s attitude towards it, especially after how things had played out in the past. Otherwise, this was a great read and I am excited for what Jackson is going to do next!
Thank you to the author for the complimentary arc of this book. I am leaving my honest review.
TW: Cheating, Domestic Abuse
November 22, 2022
I really can’t stand cheating and I feel so bad for Nick 😭 Josie was so terrible and unlikeable?? How does she keep saying things like she wishes she could rewrite history and do things differently then goes and does the exact same thing??
May 29, 2023
"You got my birth date tattooed on you."
"You're it for me, Josie. I've always told you that.”
tropes:
small town romance
enemies to lovers
love triangle
dark past
spicy
I can’t even explain how much i loved this book… dramatic, sexy, cute, dangerous, heartfelt, warm, shocking, suspenseful, loving, funny, quirky… like this book had EVERYTHING in it. the range is wild and amazing. every single character had a great story, the plot and storyline alone was so perfectly written and aligned. so much goes on but there is no issue keeping up.
JUST READ IT YOU WONT BE SORRY!!!🤍
"You're it for me, Josie. I've always told you that.”
tropes:
small town romance
enemies to lovers
love triangle
dark past
spicy
I can’t even explain how much i loved this book… dramatic, sexy, cute, dangerous, heartfelt, warm, shocking, suspenseful, loving, funny, quirky… like this book had EVERYTHING in it. the range is wild and amazing. every single character had a great story, the plot and storyline alone was so perfectly written and aligned. so much goes on but there is no issue keeping up.
JUST READ IT YOU WONT BE SORRY!!!🤍
April 25, 2025
౨ৎ | ‘hasn't she learned anything? it's me and her. it has always been me and her.’
— ★ 5/5
i love small town, second chance romance books so much, and it being set in towns i know about. that actually exist make me so much happier.
i just loved this book and the way everyone healed slowly but surely. a must read!
reread edit: god i love josie and harley so much. they are literally the first small town book i read since getting back into reading last year and i think about them quite frequently. i will always go back to them!
reread count: ll
— ★ 5/5
i love small town, second chance romance books so much, and it being set in towns i know about. that actually exist make me so much happier.
i just loved this book and the way everyone healed slowly but surely. a must read!
reread edit: god i love josie and harley so much. they are literally the first small town book i read since getting back into reading last year and i think about them quite frequently. i will always go back to them!
reread count: ll
March 8, 2023
Spoilers ahead
First, Lauren is one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing and meeting. I’m so so happy for her debut novel !! Second, I loved this story! Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down ! The raw chemistry between Josie and Harley is written in a way that makes your heart thud while you’re reading, the anticipation and the thrill of watching these two characters who on the surface hate each other, but underneath it all, are like magnets, drawn together, desperate for each other. I could really see how much Josie loved Harley but was almost scared to love him because she knew how much it would hurt if it didn’t work out. He was the one boy she could never get over and how could she endure that sort of pain again? And for Harley, there was never any one else, but Josie. And don’t we all love a ‘he hates everyone but her’ sort of romance. I do! The entire time, all I wanted was to see these two kindred spirits leave their little town and start somewhere new where they could be happy together without the judgement of their small town. A place to re invent themselves. I’m so glad we got that in the end !
First, Lauren is one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing and meeting. I’m so so happy for her debut novel !! Second, I loved this story! Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down ! The raw chemistry between Josie and Harley is written in a way that makes your heart thud while you’re reading, the anticipation and the thrill of watching these two characters who on the surface hate each other, but underneath it all, are like magnets, drawn together, desperate for each other. I could really see how much Josie loved Harley but was almost scared to love him because she knew how much it would hurt if it didn’t work out. He was the one boy she could never get over and how could she endure that sort of pain again? And for Harley, there was never any one else, but Josie. And don’t we all love a ‘he hates everyone but her’ sort of romance. I do! The entire time, all I wanted was to see these two kindred spirits leave their little town and start somewhere new where they could be happy together without the judgement of their small town. A place to re invent themselves. I’m so glad we got that in the end !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2024
DNF. IG overrated this book.
I pushed through 9 chapters (but in reality 4 was enough).
Josie is so so annoying. I have no idea what her problem is. (especially repeated problem with dirt, hotness or sticky stuff) She’s hot and cold. For being 21 (??) she’s more like a child. I would rather be friends with her dad and her brother than her.
Nick was eh, ok. Harley didn’t gave me any vibe.
Writing also wasn’t my favorite. Easily some short sentences could have been made in one and long into short. Also, punctuation in wrong places kinda hurt my eyes.🤷♀️
I pushed through 9 chapters (but in reality 4 was enough).
Josie is so so annoying. I have no idea what her problem is. (especially repeated problem with dirt, hotness or sticky stuff) She’s hot and cold. For being 21 (??) she’s more like a child. I would rather be friends with her dad and her brother than her.
Nick was eh, ok. Harley didn’t gave me any vibe.
Writing also wasn’t my favorite. Easily some short sentences could have been made in one and long into short. Also, punctuation in wrong places kinda hurt my eyes.🤷♀️
February 9, 2023
this book is like a really really bad wattpad story
February 27, 2024
2.5 stars!
Didn’t love it, but didn’t dislike it enough to stop reading it hehe. I’ll give it brownie points for the page turner. Also the fact it got me writing alot about how I felt about it!
What gets my goat is that I felt a lot like I was reading a book set in the American south the way the countryside and the small township was described where our main character returns to. I had to keep confirming to myself that this was in fact an Aussie book and the metropolitan area our main character ran to initially before going back to this small town was in fact not a hustle and bustle New York but was actually Brisbane..!
The main character irks me for a fair whack of the book too. She is just not particularly warm and also is super conceded and pretty stuck up. Looks are almost all she mentions. We love this to an extent for a confident queen but it’s just gone a bit overboard for me. I find it hard to see she has mates/so many people doting her with her attitude.
Maybe I’m needing more time in romance books to be a bit less bitter about it all hehe.
Didn’t love it, but didn’t dislike it enough to stop reading it hehe. I’ll give it brownie points for the page turner. Also the fact it got me writing alot about how I felt about it!
What gets my goat is that I felt a lot like I was reading a book set in the American south the way the countryside and the small township was described where our main character returns to. I had to keep confirming to myself that this was in fact an Aussie book and the metropolitan area our main character ran to initially before going back to this small town was in fact not a hustle and bustle New York but was actually Brisbane..!
The main character irks me for a fair whack of the book too. She is just not particularly warm and also is super conceded and pretty stuck up. Looks are almost all she mentions. We love this to an extent for a confident queen but it’s just gone a bit overboard for me. I find it hard to see she has mates/so many people doting her with her attitude.
Maybe I’m needing more time in romance books to be a bit less bitter about it all hehe.
March 13, 2024
I'll be honest, I felt too old for this book.
I would've loved it 10 years ago.
Josie drove me mad! She truly is a brat. The many people that ended up calling her that weren't wrong.
She didn't learn from her mistakes at all. She instead made the same ones again 4 years later.
Girl, what?!?!
I saw Elliott coming back but I even think that the ending was just too far fetched. Obviously we were all hating on Brennan and he somewhat redeemed himself in the end but it was VERY dramatic.
I truly don't enjoy reading about 17 year olds having sex. It's icky.
This one was a hard no from me.
I would've loved it 10 years ago.
Josie drove me mad! She truly is a brat. The many people that ended up calling her that weren't wrong.
She didn't learn from her mistakes at all. She instead made the same ones again 4 years later.
Girl, what?!?!
I saw Elliott coming back but I even think that the ending was just too far fetched. Obviously we were all hating on Brennan and he somewhat redeemed himself in the end but it was VERY dramatic.
I truly don't enjoy reading about 17 year olds having sex. It's icky.
This one was a hard no from me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2023
I rate this a 3.5⭐️
There were elements of the story that I quite liked. Harley was an incredible male lead but I didn’t care for the Josie very much. I felt her actions were confusing, a little irritating and misguided. There were a few plot twists that I didn’t quite care for… when you throw in too many it can desensitise the reader and lose its appeal. Overall, I enjoyed it but didn’t love it.
There were elements of the story that I quite liked. Harley was an incredible male lead but I didn’t care for the Josie very much. I felt her actions were confusing, a little irritating and misguided. There were a few plot twists that I didn’t quite care for… when you throw in too many it can desensitise the reader and lose its appeal. Overall, I enjoyed it but didn’t love it.
June 18, 2022
I didn't feel the enemies to lovers vibe at all, just a bunch of immature cheaters
August 24, 2022
2.5 ⭐️ nothing special, nothing terrible.
February 24, 2024
This book was kind of meh to be, I think the only reason I stuck with it is because I wanted to find out what happened between them, but honestly Josie really annoyed me, she wasn’t a nice person at all, I wasn’t invested in the romance and the ending felt so rushed and concluded in such a slow way
July 26, 2024
What a rollercoster 🥹
Read
October 12, 2023DNF. I think I was expecting more of an edge to the romance and what I got was weirdly boring.
June 3, 2022
100000/10 stars 😍
The minute I started reading this book I simply could NOT stop. If you enjoyed Forever Never by Lucy Score you will be wild about this book. I have fallen in love with small town romances and I have come out of my reading slump. I simply had to finish this in one sitting, it was too good. Thank you Lauren Jackson for such an amazing opportunity and sending me an ARC, this did not disappoint.
Josie feels trapped in Fern Grove, the small town she’s been living in her whole life. She feels out of place, the mean girls at school are getting under her skin and her group of friends aren’t as adventurous as she needs to be. She dreams of somewhere bigger, where there’s always something to do even when the sun is down, and a place that has AC. Right before graduation she changes her fate, alone in a room with the bad boy, Harley, from school that caught her eye months ago; the only problem is… well there’s Nick, her long-term boyfriend. That night changes everyone and Josie is forced to leave her small town, although she is happy to get out of Fern Grove she is faced with another twist; she realizes that the glamours life comes with an expensive price.
After four years away from Fern Grove she makes an alarmingly return, she’s no longer the chubby girl that was made fun of. Some people recognize her immediately while others take a while to figure out this is Josephine Mayor, Josie now. Everything is the same, just as she suspected, but Fern Grove isn’t the only thing that doesn’t change. Josie is faced with Nick, her high school sweetheart and not even 100 ft away is Harley, Harley Caldwell, the boy that ruined her life four years ago. The last time she was in the same space as these two guys she made an awful choice. After cutting off all connections to this town she can’t shake the feeling that the events of that night aren’t as she suspected but she’s also on a time-limit because there’s someone searching for Josie and it’s not Nick or Harley.
The story is told from Josie and Harley POVs and it goes back to four years ago in some chapters so you get the full scoop of some events. Wow I really can’t put into words how great this book was, it most definitely is my favorite book of the year, the writing was so easy I flew through it and I can’t wait to read it again. There are so many more major events but I don’t want to spoil anything I promise going in some-what blindly is amazing there’s so many twists and turns. I have nothing but great things to say about this book. It officially comes out June 11th so don’t forget to add it to your cart I promise it’s worth the wait! 💜🤍💜🤍
The minute I started reading this book I simply could NOT stop. If you enjoyed Forever Never by Lucy Score you will be wild about this book. I have fallen in love with small town romances and I have come out of my reading slump. I simply had to finish this in one sitting, it was too good. Thank you Lauren Jackson for such an amazing opportunity and sending me an ARC, this did not disappoint.
Josie feels trapped in Fern Grove, the small town she’s been living in her whole life. She feels out of place, the mean girls at school are getting under her skin and her group of friends aren’t as adventurous as she needs to be. She dreams of somewhere bigger, where there’s always something to do even when the sun is down, and a place that has AC. Right before graduation she changes her fate, alone in a room with the bad boy, Harley, from school that caught her eye months ago; the only problem is… well there’s Nick, her long-term boyfriend. That night changes everyone and Josie is forced to leave her small town, although she is happy to get out of Fern Grove she is faced with another twist; she realizes that the glamours life comes with an expensive price.
After four years away from Fern Grove she makes an alarmingly return, she’s no longer the chubby girl that was made fun of. Some people recognize her immediately while others take a while to figure out this is Josephine Mayor, Josie now. Everything is the same, just as she suspected, but Fern Grove isn’t the only thing that doesn’t change. Josie is faced with Nick, her high school sweetheart and not even 100 ft away is Harley, Harley Caldwell, the boy that ruined her life four years ago. The last time she was in the same space as these two guys she made an awful choice. After cutting off all connections to this town she can’t shake the feeling that the events of that night aren’t as she suspected but she’s also on a time-limit because there’s someone searching for Josie and it’s not Nick or Harley.
The story is told from Josie and Harley POVs and it goes back to four years ago in some chapters so you get the full scoop of some events. Wow I really can’t put into words how great this book was, it most definitely is my favorite book of the year, the writing was so easy I flew through it and I can’t wait to read it again. There are so many more major events but I don’t want to spoil anything I promise going in some-what blindly is amazing there’s so many twists and turns. I have nothing but great things to say about this book. It officially comes out June 11th so don’t forget to add it to your cart I promise it’s worth the wait! 💜🤍💜🤍
January 4, 2023
oh my god !!!! this book ??? amazing ! the writing ??? SUPERB the characters ?? GIVES YOU EVERY FEELS THERE IS POSSIBLE
oh my god (literally my favourite words when writing a review of a book THIS GOOD!!!) lauren jackson you are TALENTED !!! we need to be friends ASAP omgomgomgomg
okay starting with what i relate to in this book. SMALL. TOWNS. !!! i live in a small mining town for 18 years and i can confirm that the gossip in small towns go around as fast as a merry go round. i cannot express how much i hate it. so i know how josie feels when being in fern grove.
next we have the characters. josie is literally amazing! harley? wow talk about book boyfriend. sam? ADORABLE. jess? no. no. no. nick? no 😭😭 i did not like nick at all. brennan? asshole but yano nice guy. the father made me sad because imagine feeling so sad and emotional when your daughter just leaves without saying anything and always questioning yourself. parenting skills - was he not good enough? the father was amazing and the character development for him was so sweet i love it. really makes you think at the end of the book that life is too short to not say anything or express your feelings.
okay THE PLOT. THE. PLOT. !!!! im amazed, im shook, my head cant wrap around that twist BECAUSE WHY LAUREN WHY 😭 obviously no spoilers but in my head i was like WHAT NO WAY. i feel like there was a few plot twists in the book and i like that because its just not one plot twiste BUT LOTS and i live for it.
lauren jackson - automatically my new favourite authors 💌💌
oh my god (literally my favourite words when writing a review of a book THIS GOOD!!!) lauren jackson you are TALENTED !!! we need to be friends ASAP omgomgomgomg
okay starting with what i relate to in this book. SMALL. TOWNS. !!! i live in a small mining town for 18 years and i can confirm that the gossip in small towns go around as fast as a merry go round. i cannot express how much i hate it. so i know how josie feels when being in fern grove.
next we have the characters. josie is literally amazing! harley? wow talk about book boyfriend. sam? ADORABLE. jess? no. no. no. nick? no 😭😭 i did not like nick at all. brennan? asshole but yano nice guy. the father made me sad because imagine feeling so sad and emotional when your daughter just leaves without saying anything and always questioning yourself. parenting skills - was he not good enough? the father was amazing and the character development for him was so sweet i love it. really makes you think at the end of the book that life is too short to not say anything or express your feelings.
okay THE PLOT. THE. PLOT. !!!! im amazed, im shook, my head cant wrap around that twist BECAUSE WHY LAUREN WHY 😭 obviously no spoilers but in my head i was like WHAT NO WAY. i feel like there was a few plot twists in the book and i like that because its just not one plot twiste BUT LOTS and i live for it.
lauren jackson - automatically my new favourite authors 💌💌
June 1, 2023
honestly i’m surprised i didn’t dnf. i think i just really wanted to know how it all played out tbf.
the fmc, josie is an unlikable (forgive me) bitch. like she is truly horrible. she isn’t a girls girl at all and would sometimes bring another girl down it’s not cute. her entire personality screams “pick me” and she keeps going on and on about not wanting history to repeat itself and then she literally goes and does the same thing all over again?? i truly haven’t hated a fmc more.
also i know everybody is different, but josie had just escaped an abusive relationship but seemed to be ok? like she just bounced right back to her bitchy self and into not one but two relationships a week later?? it’s unbelievable and i feel as though no research or thought was put into this story line at all. it was just thrown in there to give the story something dramatic which is… yeah.
the mmc, meh he was kinda likeable i suppose. i felt for him a lot with the relationship with his father, but i feel like his emotions and stuff surrounding that could have been explored more? also his relationship with his best friend didn’t make any sense? this boy, brennan, was supposed to be the guy he turned to when things went bad. he literally picked him up and dusted him off whenever his dad hit him, but then i’m supposed to believe that same person leaks his sex tape and manipulates the mmc into believing he did it…. and we don’t even get a good explanation surrounding that…
don’t get me started on nick, like this girl cheated on him for months, he found out about it through their sex tape on facebook, she disappeared without a word and then comes back 4 years later and he HUGS her??? my god make it make sense. Oh and Nick wants to keep his virginity until he’s married, but in the flashbacks and present time the fmc keeps trying to pressuring him into sex and then acts as though he’s in the wrong when he says no? it’s soooo uncomfortable and icky. god i hate her
the ending was rushed and honestly i feel no closure from it.
i hate being mean but my god this was bad and it’s the last time i’ll let tiktok convince me to read something 😭😭😭
the fmc, josie is an unlikable (forgive me) bitch. like she is truly horrible. she isn’t a girls girl at all and would sometimes bring another girl down it’s not cute. her entire personality screams “pick me” and she keeps going on and on about not wanting history to repeat itself and then she literally goes and does the same thing all over again?? i truly haven’t hated a fmc more.
also i know everybody is different, but josie had just escaped an abusive relationship but seemed to be ok? like she just bounced right back to her bitchy self and into not one but two relationships a week later?? it’s unbelievable and i feel as though no research or thought was put into this story line at all. it was just thrown in there to give the story something dramatic which is… yeah.
the mmc, meh he was kinda likeable i suppose. i felt for him a lot with the relationship with his father, but i feel like his emotions and stuff surrounding that could have been explored more? also his relationship with his best friend didn’t make any sense? this boy, brennan, was supposed to be the guy he turned to when things went bad. he literally picked him up and dusted him off whenever his dad hit him, but then i’m supposed to believe that same person leaks his sex tape and manipulates the mmc into believing he did it…. and we don’t even get a good explanation surrounding that…
don’t get me started on nick, like this girl cheated on him for months, he found out about it through their sex tape on facebook, she disappeared without a word and then comes back 4 years later and he HUGS her??? my god make it make sense. Oh and Nick wants to keep his virginity until he’s married, but in the flashbacks and present time the fmc keeps trying to pressuring him into sex and then acts as though he’s in the wrong when he says no? it’s soooo uncomfortable and icky. god i hate her
the ending was rushed and honestly i feel no closure from it.
i hate being mean but my god this was bad and it’s the last time i’ll let tiktok convince me to read something 😭😭😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2023
Slow burn starting out but gets some amazing heat! I Loved the flashbacks seeing what happened in the passed, it really gave each character their story.
✔️Bad boys
✔️small towns
✔️enemies to lovers
✔️second-chance romance
A slowly unraveling mystery of what happened all years ago told by past and present prospectives. Meant to Be is a dual timeline. Which left me wanting more after each chapter.
The story follows Josie who left her home town Fern Grove 4 years ago with no plans of returning. After leaving her past behind she only finds herself in the present ending up with a controlling, abusive, manipulative ex. She was forced to leave the city back to her small home town she never wanted to go back too.
•Nick, the perfect boyfriend on paper but leaves a lot to be desired, he just doesn’t do it for Josie.
•Harley, who doesn’t seem to belong in this country town, with his tattoos, lip-ring, long hair and bad boy image. He’s rough around the edges but gives her everything she needs.
Josie faces the same struggle now, four years later, as she did in high school. Which guy will she end up with?
Nick, the good guy. -OR- Harley, the sexy “bad guy”.
😏Go read it and let me know which one you’d pick!
Overall, I loved this book. It kept my on my toes, hit every emotion, and the ending left me wanting to find out what happens next. Lauren, you are amazing! Give me more 😂
✔️Bad boys
✔️small towns
✔️enemies to lovers
✔️second-chance romance
A slowly unraveling mystery of what happened all years ago told by past and present prospectives. Meant to Be is a dual timeline. Which left me wanting more after each chapter.
The story follows Josie who left her home town Fern Grove 4 years ago with no plans of returning. After leaving her past behind she only finds herself in the present ending up with a controlling, abusive, manipulative ex. She was forced to leave the city back to her small home town she never wanted to go back too.
•Nick, the perfect boyfriend on paper but leaves a lot to be desired, he just doesn’t do it for Josie.
•Harley, who doesn’t seem to belong in this country town, with his tattoos, lip-ring, long hair and bad boy image. He’s rough around the edges but gives her everything she needs.
Josie faces the same struggle now, four years later, as she did in high school. Which guy will she end up with?
Nick, the good guy. -OR- Harley, the sexy “bad guy”.
😏Go read it and let me know which one you’d pick!
Overall, I loved this book. It kept my on my toes, hit every emotion, and the ending left me wanting to find out what happens next. Lauren, you are amazing! Give me more 😂
February 2, 2024
A lot of stuff packed into this one. Starts off with a trigger warning for DV but possibly should have included a warning about, well, the teenaged sexual exploration…? It feels kind of wrong reading about the sexual exploits of school aged children…. Flashbacks, but still…..
To be clear while a couple of the characters definitely enjoy each other, it’s not the main plot. Josie ( not Josephine thank you very much) has returned to her small home town after being ‘run out of town’ and having zero contact with anyone for four years. There is an historical teenaged love triangle to be uncovered. Apologies to be made. And a pearler of a douche canoe ( AKA the person Josie ran away from when returning home) situation to be resolved.
Nice guy Nick is…. Well not really likeable in my opinion.
The bad guys, well one isn’t really but the others REALLY are
Our main character made/makes some terrible choices and isn’t really likeable. There is some redemption. I wonder would she be a good match for Holden Caulfield….?
Without spoiling anything - everything eventually ends up as it should. Maybe. Not sure that Josie does deserve the ending she got.
Would I read this again? Nah. Am I mad I read it? Nah. Would I read anything by Lauren Jackson again? Well I won’t be actively seeking any other works out, it if she pops up for book club again, sure.
To be clear while a couple of the characters definitely enjoy each other, it’s not the main plot. Josie ( not Josephine thank you very much) has returned to her small home town after being ‘run out of town’ and having zero contact with anyone for four years. There is an historical teenaged love triangle to be uncovered. Apologies to be made. And a pearler of a douche canoe ( AKA the person Josie ran away from when returning home) situation to be resolved.
Nice guy Nick is…. Well not really likeable in my opinion.
The bad guys, well one isn’t really but the others REALLY are
Our main character made/makes some terrible choices and isn’t really likeable. There is some redemption. I wonder would she be a good match for Holden Caulfield….?
Without spoiling anything - everything eventually ends up as it should. Maybe. Not sure that Josie does deserve the ending she got.
Would I read this again? Nah. Am I mad I read it? Nah. Would I read anything by Lauren Jackson again? Well I won’t be actively seeking any other works out, it if she pops up for book club again, sure.
January 30, 2023
3.5 Stars ✨
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. At first Josie really annoyed me - she's seemed high strung and rude towards to her hometown and people in it. However, as the book continues you get to know more about Josie and her past why she acts the way she does (I did like that she was self aware of some of the things she said to people).
Harley was a guy with a rough past and a big heart and I'm really glad he won the girl of his dreams in the end.
A few things to note as to why this book didn't get 4 Stars.
- Josie and Harley loved each other (great) but the only interactions they had (in the past and present) were sexual. There was no emotional depth to their relationship.
- I could've finished a whole bottle of tequila if I'd taken a shot everytime the heat was brought up!
- the reason why Brennon leaked the sex tape was stupid... He didn't like her and she said something completely justified at a party, oh let me just illegally upload child porn to FB under my best friends account? Um what? Disgusting. He was not held accountable for his actions and he was not a good friend to Harley at all!!
Other than that I really enjoyed the book! I am excited to read more from Lauren!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. At first Josie really annoyed me - she's seemed high strung and rude towards to her hometown and people in it. However, as the book continues you get to know more about Josie and her past why she acts the way she does (I did like that she was self aware of some of the things she said to people).
Harley was a guy with a rough past and a big heart and I'm really glad he won the girl of his dreams in the end.
A few things to note as to why this book didn't get 4 Stars.
- Josie and Harley loved each other (great) but the only interactions they had (in the past and present) were sexual. There was no emotional depth to their relationship.
- I could've finished a whole bottle of tequila if I'd taken a shot everytime the heat was brought up!
- the reason why Brennon leaked the sex tape was stupid... He didn't like her and she said something completely justified at a party, oh let me just illegally upload child porn to FB under my best friends account? Um what? Disgusting. He was not held accountable for his actions and he was not a good friend to Harley at all!!
Other than that I really enjoyed the book! I am excited to read more from Lauren!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2024
DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HATE CHEATING LOL it literally just attempts to justify cheating for 300 pages straight.
I'm so convinced authors like this use "small town romance" as an excuse because they cannot write any sort of development or story whatsoever. This is further proven by the fact they constantly use flashback as a way to handfeed and explain everything rather than just showing it through development.
The FMC runs away from her small town because she got caught for it and everyone turned against her, then four years later comes back AND DOES IT AGAIN WITH THE SAME GUYS!!
It's not even in a way where you root for her, she's literally cheating on the same guy again, who is a sweetheart, and she's cheating on him because he's waiting for marriage. Like just dump him then if your values don't align?
I HATE cheating trope, so why would I like reading it from the POV of the cheater for an entire book?
The FMC is also insufferable, her only personality trait is being rude to literally everyone... Sorry, but your trauma doesn't make excuse you from being a bitch and a cheater. So, I couldn't even root for her in a "slay girly" way because she's a cheater AND a bitch. Like pick a struggle...
I'm so convinced authors like this use "small town romance" as an excuse because they cannot write any sort of development or story whatsoever. This is further proven by the fact they constantly use flashback as a way to handfeed and explain everything rather than just showing it through development.
The FMC runs away from her small town because she got caught for it and everyone turned against her, then four years later comes back AND DOES IT AGAIN WITH THE SAME GUYS!!
It's not even in a way where you root for her, she's literally cheating on the same guy again, who is a sweetheart, and she's cheating on him because he's waiting for marriage. Like just dump him then if your values don't align?
I HATE cheating trope, so why would I like reading it from the POV of the cheater for an entire book?
The FMC is also insufferable, her only personality trait is being rude to literally everyone... Sorry, but your trauma doesn't make excuse you from being a bitch and a cheater. So, I couldn't even root for her in a "slay girly" way because she's a cheater AND a bitch. Like pick a struggle...
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