Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Delacorte Press (First Edition)
Pages
292
Description
During an educational trip to London away from her friends and the boy she thinks she is fated to love, Massachussets high school junior Julia Lichtenstein is paired with her nemesis, Jason, and begins seeing many things differently.
Description
It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quote another to fall for the - gasp - wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's the queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her...well, pocket. Julia also believes in fate, and that Mark, her childhood crush, is her MTB - her meant-to-be.
But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts...from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to live a little along the way. And this begins a wild-goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.
Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.
A girl with it all planned out discovers a romance she never expected in this funny debut about a class trip to London that HelloGiggles.com says you’ll love “if you’re into swoony romances with a little bit of history thrown in.”
This spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love. Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.
But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts...from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to live a little along the way. And this begins a wild-goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.
Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.
A girl with it all planned out discovers a romance she never expected in this funny debut about a class trip to London that HelloGiggles.com says you’ll love “if you’re into swoony romances with a little bit of history thrown in.”
This spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love. Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
292 p.; 8.6 inches
ISBN
9780385741774
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User reviews
LibraryThing member PamZaragoza
"It's not MTB. It's better."
ASDFGHJKL!! THIS BOOK UGHHHH! It's so easy to fall in love with this book! Most of the time, I feel like I'm Julia. Probably because I'm a sucker for reading and daydreaming about my perfect guy and all those fairytale-esque standards that I tend to be blinded by what's
It's a really good young adult book and I enjoyed every bit of it. Love it! :)
ASDFGHJKL!! THIS BOOK UGHHHH! It's so easy to fall in love with this book! Most of the time, I feel like I'm Julia. Probably because I'm a sucker for reading and daydreaming about my perfect guy and all those fairytale-esque standards that I tend to be blinded by what's
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in front of me. Oh and probably with the "denial stage" she experienced. Yeah I'm a Julia haha!It's a really good young adult book and I enjoyed every bit of it. Love it! :)
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LibraryThing member kayceel
Completely charming, fun and swoony romance. (Doesn't get steamier than kissing, and though there is some underage drinking, the characters definitely pay for that drinking!)
LibraryThing member matamgirl
Wow do I feel like an unromantic grinch for giving this one two stars. Anyway I did think the story was sweet and she used London well. As far as I can tell London was accurate but I am not familiar enough with the city to be a great judge of that. I don't know, for some reason the story didn't
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work for me. I have no idea why Jason was interested in Julia because frankly Julia was completely unpleasant. I realize she is supposed to be Type-A and all that but yeesh. Show Less
LibraryThing member SarahBlackstock
“I don't use airplane bathrooms. As a rule. And I really don't like breaking rules. (It's kind of one of my rules.) I mean, if I'm going to plummet to my death, it's notgoing to be with my pants around my ankles.”
LibraryThing member renkellym
Meant to Be would make an excellent rom-com movie. It has a charming, plucky heroine and a sexy bad-boy who are clearly perfect together, but they just can’t see it themselves. Plus, there’s humor, and—how could I forget?—the story is set in London.
LibraryThing member Kymberlee
Lots and lots of cheese. I tried my hardest to connect with the characters and the story, but I just couldn't get past the cheesy predictability of it all. I love the idea of this book, but I just didn't love the book itself.
LibraryThing member TheBookLife
This book is so much fun! Julia is obsessed with finding her MTB and is pretty much willing to go to any lengths possible to be with that person. Julia is a part of a school trip to London for spring break and ends up going against her normal behavior by attending a party. This is where the fun
I liked Julia as a main character. I thought her straight-laced attitude and constant need to follow the rules was particularly amusing, especially when she would slip up and break a rule. Most of these instances happened when she was with Jason, whom I absolutely adore. He was so funny and constantly giving Julia a hard time. He was also, so obviously, into her. Of course, she was oblivious, which made it all the more fun for me as a reader. I also really liked the foreign setting. I love a stories ability to take you into a new worl, and I especially like it when that new world happens to also be in another country. You get to be a bit of a tourist, without ever getting up from your chair.
This was a fun, light, and hilarious romantic story. Yes, it was definitely predictable and I wasn't ever really surprised, but that didn't keep me from thoroughly enjoying it. If you are looking for an awesome contemp, I definitely recommend picking this one up when it comes out. Lauren Morrill has given us an excellent story to add to our shelves :0)
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really begins. All the chapters are titled with text messages between Julia and the mystery person texting her, between Julia and her best friend, and from a popular girl in class who doesn't really like her all that much. I thought this was a really fun way to get into the story and it was cool to try and guess what the more cryptic texts were really hinting at. I liked Julia as a main character. I thought her straight-laced attitude and constant need to follow the rules was particularly amusing, especially when she would slip up and break a rule. Most of these instances happened when she was with Jason, whom I absolutely adore. He was so funny and constantly giving Julia a hard time. He was also, so obviously, into her. Of course, she was oblivious, which made it all the more fun for me as a reader. I also really liked the foreign setting. I love a stories ability to take you into a new worl, and I especially like it when that new world happens to also be in another country. You get to be a bit of a tourist, without ever getting up from your chair.
This was a fun, light, and hilarious romantic story. Yes, it was definitely predictable and I wasn't ever really surprised, but that didn't keep me from thoroughly enjoying it. If you are looking for an awesome contemp, I definitely recommend picking this one up when it comes out. Lauren Morrill has given us an excellent story to add to our shelves :0)
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LibraryThing member yearningtoread
Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill
Pages: 304
Release Date: November 13th, 2012
Date Read: 2012, September 24th-25th
Received: ARC via NetGalley
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Recommended to: 15+
SUMMARY -
Julia Lichtenstein has flown to London for the first time - with all her classmates in tow. The school trip won't be
MY THOUGHTS -
I soooo enjoyed this book!! It was goofy, adorable, and had me grinning like mad at the end! I had some issues with it, but honestly - who cares?! It was just wonderful!
Let's get the "bad" over with first, 'cause that's no fun. To start, I had a hard time with Julia at first. She needed to SERIOUSLY loosen up. And Jason - what the flip, kid?! Stop fooling around! They both were way too extreme to start out with and it irked me...for a bit....until they started to balance each other out, and become better people because of each other. There were also some random sexual comments that, while maybe a younger reader wouldn't catch in its entirety, I did, and I was like, "Ummm...AWKWARD MUCH?" I was a bit disappointed in that, because it wasn't needed. It was just there.
Then there were the things I enjoyed... My number one thing is how well Julia and Jason balanced each other out over time and how they got out of themselves and their comfort zones and learned things and became better people. It was a really smooth process and very fun to read.
The relationship dynamics were really awesome because Julia and Jason had noooo idea what was in store for them and their classmates. The traveling, the art, the inspiration - it all had me on the edge of my seat, waiting for more, savoring it all like a delicious desert, but also devouring it like a delicious desert. ;)
The climax was good but a bit fast and a bit quick-fix-it. I do wish there had been more depth, some more "setting of boundaries" (if you've read the book, you might know what I mean). But still - so fun, so cute, and it made me smile.
So basically, all in all this was a wonderful read, full of grand adventures in London, a sweeping romance and a lesson learned. What's not to adore?
This book reminds me of...
Kissing in the rain
London houses
Secrets
Hilarious moments
Teachers who are totally blind to their students' real actions
Mysteries
Good laughs
For the Parents -
Some very...plainly said sexual references and even some body movements that refer to sex. Honestly, it was disappointing, but this only happens in a few places, which I was thankful for. A bit of mild language if I remember correctly. Recommended 15+
Pages: 304
Release Date: November 13th, 2012
Date Read: 2012, September 24th-25th
Received: ARC via NetGalley
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Recommended to: 15+
SUMMARY -
Julia Lichtenstein has flown to London for the first time - with all her classmates in tow. The school trip won't be
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so bad, will it? The plane ride over was a major fail, but how bad can the rest of the trip be? Pretty bad, Julia discovers, when she's paired with Jason, the attention-loving, egotistical moron who made dirty jokes about her on the plane. The complete idiot who seems to want to get her in trouble at every turn. Jason may be a lot of things, but for a fact Julia knows he is NOT her MTB - Meant To Be. Mark is her MTB, if only he knew it. But Julia is in for a lesson - and a great time - as she discovers a new kind of love and a new way of life.MY THOUGHTS -
I soooo enjoyed this book!! It was goofy, adorable, and had me grinning like mad at the end! I had some issues with it, but honestly - who cares?! It was just wonderful!
Let's get the "bad" over with first, 'cause that's no fun. To start, I had a hard time with Julia at first. She needed to SERIOUSLY loosen up. And Jason - what the flip, kid?! Stop fooling around! They both were way too extreme to start out with and it irked me...for a bit....until they started to balance each other out, and become better people because of each other. There were also some random sexual comments that, while maybe a younger reader wouldn't catch in its entirety, I did, and I was like, "Ummm...AWKWARD MUCH?" I was a bit disappointed in that, because it wasn't needed. It was just there.
Then there were the things I enjoyed... My number one thing is how well Julia and Jason balanced each other out over time and how they got out of themselves and their comfort zones and learned things and became better people. It was a really smooth process and very fun to read.
The relationship dynamics were really awesome because Julia and Jason had noooo idea what was in store for them and their classmates. The traveling, the art, the inspiration - it all had me on the edge of my seat, waiting for more, savoring it all like a delicious desert, but also devouring it like a delicious desert. ;)
The climax was good but a bit fast and a bit quick-fix-it. I do wish there had been more depth, some more "setting of boundaries" (if you've read the book, you might know what I mean). But still - so fun, so cute, and it made me smile.
So basically, all in all this was a wonderful read, full of grand adventures in London, a sweeping romance and a lesson learned. What's not to adore?
This book reminds me of...
Kissing in the rain
London houses
Secrets
Hilarious moments
Teachers who are totally blind to their students' real actions
Mysteries
Good laughs
For the Parents -
Some very...plainly said sexual references and even some body movements that refer to sex. Honestly, it was disappointing, but this only happens in a few places, which I was thankful for. A bit of mild language if I remember correctly. Recommended 15+
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LibraryThing member hrose2931
I loved this book! Julia, better known as Book Licker is as straight as they come. She follows all the rules whether it's unpack your suitcase as soon as you arrive or always carry a map with you. She's sure to follow them. I understand her need for order, her need to please, therefore follow the
So she gets paired with Jason. He was endearing at times, but also a jerk. His actions were a little more erratic and confusing. He takes Julia to a party and then abandons her. Julia hasn't had enough to drink to really let go yet, so she's able to shake off the unattractive and offensive boys. But then as the night wears on, she's able to pretend she's someone else. And she loves not being "Book Licker". And that's when she gives out her number to so many boys she can't remember who the boy is that is texting her on the "only to be used for emergencies" phone provided by the school trip organizers. Jason takes advantage of that situation, something she expects and says he'll help her win him over if she writes their reflection papers. What ensues is a week of chasing they mysterious Chris around the streets of London trying not to get caught while Julia breaks the rules and finally learns to have fun. I see a lot of character growth in her since the story is told from her point of view and it's great to see. She let's go of a lot of preconceived notions and barriers she has and opens up to new possibilities that don't limit her.
But Jason starts out acting like a five year old and pretty much remains a five year old, getting out of trouble with his charm, a smile or a kiss. I see no character growth in him, no real change in him and he really did need to grow up. There were plenty of opportunities where he could have stepped up and been a grown up, but he just never showed that kind of character.
The story line was fun and different. I'm not saying there isn't another story out there like it, but it felt fresh and fun to me and it was a great contemporary romance. Julia learned a lot and not from the guide books. And in the end it was maybe not the lightest of romances I've read, but definitely fun.
I received a copy of the novel from NetGalley for review. I was not compensated for my review. The opinions expressed are my own.
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rules. I liked her even though I know some people had complaints about her. It takes a lot of time and effort to follow all the rules that society, school, parents, friends etc have laid out. So is it any wonder she hasn't had much fun and she's so uptight and let's face it, a little angry. If she let's go then she might unravel, and who would she be without all her rules to keep her in line. I think she was a little scared to let go, to find out who Julia really was. So she gets paired with Jason. He was endearing at times, but also a jerk. His actions were a little more erratic and confusing. He takes Julia to a party and then abandons her. Julia hasn't had enough to drink to really let go yet, so she's able to shake off the unattractive and offensive boys. But then as the night wears on, she's able to pretend she's someone else. And she loves not being "Book Licker". And that's when she gives out her number to so many boys she can't remember who the boy is that is texting her on the "only to be used for emergencies" phone provided by the school trip organizers. Jason takes advantage of that situation, something she expects and says he'll help her win him over if she writes their reflection papers. What ensues is a week of chasing they mysterious Chris around the streets of London trying not to get caught while Julia breaks the rules and finally learns to have fun. I see a lot of character growth in her since the story is told from her point of view and it's great to see. She let's go of a lot of preconceived notions and barriers she has and opens up to new possibilities that don't limit her.
But Jason starts out acting like a five year old and pretty much remains a five year old, getting out of trouble with his charm, a smile or a kiss. I see no character growth in him, no real change in him and he really did need to grow up. There were plenty of opportunities where he could have stepped up and been a grown up, but he just never showed that kind of character.
The story line was fun and different. I'm not saying there isn't another story out there like it, but it felt fresh and fun to me and it was a great contemporary romance. Julia learned a lot and not from the guide books. And in the end it was maybe not the lightest of romances I've read, but definitely fun.
I received a copy of the novel from NetGalley for review. I was not compensated for my review. The opinions expressed are my own.
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LibraryThing member BooksOverTv
First I will have to be forthcoming and admit that I will probably love any book where the setting takes place in London.
I loved Jason and all his shenanigans. Julia was a stickler for most things so, he was a good contrast. I enjoyed the running around trying not to get caught but hoping to meet
I recommend this book to lovers of Contemporary, Romance, Stephanie Perkins and all things London.
I loved Jason and all his shenanigans. Julia was a stickler for most things so, he was a good contrast. I enjoyed the running around trying not to get caught but hoping to meet
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the guy who's texting her. This book had laugh out load moments for me. I really enjoyed it and can't express how awesome I think it is. This is an adventure romance crush with a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. Meant To Be tells the tale that what you might believe is MTB might be something or someone else altogether.I recommend this book to lovers of Contemporary, Romance, Stephanie Perkins and all things London.
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LibraryThing member ad_astra
The good:
This is a quick, fluffy read. It was definitely engaging and kept me turning the pages.
I thought it was great that I didn’t like Jason at first and then fell for him as the story went on – just like Julia did.
The story is set in London and what’s not to love about that? Definitely
I did like some things about Julia’s character – she isn’t too concerned with her looks but she is concerned with her grades. She doesn’t let peer pressure get to her.
The bad:
Julia. Even when she’s breaking rules and supposedly having fun, she’s not. She was a bit too Type A for me to connect with her and like her. She didn’t seem like someone Jason would fall for. And the fact that she’s been obsessed with a guy for years and he doesn’t even know she exists? Eye roll.
And so, I didn’t buy into their “romance.” Their whole relationship felt like the formation of a friendship, not a romance. I don’t think their personalities meshed together at all. I could see them as friends, but not boyfriend/girlfriend.
This is a quick, fluffy read. It was definitely engaging and kept me turning the pages.
I thought it was great that I didn’t like Jason at first and then fell for him as the story went on – just like Julia did.
The story is set in London and what’s not to love about that? Definitely
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added to the romanticism of the story and made things more interesting. I did like some things about Julia’s character – she isn’t too concerned with her looks but she is concerned with her grades. She doesn’t let peer pressure get to her.
The bad:
Julia. Even when she’s breaking rules and supposedly having fun, she’s not. She was a bit too Type A for me to connect with her and like her. She didn’t seem like someone Jason would fall for. And the fact that she’s been obsessed with a guy for years and he doesn’t even know she exists? Eye roll.
And so, I didn’t buy into their “romance.” Their whole relationship felt like the formation of a friendship, not a romance. I don’t think their personalities meshed together at all. I could see them as friends, but not boyfriend/girlfriend.
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LibraryThing member thehidingspot
In Meant to Be, Julia is convinced that the smart and dreamy Mark Bixford is her Meant To Be (MTB), her perfect match and the boy she's destined to end up with. Unfortunately, things don't work out quite as planned for the plan-obsessed Julia, who learns that people are often not what they seem, or
I wasn't Julia's biggest fan at first, but I think that might have been because I could see parallels between my younger self and this opinionated, grumpy, misguided girl. Like Julia, I found myself judging others a bit too quickly, and sometimes to harshly. Since I was so judgmental, I was grumpy and dissatisfied with my peers. Aaaaand of course I assumed my crush and I would somehow find a way into each others arms (despite his girlfriend, who he is now married to!) and he would be absolutely wonderful and charming. It didn't take long for my illusions to shatter, just like Julia's... and I can't help but recognize the Julia in both of my younger sisters, in my girlfriends, etc. Julia isn't all that likable through most of the book, but, to me, she was just going through that mean teenage girl phase that most girls go through at some point in their adolescence.
The concept of MTB isn't limited to just teenage girls; women of all ages, shapes, and sizes have the potential to fall into the MTB, true love, trap. I love that Julia realizes that love and relationships are more complicated on both her own terms and in reference to her mother and father's relationship, which she used as her benchmark of a good, MTB relationship.
Julia's relationship with her mother was, for me, one of the highlights of the novel. I really appreciated their bond and the open communication between the two, which aides in Julia's become more aware of the world around her and herself. Their conversations never felt forced or false and I loved the warmth of their dialogue.
To properly enjoy Meant to Be, there's a certain amount of suspended disbelief on the part of the reader. The situation Julia and Jason find themselves in did not feel real at all, which I sometimes found a bit distracting, but it served its purpose.
Meant to Be is mostly cute and the ending is more than a little predictable, but there's a heartfelt message beneath the fluffy plot and I have to give Morrill props for that.
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what you want them to be, and that, ultimately, love isn't something that you can schedule. I wasn't Julia's biggest fan at first, but I think that might have been because I could see parallels between my younger self and this opinionated, grumpy, misguided girl. Like Julia, I found myself judging others a bit too quickly, and sometimes to harshly. Since I was so judgmental, I was grumpy and dissatisfied with my peers. Aaaaand of course I assumed my crush and I would somehow find a way into each others arms (despite his girlfriend, who he is now married to!) and he would be absolutely wonderful and charming. It didn't take long for my illusions to shatter, just like Julia's... and I can't help but recognize the Julia in both of my younger sisters, in my girlfriends, etc. Julia isn't all that likable through most of the book, but, to me, she was just going through that mean teenage girl phase that most girls go through at some point in their adolescence.
The concept of MTB isn't limited to just teenage girls; women of all ages, shapes, and sizes have the potential to fall into the MTB, true love, trap. I love that Julia realizes that love and relationships are more complicated on both her own terms and in reference to her mother and father's relationship, which she used as her benchmark of a good, MTB relationship.
Julia's relationship with her mother was, for me, one of the highlights of the novel. I really appreciated their bond and the open communication between the two, which aides in Julia's become more aware of the world around her and herself. Their conversations never felt forced or false and I loved the warmth of their dialogue.
To properly enjoy Meant to Be, there's a certain amount of suspended disbelief on the part of the reader. The situation Julia and Jason find themselves in did not feel real at all, which I sometimes found a bit distracting, but it served its purpose.
Meant to Be is mostly cute and the ending is more than a little predictable, but there's a heartfelt message beneath the fluffy plot and I have to give Morrill props for that.
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LibraryThing member sszkutak
I can’t believe I have waited this long to listen to and or read this book. Meant To Be is a beautiful love story set in London about a teenage girl on a class trip. She has a secret crush, an annoying travel buddy, and a mystery guy texting her and her whole world is topsy turvy over these
Julie is your typical teenage girl, in this case the nerdy kind, straight A’s, doesn’t break rules, doesn’t get involved with trouble. She is also shy and nervous and confused about her love life. On her class trip she is forced to rethink her values of love and what is ‘meant to be’ and it may not be her ideal outcome.
The story was witty and entertaining. Julia and Jason are hilarious to encounter, they play off of each other in both good ways and bad and their snarky picking at one another is so funny. I found myself laughing along with the jokes and out of place actions of Jason.
The love element in this plot was very staggered, as a reader you can kind of see where it is going, then second-guess yourself, and maybe come back again. I think that is an example of some awesome writing and character building if any.
Lauren Morrill did a great job expressing all of the fears, happiness, nervousness, and crazy that comes with having feelings for someone. This was a very fun read.
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guys.Julie is your typical teenage girl, in this case the nerdy kind, straight A’s, doesn’t break rules, doesn’t get involved with trouble. She is also shy and nervous and confused about her love life. On her class trip she is forced to rethink her values of love and what is ‘meant to be’ and it may not be her ideal outcome.
The story was witty and entertaining. Julia and Jason are hilarious to encounter, they play off of each other in both good ways and bad and their snarky picking at one another is so funny. I found myself laughing along with the jokes and out of place actions of Jason.
The love element in this plot was very staggered, as a reader you can kind of see where it is going, then second-guess yourself, and maybe come back again. I think that is an example of some awesome writing and character building if any.
Lauren Morrill did a great job expressing all of the fears, happiness, nervousness, and crazy that comes with having feelings for someone. This was a very fun read.
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LibraryThing member brandileigh2003
I really liked Julia, the main character of Meant to Be. She is the right blend of nerdy, smart and quirky. The backdrop of Meant to Be is London, and it was charming to read about, I could almost picture myself there with the descriptions on the pages of Julia's journey to learning about life,
I loved that she had her own interests and even though she was clutzy and insecure she had ideas off what she wanted and didn't want to be taken advantage of.
I was so back and forth with Jason and that is a real talent to keep me so undecided and questioning a character. I really liked getting to know him and figuring out why he acts like he did and what his motivations are. He was so typical guy though. Transparent in so many ways, immature in others, absolutely sweet and melting in orders, and then there are the times where you scratch your head and think they must be from another planet.
There were plenty of steamy moments but at times I felt like I had whip lash with the back and forth between Jason mark and Chris. I liked how they all played into the story though and what she learned about herself through interactions with each of them.
The plot twist was interesting and added interesting to this fun yet sometimes emotional contemporary.
Bottom line: Cute and funny story with good characters.
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meant to be, and herself. I loved that she had her own interests and even though she was clutzy and insecure she had ideas off what she wanted and didn't want to be taken advantage of.
I was so back and forth with Jason and that is a real talent to keep me so undecided and questioning a character. I really liked getting to know him and figuring out why he acts like he did and what his motivations are. He was so typical guy though. Transparent in so many ways, immature in others, absolutely sweet and melting in orders, and then there are the times where you scratch your head and think they must be from another planet.
There were plenty of steamy moments but at times I felt like I had whip lash with the back and forth between Jason mark and Chris. I liked how they all played into the story though and what she learned about herself through interactions with each of them.
The plot twist was interesting and added interesting to this fun yet sometimes emotional contemporary.
Bottom line: Cute and funny story with good characters.
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LibraryThing member bookish92
One of the best YA contemporary novel's I've read this year. It was funny and endearing. Loved it.
LibraryThing member joeydag
First novel by Lauren Morrill is a young adult romance. High school junior Julia is on a field trip from Newton High to London with schoolmates. She is champion swimmer, can be mistaken for a model, loves Shakespeare and Jane Austen, but has some difficulty relating and lives in a suspended fantasy
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of her MTB - Meant To Be lover. She is buddied up with Jason who calls her Book Licker and they have some adventures on their 10 days in London. There are hints of Pride and Prejudice and Midsummer's Night Dream. A cute romantic comedy begging to be made into a movie. Show Less
LibraryThing member kmartin802
MEANT TO BE was a fun and funny journey. Julia is on a Junior class trip during Spring Break to London. She is ecstatic to be seeing the city where her mother and father went on their honeymoon. Nothing could be better for a girl who loves the Beatles, Pride and Prejudice and Shakespeare. Except
Julia, besides being accident-prone, is a very romantic young woman. She is certain that her Meant to Be (MTB, for short) is Mark, the boy who was her neighbor as a child and who has now come back into her life - at least, at a distance. She has been crushing on him from afar. When he comes to London with his photographer father, Julia gets a chance to get to know the current version of Mark.
Having lost her father when she was seven, she has a very romanticized version of her parents' relationship which helps inspire her own desire to find her MTB. But after spending time with Jason who is encouraging her to have fun and break a couple of rules, she is conflicted. Sometimes she really likes him but sometimes he really, really annoys her.
I enjoyed the characters and really liked reading the story from Julia's point of view. She has a very quirky sense of humor. I wish that I could have gotten inside Jason's head a little bit more. I wanted a more rounded character than the one Julia saw through her prejudiced eyes.
Fans of romance and humor will enjoy this story very much.
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none of her friends from the swim team were able to go along with her which leaves her with a bunch of people she doesn't want to spend time with. Worst of all, the chaperone pairs them all up and puts Julia with her nemesis Jason who seems to delight in pushing her buttons. Julia, besides being accident-prone, is a very romantic young woman. She is certain that her Meant to Be (MTB, for short) is Mark, the boy who was her neighbor as a child and who has now come back into her life - at least, at a distance. She has been crushing on him from afar. When he comes to London with his photographer father, Julia gets a chance to get to know the current version of Mark.
Having lost her father when she was seven, she has a very romanticized version of her parents' relationship which helps inspire her own desire to find her MTB. But after spending time with Jason who is encouraging her to have fun and break a couple of rules, she is conflicted. Sometimes she really likes him but sometimes he really, really annoys her.
I enjoyed the characters and really liked reading the story from Julia's point of view. She has a very quirky sense of humor. I wish that I could have gotten inside Jason's head a little bit more. I wanted a more rounded character than the one Julia saw through her prejudiced eyes.
Fans of romance and humor will enjoy this story very much.
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LibraryThing member hawaiianmermaid701
I loved the characters, they were relatable and people I would actually want to know in real life. I love any book set in England and this book was no exception! I liked that the author sent Julia and Jason to well known landmarks in England like the London Eye or the Tate Museum as well as little
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cafes and shops and record stores. It made me want to try and find the places she described! Show Less
LibraryThing member Dauntless
A Cute Story
LibraryThing member heycaye
I know which types of YA romance books I love, and from the first two chapters, this book is not one of them.
That's always the problem with most YA authors.. they blabber a lot of unnecessary stuff and it's always so obvious who ends up with who. And it's always the 'nerdy, pretentious and non-hot'
Or maybe I'm just too cynical and picky :o
edit: 01/21/2015
I don't know what made me try to read this book again. All I know is I was browsing Calibre for some quick reads and voila, I finish this at midnight.
I mostly skimmed it though.
Julie is supposedly a smart girl with a GPA of 4, but given her stupidity and naïve attitude I wonder how on earth that happened. Every time she talks about MTB— her "meant to be", I get indecisive whether I want to bang my head on the wall or puke my latest meal.
Jason was supposed to be charming. But all I see is Jason and his three stages of character development:
1. Being a complete *ssh*l*
2. Being less of an *ssh*l* and more of an annoyingly playful ten-year-old kid who keeps daring Julie to get out of her comfort zone; and eventually
3. Being a(n unbelievably) sincere guy who admits his love for Julie, who he kept annoying for the last three hundred pages or so
But I'll admit it got kind of cute in the last parts. I wish Jason wasn't as bipolar as he was—I mean, if he made me really believe he was sincere I would've bitten into this. But the gap was so big, and he was too much of a jerk to begin with, that I find it hard to believe he turned into this nice-nice guy.
Don't get me started with Julie. I'll never reconcile myself to this stupid character.
I know I hate chick lit but I don't know why I keep diving into it. Maybe because I need a book that can prove me wrong, that can make me say hey this genre ain't so bad after all but I'm yet to read that book. It most definitely isn't Meant to Be.
That's always the problem with most YA authors.. they blabber a lot of unnecessary stuff and it's always so obvious who ends up with who. And it's always the 'nerdy, pretentious and non-hot'
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girl and the 'handsome, unlikable at first but turns out to be awesome' boy which the girl originally detests.Or maybe I'm just too cynical and picky :o
edit: 01/21/2015
I don't know what made me try to read this book again. All I know is I was browsing Calibre for some quick reads and voila, I finish this at midnight.
I mostly skimmed it though.
Julie is supposedly a smart girl with a GPA of 4, but given her stupidity and naïve attitude I wonder how on earth that happened. Every time she talks about MTB— her "meant to be", I get indecisive whether I want to bang my head on the wall or puke my latest meal.
Jason was supposed to be charming. But all I see is Jason and his three stages of character development:
1. Being a complete *ssh*l*
2. Being less of an *ssh*l* and more of an annoyingly playful ten-year-old kid who keeps daring Julie to get out of her comfort zone; and eventually
3. Being a(n unbelievably) sincere guy who admits his love for Julie, who he kept annoying for the last three hundred pages or so
But I'll admit it got kind of cute in the last parts. I wish Jason wasn't as bipolar as he was—I mean, if he made me really believe he was sincere I would've bitten into this. But the gap was so big, and he was too much of a jerk to begin with, that I find it hard to believe he turned into this nice-nice guy.
Don't get me started with Julie. I'll never reconcile myself to this stupid character.
I know I hate chick lit but I don't know why I keep diving into it. Maybe because I need a book that can prove me wrong, that can make me say hey this genre ain't so bad after all but I'm yet to read that book. It most definitely isn't Meant to Be.
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LibraryThing member tamaranewman
3 1/2 ⭐️ a little innocent for my taste. It's late I'm not explaining hah.
LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
A fun, light-hearted romance for older teens looking for an easy read.
LibraryThing member Aly_Locatelli
Reviews and more at The Beautiful World of Books!
“There's a difference between preferring books to parties and preferring sixteen cats to seeing the light of day.”
A sweet, funny, fast read that has you falling in love with chicklits all over again. Admittedly, it took some force of will to get
The best thing about books -- and books like this one, in particular -- is how well someone can sympathise with the main character. I often find myself not being able to relate with them at all and finding it hard to muster up even an inch of sympathy but that wasn't the case with Julia. She was a funny klutz (in a way that puts Bella Swan to shame, considering Bella only ever tripped up twice in Twilight, whereas Julia is consistently making an ass out of herself) and one with a hidden agenda -- to find her "MTB" (Meant to Be). She's 100% convinced that childhood crush Mark is her happily ever after. But is he?
Come on, we all know the answer!
When Julia heads off to London on a class trip, she is paired with her nemesis, Jason. Jason is the fitty and clown of the class and has made it his school life mission to make Julia's life unbearable -- from stuffing her locker full of tampons to pushing her in a pond when she least expects it. So you can imagine how Julia feels about being his "buddy" for ten whole days. Jason whisks Julia away to a party and it turns out that, wow, she's really quite popular! A huge hangover and several numbers later, Julia finds herself in a mysterious boy's attention line... Chris.
Let me point out that there really is no love triangle/square/heptagon here. From the word go, you know how it's going to end because it's just THAT cliché. But it's not the sort of story that will have you rolling your eyes so hard your brain rattles, but the sort of story that makes you facepalm, laugh and ultimately go "awwwww".
There were points in the book, when Julia and Jason are wandering around London, that seriously had me thinking, "Are you for real?"
Mostly because I'm thinking, at the same time, "American tourists IRL aren't THAT bad." If anything, it's European tourists that make me want to slap a b*tch. I don't live in London, but my town is incredibly touristy and small, so we're faced with exchange students every year and they are so damn obnoxiously rude. Of course, I have no doubt that not EVERY European tourist is like that, but I can sympathise with the Londoners in the book.
Definitely a read I would recommend to anyone.
“There's a difference between preferring books to parties and preferring sixteen cats to seeing the light of day.”
A sweet, funny, fast read that has you falling in love with chicklits all over again. Admittedly, it took some force of will to get
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into this, mostly because it sounded really rather young, but once I managed to get through that first 20% I couldn't wait to see what happened next.The best thing about books -- and books like this one, in particular -- is how well someone can sympathise with the main character. I often find myself not being able to relate with them at all and finding it hard to muster up even an inch of sympathy but that wasn't the case with Julia. She was a funny klutz (in a way that puts Bella Swan to shame, considering Bella only ever tripped up twice in Twilight, whereas Julia is consistently making an ass out of herself) and one with a hidden agenda -- to find her "MTB" (Meant to Be). She's 100% convinced that childhood crush Mark is her happily ever after. But is he?
Come on, we all know the answer!
When Julia heads off to London on a class trip, she is paired with her nemesis, Jason. Jason is the fitty and clown of the class and has made it his school life mission to make Julia's life unbearable -- from stuffing her locker full of tampons to pushing her in a pond when she least expects it. So you can imagine how Julia feels about being his "buddy" for ten whole days. Jason whisks Julia away to a party and it turns out that, wow, she's really quite popular! A huge hangover and several numbers later, Julia finds herself in a mysterious boy's attention line... Chris.
Let me point out that there really is no love triangle/square/heptagon here. From the word go, you know how it's going to end because it's just THAT cliché. But it's not the sort of story that will have you rolling your eyes so hard your brain rattles, but the sort of story that makes you facepalm, laugh and ultimately go "awwwww".
There were points in the book, when Julia and Jason are wandering around London, that seriously had me thinking, "Are you for real?"
Mostly because I'm thinking, at the same time, "American tourists IRL aren't THAT bad." If anything, it's European tourists that make me want to slap a b*tch. I don't live in London, but my town is incredibly touristy and small, so we're faced with exchange students every year and they are so damn obnoxiously rude. Of course, I have no doubt that not EVERY European tourist is like that, but I can sympathise with the Londoners in the book.
Definitely a read I would recommend to anyone.
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LibraryThing member A_Reader_of_Fictions
OMG, you guys, pardon me while I flail freaking everywhere over how incredibly hilarious and wonderful and perfect for me this book is! Ahhhhh! There are certain authors who are just like made of magic for me, you know? Their every written word speaks to me. They're funny and clever, and say
I could tell straight off that this novel would be a fantabulous read for me. The book opens with, "There are certain things in life that just suck. Pouring a big bowl of Lucky Charms before realizing the milk is expired, the word 'moist,' falling face-first into the salad bar in front of the entire lacrosse team . . ." It you can make me laugh with the first two sentences, things are looking up. I proceeded to highlight a bunch of quotes that spoke to me and made me laugh. If you go on GR, right now and look up quotes by Lauren Morrill, I added all of them, because I'm a nutter and obsessed.
My very favorite aspect of Meant to Be is how well-drawn Julia is. She totally rocks, but which I mean she's kind of awkward and judgmental and anal-retentive. Julia might have more in common with me than any heroine I've ever encountered, with our main differences being her skill as a swimmer and her dedication to homework. Julia, like me, is not a rule-breaker, pretty much as a rule, and, when she does break them, it's this sort of painful mix of fun and fear. She loves reading more than just about anything else and has only one close friend, Phoebe. On top of that, she's introverted and has curly, frizzy hair she cannot figure out what to do with. My advice to her on that last one is confidence; if you pretend it looks awesome, a lot of people will be fooled.
What was most familiar to me about Julia was her perspective. Julia's mental dialog is pretty much exactly what it's like to live in my head, especially my less self-aware high school brain. Despite being incredibly intelligent and witty, Julia, when in a social situation, generally fails to prove herself verbose and lacks witty retorts. Yet, in her head, she has this constant judgmental, snarky commentary running at all times, which, of course, deserts her at times of need. She also has a temper and doesn't realize how harsh or superior she comes off to other people. To me, Julia is one hundred percent realistic, believable and hilarious.
I will say that the only other strongly-developed character is Jason, and even he takes a definite back seat. This is no surprise given how caught up Julia is in her own world and impressions of things and people. Since it's just like my mind, I can tell you right now that she's not the most reliable narrator. Meant to Be is definitely driven by Julia, so I suspect that if you don't like her the book won't be much fun for you.
The romance does not go anywhere surprising, but it's totally one of my favorite formulas. I've always been so weak to the boy and girl who don't like each other at first plotline, because of my love of Pride and Prejudice, which Morrill is obviously a total fangirl about too, based on the numerous references. Shakespeare comes up a lot too, of course, but, if this is actually a retelling of anything (I thought it was a Shakespeare retelling, though I suspect I made that up), it's of P&P.
In Meant to Be, Julia has to deal with a lot of personal issues surrounding her own expectations. She has love built up into this epic construct in her mind, and it's totally messing her up. Again, I relate to this to an insane degree. Her realizations are important ones and I think this sends a great message to teens compared to all of the obnoxious teen love lasts forever stuff. While Jason and Julia do, I think, have amazing chemistry, I also don't know what I see them making a great couple for all time, and I like that.
The last thing I must mention is the setting. Meant to Be takes place during a class trip to London. Julia has signed up with out her best friend and is stuck with a whole bunch of other teens she mostly doesn't like while trying to enjoy herself in a foreign country. Girl, I have been there and it is unfortunate, especially since I didn't have a Jason. Meant to Be is one of those books that makes you feel like you're traveling. I already wanted to go to London so, so much, and now I want to just pack up and go right now, though I'm far too plan-oriented for that, as Julia would understand.
Though I had a couple of small issues with Meant to Be (mostly to do with the cell phones the school provided for them during the trip, which I so do not see happening), I completely adored the whole book and will be devouring everything else Morrill writes as soon as I possibly can.
Read more of my reviews at A Reader of Fictions.
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express the things that I think and feel all of the time, and, were I the kind of person to mark up my books, their books would be a mess of notes. Well, Lauren Morrill has just joined that esteemed crew with her debut novel Meant to Be.I could tell straight off that this novel would be a fantabulous read for me. The book opens with, "There are certain things in life that just suck. Pouring a big bowl of Lucky Charms before realizing the milk is expired, the word 'moist,' falling face-first into the salad bar in front of the entire lacrosse team . . ." It you can make me laugh with the first two sentences, things are looking up. I proceeded to highlight a bunch of quotes that spoke to me and made me laugh. If you go on GR, right now and look up quotes by Lauren Morrill, I added all of them, because I'm a nutter and obsessed.
My very favorite aspect of Meant to Be is how well-drawn Julia is. She totally rocks, but which I mean she's kind of awkward and judgmental and anal-retentive. Julia might have more in common with me than any heroine I've ever encountered, with our main differences being her skill as a swimmer and her dedication to homework. Julia, like me, is not a rule-breaker, pretty much as a rule, and, when she does break them, it's this sort of painful mix of fun and fear. She loves reading more than just about anything else and has only one close friend, Phoebe. On top of that, she's introverted and has curly, frizzy hair she cannot figure out what to do with. My advice to her on that last one is confidence; if you pretend it looks awesome, a lot of people will be fooled.
What was most familiar to me about Julia was her perspective. Julia's mental dialog is pretty much exactly what it's like to live in my head, especially my less self-aware high school brain. Despite being incredibly intelligent and witty, Julia, when in a social situation, generally fails to prove herself verbose and lacks witty retorts. Yet, in her head, she has this constant judgmental, snarky commentary running at all times, which, of course, deserts her at times of need. She also has a temper and doesn't realize how harsh or superior she comes off to other people. To me, Julia is one hundred percent realistic, believable and hilarious.
I will say that the only other strongly-developed character is Jason, and even he takes a definite back seat. This is no surprise given how caught up Julia is in her own world and impressions of things and people. Since it's just like my mind, I can tell you right now that she's not the most reliable narrator. Meant to Be is definitely driven by Julia, so I suspect that if you don't like her the book won't be much fun for you.
The romance does not go anywhere surprising, but it's totally one of my favorite formulas. I've always been so weak to the boy and girl who don't like each other at first plotline, because of my love of Pride and Prejudice, which Morrill is obviously a total fangirl about too, based on the numerous references. Shakespeare comes up a lot too, of course, but, if this is actually a retelling of anything (I thought it was a Shakespeare retelling, though I suspect I made that up), it's of P&P.
In Meant to Be, Julia has to deal with a lot of personal issues surrounding her own expectations. She has love built up into this epic construct in her mind, and it's totally messing her up. Again, I relate to this to an insane degree. Her realizations are important ones and I think this sends a great message to teens compared to all of the obnoxious teen love lasts forever stuff. While Jason and Julia do, I think, have amazing chemistry, I also don't know what I see them making a great couple for all time, and I like that.
The last thing I must mention is the setting. Meant to Be takes place during a class trip to London. Julia has signed up with out her best friend and is stuck with a whole bunch of other teens she mostly doesn't like while trying to enjoy herself in a foreign country. Girl, I have been there and it is unfortunate, especially since I didn't have a Jason. Meant to Be is one of those books that makes you feel like you're traveling. I already wanted to go to London so, so much, and now I want to just pack up and go right now, though I'm far too plan-oriented for that, as Julia would understand.
Though I had a couple of small issues with Meant to Be (mostly to do with the cell phones the school provided for them during the trip, which I so do not see happening), I completely adored the whole book and will be devouring everything else Morrill writes as soon as I possibly can.
Read more of my reviews at A Reader of Fictions.
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LibraryThing member SJGirl
Too often I’ve read books presented as romantic comedies only to find there isn’t really any comedy, that’s become even more prevalent in the era of misleading illustrated covers that always look fluffy and fun yet are sometimes quite the opposite, I’m good with a straight up serious
Happily with Meant To Be, the outside of the book is very much a match for its insides, sure there’s a tiny bit of well-conveyed emotional gravitas with Julia and Jason’s parental situations, but for the most part this is a study in joy and humor from embarrassing mishaps to bickering and outright pratfalls (perhaps a couple pratfalls too many if that’s not your idea of funny).
Jason may not be the guy for every reader, he does exhibit plenty of immaturity, yet rather than annoy me, I liked how realistic that felt, he seemed like an actual teenage boy. Also, the immaturity was nicely balanced out by a few fizzy sweet gestures that never fail to throw Julia into an entertaining confusion since she considers Jason a nemesis of sorts and yet there he is doing some decidedly un-nemesis like things.
I loved Julia, too, her nerdy devotion to organization, pencils, and Shakespeare, her endearing adoration of her parents’ romance and her self-consciousness and imperfections (she’s just as prone to mistakes and saying the wrong thing as Jason is), she came off as relatable and real, like the junior version of a Nora Ephron heroine.
The ending arrived a little sooner than I would have preferred, still I liked where things go for Julia and what a fantastically enjoyable reading experience overall.
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romance just not if the dust-jacket promises otherwise. Happily with Meant To Be, the outside of the book is very much a match for its insides, sure there’s a tiny bit of well-conveyed emotional gravitas with Julia and Jason’s parental situations, but for the most part this is a study in joy and humor from embarrassing mishaps to bickering and outright pratfalls (perhaps a couple pratfalls too many if that’s not your idea of funny).
Jason may not be the guy for every reader, he does exhibit plenty of immaturity, yet rather than annoy me, I liked how realistic that felt, he seemed like an actual teenage boy. Also, the immaturity was nicely balanced out by a few fizzy sweet gestures that never fail to throw Julia into an entertaining confusion since she considers Jason a nemesis of sorts and yet there he is doing some decidedly un-nemesis like things.
I loved Julia, too, her nerdy devotion to organization, pencils, and Shakespeare, her endearing adoration of her parents’ romance and her self-consciousness and imperfections (she’s just as prone to mistakes and saying the wrong thing as Jason is), she came off as relatable and real, like the junior version of a Nora Ephron heroine.
The ending arrived a little sooner than I would have preferred, still I liked where things go for Julia and what a fantastically enjoyable reading experience overall.
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Awards
Call number
YA A Mor