Marie Meyer

Find more of my thoughts on this book, and other reviews, at Carlene Inspired.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Forever Yours for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sophia has had enough grief and surprise in her life, after giving up the girl she used to be she's determined to become a doctor. When her MIA dad asks to speak to her, she goes at the urging of her mother and nonna. She doesn't expect a wheelchair and she certainly doesn't expect to find out that she too could have show more the same terminal illness. When her father hands her an all expenses paid trip to Italy, where she can meet her family who still resides there, Sophia is ready to say no. After some poking and prodding, she gives in, trying to see the good in a 6-week Italian trip and delaying her med school future. There she meets Lucas, good looking secret-keeping Lucas. Sophia experiences emotions she hadn't ever planned to feel, for once she's considering more than just herself. Everything related to her future lies in a little white envelope, if only she can face all her fears.

Can I have Sophia has every main character in every book? She's a real girl! She's dealing with real life issues! Oh thank heavens for a book that feels like reality. I loved Sophia, from the get go. She's pretty but not perfect, smart but for a sad reason, and stubborn because of "fucking life." There was a moment when I was maybe a quarter of the way through this book and realized I wasn't reading just another cliche novel, no, this was new adult romance done right. Sophia is dealing with a heavy dose of reality when she finds she too could have the life altering disease that will soon consume her father. She has a mother and a nonna who are literally the best family members ever and who push her to do something they know is right for her in the long run. She stumbles and grumbles her way to Italy only to find it is really just what she needed. I don't care what anyone says, if you think it's impossible to be angry about a vacation you are wrong, I have so done this! Then enters Lucas, the good looking man with mood swings that becomes only the best travel companion ever. As individuals they're dealing with personal life in their own ways, but their instant attraction makes them both open up slowly to one another. Their relationship, the kind of friendship with a slowly growing flirtationship, is so what I picture (and have experienced) from traveling at a young age on your own. I loved their adventures together, how both break out of their mold to try something so new. There was character development, super realistic situations and reactions from both characters, and there was attraction that felt oh so right in the heat of Italy.

Let's talk a bit about books that blow you away, that take you completely by surprise and suck you in. The Turning Point was this book for me. It wasn't on my list of highly anticipated new releases, it wasn't even a book I was super excited about, but it should have been. While I just enjoyed the synopsis, this book is so so much more. The writing in this novel is phenomenal, there hasn't been a book where I felt like I knew the main character like this in a very long time. The dialogue is perfect and the running inner monologue made me feel like I was the main character at times. Plus, every detail is described perfectly, it was never over done or not enough. And Italy? I feel like I've been there now. Mix that in with personal tragedy, self reflection, and first love and you have a pretty perfect NA romance novel. It was sweet, it was satisfying, it was at times smutty, and even a bit dramatic. I highly recommend The Turning Point to readers who enjoy romance of any kind. While I would categorize it as a New Adult novel, I think it could easily fall into the adult category as well. show less

Thinking she's going to interview for a personal assistant position with billionaire Reed Williamson, Lillian Brunette meets a distinguished older woman, and after a surprisingly brief interview, finds herself signing a contract. She's surprised, but she's in a tough spot. She's pregnant for the second time, after losing the first prematurely. When she announced she was pregnant for the second time, her husband, Joshua, divorced her. Expecting that this will also be a problem pregnancy, show more Lillian needs the comprehensive medical insurance the job offers, even more than the generous salary.

Reed has an entirely different problem. He's suffered his own painful breakup, his ex is now with his half-brother, and his grandfather has announced that if Reed doesn't get married, the half-brother (product of his father's affair, and not a pal at all), will inherit the company. As angry as he is about that, he's not the one who called an elite matchmaking agency to find him a contract wife. It was his mother who did that.

Lillian wasn't responding to that call. She was sent by someone else, who overheard something, didn't get all the information, and scheduled an interview for Lillian.

Since the contract contains terms that would leave Lillian, already scraping by, completely ruined if she backed out, and Reed is determined not to give up the company to his half-brother who has done nothing to build it, they both decide to go along with it. After all, neither one of them can get emotionally hurt again in a contract marriage, right? And neither wants another relationship anyway, since they've both decided they're just terrible at relationships and judging the opposite sex.

Lillian discovers the pleasures of a life that isn't struggling from bill to bill, but also the pleasures of being with a man who truly treats her with respect and kindness. Reed discovers the joy of a woman who really isn't interested in his money and is a bit embarrassed and intimidated by the places his sister Cassy takes her to shop. She went to a job interview hoping to be hired for a job with a good paycheck and excellent health benefits. Being even the fake fiancée of a billionaire, with a contract wedding in her future, until Reed's grandfather either dies or makes Reed the CEO of the company is disorienting. And Reed is, from her viewpoint, embarrassingly generous with his gifts to her. They are unexpectedly compatible, too.

But each believes the other will have no interest in a continued relationship once the contract terms are fulfilled and Reed is CEO of the company. It also hasn't occurred to Lillian that Joshua might hear about her engagement to a billionaire and discover a marvelous new interest in his ex-wife and their expected child.

Oh, and Lillian hasn't even told Reed about her pregnancy, figuring it will never be an issue because she expects to lose the baby.

There's some very emotional trouble coming their way.

It's a pleasant book, not a great one, but enjoyable. As is often the case in romances, half the plot would be eliminated if Lillian and Reed had a serious conversation about their histories, that didn't leave out the important facts. But where would be the fun in that, right?

Lightweight, but enjoyable.

I listened to this book for free on YouTube, and am reviewing it voluntarily. show less

I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait to read the next book in this series which will be from Griffin's perspective. I loved Griffin and want one of him for my very own. It has been awhile since I've read a friends to lovers book and I forgot how much I enjoyed them in general and this one in particular. The 9/11 part of the story while important did not make for an overly grim story as it sometimes can. Jill as an excellent protagonist and whilst I could never warm up to her sister show more Jennifer she did play a key part in the plot. I think I may have found a new fav author in Marie Meyer. show less

This is a cute story and total fluff. Which, BTW, was why I read this. I need something fun and light and it totally delivered. Was it realistic, no, not really. The story felt more like a fairy tale. Was it plausible, maybe and that is why we call it fiction.

I enjoyed the characters. I liked how they had a connection even though they didn't have much in common. It felt like they were two old souls because of their life experiences and it made for a deep connection. I also loved how Reed show more treated Lillian.

If you want a short, sweet and feel good romance, I recommend you read this one. show less