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Meant to Be cover art

Meant to Be

Written by: Emily Giffin
Narrated by: Caroline Hewitt, Robert Petkoff, Emily Giffin
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Publisher's Summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • He’s American royalty. She comes from a troubled past. Is their love story meant to be? This “lively page-turner” (The New York Times) offers a nostalgic, hopelessly romantic escape—from the author of Something Borrowed and The Lies That Bind.

“I’m a sucker for an iconic, against-all-odds love story, and Meant to Be truly delivers.”—Tia Williams, author of Seven Days in June 

“A chic, history-inspired summer read [that] strikes a careful balance between simply retelling the true story of JFK Jr. and his wife, Carolyn Bessette, and crafting an entirely new one.”—Bookreporter 

The Kingsley family is American royalty, beloved for their military heroics, political service, and unmatched elegance. In 1967, after Joseph S. Kingsley, Jr. is killed in a tragic accident, his charismatic son inherits the weight of that legacy. But Joe III is a free spirit—and a little bit reckless. Despite his best intentions, he has trouble meeting the expectations of a nation, as well as those of his exacting mother, Dottie.

Meanwhile, no one ever expected anything of Cate Cooper. She, too, grew up fatherless—and after her mother marries an abusive man, she is forced to fend for herself. After being discovered by a model scout at age sixteen, Cate decides that her looks may be her only ticket out of the cycle of disappointment that her mother has always inhabited. Before too long, Cate’s face is in magazines and on billboards. Yet she feels like a fraud, faking it in a world to which she’s never truly belonged.

When Joe and Cate unexpectedly cross paths one afternoon, their connection is instant and intense. But can their relationship survive the glare of the spotlight and the so-called Kingsley curse? In a beautifully written novel that captures a gilded moment in American history, Emily Giffin tells the story of two people searching for belonging and identity, as well as the answer to the question: Are certain love stories meant to be?

©2022 Emily Giffin (P)2022 Random House Audio

What listeners say about Meant to Be

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Like listening to a documentary on watching paint dry!

Biggest nothingburger of a story - I could only get through half the book. Nothing particularly engaging or interesting about the characters - no twists - just boring. Experience was reminiscent of listening to a boring person talk endlessly about nothing. Can I get my money back?

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Great Listen

Listened to it all over the weekend while doing things around the apt. Great story. Enjoyed it all the way through.

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Predictable

I typically enjoy Emily’s books, but this one was so boring and predictable. Not worth a credit.

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What a waste of credit

I was so excited that Emily Giffin had a new book that I pre ordered it ...well I'm sad to sad it's HORRIBLE.
The story is boring and the NARRATOR are worse.
I couldn't even get past the 3 chapter

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Poor narration

These narrators are just monotonously dull. There is zero enthusiasm, they aren’t engaging.
The story line is OK but struggling to get through it and may not finish due to narrators.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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A little more cheesy than usual

This was my least favourite of Emily’s books. It was a bit over dramatic and the main character had no real personal flaws, her conflicts were just a result of those around her. No real arc, a bit yawn.

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Meh…

Just my personal opinion here but I would not purchase if I had a do over. Very slow moving and difficult to grab my attention. No real story here. The narration was fine. I have read this author in the past and this book simply doesn’t compare.

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Waste of a credit.

So dry, boring story line, poor me attitude. Wasted time and a credit on this poorly written book.

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Lovely Summer Read

I enjoyed this book mostly because it was a nice “light” read, just perfect for a summer road trip or when I was going for my evening walks. I could see the author’s parallels between her story and that of John Kennedy Jr and his wife Caroline. But I was fascinated by the tragedy of their story just as many people were. At first I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the two readers for the story but I quickly realized that it was important because it separated each character’s points of view and kept them as unique characters. If you are looking for a novel that will turn you off of the things going on in the world around us and just want to escape for a while, this is it.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Typical Emily Giffin Book - I love them all!

I love all Emily Giffin books - they are feel good stories that make you feel all the feels! This one was no different and I loved every minute of it. Well done.

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