New York Times Bestselling Author Jude Deveraux released her newest romantic novel, Meant To Be, way back in early March. I, for one, was excited about this standalone title. For those who don't know me, let me give a quick history lesson. My mother was a big fan of Jude Deveraux's historical romances in the 1980s and early 1990s. At an early age, I read a few of my mother's Deveraux books. As an adult, I became a follower of Jude Deveraux's writings, which explains why I'm writing a review for Meant To Be.
As far as I can tell, Meant To Be is a standalone tale and isn't part of a new series. The beginning is set in 1972, way, way before I was born. LOL! And it takes place in the small farming community of Mason, Kansas. Yippee! A neighboring state of mine! As you can probably tell, I love books set in the midwest. Now, remember, I said the story began in 1972. It's split into three time periods - 1972, 1996, and 2019.
The plot centers on Vera Exton, who had to put aside her dreams of joining the Peace Corps with her boyfriend to take care of her widowed mother and younger sister. Kelly, aka the younger sister, wants to follow in their father's footsteps and become a veterinarian. And she also wants to marry her childhood sweetheart. The decisions the sisters make will affect their lives forever.
Final Thoughts
I had a hard time trying to sum up my final thoughts about Meant To Be. Like many other readers, I'm a tad disappointed with this newest Jude Deveaux book. There are no Montgomerys or Taggerts. Instead, all we get is a '70s slow-burner about three generations of women. Don't get me wrong, it's written well with intriguing characters, but it feels less like an actual full-fledged novel and more as three-related novellas shoved into one volume.
The characters are two-dimensional at best. I had difficulty connecting with the two sisters, Vera and Kelly because they came across as a bit too dull. The plot flip-flops around here and there and brings in too many side stories that added nothing to the story.
Overall, Meant To Be is a cliched multigenerational family drama that looks and feels like a Jude Deveraux novel. However, all it is is a run-of-the-mill story, one that the reader will instantly forget before reading the last paragraph.
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