Meant To Be Yours by Susan Mallery ~ a Review

by MK French

Jasper left the military with severe PTSD and found a talent for writing novels. He still sees himself as broken and has never gotten involved in relationships for more than sex. This suits Renee just fine because she had back luck with relationships in the past. They wind up getting closer to each other, and maybe there is more than just the physical between them.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

October 2019; HQN; 978-1335146373
audio, ebook, print (320 pages); romance

Though this is book five in the series, you don't have to have read prior novels before reading this one. This is actually an adorable story with very serious themes running through it. Jasper's PTSD is seriously dealt with, and we see how it impacts his day to day life as well as his sense of self. Renee is wholly invested in her job as a wedding coordinator, and the two have physical chemistry even as they clash over his hands-on approach to research for novel writing. The reader gets a look into the world of wedding planning as well as novel writing, and there is plenty of characterization for both outside of the relationship that develops between the two of them. It's a romance novel, we know that the booty calls are going to catch feels, but how it goes along is part of the fun of reading this novel.

All of the friends and family members that we see here are wonderfully rendered and just as real as Renee and Jasper. They're sounding boards for both of them, and help push the plot along. The potentially goofy aspects of Renee's mother's gifts are treated honestly and tenderly by the author, as well as the friends that Renee had made in Happily Inc. I don't feel as though they side with anyone or overshadow our main couple as the novel progresses, and they do have their own story arcs in the background. In fact, we get a bonus novella outlining one of the couples' origin within this book, which is fun to read. I adored all of the characters in this novel and cheered internally when Renee and Jasper were able to push past their fear and insecurities to take a risk on love and happiness.

Buy Meant to Be Yours at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband and three young children. 

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