Books You Should Read: MEANT TO BE By Lauren Morrill

Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question. 

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's 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. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But 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.

Why You Should Read It:

OMG, y'all. I can't remember the first time I laughed so hard while reading a first page. Okay. Scratch that--it was while reading Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I absolutely adore Perkins' work. And I definitely see a likeness to her in Morrill's debut. Foreign city (London). Awkward and passionate main character (Julia). Unlikely love interest (read the book and find out!). Chaos and hilarity (the search for the unknown guy who's texting Julia). You have the recipe for a romantic comedy that feels fresh regardless of its adherence to the genre's conventions. 

My favorite thing about Meant To Be was Julia's voice. She's almost as paranoid as I am, y'all. Without order in her life, Julia is pretty much a nervous wreck. She has no problem following rules and sticking to a strict schedule. But paired with Jason, the dude who keeps calling her "Book Licker" due to her passion for reading, spontaneity isn't far from the horizon. Together, these two take detours across London that force them to show their hidden vulnerabilities and strengths. Their friendship takes just a few days to develop, but it didn't feel rushed to me. Predictable, yes, but different at the same time. I kept rooting for Julia to embrace the randomness life has to offer while still staying true to herself. And in the end, she didn't disappoint me. Not even a little bit. *fist pump*

Another thing I loved? LONDON. Because obviously. I've never been to England, but it's on my to-do list. I couldn't tear my eyes away from Julia's descriptions of everything she saw, tasted, and touched. The trip to Stratford-upon-Avon was particularly exciting for both me and Julia, seeing as it's where Shakespeare grew up. *sigh* Also, Julia's love of The Beatles made the English vibe stronger without feeling like overkill. She's the perfect protagonist for this story set in one of the world's most amazeballs places. 

If you like your romance with a heavy dose of sweetness and WTF laughs, or if you like stories set in Europe, Lauren Morrill's Meant To Be is for you. Make sure you get your copy when it goes on sale November 13, 2012!!