Meant to Be (Twist of Fate 1) by Jennifer Probst-Review Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 19, 2022.

It’s been two years since Chiara Kennedy lost her dearest friend, Rory. Chiara misses everything about her. Rory’s widowed husband is another story. Sebastian Ryder is a man Chiara had secretly wanted, let slip away, and hoped to never see again. Then fate throws them together for an unexpected one-night stand and a morning after of new challenges.

Sebastian had a soul mate in Rory. Shutting down after his tragic loss, he kept a cool distance from everyone—including Chiara, with whom he once shared a deep if fleeting affection. That was over and done with a long time ago. But when they meet again, old emotions resurface along with a heart-wounding past that haunts them both.

As Chiara and Sebastian grow closer, finally getting to know each other, Chiara struggles with feelings of guilt even as she cherishes her second chance with Sebastian. Will fate allow them to overcome the past, or are they destined to always wonder if they are truly meant to be?

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REVIEW:MEANT TO BE is the first instalment in Jennifer Probst’s contemporary, adult TWIST OF FATE romance series focusing on three friends (Chiara, Malia, Tessa) who own Quench, a women’s online magazine. This is Quench editor in chief Chiara Kennedy , and high school guidance counselor Sebastian Ryder.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Chiara and Sebastian) following three timelines MEANT TO BE focuses on the acrimonious relationship between Quench editor in chief Chiara Kennedy, and high school guidance counselor Sebastian Ryder. Five years earlier Chiara Kennedy and Sebastian Ryder met and spent one glorious night talking about life, love and everything it had to offer but Chiara believed it would never work between one another, and walked away without looking back until months later, her best friend and co-owner at Quench, Rory, introduced everyone to her new boyfriend Sebastian Ryder. Three years would pass, until the day Sebastian and Quench would lose Rory to a car accident, an accident that left Sebastian a shell of his former self. Fast forward to present day, Chiara and Sebastian, who haven’t spoken to one another in close to five years, would reconnect at a local bar, a bar where Sebastian and Chiara’s life would take a fateful turn. A one-night stand leaves Sebastian wondering about the what ifs and whys, and a guilt-ridden Chiara to worry about betraying her best friend and the memories they held. What ensues is the building but contemptuous relationship between Chiara and Sebastian, and the potential fall-out as Chiara is unable to let go of the guilt and grief leaving a heart broken Sebastian to wonder where everything went wrong.

Chiara Kennedy is a strong willed, independent, assertive and determined thirty something woman whose fast paced life style doesn’t leave room for romance or love. On the fast track to success, Chiara refuses to acknowledge her attraction to Sebastian Ryder, the man who once starred in her fantasies and dreams but the man to whom her best friend was once married. Keeping her distance from Sebastian wasn’t easy but as the years past, the anger grew towards the man with whom she would fall in love. Sebastian Ryder has never stopped thinking about the woman that got away but falling in love with Rory meant a chance at happiness, although a brief happiness until his world fell apart.

The relationship between Chiara and Sebastian is one of second chances, of a sorts, in the wake of what was and what will never be. Chiara broke Sebastian’s heart when she told him it would never work out but when Chiara refused to acknowledge their previous connection, Sebastian found himself on the outside looking in with the woman he loved. Struggling to convince Chiara to give him a second chance only pushed our couple further apart until fate intervened pulling our couple in another direction. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Chiara’s friends and partners at Quench: Malia Evergreen, and Tessa; Rory’s father and café owner Mike; high school English teachers Emma Primm, and Pete Kempsey; Sebastian’s friend and volunteer at the Dream On Youth Center Ford.

MEANT TO BE is a story of grief, betrayal and loneliness, guilt and acceptance, second chances and love. The premise is engaging; the characters are spirited ; the romance is fated but saying that the relationship between Chiara and Sebastian was challenging-Chiara was not a likeable heroine, and in this I struggled to like the overall story. Chiara Kennedy’s attraction to Sebastian was overridden by her guilt about her friendship with Rory, and the ongoing lie she perfected about meeting Sebastian years before. Throughout the story line Chiara is almost insensitive and cold towards our story line hero, spending most of her time distancing from Sebastian; pushing her attraction down, pulling away from the man with whom she would fall in love. There is plenty going on in and between their lives but Chiara refuses to admit or accept the attraction or what was always meant to be.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Jennifer Probst is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of both sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her novel, The Marriage Bargain, was the #6 Bestselling Book on Amazon for 2012. Her first children’s book, Buffy and the Carrot, was co-written with her 12 year old niece, and her short story, “A Life Worth Living” chronicles the life of a shelter dog. She makes her home in New York with her sons, husband, two rescue dogs, and a house that never seems to be clean. She loves hearing from all readers! Stop by her website at http://www.jenniferprobst.com for all her upcoming releases, news and street team information.