Meant To Be - Louisa Leaman

 

Description

After a spate of terrible boyfriends, Jess is sure she’s found her perfect man in dependable – but occasionally dull – Tim. But when her grandmother, tasks her with retrieving a family heirloom from a local auction she finds herself face to face with a charming stranger, Guy.

Guy has already bought her grandmother's precious necklace and whilst Jess desperately tries to buy it back from him, he somehow convinces her to go out on a date instead.

Ridiculous. But Guy has the necklace and Jess’s grandmother’s health is declining rapidly. Jess has no choice but to indulge Guy and go on a date with – if only to get the necklace back.

But when she and Guy hit it off on their date Jess’s dependable happily-ever-after is thrown off track…

Review

This is the second book by Louisa Leaman I've read and loved - the first was The Perfect Dress.

Louisa seems to be able to create a world I instantly want to fall headlong into and what's more contains all my own interests. In this book Jess is obsessed with jewellery and always notices what people are wearing and loves the jewellery section at the V&A, just like me! She's also fond of arts and crafts and William Morris and it was a joy to visit in the book a fictitious place called Pel Tawr (I had to google it, I was so hoping it was real!). In my minds eye I pictured Wightwick Manor which contains William Morris wallpapers as Louisa describes.

You can probably tell I adored this book for the above references alone. Jess is on the trail of a family heirloom and we meet her just as she has tracked it down and about to bid for it in an auction. When she literally bumps into Guy - sparks fly, but she is spoken for already with the lovely solid Tim. She's been hurt physically (in an accident) and had a few broken hearts in the past by going for the wrong type of man. But with Tim she's found the one - or has she?

We follow Jess through the book as she tries to reclaim the necklace whilst delving into her family history - taking her to LA and Hollywood, which was another really interesting part of the book. We also find out how Jess got injured and now that she uses a walking stick what her life has become for her.

Louisa manages to combine the romance we all love with a wonderful original and unique grounding in facts. This just brings her books alive for me. I flew through this book, not wanting it to end but equally wanting to escape to its pages. I can't wait for her next book, I was so sorry to leave this story behind. Maybe a sequel...

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Random Things Tours for the Book Blog invite and to netgalley for the ARC to review.

THE AUTHOR 

Louisa Leaman was born, raised and now lives near Epping Forest. She studied Art History at Leeds University before becoming a teacher working with children with special needs. After winning the Times Education Supplement’s New Writer’s Award, she turned her hand to writing books for children. Louisa currently writes content for the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, but has also been published in the Guardian, the Observer, the Independent and The Times Educational Supplement. Her interest in the arts is often inspiration for her plots and her first book, The Perfect Dress, was inspired by the V&As large wedding dress collection and fulfils her dream of writing romantic fiction. When she isn’t busy writing or rearing her three lively children, she paints portraits, takes long walks and spends far too long browsing vintage clothing shops.