Meant to Be

by Edie Claire

Book Overview

From USA-Today bestselling author Edie Claire, a 4.5-Star Romantic Times Top Pick and winner of the Romance Reviews Today Perfect Ten Award! When nothing is as it seems, all you can do is trust your... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446612782
• ISBN13: 9780446612784
• Release Date: June 2004
• Publisher: Warner Forever
• Length: 371 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.3" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

I couldn't put it down

It took me about 5 short minutes to realize that this was going to be a terrific read. Not only did it tale place in a beautiful setting, but there was a warmth that suffused not only the characters, but the story itself. Expect a surprise near the end, and expect to be disappointed that its over.

Interesting premise..

This was a different, kind of creepy story. I was interested in the idea of looking for your birth parents and the possibility of encountering unsavory information. This was a satisfying book for that premise. The story revolves around an inheritance shared with a man who turns out to be a love interest and a possible connection to the heroine's life before adoption. I think the story and writing are good. Claire ties the story threads together quite capably for a mostly satisfying ending. Some threads are left hanging but I think that is due to some weakness in her character development. The characters were a little stiff and one-dimensional. I liked the Meara character but she didn't read like a real person. The inheritance that she shares with a brother and sister was a little implausible as was her immediate (like within 24 hours) friendship with the sister and love interest with the brother. Claire delved slighly into their characters but not enough for them to be more interesting. Although the brother was the love interest, he just comes across as a nice guy, almost too nice and too sensitive to be real. All in all, with the main premise of seeking out your birth parents after adoption, the book succeeds. What Meara finds is interesting enough to hold your interest and keep you in suspense to the very end.

engaging romantic with some suspense

Just north of Pittsburgh, thirty year old schoolteacher Meara O'Rourke receives a phone call from a Laurel Mountain hospital stating that her mom was near death from a car accident. Meara informs the caller that her mom died a month ago after suffering from a long term illness. When the hospital administrator mentions Sheila Black, Meara realizes that the woman in the trauma center is her biological mother, whom she met once.She arrives at the hospital where her mother warns her that Rosemary died before Sheila also passes away. Attorney David Falcon informs Meara that Sheila was married to Mitchell Black who died in the crash and that Rosemary was Mitchell's deceased first wife. She also learns that she inherited part ownership of an estate including the nineteenth century Sheepsworth Inn. Mitchell's angry son Fletcher displays hostility towards Meara. He wants her to leave and will buy her out. Instead a stubborn Meara who does not want any part of the estate refuses to sell because she believes he plans to destroy this pristine land. Meara learns more about her biological mother and Mitchell to the point that she loves him, but he remains nasty towards her, making her wonder if its time to leave while her heart still beats.This is an engaging romantic with some suspense that occurs late in the novel. For the most part, the tale is more of a character study as Meara tries to understand her mother and Fletcher, which in turn enables the audience to better understand the lead female protagonist. Fans will appreciate this insightful tale though the intrigue comes towards the second half.Harriet Klausner