User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
I’m truly emotional mess! I was expecting to read a sweet, entertaining, soft romcom takes place in exotic island but this book is so much more than that! It’s powerful, incredibly emotional sisterhood story!
Two sisters who are polar opposites: Marin is uptight, analytic, a true worrier, planner, systematic, always likes to be in control. Everything is scheduled detailedly in her including the clothes she wears, her each meals, her daily routines. She lives in her cocoon, safe, secluded life without taking risks or trying new things.
But her sweet sister Sadie she has literally raised after her mother’s tragic murder is a WILD CARD! She loves living spontaneously, dangerously, experiencing different things, taking less responsibility, crossing lines, having fun, traveling around world as photographer. It’s so adventurous lifestyle when you compare it with Marin’s boring advertising writer work and organized home life!
Now sisters plan to getaway for a week to enjoy themselves at an exotic island trip. But at the last minute Sadie ditches Marin which is not quite surprising for her character and Marin finds herself traveling with handsome, mysterious, arrogant hotel tycoon Lucas Tsai: hot Asian Adonis who is also the owner of the hotel where her sister reserved for them on Saba Island.
As Marin pushes harder to cut her travel short to go back to her home, something unexpected comes out! She finally finds herself trapped in this island but when you get trapped in paradise with an ultra sexy archangel, you get to learn the ways of having fun, experiencing new things like snorkeling, climbing rocks, trying new dishes, singing at traditional island karaoke nights (Sabaoke for islanders).
Marin realizes she is attracted at Lucas a little too much but this is only one week trip and he still deals with his father’s loss so this cannot be more than a fling, right?
Maybe you think this sounds like a classic romcom plotline but you can’t be so wrong! I’m not giving you so much details because I don’t want to ruin your reading experience. I can only warn you to stock napkins, toilet papers, any kind of tear dryer! You’re gonna need all of them! At some chapters I truly cried my eyes out and literally howled like a wolf!
This is a sweet, heartfelt, tear jerker siblings, family, sacrifices, self discovery, taking second chances story! So meaningful, bittersweet but memorable earning my four ugly tears, adrenaline rush, divine sisterhood stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
Rating: really liked it
I was promised a funny, easy-to-read summer romance: they meet, they fall in love, happily ever after. Everybody is happy and delighted, we can move on.
But this… is exactly the opposite.
Marin and Lucas - even if they are the perfect match - aren't the protagonists of this novel, not the real one at least. Because even if you find yourself amused by their adventures and deep gaze, it's impossible to not feel involve from the relationship between Sadie and Marin, to sisters so different but tight by the same grief.
And even if there is so much pain in this story - from the past and the present -, it's also impossible to not feel the love and the joy from it.
From the same loss Sadie and Marin reacted in two different ways. But they were always there for one another, even if Sadie was at the other part of the world.
Sadie is cool and adventurous, but Marin is the one I related more. She put everything aside to take care of her sister and, even if Sadie never asked her, she stayed for her.
I don't know if this bond is possible to be found in every sisterhood, I don't have a sister and I never thought of wanting one, but seeing their relationship made me think I miss something from my life.
Sadie and Marin are not the only one involved: you'll also gonna fall in love with Felix, the perfect match for Sadie and love of her life, whom point of view will make you cry even more; Ken, the friend everybody wants in their life; Ronaldo, Laurentina and all the amazing people in this little island in the Carribean Sea. And, of course, Lucas.
Lucas who knows everytime what to do, who put everybody else before, who can't help if not falling in love with Marin. The fact he's also rich and handsome are just a plus.
In this story of grief and finding themselves it's easy to get lost. One moment you're swimming on a private beach or hiking a mountain, and the other you realized you have soaked your pillow with tears.
Libby Hubscher’s narrative moves from Marin to Sadie’s letters, making us understand what's going to happen before the truth comes out. Since this story is setting in a paradise island with a lot of fun things to do, I'll say the description really help the imagination. For the next novel, though, maybe it's good to add a couple more dialogues.
The catchy cover and the plot will trick you to think this story is so ordinary that it won't change your life. But it will happen, with or without your will, so friendly advice: prepare the tissues.
โ 4 stars
Rating: really liked it
This book had the completely wrong cover. It should be big sad, scary lettering with buckets of tears. This has Lifetime movie written all over it. Unbelievable circumstances and coincidences, and heartstring tugs (jerks? Kicks in the throat?) aplenty. The writing was not bad, you can tell by the other reviews that people did enjoy the story. But it was a total bait and switch, looks like a fun tropical romp in paradise with a hot stranger. That is what the readers signed up for with the cover and description. Totally fair. What we got was a three hanky book about abandonment, loss, death, etc, and some time on an island. Boo to that.
I wanted ๐ ๐น โ๏ธ ๐ ๐ ๐
I got ๐ญ ๐ญ ๐ญ ๐
I know covers sell books but I feel purposely deceived.
Rating: really liked it
Thank you to Berkley & NetGalley for this complimentary copy! All opinions are my own.
Marin's been living a safe & small life. After losing her mother at a young age and growing up overnight to be her wild-child younger sister's stand-in parental figure, Marin's all but forgotten how to take risks, live for her happiness, and pursue her dreams.
The subplot of this story is honestly heartbreaking. As Marin realizes who she's about to lose in her life, this story's pace accelerates brilliantly, a reflection of the desperation anyone who's lost a loved one to terminal illness will recognize: as if time is sand slipping through your fingers, as if there will never be enough hours to share and say and feel everything you need to.
The romantic element of this story is gentle and reflective. There's an old flame who shows up and a new man who could be Marin's future. By the end of this story, Marin—true to this genre which is (women's) fiction first and foremost—beautifully chooses herself. And in her choice to live bravely, boldly, authentically, she finds her heart's choice revealed.
Content Warnings: grief, loss of a parent (off-page), loss of immediate family to terminal illness (cancer, end of life days on-page and in detail).
Rating: really liked it
Let it be known, I did not finish this book. I got 65% and knew exactly where it was going and did not have the patience to get there. To say this was predictable would be an understatement. I knew where it was headed from chapter 2, and I'm sorry, that very much upsets me. Let's also talk about how this isn't a romance... like at all. Like, sure there's "romance", but is the romance actually romantic? No. There was no chemistry or anything about the romance that made me want to continue reading. This book is also a cancer book which I feel like was intentionally left out of the description. I don't know why it would be left out of the description because it would be extremely disappointing to those who thought they were just going to read a happy, light romance book. I was also very very angry at the sister for reasons I can't say because they would be spoilers. This could have went a different way and it should have. All in all.. I don't understand the 4 average stars this book has.
Rating: really liked it
Oh, this book. Oh, this magnificent, heartbreaking, heart-re-building book.
I must say, I went in not really knowing what to expect. I knew it was going to be women’s fic with a strong romantic element. And boy, did the romance part deliver: I would like to formally announce that I will be shortly divorcing my husband and marry Lucas Tsai. Sorry.
There is a bit of a mystery in this book that really keeps the pages turning, and the most amazing meddling little sister (yes, Sadie’s my fave and I love her), and the most #relatable anxious, control-freak heroine who learns to love her life and let go, and incredibly luscious settings that are exactly what I needed, and the perfect balance of laugh-at-loud and tearjerker moments. I cannot wait till this book goes live, so I can talk about all the little things I loved about it with everyone.
Rating: really liked it
After losing their brave and adventurous mother to tragedy, sisters Marin and Sadie internalize the loss in entirely different ways. While Marin becomes fearful of taking risks, Sadie is all about living life to its absolute Maximum. Without spoiling the story too much, Meet Me in Paradise is about Sadie’s determination to set Marin back on the path she was on before their mother’s death. Through some very Machiavellian plotting, she sends Marin to a small island in the Caribbean where she meets Lucas, the gorgeous resort owner.
What I thought was going to be a fun, vacation romp of a rom com turned out to be so much more than that. While the romance is sincere, authentic and charming, the heart of this story is Marin and Sadie’s relationship. All I can say is have the tissues handy!
Beautifully written, heartbreakingly poignant and utterly satisfying, Meet Me in Paradise is an outstanding debut.
Rating: really liked it
Presently surprised by how much I loved this story!!
Rating: really liked it
Marin has been stuck in protective, safety mode since she lost her mother at the age of seventeen and had to be the adult for both her and her younger sister, Sadie. Marin’s sister took after their mother and is the risk taker, living life on the edge while traveling around the globe as a photojournalist. Marin hasn’t ever left the state.
Sadie invites Marin to take a trip with her to recharge. A sort of sister spa vacation and Marin can’t say no to her beloved sister the only family she has left. Marin is forced to take her life out of the safe zone, have fun, and live life. Something she hasn’t done since her mother died.
Meet Me in Paradise is not the light, fluffy beach read it appears (from the cover) to be. It’s so much more. My emotions were all over the place! The story was at times funny, flirty, and silly, with outings of adventure that felt more like magical dates, but then it’d take a sharp turn into serious and heart wrenching! I must confess I sobbed! Ugly, snotty crying and I wasn’t expecting that at all! I don’t want to scare people, so know this: This romance junkie has a to have happy ending and I wasn’t disappointed but be prepared to break out the tissues!
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
It's sisters before misters for Marin. When she was just eighteen, her journalist mother died in a tragic helicopter crash. It was up to Marin to watch over her impetuous younger sister Sadie. That meant giving up some of her dreams and it was okay, right? Maybe not. More than a decade later, Marin is still planted firmly in their old house with a respectable career while Sadie jets around the world as a photographer. A girls' weekend is in order and Sadie has the perfect plan -- only it might turn out much differently than Marin expected. This is a book that will tear at your heartstrings as the sisters deal with loss, illness, and recovering lost dreams. I imagined Lucas Tsai -- Marin's meet-cute on the plane-- looking like Chris Pang. The island of Saba sounds like a dream. I think I need to add it to my travel list. This ticked a good number of boxes for me on the contemporary romance list and I am looking forward to Hubscher's next novel.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
Meet Me in Paradise is an emotional story with romance. Marin is always careful and looking out for her sister, Sadie. Sadie is adventurous and traveling the world as a photographer. Sadie convinces Marin to go on a sisters trip but Sadie misses their flight. Marin ends up exploring the island with Lucas, the stranger that sat next to Marin on the plane. Meet Me in Paradise is a story of unexpected love and stepping outside your comfort zone. It is also a story about family and looking out for others. Don’t let the cover fool you, this book is a tear jerker and emotional rollercoaster. I loved the story and the characters. The differences between Marin and Sadie are interesting. I recommend Meet Me in Paradise for fans of emotional novels.
Thank you Berkley Romance for Meet Me in Paradise.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
Rating: really liked it
I loved this book. It is so much more than the cute romance cover leads you to believe. It's much deeper than you'd think.
I don't want to spoil anything so I'll keep it vague. This novel is an exploration of grief and guilt and sisterhood and I laughed and cried my way through every page. If you are looking for a swoon-worthy romantic connection, that's there too.
Just keep the tissues handy. I'm officially a fan of Libby Hubscher, can't wait to see what she writes next. Oh- and I'm now absolutely OBSESSED with visiting Saba!
Berkley gifted me with a free copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
Rating: really liked it
This was such a beautiful, heart-wrenching, funny gem of a novel. The romantic story is adorable and sweet (meet cute on a plane!), and the island setting was the perfect escapist getaway that I needed in my reading life! But the standout for me is the way this book explores the unshakable bonds between sisters—how they will make painful, selfless sacrifices to give the other joy. Make sure you have some tissues on hand when you pick up this gorgeous debut.
Rating: really liked it
Whoa, this one threw me for a loop!!
Look at the cover of Libby Hubscher's
Meet Me in Paradise . Doesn’t it look like a fun rom-com set in a beautiful location? Well don’t be fooled—there is some rom, and some com, but this book is gonna tear you apart emotionally!!
Marin has always been the safe one. Since her journalist mother died while on assignment she’s always taken care of her younger sister Sadie, and she’s never left her home state of Tennessee. She has a good, solid job, and she’s always right there waiting when Sadie, a photojournalist, comes home from a globetrotting trip.
Sadie reluctantly convinces Marin to take a sisters’ trip to the small Caribbean island of Saba. As much as Marin doesn't want to travel, she thinks it's the perfect opportunity to convince Sadie to settle down and join her in a business venture. Then Sadie misses the flight, leaving anxious-flyer Marin to face the trip alone. And what a trip it is—including a bout of turbulence that sends her into the lap of her sexy seatmate.
With plans to return home or meet up with Sadie foiled by residual weather delays, Marin reluctantly decides to take advantage of the trip Sadie planned. She spends more and more time in the company of Lucas, the sexy hotelier she met on the plane. And as she lives outside her comfort zone for the first time in forever, it becomes clear to her why Sadie planned this trip in the first place, and Marin has to come to terms with what that will mean for her.
I don’t want to spoil the plot but suffice it to say this book is
SAD for a while. And if you’ve recently dealt with a loss or if reading about that is a trigger, avoid this book.
I enjoyed
Meet Me in Paradise but really wish it was marketed more accurately.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Rating: really liked it
Stop right now and don’t bother with this book. Instead read “Unhoneymooners”, “Shipped”, or “Float Plan”. All three are perfect examples of a getaway romance read, with humor, charming characters, and are full of wanderlust.
Where do I even begin with how awful this book is? How about how the (completely unlikeable) protagonist refers to herself several times with the derogatory phrase of “pansy ass”?
The point at which I couldn’t take any more of this book was when the main character repeatedly throws articles of clothing into the ocean. Really? Because a few chapters ago while scuba diving you were remarking on how people are ruining this earth, but it’s totally cool if you whip your shoes that are hurting your feet into the ocean for comedic effect.
Perhaps the author would prefer I now march down to the shore and chuck this book into the sea. But I care too much about the ocean for that (and thankfully this is a library copy).
