"Fated" by Sarah Ready is a contemporary romance novel that combines elements of destiny and personal growth. The story revolves around a character who believes in the concept of soulmates and the idea that certain people are meant to be together. The novel explores themes of love, fate, and personal transformation, often weaving emotional depth into its romantic plot.

The book has been praised for its engaging storytelling, well-developed characters, and its blend of heartfelt moments with lighthearted romance. Sarah Ready's writing style is noted for its charm and relatability, which helps create a compelling and immersive reading experience. If you enjoy romance novels that explore deeper connections and the idea of destined relationships, "Fated" might be a great choice for you.

Due to her past, Fiona is just going through life, focusing on work and her daughter, Mila. One day, Fiona’s mum passes her an heirloom which is said to make your greatest desire come true in your dreams. Fiona gives it a try and is soon hooked to it.

In her dreams, she is Becca; married to Aaron and with two kids – Amy and Sean. At the same time in reality, she decides to give Max, one of her closest friends, a chance to progress beyond friendship. Between these two identities/realities, it may not seem like cheating but it feels a bit strange honestly.

I was also intrigued and kept wondering about the purpose behind the shooting on Christmas Eve and oh boy, I loved how it turned out in the end. I am so glad I decided to continue reading despite being uncomfortable with the other woman /other man trope initially.

Throughout the book, I could easily imagine myself exploring Geneva and the island through their eyes. The writing was brilliant and I can’t wait to read Max’s book for the sparks to finally reach him!

What an absolute delight! The lush prose, the way both the real life and the dream life are presented beautifully, the slow burn of romance between Aaron and Fiona. Can't say I didn't cry (I definitely did). It started really slow, with the whole act of gun violence, but never fear: once it gets going, it is STUNNING. The ending is a bit confusing, what with the time travel, but what matters most is the characters and the relationship built.

My brain is a bit scattered, so sorry.

Fated by Sarah Ready was a well written story featuring Fiona, a woman working in her family's clock business. When she receives a special family heirloom watch, she is transported to a tropical island where she falls in love with Aaron. Now she is stuck between real life and her dreams.

Fated is about the story of Fiona, a woman who runs her family’s watch company in Switzerland. One night, she receives a gift from her mother a watch that is a family heirloom that allows her to dream her hearts desires, and there, she meets the man of her dreams.

This is my second time reading Sarah Ready and the Ghosted series. Sadly, I started backwards, with Max’s story, but this book was a delight either way, complementing a lot his character for me. It is not better than Wished in my opinion, but a very very good book just the same. At first, I was confused as to why the main character dreamed as someone else (but no spoilers), and it took me a while to fully connect to the story… but as it went on, I felt like everything was explained and I loved the plot and the twists and that small town feeling of founding family.

For fans of Seven Year Slip… you’ll love this one! It’s a book with that special touch of magic, soulmates, fate kinda romance.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Sarah Ready for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

For me, plot was somewhat confusing - but a good read. The problem may be me tbh. I was just struggling somewhat to follow what was happening
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this title. I have read all of the Ghosted series thanks to NetGalley and I really enjoy each story. They are standalones but have a little overlap and are a bit more fun if you read them all.

Sarah Ready’s "Fated" is an enchanting romance that blends elements of fate and destiny with a contemporary love story. The novel centers on the protagonists whose paths cross in a way that feels both serendipitous and destined, creating a narrative rich in emotional depth and connection.

Ready excels in crafting characters who are both relatable and compelling. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, driven by a well-developed backstory and genuine interactions. The exploration of fate and the idea that certain relationships are meant to be provide a captivating framework for the romance, adding layers of complexity to their journey.

The writing in "Fated" is smooth and engaging, with Ready's skillful use of dialogue and descriptive language drawing readers into the story. The pacing is well-balanced, allowing the romance to develop naturally while maintaining momentum throughout.

Overall, "Fated" is a charming and thought-provoking read that explores the nuances of love and destiny. Sarah Ready’s ability to weave together a heartfelt romance with a touch of fate makes this novel a standout in the genre, offering both an emotionally satisfying and thought-provoking experience.

I fell in love with this book. I fell in love with her idea. Everything was perfect for me here. In the end, I cried a lot because I thought, oh my god, it can't be like that... The writing style is amazing. I regret not getting to know this author earlier, now I put all her books on my TBR.

This has been my favorite Sarah Ready book so far. What an amazingly written and unique piece of work. I couldn't get enough of the beautiful story once I got into it, and finished it in one sitting. The love story we have learned to expect from Sarah Ready was beautiful in this book, and the storyline was so different from any other book or trope that I've read. Such an extremely beautiful book.

I read this while also listening to the audiobook. The narration was so expressive and truly made me feel like I was in their world. The authors writing was amazing and so poetic. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I started off this book thinking I was going to have to force myself to finish it, but boy was I wrong. Once the dreams started, this book pulled me in head first with no warning and wouldn’t let go! I experienced an emotional rollercoaster with this book, but I loved it.

There are a few things that I wish were different (a longer happy ending, fewer choppy sentences in the beginning that almost made me not stop reading), but I love love and the premise of this story. Rating it 5⭐️ because I would reread this book and it made me emotionally invested to the point where I couldn’t put it down.

Surprisingly great story, characters and writing. A total stand out in the series, just read this one. THe others dissapointed me

After reading the books by this author I was really excited to read this book. I really enjoyed the concept of this book and devoured the book in one sitting.

I loved the concept of this book: A woman inhabits two worlds, one real and one in her dreams. In Fiona's real life She runs a watch company in Switzerland. In her dream life, she is Becca and lives on a tropical island with her husband and two kids. As a reader, I became invested
in both stories. I wanted Fiona to be happy in Switzerland and find love. I wanted Becca to love her husband and be happy on the island.
Soon Fiona realized that she's "possessing" Becca and the lives on the island go on without her when she's not dreaming. Sometimes Fiona does things as Becca that confuse and anger those around her.
The story is presented in a clear and clever way. It gets a bit angsty in the end and I thought the author wrote herself into a corner. However, she has Fiona figure a way out of her tangled lives and creates a satisfying, happy ending.
If you liked Sliding Doors or Time Traveler's wife, you'd enjoy this story.
Thank you NetGalley, Sarah Ready, and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC for the drc.

This was a really cute book, and I definitely enjoyed it. It had a "we're always going to find each other" vibe, and the author did a great job with the time travel loop, which can be tricky to execute well. I loved that the protagonist was a true Star Trek nerd and embraced it without being labeled as "weird" or a "nerd." Her selective mutism was intriguing, and how Daniel helped her during their dates was both genius and adorable.

Jillian was definitely a bit stalkery, which was part of the point, but it still made me feel second-hand embarrassment at times. The multiple references to "love making" made me cringe, and the characters fell in love incredibly quickly, multiple times. Additionally, the over-explanation of the science concepts was a bit much.
epilogue ?

⌚Beautiful & unexpected love story😍🏝

I couldn't believe how much this story quickly grew on me and eventually dazzled to the point where I was choking with emotion. I totally fell under the spell of the romance and the threat of its end.

Fated begins with the lives of some wealthy Swiss watch makers who are successful but not especially happy and then, cleverly, transforms by magic realism to a poignant romance carried out in dreams on a remote tropical island. Fiona, the main character, opts to avoid her nightmares by using a classic timepiece produced by an ancestor to spend her sleep dreaming of what she wants out of life.
Fiona begins to live for her nightly visits with Aaron, the man of her dreams. Soon she grows to care about all of the residents of the island where he and his family live a simple life and she wants to make a positive impact on their lives. And does she! But she's haunted by the thought that her time with Aaron cannot continue.

There's an additional touch of magic in some time manipulation and in fact the theme of time (not wasting it, not delaying to act, avoiding regret, etc) weaves its way throughout the story.

The author definitely won me over by her plot and characters. I found some of the descriptions, particularly in the Switzerland-set scenes, a bit too long, but on the whole, Fated was a terrific hit with me and I truly loved the ending. If you love a romance with a good share of angst and hold your breath suspense, Fated has it all.

Thanks to Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the novel; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Wow! I’m speechless. I have just sat unmoved for the last 3 hours finishing the last 50% of this book. Once it hit the half way point I just could not put it down! I think anyone would fall head over heals for Aaron and I just know I’m going to be thinking about this book and the characters in it for a long time. The writing is so well done that you feel like you are on the island. I love a small town romance and this is done in such a clever fascinating way. I read this as a stand alone before reading ghosted and switched but I’m off straight away to purchase the first two books. I want to live between the pages of this book series for ever!

First I would like to thank the publishers for providing me an ARC and audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the story of Fiona, single mom and CEO, who after getting shot at a company/family Christmas party her mother gifts her with a family heirloom, a special watch, which was supposed to let you dream your greatest desires. Fiona decides to give it a try and is transported to a remote island where she is surrounded by complete strangers and they keep calling her by a different name. Once she figures this is the only place the watch will send her Fiona decides to embrace the experience and live this desire out to the fullest, especially connecting with her husband and children. As she spends more time in her dreams, she starts living to fall asleep to get back to it. She decides to give up this dream life and spend more time with her day time family/life but when she learns there people are real she needs to learn what she can about the watch and the possibility of finding her dream family.

What I Loved:
- Family heirloom, Fiona is from a family of watchmakers and I loved that this heirloom was a magic watch
- Dream life, I really enjoyed that Fiona's dream life was the complete opposite of her real life and the man of her dreams was an overall good man who loved his wife and kids
- Audiobook quality, I both read and listened to this book and the audiobook quality was just amazing with an amazing narrator who portrays the variety of characters so well
- Fiona's family, she is surrounded by her daughter, brother and best friend who anchor her to the waking world and are there to support and push her when necessary
- Twist, there is a great twist when it comes to the magic of this watch and I was not expecting the ending of this story

I really loved this book and it was such a unique take on a fantasy romance. There were so many amazing aspects of this story that just kept me hooked throughout and I didn't want it to end. If you are looking for a unique take on a romance story with great characters from different walks of life, with a fun magical element and overall great story then please go pick of this book. Every book in this series have been so well done and I hope there are more to come.

After listening to switched by the same author I really wanted to read this. It was another easy going read perfect for unwinding with. I really enjoyed this one