This was my first Sarah Ready, but it won't be my last!

This is the 3rd book in a magical realism series, but it can easily be read alone.

If you're hesitant about picking up the audiobook, DON'T! Shakira Shute is DIVINE. I picked up the ebook in the last 15% and I missed her.

This is not your average, trope-filled love story -- I went in totally blind and there were several aspects that made me gasp. I loved the FMC, Fiona, and loved being in her head. It took a long time for her to figure everything out, but in no way was she dumb or blind.

I liked the MMC but wished we saw more of him -- there's a compliment in there somewhere -- instead of just being told about him. The ending wrapped up way too fast for me.

The secondary characters were real and unique and FUN -- I'm definitely going to go back and read Daniels book, the first in the series (though this book seems to take place before his chronologically). I loved how fleshed out the world was, how well-researched the locations and occupations and little details were. It made the book so long but interesting enough that I didn't care.

I'll be waiting anxiously for the next in the series!

Thanks to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was such a nice read. I've never read Sarah Ready's books before but now I will be reading more. There's not much to say without giving the book away but the characters were developed well and authentically. This isn't a "normal" rom-com that you would expect but all the same, it's a great read! The book was descriptive and it felt like I was in the book and it kept me going.

Read if you like:
- Single POV
- Single mother
- Multiple location settings
- Magic/fate

(3.5 stars) I loved Switched, the second book in this series, so I was really looking forward to reading Fated. Unfortunately, I liked this one, but didn’t love it. In searching my mind for reasons, a couple came to mind: there was humor in Switched, but not in Fated; the beautiful descriptions of all the locations in the story were just that, beautiful, but after a while, I started skimming them.

Fiona is the CEO of Abry Watches in Geneva, Switzerland. She and her younger brother Daniel, run the company, which has been in their family for generations. She’s been hurt and abandoned by people she loved and has basically locked up her heart in order to not get hurt again.

One day, her flighty mother shows up out of the blue and gifts her a pocket watch that has been in the family for generations and is rumored to have magical powers. If you fall asleep holding it, you will dream about your deepest desires. Fiona tries it and winds up dreaming about a very different life, on a small tropical island, married to a very handsome man and with two children - one a young teen and the other a toddler. Not all is well in this paradise, however. Fiona wakes up back in Geneva but can’t stop thinking about her dream life.

I normally really enjoy magical realism but somehow this one just didn’t grab me. I felt the book went on a bit too long. Perhaps editing down some of those descriptions may have helped move the story along a bit better.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient, and allowed me to continue with the story even when I could not sit down and read - or when I could not listen. I wound up doing more of the ebook so that I could skim those descriptions more easily. Also, while the narrator did a fine job, it sounded odd to have a British accent for someone who lived in French-speaking Geneva, Switzerland (even though her young years were in England). Not sure why this bothered me, but it did.

Note: The publisher labeled this as New Adult (along with Romance and Women’s Fiction), but I think that label is an error. The main characters are already in their mid-30s, not in their early 20s or so, which is how I think about the label New Adult.

Thank you to Swift & Lewis Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

though ghosted remains my favorite in the series, fated is a lovely addition, focused on daniel's older sister, fiona, as she learns to let love and hope into her life again after being betrayed before.

3.5 ★

overworked and jaded, fiona is presented with a unique opportunity to chase the dreams she has yet to realize. during waking hours, she is a businesswoman, a single mother, a devoted sister and friend. but while she sleeps, equipped with a family heirloom, she is transported to a tropical aisle where she's married to a handsome, dedicated man and the couple share two children. though initially confused, fiona soon relishes the chance to learn lessons from the experience, to love a man she knows can't keep. fated is a romance unlike any other, including magical realism, time travel, and several potential love interests. however, it wasn't surprising to discover which gentleman earned her love given how incredible he was.

as we neared the conclusion though, some (crucial) elements of the plot got muddled. there was a lot thrown at the wall with only about half of it adequately explained. the book was also probably a hundred or so pages too long. if some scenes were removed or condensed, it would have improved the overall experience.

thanks to swift & lewis publishing and sarah ready for an eARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review. while enjoying this read, I switched back and forth between formats.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very sweet romance that reminds us to live our lives and do what makes us happy while we can. I really enjoyed the concept of dreaming of your happy life and having it be real. I really enjoyed how great Fiona and Aaron were together. The happily ever after in this book was so sweet. The books in this series are just so sweet and great, feel good romances with a touch of magic in them.

Fiona Abry guards her heart. She loves her daughter, her brother and her best friend Max, but she's not open too love after being hurt. She's content working in her family's prestigious Swiss watchmaking business. But when her mother hands her a family heirloom watch that it's supposed to make you dream you truest desires, she throws caution to the wind and decides to give it a try. After all, it's only dreaming. 

But suddenly her nights are spent in another life away from Geneva: she's married to a wonderful man, has two kids and is living in a tiny tropical island in a colorful cottage on the beach.  Soon, the literal man of her dreams is making her feel things she's never had before, but what happens when you fall in love with a life that isn't real?

I'll try to be as vague as possible sharing my thoughts because you definitely want to go in knowing as little as possible. I loved all the previous books (this IS a true standalone. You do see Daniel from book 1 - he's Fi's brother - but the events here are previous to his story) and I was mesmerized and enchanted by this one. 

You see yourself trying to figure out how Fiona can get an HEA in all this and Sarah delivers a very satisfying one. I am also glad that the one she didn't pick will be getting his book soon!

Lyrical, extremely romantic (with very little spice, though) and even a little suspenseful, this is a must-read for fans of magical realism. If you loved the movies Somewhere in Time and The Glass House, you will love this story as much as I did.

Content notes: a character is shot on page. Mentions of death by drowning, natural disaster with multiple casualties, child abandonment, food insecurity, cheating 

Thank you, Sarah, Swift & Lewis Publishing and NetGalley for the book/audiobook.

An incredible read that surprised me with a powerful and surprising twist right out of the gate, a theme that remained throughout the book—twist after twist after enjoyable twist. It's been the first book in a very long time that kept me guessing the whole way through and kept me desperate to read. I fell in love with the characters and how they fought for each other. Please, someone turn this into a film!

Summary:
Fiona Abry has her family's watch company that she loves, a daughter she adores, a wonderful brother, and an amazing best friend who is always there for her. But when her mother gifts her a magical watch that lets her discover and live out her secret dreams and desires while she sleeps, she starts to wonder if maybe she could still ask for more. Specifically romantic love. In her dreams, she finds herself living a completely different life, one of slow days and sunny beaches and a strange, handsome man and her own small family. And as the nights pass and she falls deeper into her dream, she also finds herself falling in love - with her dream life and the man at the center of it.
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I always like Sarah Ready. You can count on her for a good, easy, mostly closed-door romance. The central characters in this story are all so easy to root for. They are tender, kind, and family oriented. I will say the very beginning of the story gave be Beauty and the Beast or Anastasia vibes opening with a ball that a takes a turn for the dramatic. But it very quickly gets away from that feeling. It was quite jarring going between the worlds, but I know that was the point. There were various parts of this book that put me through the emotional wringer and I might have shed a tear or two, it was a beautiful story and I'm glad I read it! I am not normally a fan of slow burn so the overall pacing of the story is not my preference, but I do think it works for this story's premise. This book is very wordy. We spend the novel inside Fiona's head, and she has a LOT of inner tangents and monologues, so consider yourself warned. But I did enjoy getting more insight to the characters and the world, so I won't complain too much.

I read both the ebook and listened to the audiobook version of this novel, and I have to say that I prefered the audiobook. The narrator did a great job and since we spend so much time in our FMC's head listening to the book as if it was an inner dialogue make it even more fun!

Overall, I enjoyed this story. The romancewas so tender, and I really loved the platonic relationships throughout the book as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this e-book and audiobook in exchange for an honest review

I almost didn’t read this one.

I mean, I like the first one, but REALLY didn’t care for #2.

Number 3, however, caught my interest.

I liked the contrasting settings, and watching the MFC navigate her ‘Becca’ persona.

I was a little concerned about the author’s ability to achieve an HEA, but it ended well.

The author never really explains HOW in her books, so if you’re looking for the REAL in Magical Realism, look elsewhere.

I enjoyed the open-endedness of the whole thing, though, and how the end of the story was really just the beginning of their relationship.

Thanks to NetGalley, and Swift & Lewis Publishing for this original ARC.

In Fated by Sarah Ready, Fiona is a busy executive juggling her work life balance while running her family's respected Swiss watch company. After a life-changing experience, she receives a family heirloom that lets her dream of things she doesn't feel she can wish for when she is awake. When she sleeps, she lives a simple and beautiful life on an island with a husband and two kids. As she begins to fall in love with the life she is dreaming, she realizes she must learn how to do the same with her real life.

Reading this book was so enjoyable. When I wasn't reading it, I was wondering when I could read to it. The magical aspect of the MC dreaming their desires was so fun and would feel so familiar to anyone who has woken up from a dream they did not want to leave.

I was a bit conflicted about the main character and the speed at which it felt like they were changing. Given the plot line of the book I don't think the aim was for the character development timeline to be realistic.

I enjoyed how this storyline surprised me at times and am looking forward to going back and reading the first two "standalone" books in the Ghosted series. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to get lost in a dream for a while.

Big thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Ready, and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC for the ARC.

Every time I see a new book is coming out by Sarah Ready I get so excited! I have been listening to her books the last few years and I have loved those books. Ghosted was by far my favorite book in this 3 book series. I don't know if I was in a mood this time but it was really hard for me to get into this book. Usually I'm pulled in right away. I didn't start connecting with this one until probably half way through. Even though I had a hard time with this one, I did enjoy it. The characters are well written. I did love the concept of this book and the ending did have me smiling with how it all played out. I would recommend this book and all of her other books as well. Just because I had a slow start getting into it does not mean someone else will. So please give this a try.

Thank you NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

If you don’t pick this book up you are seriously losing out!
I absolutely could NOT put this book down. The characters were so well written, the story was so compelling and it hooks you from the start.

I loved Fi and McCormicks connection and just couldn’t get enough.

I read this book in a day!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read such a beautiful love story.

Sarah Ready does it again!

I had the privilege of reading an arc of "Switched" which is the second book in this series and I throughly enjoyed that one. Therefore once I saw Fated come through NetGalley, I know I had to read it. I think this is my new favorite book of hers. In this story we have the same quick paced, easy writing that we've come to expect from Sarah's writing. She has a way of writing characters that feel so real - like you could meet them on the streets of city/town at any point. They are complicated and flawed, they work through their emotions and issues the same way we would which leaves you falling for these characters and their stories. I was on an emotional roller coaster with this one. All the twists and turns had me gripping the pages and losing hours of sleep because I HAD to keep reading. If you are looking for a contemporary romance with magical realism that holds you hostage to the very end, this is for you!

Thank you Sarah Ready, Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this read for my honest review.

𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢 𝘉𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 & 𝘬𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘶 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬!

This story spoke to me on a personal level, but as a story it was gripping, mind boggling and even confusing at times. But it was a fascinating read - from Sarah’s writing style, to the way she described Geneva, the island and the watch making. The complexity of human relations and emotions, traumas and fears.

This was an emotional rollercoaster- I felt so many many things while reading this book: my stomach sank on several occasions and there were tears - so many tears, but also laughter. This was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.

I highly recommend this books but be warned, it won’t play out how you think it will or how you want it to.

This interconnected standalone romance is a great addition to the Ghosted series. I thought the plot, though slow-moving, was very unique. It’s probably the first time I’ve been 60% through a romance and had no idea where it was going! The circumstances that brought the two MCs together were magical and unusual.

I loved both main characters. The chemistry between them was palpable. Their love at first sight but also slow burn romance was so beautifully done.

The novel was so descriptive! Both the Swiss and tropical locations were so real. I could definitely picture them!

This was an excellent addition to the series and I can’t wait to continue it.

In "Fated" by Sarah Ready, Fiona is a busy executive trying to balance her demanding job with running her family's prestigious Swiss watch company. After a life-changing event, she receives an heirloom that allows her to dream of a life she can't imagine while awake. In these dreams, she lives on a beautiful island with a loving husband and two children. As Fiona starts to fall in love with her dream life, she realizes she needs to find the same happiness in her real life.

This book was an engaging experience from start to finish. I found myself eagerly waiting for the next chance to continue reading. The idea of Fiona dreaming her deepest desires was both enchanting and relatable, making me think of those perfect dreams you are disappointed to wake up from.

The contrast between Fiona's dream life and her real life was so interesting. The dream life showcased a family life that felt almost real. This made her hectic, high-pressure real-world existence seem even more stressful, highlighting her longing for a companionship. I loved the unexpected twists in the story. It kept me guessing and fully invested, making it a memorable read.

I highly recommend "Fated" to readers who enjoy a mix of magic, romance, and personal growth.

4.5 stars. Fated is book 3 in Sarah Ready’s Ghosted series and wow, was this an emotional roller coaster. Thank you NetGalley and W.W. Crown for the chance to read this via gifted eARC. All thoughts are my own and honest.

I was very excited when I found out that Fiona was getting her own book. This is such a unique plot, and while reading, there were several moments when I wodered how this could possibly end well. The scenes that take place during her dreams were some of my favorites that Ready’s ever written. The island was so picturesque I felt like I was there with Fiona and Aaron.

Speaking if Aaron, he’s earned his place among Ready’s top book boyfriends. He’s tender and sweet and I love how hard he fell for Fiona.

I’ll definitely be thinking about this story for awhile and this was definitely another great story from Sarah Ready. Fated releases on July 16.

Sarah Ready is very quickly becoming an auto read author for me! I have loved all of the books of hers I've read and this was no exception! I loved the magical elements of this story-- The time travel and dreams were the perfect amount to be interesting while still keeping the story grounded. The characters, both the main characters and the supporting ones, were all so well written and it felt like each one had their own voice and story.

This was a wild, emotional ride! I should have expected by now that Sarah Ready would tear my heart out and put it back together, but boy did she. I could not put this down, especially the second half, I literally flew through the story! I cannot wait for the next book in this series to read about Daniel's love story as well! All of these love stories have just been so perfect. And even though these are part of an interconnected series, you could absolutely read this as a stand alone!

The audiobook was SO well done and the narrator did a wonderful job bringing all of the characters to life!

4.5 Stars
Fiona is a watchmaker from Geneva, Switzerland who is given a family heirloom watch that is said to show you your desires in dreams if you sleep with it. She dreams of a lush, tropical island and a man named, Aaron who she quickly falls deeply in love with. She splits her time between “real” life and her “dream” life. Even though she longs to be with Aaron always, she knows that this is just a dream and it eventually it must end. But is this love real? Is Aaron real?

Fated is the 3rd book in the Ghosted series and is my favorite. There are so many deep feelings interwoven into the story: longing and passion, guilt & uncertainty, overcoming fears. It’s about loss and sacrifices, rediscovering yourself and learning how to love and to heal. I was brought to tears ready this book more than once. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read the next in the series!

Thank You NetGalley and publishers for this ARC.

Fiona is running the family's Swiss watch company and getting through life. The company keeps her very busy but she is happy and accepts the level of devotion the company requires. It leaves just enough time for her to care for her daughter and maintain a good working relationship with her brother Daniel, as well as her long time friend Max. Max wants to be more than friends though and it's becoming less and less of a secret.

Fiona's mother pops in for a visit and has a surprise for her. She managed to snag the old family heirloom watch from another family member and she is excited to deliver it to Fiona. This is the old timepiece that is rumored to be filled with magic. Fiona winds it up and holds it in her palm to fall asleep. That's when her life turns upside down.

Fiona is on an island. She has a daughter and a son. A husband named Aaron and a man she is said to be having an affair with, Robert. Fiona thinks it's one wild dream until she is transported to the same place the next night. They are having trouble with their marriage but real life Fiona would never take a man this special for granted. She cannot wait to go to bed every night so she can see Aaron.

A layer of complication begins to happen when Max makes it very clear he wants more but Fiona's heart belongs to dream Aaron. She has to find a way to make him her reality before it's too late. She begins to see her real life is ahead in time by a couple years. This could give her exactly what she needs to ensure Aaron can be part of her life forever.

This was such a unique book and it really grabs attention right from the start. I really enjoyed it!