fated by sarah ready

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

contains:
* a lot of love
* fated lovers
* magical realism
* two different worlds
* single mum
* closed door romance
* finding the ‘spark’

an easy romance that was filled with love, laughter, grief, sparks, vulnerability, fear and bravery, it was such a delight for fated to be my first of sarah’s reads…and it has only made me want to read more🫶🏼

fiona is running her family’s swiss watch company, and has very little time for anything other than work or her family - especially any vacation time and definitely not a love life…

…until she holds the family heirloom which allowed her to dream what she truly desires…however real those dreams may feel💫

fiona starts to fall HARD for the man in her dreams, a second life on the beach that lives only in her dreams, but in the end it’s not fate, it’s just a dream☁️

i loved sarah’s writing style, how she could write fiona’s pain, and show aaron’s unconditional love and confusion at the same time🥹

let’s just say, i laughed, i awed, and i most certainly cried🥹😇

fated is a standalone book, within a series of 4 books in total - who doesn’t love a series you can read in any order?!☝🏼

release date: july 16th - if you haven’t thought of picking this one up yet…please do🤩

thank you to @netgalley @sarahreadyauthor and swift&lewis publishing for sending me the e-arc for review!!💗

˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚

📚 Fated @sarahreadyauthor
⭐ 5/5
(Part of the Ghosted series, Fated releases on 16th July'24💜)

Thanks to @netgalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with the e-ARC of this amazing book!
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💌 REVIEW:: I've seen posts about Sarah's books all over my feed but i never had time to read one, until Fated. This book was so beautifully and poetically written and had me spilling tears into my pillow. 🥹

The plot is pretty simple, but the way the author wove the words together, filled with laughter, magic, vulnerability, fear, grief abandonment, love, and bravery, was something that stuck with me.

Fiona seems to have it all together; being the heiress to a generations owned watch company, single mother to a precious daughter, with a loving brother and guy best friend; who hopes one day he and Fiona will be more than just that.

Still, Fiona feels something is missing in her. With an heirloom watch clutched to her heart she falls asleep into a dream, a dream that feels a little too real. Her husband Aaron, and their two children, on an island should be perfect. But all is not perfect there either, well, except Aaron.

The author's writing style really had me in my feels🥹, not just with Fiona's pain but also with Aaron's aching vulnerability, his confusion and his unconditional love. From the beginning to the full circle end I was left in wonder and awe💕

"There's something there...hovering at the edges of my mind...since I woke up. It's as if I...saw the most beautiful love, but now it's gone...A distant echo of something...I can only feel the pang of a loss so great my heart aches...for something beautiful...I can't remember, but know I loved... it's like a dream."

The stunning transcendent romance Fated, poetically, beautifully written, by gifted versatile author Sarah Ready, left me grabbing the Kleenex and guarding my heart.

The premise appears simple, but like all her romances, the path to true love is a twisty winding road filled with fear, loss, vulnerability, grief, abandonment, sparks, laughter, wonderment, magic, bravery and timeless love.

Fiona seems to have it all with a Swiss chateau, heiress to a prominent generations owned watch company, single mother to a precious daughter, a loving brother and Max; who hopes one day he and Fiona will be more than best friends.

But Fiona knows something is missing, broken in her. She loves Max but isn't in love with him...why? With an heirloom watch clutched to her heart she falls asleep into a dream, a dream that feels real. Her husband Aaron, and two children, on an idyllic island should be a respite but all is not perfect there either. Well one thing is perfect...Aaron.

Voice actress @shakirashute_voiceover broke me, not just with Fiona's pain but Aaron's aching vulnerability, his confusion and his unconditional love.

I was wrong at every turn of where this genius writer was taking me. From the beginning to the full circle end I was left in wonder and awe. Part of The Ghosted series, it's very much a standalone and it stands alone Fated to be a romance classic.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

3 stars

Fiona Abry leads a guarded life, deeply committed to her role in her family's prestigious Swiss watchmaking business in Geneva. She cherishes her relationships with her daughter, her brother Daniel, and her best friend Max, but after past heartbreak, she keeps love at arm's length. Everything changes when her whimsical mother gifts her a family heirloom watch rumoured to reveal one's deepest desires in dreams. Intrigued by the possibility, Fiona decides to test its mystical powers. Soon, Fiona finds herself transported during her sleep to a vivid alternate reality: she's married to a devoted man and raising two children on a tropical island in a charming beachside cottage. This dream life stirs unfamiliar emotions within Fiona, challenging her guarded heart. But how can she reconcile falling in love with a life that exists only in dreams?

Sarah Ready's latest novel, "Fated", captivated me from start to finish. As a standalone within a series that features Fiona's brother Daniel, it skilfully blends elements of magical realism with a poignant exploration of love and longing. The narrative unfolds with lyrical prose and a deeply romantic tone, though it remains tastefully restrained in its depiction of intimacy.

While I found myself swept away by the enchanting premise and Sarah's evocative descriptions of tropical locales, I did encounter moments where the pacing faltered slightly. At times, the story felt elongated, particularly in the lush descriptions that, while beautiful, occasionally begged for brevity. This led me to switch between formats—audiobook and ebook—seeking a balance between immersion and pace. "Fated" remains a standout in its genre, offering a narrative tapestry that weaves together themes of love, destiny, and the allure of what might have been. Fans of magical realism in particular will undoubtedly savour this tale.

3.75⭐️

“You feel it. It’s real. “

If I am 💯 honest it took me a while to get into my feels for this one, it was just hard to wrap my head around a pretend relationship at first. But this dream life was beautifully written and it slowly like Fi, it won me over. You just need to let yourself believe in magic.

I was given an ARC copy of this book and my opinions are my own.

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.