I thought this book was super sweet! A beautifully crafted novel that takes you on a wonderous ride through an intriguing plot. It was a well rounded novel.

The pace was generally well paced. It makes you invested in Anya's journey as she discovers her hidden potential and is swept away by a fate she never asked for. Although the romantic elements are an important part of the story, But it doesn't defeat the plot. But it adds another layer of tension and emotional depth. The supporting characters also received a great deal of development. Each has its own motivations and secrets which in turn helps in creating a believable and engaging world.

My first read of the year and it was a flop. This was an awful storyline, sorry. It didn't make sense, it wasn't enjoyable, and I didn't like that kids were involved. Super fail on this book for me.

Well written book. Not my kind of content, but still interesting and kept my attention. Would definitely recommend the author. Might not recommend the content. 3/5 stars

REVIEW: Fated

Fated by Sarah Ready is a compelling paranormal romance that explores the complexities of destiny and connection. The richly developed characters, particularly the protagonists, share chemistry, deeply engaging their journey through the twists of fate. Ready effectively portray their emotional struggles, creating a sense of genuine relatability. While the plot is fast-paced and filled with romantic tension, some plot developments feel predictable. However, the story's emotional core, focusing on trusting fate and finding unexpected love, makes Fated a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.

Thank you, Netgalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

Fated by Sarah Ready is an enchanting blend of magical realism, romance, and heartfelt character growth that captivated me from start to finish. The story follows Fiona, a workaholic single mom, and CEO of her family’s luxury watch company in Geneva, Switzerland. Her life takes a surreal turn when she inherits a magical family watch that lets her dream of an alternate life—one where she’s married with kids and embroiled in an affair with her husband's best friend. The contrast between her dream world and reality is beautifully explored, offering a poignant reflection on love, family, and the courage to embrace destiny. It was complex enough to keep you curious and captivated, and simple enough to make it fun and easy to read.

After a traumatic event Fiona as left her putting her life on hold. When her mom arrives, she brings her a gift that will change her life forever because its not just any gift, it’s a gift that allows Fiona to go from the waking life to a dream life that she didn’t know she need to have in her life. In the dream she’s able to see her deepest desires. This was a quick and easy read that I was able to read in one sitting. I’m excited to see how the story continues.

4.75 ⭐️

This was such a great story! I love Sarah's ability to keep me on my toes until the very end and this book definitely lived up to that hype! If you love romance with a little bit of magic, this is definitely the story for you!

Fiona is a hardworking, single mother who recently went through a traumatic event and has put her life on hold until her mom brings her a gift that changes her life. Because of this gift, she suddenly finds herself going back and forth between her normal (waking) life and a life that she thinks is a dream that she never knew she needed.

I couldn’t get into the story just as I thought. Not disappointed but need more depth, I think. I can't remember when was the last time when I read a book in which the whole plot was 100% equal to what was written in the blurb and nothing more. There was no surprise there, no resolution to any of the plot threads and the whole story was blatantly predictable and painfully dull.

I was totally enchanted by Fated! This was my second book by Sarah Ready and I loved it so much. Fiona and her dream man were just so lovely and I honestly couldn't read this book fast enough! I'm reading this series out of order but it was fun to see Max who is book 4.

I read/listened to the audio and highly recommend the audiobook. Shakira Shute is a wonderful narrator. I finished this book in one day because I enjoyed it just that much!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 16 July 2024

Ready does it again!!

Like Switched & Ghosted I found Fated by Sarah Ready just as captivating!

The FMC, Fiona ( older sister to Daniel in book one Ghosted) the CEO of a Family Watch company & workaholic, gets a magical family watch that allows her to dream of a different world, one where she is married with two kids. Only she is also having an affair with her best friend. A far cry from her quite single mom life in Geneva, Switzerland and one where she thinks she will never meet her own true love and is contemplating marrying her best friend.

This wonderful story included found family, magical realism and soulmates. It will have you thinking outside of the box, dreaming of tropical locations, fated mates and love meant to be. It also reminded me a bit of some of my favourite movies, THE LAKE HOUSE with Sandra Bullock & JUST LIKE HEAVEN with Reese Witherspoon.

Thank you to the author herself, NetGalley and W. W. Crown and imprint of Swift & Lewis Publishing for providing me with an advanced audio copy and e-copy. Also, a great big thank you to Kelsey Navarro Foster and James Anderson Foster for the amazing narration.

I absolutely love a good "where am I? WHEN am I?" moment a la 13 going on 30, and this book checked all of those rom-com boxes. I usually hate the cheating trope, but I feel like this book has the only instance when it is acceptable. I especially like how both timelines continue moving while Fiona is going back and forth.

- Magical
- Single Mom x Single Dad
- Dream land?
- Spice (2/5 🌶️)

Fiona can’t allow herself to fall in love in real life but maybe in her dreams?

Aaron married is children’s mother because it was the right thing to do but where they ever happy?

In a series of twists & turns this book keeps you captivated and makes you feel all of the feelings.

I listened to it while I read a long and I highly recommend the audio!

Fated is the second book I've had the pleasure of reading by Sarah Ready, and much like Wished, it didn't disappoint. Sarah's style is consistent—her stories are charming, inventive, and filled with a touch of whimsical magical realism reminiscent of The Lake House or Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. This time, the magic comes in the form of a mysterious watch that lets the protagonist dream of her deepest desires.

Magical realism can sometimes be tricky to balance, but Sarah pulls it off with ease, creating a story that's both entertaining and heartwarming. I found myself hooked and thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. The whole Ghosted series all sounded right up my alley.

Unfortunately this turned out to be a very different story to what I was expecting.

The fact that it an wasn't alternate universe kind of story, but that she was actually living someone else's life just gave me a very icky feeling that I couldn't quite shake off. Because of that, the dream sequences just felt off, and I couldn't really get into in. I wasn't sold on the romance, and I just generally didn't like the way things were playing out.

Reading this book ended up feeling more like a chore than something amusing. I'm disappointed because the writing itself wasn't bad. It's what was being written about that didn't hook me at all.

FATED by Sarah Ready was a delight to read, and it had me glued to my kindle from start to finish! The "dream" aspect of this was so fun (and honestly, relatable LOL).

What if you met the man of your dreams...in your dreams? That's what happens to Fiona Abry after her mother gives her a family heirloom that supposedly allows you to dream your greatest desire. And even though she thinks she's happy enough with her busy work life and her home life as a devoted single mother to her son, she finds that in her dreams she's living completely different life in a completely different place, surrounded by quirky characters and a family she doesn't know at all. How can this be her greatest desire? She begins to fall in love with that dream life, but is there a way to reconcile dream and reality?
I've read several books by Sarah Ready now, and I've enjoyed them all. This one doesn't have quite as much humor as the others have had, and while I missed that a bit, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story. I listened to the audiobook, and the narration by Shakira Shute was excellent and definitely added to my enjoyment of this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for providing copies for an unbiased review.

3.5 stars! The last third of the book was sooooo worth the rest of the book. The first two thirds were slow and I almost quit quite a few times but then it picked up and had me on the edge of my seat and was absolutely captivating!

This is the second book of Sarah Ready's Ghosted series that I've read/devoured/thoroughly enjoyed.

I started backwards with this series, starting with wished, which carries on with characters already appearing in Fated. This meant I already had some background information going into this one,
but both can be read as standalone novels.

At first, I wasn't too sure about this one, but this soon changed once the magical element of the story started. I love the idea that a watch can make you live your dreams, and Fiona and Aaron were just *chefs kiss*

The mix of places and characters added depth and kept the story moving forward without relying solely on romance to keep the pace, and Dee, Essie, and Maranda are island grandma's anyone would love to have. (I really fancy banana bread now though!)

I look forward to reading more of this authors work in the future and definitely plan on reading the rest of this series.

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to this title via Netgalley.

Excellent book, love it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review