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The Bayview Romances #1
If It's Meant to Be
Some love stories just aren’t meant to be. And some people don’t care.
While she’s lost in her biggest contract yet, freelance producer Emberlynn’s comfy small-town life gets turned upside-down by the arrival of her best friend Paisley’s older sister. Sleek, chic, impossibly cool and way more attractive than her friend’s sister has any right being, Aria is distracting—and off-limits.
Burned out from her same-old career and wanting a fresh start after her relationship ended, Aria takes a break from New York, staying with her sister in the cozy small town of Bayview as she works to launch her first business. What should have been a quiet interlude takes a turn when her sister’s best friend, and next-door neighbor, is a little too interesting—and a little too interested in her.
When their neighboring-balcony coworking sessions blossom into something more, will their secret connection convince Aria to stay? Or is it a love story that isn’t meant to be?
If It’s Meant to Be is an 80,000-word small-town, best-friend’s-sister romance and the first book in the Bayview Romances trilogy. Features a cozy small town with a big gay friend group, pining for a forbidden love interest, unpacking loaded family dynamics, sexual tension in conversations between adjacent balconies, innuendos about a guitarist’s skilled fingers, and Paisley being the human equivalent of a hyperactive scruffy cat fished out of a dumpster. Content warnings for on-page sex, a lot of gay people, and… well, just Paisley, honestly.
While she’s lost in her biggest contract yet, freelance producer Emberlynn’s comfy small-town life gets turned upside-down by the arrival of her best friend Paisley’s older sister. Sleek, chic, impossibly cool and way more attractive than her friend’s sister has any right being, Aria is distracting—and off-limits.
Burned out from her same-old career and wanting a fresh start after her relationship ended, Aria takes a break from New York, staying with her sister in the cozy small town of Bayview as she works to launch her first business. What should have been a quiet interlude takes a turn when her sister’s best friend, and next-door neighbor, is a little too interesting—and a little too interested in her.
When their neighboring-balcony coworking sessions blossom into something more, will their secret connection convince Aria to stay? Or is it a love story that isn’t meant to be?
If It’s Meant to Be is an 80,000-word small-town, best-friend’s-sister romance and the first book in the Bayview Romances trilogy. Features a cozy small town with a big gay friend group, pining for a forbidden love interest, unpacking loaded family dynamics, sexual tension in conversations between adjacent balconies, innuendos about a guitarist’s skilled fingers, and Paisley being the human equivalent of a hyperactive scruffy cat fished out of a dumpster. Content warnings for on-page sex, a lot of gay people, and… well, just Paisley, honestly.
341 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2023
157 people are currently reading
977 people want to read
About the author
Lily Seabrooke
36 books321 followersLily Seabrooke is a lesbian, trans woman, and author of sapphic romance that stars food, because odds are, at any given time, she's hungry.
Her interests include eating food, thinking about food, writing novels about food, and drinking coffee.
Her interests include eating food, thinking about food, writing novels about food, and drinking coffee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
June 16, 2023
The first book in a new series from the author and based in the little town of Bayview.
The leads in this romance are Aria and Emberlynn. The attraction is there from the start between the two but Paisley is the pesky fly in the ointment. Paisley is Aria's younger sister and Emberlynn's best friend so there's going to be a bit of friction when the romance gets going.
Seabrook writes well fleshed out diverse characters and I'm sure a few will feature in future books in the series. Some angst, humor and hot romance weaves through the plot but career issues must be resolved before a possible HEA.
An easy, satisfying read.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout. My review is completely voluntary.
The leads in this romance are Aria and Emberlynn. The attraction is there from the start between the two but Paisley is the pesky fly in the ointment. Paisley is Aria's younger sister and Emberlynn's best friend so there's going to be a bit of friction when the romance gets going.
Seabrook writes well fleshed out diverse characters and I'm sure a few will feature in future books in the series. Some angst, humor and hot romance weaves through the plot but career issues must be resolved before a possible HEA.
An easy, satisfying read.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout. My review is completely voluntary.
June 6, 2023
If you’re a fan of Lily‘s books you’ll get in this story all the things we love about her. It’s mostly a typical Lily book. I purposely chose the word mostly and will get to that in a bit.
First of all it’s a lighthearted, funny and so very sweet book. So yeah all things that are typical for Lily. And there is cake, like lots of it. Another important fact. ☺️ I had to laugh out loud so many times and definitely wonder in every book how she comes up with some things. Like the things that can be done in a lighthouse and by whom. I definitely didn’t see that coming. Or that it’s possible to make me laugh with a reference to syllables.
And I mean the circumstances itself like where the two MC’s meet are definitely perfect for lots of fun. Just the fact that one of the MCs (Aria) is the sister of the other MC‘s (Emberlynn, just don’t you dare to shorten her name) best friend (Paisley). Paisley who is also Emberlynn’s neighbour and definitely doesn’t want that her bestie gets involved with her sister. Of course feelings can’t be controlled and Emberlynn is attracted to Aria right away. Her flustered moments are definitely very sweet and yes they made me smile.
Then there is the fact that we are in a small town and even those who are straight are not so straight anymore when it comes to Aria. Thank god Emberlynn gets a grip at some point or maybe I should say they both do. The heat is definitely turned up quite a bit in these moments and you just want them to be happy.
But of course that would be too easy and this is now where I get back to my remark that it’s mostly a typical Lily book. Because at some point something happened I definitely didn’t expect and this isn’t one of the jokes I haven’t seen coming. I don’t wanna reveal what it is because I try not giving away spoilers. But maybe just this it has to do with a timeframe and unexpected relationships. For me this turn of events was like I said a surprise but definitely not in a negative way. I felt like wow, what, how etc and then was like ok that’s cool. Not sure if this is any helpful but if you read the book it will make sense. Hopefully. 😆
Knowing this is the first book of a series I definitely already have watched out for some side characters I would love to see getting their own story. I won’t say more than two people definitely stood out to me and I hope they get their chance. I definitely can’t wait for the other two books after this fantastic start.
I received an ARC of this book via booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
First of all it’s a lighthearted, funny and so very sweet book. So yeah all things that are typical for Lily. And there is cake, like lots of it. Another important fact. ☺️ I had to laugh out loud so many times and definitely wonder in every book how she comes up with some things. Like the things that can be done in a lighthouse and by whom. I definitely didn’t see that coming. Or that it’s possible to make me laugh with a reference to syllables.
And I mean the circumstances itself like where the two MC’s meet are definitely perfect for lots of fun. Just the fact that one of the MCs (Aria) is the sister of the other MC‘s (Emberlynn, just don’t you dare to shorten her name) best friend (Paisley). Paisley who is also Emberlynn’s neighbour and definitely doesn’t want that her bestie gets involved with her sister. Of course feelings can’t be controlled and Emberlynn is attracted to Aria right away. Her flustered moments are definitely very sweet and yes they made me smile.
Then there is the fact that we are in a small town and even those who are straight are not so straight anymore when it comes to Aria. Thank god Emberlynn gets a grip at some point or maybe I should say they both do. The heat is definitely turned up quite a bit in these moments and you just want them to be happy.
But of course that would be too easy and this is now where I get back to my remark that it’s mostly a typical Lily book. Because at some point something happened I definitely didn’t expect and this isn’t one of the jokes I haven’t seen coming. I don’t wanna reveal what it is because I try not giving away spoilers. But maybe just this it has to do with a timeframe and unexpected relationships. For me this turn of events was like I said a surprise but definitely not in a negative way. I felt like wow, what, how etc and then was like ok that’s cool. Not sure if this is any helpful but if you read the book it will make sense. Hopefully. 😆
Knowing this is the first book of a series I definitely already have watched out for some side characters I would love to see getting their own story. I won’t say more than two people definitely stood out to me and I hope they get their chance. I definitely can’t wait for the other two books after this fantastic start.
I received an ARC of this book via booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 27, 2023
When I want endearing characters and lively dialogue, I know I can count on Lily Seabrooke. She delivers here once again, with sweet, creative Emberlynn and femme fatale Aria.
Emberlynn had plans to travel the world and play music but the first place she stopped in caught her heart and since then, the small beachside town of Bayview has been home. Emberlynn works as a freelance producer for pop musicians and when the story opens, she’s overthinking her latest job, overwhelmed by the fact that it’s for a major label. Her best friend Paisley’s mostly-estranged sister arriving in town comes as a welcome distraction, even if at first, Emberlynn won’t admit how welcome. Aria has left New York after a bad breakup, officially to work on a new entrepreneurship project but also to try and rekindle her relationship with her younger sister. A fling with said sister’s best friend is definitely not what she’s looking for.
This is a quick and easy read, sexy and fun, maybe not the author’s best, but I had a really good time reading it. I had fun reading about a group of sapphic friends where relationships come and go, one’s ex being the other’s potential future partner. It may be cliché but it’s also realistic. I liked how different the MCs are and how they complement each other, I rolled my eyes (with tenderness) at their tentative loyalty towards Paisley. I also liked Paisley a lot, I’m sure she’d annoy me if I knew her in real life but she brings both comic relief and some depth to the story.
I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read all my reviews on my blog (and please buy from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars
June 26, 2023
Overall I enjoyed this, but I think I’ve read better from this author before. It was a quick read, fairly lighthearted/low angst and is a set up for a series about these cast of characters, but I wasn’t really charmed by them enough to get overly excited about that. I liked Aria the most, but I found her sister, Paisley, fairly annoying and something lacking in their dynamic. Emberlynn (woof, what a name jfc) was fine and her dynamic with Aria was cute but they didn’t get me with that extra special thing that sucks me in. I’ll probably check out the next in the series anyway, but i wanted to like this a little more than I actually did.
July 20, 2025
What a lovely, fluffy read. It’s very clever and funny. Super low angst, which I absolutely enjoy. There’s a very interesting plot twist in the middle of the book that caught me off guard in the very best way. Lily Seabrooke built the town and the characters in a great way.
March 11, 2025
Second read: still love it. Nothing to add. Looking forward to the next two!
Amazing, delightful, funny, heartbreaking, clever and an overall great time. This novel was great, plain and simple. There was a lot going on and all of it was well done. The setting was vivid and well done, the cast of characters were rich and deeply detailed, and the writing was witty and clever. There was a lot of cake and cheese! Five stars, no notes, recommended to all.
Highlights:
-Paisley!
-This story is layered, rich, and detailed. This was more than I expected for the average romance novel. In addition to the main romance plotline there were other relationships and plotlines taking place that overlapped and wove together very effectively. In one instance there was a natural and easy stopping point where they could have raised the HEA flag and ended the novel, but instead we got another 35% more novel that really took the whole package to the next level (I like longer novels!).
-The characters! Not only the main characters, but the side characters as well. They were all very well developed and had their own clear and unique personalities. The setting felt very real and lived in. I want to read the rest of the series!
-The character arcs and development. The main characters both had satisfying and character arcs for themselves, separate from the romance plotline. They felt like real people with challenges to face and overcome. The relationship arc was also very satisfying; it wasn’t overly easy or convoluted and faced real-world challenges while developing quite organically. Even some of the side characters had character arcs, in some cases better that the MC’s in other books I have read, which significantly contributed to the overall story.
-Paisley!
-There were some legitimately surprising moments throughout the novel. It isn’t often that I am actually surprised like that (and its done well!).
-There were lots of delightful moments/details thrown in throughout the novel that added a lot of depth and enjoyment, often making me laugh out loud. There was the mystery of what was stored in the bedroom, the surprise lighthouse shenanigans, lots of great small-town gossip, and lots more.
-I love Paisley.
Amazing, delightful, funny, heartbreaking, clever and an overall great time. This novel was great, plain and simple. There was a lot going on and all of it was well done. The setting was vivid and well done, the cast of characters were rich and deeply detailed, and the writing was witty and clever. There was a lot of cake and cheese! Five stars, no notes, recommended to all.
Highlights:
-Paisley!
-This story is layered, rich, and detailed. This was more than I expected for the average romance novel. In addition to the main romance plotline there were other relationships and plotlines taking place that overlapped and wove together very effectively. In one instance there was a natural and easy stopping point where they could have raised the HEA flag and ended the novel, but instead we got another 35% more novel that really took the whole package to the next level (I like longer novels!).
-The characters! Not only the main characters, but the side characters as well. They were all very well developed and had their own clear and unique personalities. The setting felt very real and lived in. I want to read the rest of the series!
-The character arcs and development. The main characters both had satisfying and character arcs for themselves, separate from the romance plotline. They felt like real people with challenges to face and overcome. The relationship arc was also very satisfying; it wasn’t overly easy or convoluted and faced real-world challenges while developing quite organically. Even some of the side characters had character arcs, in some cases better that the MC’s in other books I have read, which significantly contributed to the overall story.
-Paisley!
-There were some legitimately surprising moments throughout the novel. It isn’t often that I am actually surprised like that (and its done well!).
-There were lots of delightful moments/details thrown in throughout the novel that added a lot of depth and enjoyment, often making me laugh out loud. There was the mystery of what was stored in the bedroom, the surprise lighthouse shenanigans, lots of great small-town gossip, and lots more.
-I love Paisley.
July 19, 2025
(rounded up from 4.5)
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this one as much as I did!
I love a good friend group with distinct personalities and a sense of humour (and personal growth to do). Paisley is probably my favourite here, with her endless incorrect idioms and absolute gremlin energy.
I also love when banter is legitimately funny and feels authentically sibling-like between friends. Threatening to reveal each other's secrets, making fun of each other for food habits and mess, and generally being aggressively loving but also ripping on each other endlessly is my favorite friend dynamic in a romance book (the least, probably uncontroversially, being when friends are just side characters who have literally nothing going on in their own lives and are just there to talk to the main characters about their romance problems and urge them to take action when the plot demands it). I love Paisley and Emberlynn's friendship in particular, and also how everyone has complex issues and feelings about their families and upbringing that carry over into adulthood, because who hasn't been there.
I'll definitely be reading more in this series because I had a great time with the banter and characters in this one.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this one as much as I did!
I love a good friend group with distinct personalities and a sense of humour (and personal growth to do). Paisley is probably my favourite here, with her endless incorrect idioms and absolute gremlin energy.
I also love when banter is legitimately funny and feels authentically sibling-like between friends. Threatening to reveal each other's secrets, making fun of each other for food habits and mess, and generally being aggressively loving but also ripping on each other endlessly is my favorite friend dynamic in a romance book (the least, probably uncontroversially, being when friends are just side characters who have literally nothing going on in their own lives and are just there to talk to the main characters about their romance problems and urge them to take action when the plot demands it). I love Paisley and Emberlynn's friendship in particular, and also how everyone has complex issues and feelings about their families and upbringing that carry over into adulthood, because who hasn't been there.
I'll definitely be reading more in this series because I had a great time with the banter and characters in this one.
October 21, 2024
“When I’m pulled into something, it’s all-consuming. And I don’t let go until it burns.”
This was so freaking cute!! I have that reaction to most, if not all, of this author's books. Perhaps it's more of a 3.75, because there were some things in the writing and character work that I wasn't the hugest fan of. But then on the other hand, the book took some turns that I think I would normally really dislike, but for these characters and this situation, it really worked out for the best. It's a small town romance, best friend's older sister, and brimming with a lot of charm and cute banter and flirting that had me kicking my feet. Seabrooke writes some of my favourite, swooniest heroines ever.
Emberlynn is a freelance music producer; Aria is a business entrepreneur trying to get a new venture off the ground. When Aria comes to Bayview to stay with her little sister for a while, sparks immediately fly between them. But it's slightly forbidden, because Paisley doesn't want them to date, and it's not the best idea because Aria will be returning to New York eventually. I really loved the relationship, from pretty much the first moment they met. Emberlynn has a huge, obvious crush, almost immediately, and it's incredibly cute, the way Aria notices and teases her gently about it. Their chemistry absolutely leapt off the page; there wasn't a single interaction between them that didn't make me smile like crazy. It was all very sincere and realistic, because Emberlynn couldn't hide her emotions to save her life, and that made it all very sweet. Aria starts off just kinda humouring her, but soon begins to fall for Emberlynn too, and it's SO cute and SO sexy. Aria is so swoony! Confident and self-assured without ever getting cocky; effortlessly cool, but always willing to lend a comforting shoulder; teases Emberlynn relentlessly but never goes too far with it. I fell for her so hard. Emberlynn is also really cute. IDK, there's something really charming about a girl who's so easily flustered, but takes it well. There was a lot about her that was really relatable too, with her insecurities and anxieties. And Aria got to be vulnerable and soft with her sometimes too! They just fit together really well, and despite the slight age gap, and the fact that they were at different places in their lives, they always felt evenly matched, like they were on the same level.
The third act conflict did take a form that I didn't really like, but it managed to win me over in the end.
I think I always say this when I read this author's books, but this very often straddled the line between cute and cutesy, and I really don't enjoy cutesy. A lot of the Paisley scenes just didn't do it for me. I love a quirky girl, but she was just... a lot, in a way that seemed very forced. Does she REALLY not know how idioms work? I hope it'll turn out that that's just, idk, a bit that she does. And tbh, I don't know if I'll read Paisley's book, because even though she was often really funny, she got on my nerves a liiiiittle too much. I guess we'll see.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Ellie Gosage, and omg, I adored it. Her voice for Aria is half the reason why I fell in love so quickly. The perfect percentage of husky and cool and sexy. And the stuttering for Emberlynn was REALLY cute. If I read the rest of the series, I'll definitely go the audiobook route. (And I can't help but hope Seabrooke is able to record some of her older romances too! My kingdom to hear Vanessa Schreier narrated with Gosage's voice, omg.)
“I think the pursuit of happiness is what happiness itself is. So… get pursuing.”
April 12, 2025
DNF at 28%. I tried. Couldn’t do it. There was no story line. Just a bunch of girls going back and forth “omg she is so hot.” “Oh, I can’t like her. It’s bad.” “But, I like her so much.” Hopefully it gets better and others enjoyed it.
September 19, 2023
The star of this is the small and very queer community of Bayview. Emberlynn is a freelance music producer who lives next door to her chaotic best friend Paisley. When Paisley's older sister Aria comes to stay for a bit of a life reset, Emberlynn and Aria initially clash, but soon find the attraction between them hard to fight.
With regards to the romance side of this book, it's an interesting look at a relationship between two people who are at very different points in their lives, launching a career on one hand and a career in crisis on the other. There's also an element of the cost an individual is willing to pay to be in a relationship.
With regards to the setting, it's a different sort of community where nearly everyone is a possible romantic partner and you might have a sexual history with many members of your friend group. And the relationships may not be typical either (there's mention of a semi-open relationship).
I quite enjoyed it and will continue with the series.
With regards to the romance side of this book, it's an interesting look at a relationship between two people who are at very different points in their lives, launching a career on one hand and a career in crisis on the other. There's also an element of the cost an individual is willing to pay to be in a relationship.
With regards to the setting, it's a different sort of community where nearly everyone is a possible romantic partner and you might have a sexual history with many members of your friend group. And the relationships may not be typical either (there's mention of a semi-open relationship).
I quite enjoyed it and will continue with the series.
June 14, 2023
I haven't even finished Lily Seabrooke's previous romance series yet (I will, though!!), but this new series appealed to me so much that I just had to read it. I loved the setting of the small town, which was very cosy, and I loved the humour and the large cast of characters. This added so much fun to the book. I was laughing so much every time the book itself basically went "wow, this small town sure has a lot of sapphics". I just had such a good time reading this, and I can't wait for the rest of the trilogy to be released.
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January 14, 2025DNF @ 20% - the vibe wasn't it with this one.
July 17, 2025
5/10
Same review as the third book
Same review as the third book
June 16, 2023
This was a fun read! As always with Lily, great banter, fun characters, and the right amount of spice. Aria and Emberlynn were great MCs but I might be a little more excited about some of the other characters in this friend group 😁
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June 24, 2023Emberlynn, talented music producer, lives next door to Paisley, world’s most chaotic person. They live in the small town of Bayview where everything is squeezed together into a handful of winding streets and tiny plazas. Small amount of town, small amount of people, large amount of gossip. Such as the gossip around Harper and Annabel’s break up, the gossip about the enigmatic Gwen, or gossip from the adult swim team, which is coached by Annabel who doesn’t realise that Priscilla, one of the team members, is so thirsty for her that’s she’s likely to drown at the next training session. Even Kyle, the hapless beach dude who tries his luck, again, with Emberlynn. Sorry, Kyle. Emberlynn only has eyes for the new arrival in town; Aria, Paisley’s older sister.
Emberlynn blinks, says hi, stumbles over her own name, delivers cake (so much cake in this story it’s fabulous) and runs away. Then spends much of the story blushing furiously and being all adorably shy that she, even after chatting to Aria across their joined balconies for hours each night, doesn’t see how much Aria is falling for her just as hard.
This book has lots of angst, lots of push-pull, lots of commentary about baggage that we carry from our childhood, lots of baked goods (Of course it does; it’s a Lily Seabrooke novel). ‘If It’s Meant To Be’ has, in great handfuls, insight into the connections we make because their very existence is oxygen. Insight into how the string that is love cannot be broken even when two people try their very hardest to sever it. Especially two people who know very well that their love is meant to be.
This book is sweet. It is sad. It is incredibly funny. It will make you smile. ‘If It’s Meant To Be’, is meant to be on your TBR pile.
Emberlynn blinks, says hi, stumbles over her own name, delivers cake (so much cake in this story it’s fabulous) and runs away. Then spends much of the story blushing furiously and being all adorably shy that she, even after chatting to Aria across their joined balconies for hours each night, doesn’t see how much Aria is falling for her just as hard.
This book has lots of angst, lots of push-pull, lots of commentary about baggage that we carry from our childhood, lots of baked goods (Of course it does; it’s a Lily Seabrooke novel). ‘If It’s Meant To Be’ has, in great handfuls, insight into the connections we make because their very existence is oxygen. Insight into how the string that is love cannot be broken even when two people try their very hardest to sever it. Especially two people who know very well that their love is meant to be.
This book is sweet. It is sad. It is incredibly funny. It will make you smile. ‘If It’s Meant To Be’, is meant to be on your TBR pile.
July 24, 2023
~ Reading Lily Seanbrooke Novels Until I Remember How To Enjoy Things, #9 ~
It was average, I dunno. I mean, if you've read The Simple Answer, or Fake It, it's basically the same dynamic: Aria, hot dominant professional lady and Emberlynn, submissive shy nerd girl. Plus, if you've read Last Chance, Paisley is basically the stand-in Parker, with a thread of absurdist humour about what she was keeping in what is now Aria's bedroom. If you, like me, were worried that If It's Meant To Be was gonna be mired in small-town bs, it thankfully isn't, because between Paisley (who is admittedly fun) and also Harper and Annabel's subplot about splitting up, there's a very solid secondary cast that gives the thing a comfortable, small-scale and friendly vibe. Despite Bayview being a literal bougie scum town, it's nice.
The setup is fairly sound: Aria is visiting her sister Paisley briefly, between big fuckin' New York business deals or whatever, and bumps into Paisley's best bud and next door neighbour, famous musical.producer person Emberlynn. Since they live in some kind of connected townshouse and share a wall, plus a balcony, they do the forced proximity thing really fast. The way Aria tends to make meta-observations about the current conversation that everyone finds charming is kind of weird, but their bit together is charming: Aria knows that Emb is hopelessly gay because of obvious midriff staring, meanwhile Emb is trying to hide her gayness on account of thinking Aria is "probably straight", forgetting that she is in a Lily Seabrooke novel and A) heterosexuality has been obsoleted, B) everyone in this one is bi anyway :) so things go as you'd expect.
By the time you've reached the 50% mark, though, the Conflict has arisen: there's an exchange between Aria and Emb in which they admit their feelings, and Aria says that she doesn't want Emb's friendship with Paisley damaged, since Paisley doesn't know about them and allegedly doesn't want them dating. When Emb says she's not a baby and can make her own choices, Aria makes the case that she's not keen to sacrifice Emb and Paisley's permanent, longlasting bond over what would be a fling before Aria leaves for New York. At this point Emb stops showing up for their shared balcony time. Fine on its own, but around that time there's also a two week timeskip in like two pages, which I am not hot on. It feels like the plot skips from "they finally admit their feelings and bang a couple times" immediately to "it's CONFLICT TIME"; two weeks usually is not that much, compared to year-plus time jumps in The Last Lavender Sister for instance, but with how small-scope and personable If It's Meant To Be feels, it's sort of big.
And then, One Year Later. Emberlynn and Aria split up offpage and have just been existing.
The chapter following has do to all kinds of catch-up for this silliness; through the narration, we're just kinda told-not-shown about all that's gone on in the intervening time, with Emb and everyone. Like, the last thing we see pre-timejump is Emb sort of wistfully accepting that Aria probably needs to go. So, when Aria talks post-timejump about HAVING LEFT SCARS it's like yeah, where? We did not see any??? So when Emb is now dating Annabel it's like Well, I guess that's unfortunate? For Annabel mainly, because she had a lil arc about moving on from her ex Harper (amicably) before she was consigned to being the Other Woman in this plot. Like, Emb is self-admittedly dating Annabel just to be reminded of Aria, which is weird.
Of course, when Aria makes the return trip to Bayview post-timejump, all of that Annabel shit gets yeeted, which means that Emb and Annabel get maybe a chapter of screentime before The Protagonist Aria Returns, resulting in Annabel giving a huge speech about how their relationship hasn't been good for them and they need to go onto better things, or whatever. It feels more like expository dialogue than a heartfelt "go follow ur dreams girl" moment.
I wasn't really invested for the last quarter; Aria and Emberlynn basically spend all of that time letting the distance of their jobs get in the way of their relationship, only to simply have Aria move to Bayview in the last 5%! Seriously, I was at 90% and these two are still waffling about Aria staying even though they both want it. I respect the attempt to shake up the structure, but this timegap sucks. It's still better than One Step At A Time, but it doesn't hold up to Seabrooke's best. And this is gonna be a trilogy? Alas...
It was average, I dunno. I mean, if you've read The Simple Answer, or Fake It, it's basically the same dynamic: Aria, hot dominant professional lady and Emberlynn, submissive shy nerd girl. Plus, if you've read Last Chance, Paisley is basically the stand-in Parker, with a thread of absurdist humour about what she was keeping in what is now Aria's bedroom. If you, like me, were worried that If It's Meant To Be was gonna be mired in small-town bs, it thankfully isn't, because between Paisley (who is admittedly fun) and also Harper and Annabel's subplot about splitting up, there's a very solid secondary cast that gives the thing a comfortable, small-scale and friendly vibe. Despite Bayview being a literal bougie scum town, it's nice.
The setup is fairly sound: Aria is visiting her sister Paisley briefly, between big fuckin' New York business deals or whatever, and bumps into Paisley's best bud and next door neighbour, famous musical.producer person Emberlynn. Since they live in some kind of connected townshouse and share a wall, plus a balcony, they do the forced proximity thing really fast. The way Aria tends to make meta-observations about the current conversation that everyone finds charming is kind of weird, but their bit together is charming: Aria knows that Emb is hopelessly gay because of obvious midriff staring, meanwhile Emb is trying to hide her gayness on account of thinking Aria is "probably straight", forgetting that she is in a Lily Seabrooke novel and A) heterosexuality has been obsoleted, B) everyone in this one is bi anyway :) so things go as you'd expect.
By the time you've reached the 50% mark, though, the Conflict has arisen: there's an exchange between Aria and Emb in which they admit their feelings, and Aria says that she doesn't want Emb's friendship with Paisley damaged, since Paisley doesn't know about them and allegedly doesn't want them dating. When Emb says she's not a baby and can make her own choices, Aria makes the case that she's not keen to sacrifice Emb and Paisley's permanent, longlasting bond over what would be a fling before Aria leaves for New York. At this point Emb stops showing up for their shared balcony time. Fine on its own, but around that time there's also a two week timeskip in like two pages, which I am not hot on. It feels like the plot skips from "they finally admit their feelings and bang a couple times" immediately to "it's CONFLICT TIME"; two weeks usually is not that much, compared to year-plus time jumps in The Last Lavender Sister for instance, but with how small-scope and personable If It's Meant To Be feels, it's sort of big.
And then, One Year Later. Emberlynn and Aria split up offpage and have just been existing.
The chapter following has do to all kinds of catch-up for this silliness; through the narration, we're just kinda told-not-shown about all that's gone on in the intervening time, with Emb and everyone. Like, the last thing we see pre-timejump is Emb sort of wistfully accepting that Aria probably needs to go. So, when Aria talks post-timejump about HAVING LEFT SCARS it's like yeah, where? We did not see any??? So when Emb is now dating Annabel it's like Well, I guess that's unfortunate? For Annabel mainly, because she had a lil arc about moving on from her ex Harper (amicably) before she was consigned to being the Other Woman in this plot. Like, Emb is self-admittedly dating Annabel just to be reminded of Aria, which is weird.
Of course, when Aria makes the return trip to Bayview post-timejump, all of that Annabel shit gets yeeted, which means that Emb and Annabel get maybe a chapter of screentime before The Protagonist Aria Returns, resulting in Annabel giving a huge speech about how their relationship hasn't been good for them and they need to go onto better things, or whatever. It feels more like expository dialogue than a heartfelt "go follow ur dreams girl" moment.
I wasn't really invested for the last quarter; Aria and Emberlynn basically spend all of that time letting the distance of their jobs get in the way of their relationship, only to simply have Aria move to Bayview in the last 5%! Seriously, I was at 90% and these two are still waffling about Aria staying even though they both want it. I respect the attempt to shake up the structure, but this timegap sucks. It's still better than One Step At A Time, but it doesn't hold up to Seabrooke's best. And this is gonna be a trilogy? Alas...
June 23, 2023
The foundation has been laid
First book in an ongoing series, and the foundation is strongly laid for multiple follow ups! This is exciting because while I could read about Port Andreas denizens forever, reading about a cute small town with an already robust and endearing cast is absolutely what I didn't know I needed from Lily Seabrooke. This book has a wide ranging cast, who were introduced pretty quickly and I had to reread the first few pages a few times, but once I settled into it, the story flowed well and all of the characters unfolded at a great pace. There was a good balance of cute and quirky and sexy, as well as emotion and humor. I'm eager for the next already!
First book in an ongoing series, and the foundation is strongly laid for multiple follow ups! This is exciting because while I could read about Port Andreas denizens forever, reading about a cute small town with an already robust and endearing cast is absolutely what I didn't know I needed from Lily Seabrooke. This book has a wide ranging cast, who were introduced pretty quickly and I had to reread the first few pages a few times, but once I settled into it, the story flowed well and all of the characters unfolded at a great pace. There was a good balance of cute and quirky and sexy, as well as emotion and humor. I'm eager for the next already!
July 11, 2023
3.5
this book really throws you straight into the plot of the book, i genuinely thought i was missing a chapter or something. but once the book got going it was a nice enjoyable read.
i wouldn’t say this book is anything crazy but if you’re looking for a nice small town romance then this is probably for you. you can also clearly see the author setting up the other plots for the rest of the series in this book, which while i don’t mind that, i think the way it was made blatantly obvious took away from the focus of this book.
but overall an enjoyable little romance book.
this book really throws you straight into the plot of the book, i genuinely thought i was missing a chapter or something. but once the book got going it was a nice enjoyable read.
i wouldn’t say this book is anything crazy but if you’re looking for a nice small town romance then this is probably for you. you can also clearly see the author setting up the other plots for the rest of the series in this book, which while i don’t mind that, i think the way it was made blatantly obvious took away from the focus of this book.
but overall an enjoyable little romance book.
January 3, 2025
Overall, this unfortunately felt rather forgettable. The storyline was fine, but the absolutely insanely annoying Paisley really ruined a lot of this for me. I was so busy hating her (a side character) that it took away from the actual story quite a bit. And the year time jump 75% in felt weird to me and I struggled a bit after that.
I impulsively checked out all three books in this series, so I will read them too. Here's hoping they get a little better.
I impulsively checked out all three books in this series, so I will read them too. Here's hoping they get a little better.
June 17, 2023
Ok this was adorable, fun, and teasingly sexy. Emberlynn and Aria’s relationship reminds me so much of the sentiment that love happens when you least expect it. I love the cast of supportive friends that are always there for each other…in more ways than one 🫣🤣 I laughed and cried reading this and that’s a five star read for me anyday.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5
I received an ARC and this is my honest review. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5
July 12, 2023
3.5 stars
This was such a cute, cozy, fun read.
This was such a cute, cozy, fun read.
July 7, 2023
The premise of this book was so promising. Sapphic best friend’s big sister in a small town that’s magically full of lesbians? Sign me up!
Unfortunately, while the premise of the book was great, I found the execution to be lacking. I thought both of the main characters were kind of annoying (one of them literally stutters all the time and spills tea on herself TWICE around her love interest) and frustrating, and I didn’t really feel the chemistry between them to begin with. And then there was the weird not-breakup in the middle with one of them getting a whole different girlfriend for a while?
There was also just a lot of missing context between the breakup and their getting back together. We literally don’t even see the breakup, it just cuts off randomly and skips to one year later out of the blue.
I’ve loved some of the author’s other books, but execution unfortunately just fell flat on this one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Unfortunately, while the premise of the book was great, I found the execution to be lacking. I thought both of the main characters were kind of annoying (one of them literally stutters all the time and spills tea on herself TWICE around her love interest) and frustrating, and I didn’t really feel the chemistry between them to begin with. And then there was the weird not-breakup in the middle with one of them getting a whole different girlfriend for a while?
There was also just a lot of missing context between the breakup and their getting back together. We literally don’t even see the breakup, it just cuts off randomly and skips to one year later out of the blue.
I’ve loved some of the author’s other books, but execution unfortunately just fell flat on this one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 13, 2023
DISCLAIMER i received a copy in advance for review
This isn’t the first I read by the author, I have always enjoyed her books so far and this was no exception. However, I must say, whilst being really good, it is the one I enjoyed the least.
The things I liked:
- story pace: not too rushed, nor too slow. A good balance of timings!
- writing style: it flows really well, Seabrooke knows how to keep us hooked and I thank her for it!
- the group of characters around the two main characters: I would have loved to grow up in a place with so many queer people.
- the “angst” moments: they are not dragged on too much, and I appreciate when there’s no addition of more drama just for the sake of it.
What I did not like:
- Emberlynn’s issues with her name. It’s brought up so many times that i ended up disliking her just because of it and how rude she was to her friends. They were not disrespectful or using weird variants of her name, it isn’t a name that was mispronounced or misspelt by them… it all felt a bit much.
- I would have loved a bit more in-depth look at how Emberlynn makes music, what drives her, what she listens to…
- the lizard situation was weird (and unnecessary) in my opinion. But I am squeamish so I am aware it’s a very biased judgement, some readers may love this detail.
What I am 50/50 about
- the steamy scenes are great but… it seems like the emotional connection that it is created comes only from physical attraction? And for one of the MC, she seems to love the attention she is given by the other, specifically, but what else? It felt like something was missing. At least it was how I perceived it. Also one of the main characters immediately has a crush on the other (fair) but it develops super quickly without even having an in-depth chat, bonding over hobbies or similar.
Nonetheless, once I managed my suspension of disbelief for this issue which is only at the start, their arc is really well developed and you can see the characters growth both independently and together.
Overall: despite some minor issues (if we wanna call them that), this was a fun, fell-good read and if you like happy endings, quaint small towns, and a fun group of supporting characters, you’ll end up enjoying this!!
This isn’t the first I read by the author, I have always enjoyed her books so far and this was no exception. However, I must say, whilst being really good, it is the one I enjoyed the least.
The things I liked:
- story pace: not too rushed, nor too slow. A good balance of timings!
- writing style: it flows really well, Seabrooke knows how to keep us hooked and I thank her for it!
- the group of characters around the two main characters: I would have loved to grow up in a place with so many queer people.
- the “angst” moments: they are not dragged on too much, and I appreciate when there’s no addition of more drama just for the sake of it.
What I did not like:
- Emberlynn’s issues with her name. It’s brought up so many times that i ended up disliking her just because of it and how rude she was to her friends. They were not disrespectful or using weird variants of her name, it isn’t a name that was mispronounced or misspelt by them… it all felt a bit much.
- I would have loved a bit more in-depth look at how Emberlynn makes music, what drives her, what she listens to…
- the lizard situation was weird (and unnecessary) in my opinion. But I am squeamish so I am aware it’s a very biased judgement, some readers may love this detail.
What I am 50/50 about
- the steamy scenes are great but… it seems like the emotional connection that it is created comes only from physical attraction? And for one of the MC, she seems to love the attention she is given by the other, specifically, but what else? It felt like something was missing. At least it was how I perceived it. Also one of the main characters immediately has a crush on the other (fair) but it develops super quickly without even having an in-depth chat, bonding over hobbies or similar.
Nonetheless, once I managed my suspension of disbelief for this issue which is only at the start, their arc is really well developed and you can see the characters growth both independently and together.
Overall: despite some minor issues (if we wanna call them that), this was a fun, fell-good read and if you like happy endings, quaint small towns, and a fun group of supporting characters, you’ll end up enjoying this!!
January 22, 2024
Too much drama for my tastes
I wanted to like this book more than I did. So to start off, I liked Emberlynn and Aria, they're good characters. However I did not like Paisley at all. Trying to set Aria up with other friends then getting mad about Emberlynn? Talk about an annoying double standard. Then the whole will they won't they thing, but oh we shouldn't because of her sister/best friend but oh now we're a thing but one of us is going to run away and now she's back we're not going to acknowledge it fully... Ugh. It was truly draining to read.
I wanted to like this book more than I did. So to start off, I liked Emberlynn and Aria, they're good characters. However I did not like Paisley at all. Trying to set Aria up with other friends then getting mad about Emberlynn? Talk about an annoying double standard. Then the whole will they won't they thing, but oh we shouldn't because of her sister/best friend but oh now we're a thing but one of us is going to run away and now she's back we're not going to acknowledge it fully... Ugh. It was truly draining to read.
August 14, 2025
I listened to the audiobook and the story not bad but I had severe issues with the narrator. Multiple POV’s in first person and the voices almost sound the same so almost impossible to follow which narrate you listen to.
November 24, 2024
It offers an escape from reality, that's a positive about the book. But the bestie is so annoying, and just like a weird collection of traits that didn't build into a quirky loveable character- which I think was the goal. Way more details were there about the bestie than either main character.
Thinking of the couple, Emberlynn is beige in terms of personality. Just like a stereotypical sweetheart. I was much more interested in the tapestry of peripheral characters, in part, because there was a lot of page time spent with the dynamic of all the friends. It's clear the writer's interest was in loving all the friends and the town, as that seemed more authentic than the couple's story. And since I didn't pick this up to enjoy the fantasy that there are small towns where everyone is queer and loved, I was disappointed.
Thinking of the side characters, the book plants the seeds of the next relationship for book two, but it was about another stereotypical boob-obsessed type of person, who I was the least interested in knowing more about. I think the only character I actually enjoyed was the baker. That seemed a red herring too, as the book starts with the baker, but the story was not about her. I sort of felt that with more editing or moving parts around this might have been something.
Thinking of the couple, Emberlynn is beige in terms of personality. Just like a stereotypical sweetheart. I was much more interested in the tapestry of peripheral characters, in part, because there was a lot of page time spent with the dynamic of all the friends. It's clear the writer's interest was in loving all the friends and the town, as that seemed more authentic than the couple's story. And since I didn't pick this up to enjoy the fantasy that there are small towns where everyone is queer and loved, I was disappointed.
Thinking of the side characters, the book plants the seeds of the next relationship for book two, but it was about another stereotypical boob-obsessed type of person, who I was the least interested in knowing more about. I think the only character I actually enjoyed was the baker. That seemed a red herring too, as the book starts with the baker, but the story was not about her. I sort of felt that with more editing or moving parts around this might have been something.
June 15, 2023
Lily Seabrooke’s If It’s Meant to Be centers on an engaging, enjoyable romance between Aria Macleod and Emberlynn Morgan Wood, “Lady of the Long Name.” Seabrooke sets the story and its small cluster of characters in the charming tiny town of Bayview, where Emberlynn is the next-door neighbor and best friend of Paisley, Aria’s quirky and unequivocally direct younger sister.
Aria leaves New York City to live with Paisley temporarily while recovering from her gaslighting partner Olivia and a dubiously moral sales career. While in Bayview, Aria plans to create contacts to launch a new B2B enterprise. Emberlynn is a gig music producer struggling with her most significant contract to date.
Careers play a significant part in Seabrooke’s storyline. Aria and Emberlynn’s mutual attraction and fondness is undeniable, but the question is whether they can make a relationship work given each of their career arcs.
Seabrooke offers a well-balanced mix of entertaining banter, emotional dialogue, supportive friendships, the angst of resolving old hurts, and the effort it takes to achieve your own goals while supporting your partner’s.
I enjoyed this book so much I read it again before its official publication date.
I received a complimentary ARC and am posting this review voluntarily.
Aria leaves New York City to live with Paisley temporarily while recovering from her gaslighting partner Olivia and a dubiously moral sales career. While in Bayview, Aria plans to create contacts to launch a new B2B enterprise. Emberlynn is a gig music producer struggling with her most significant contract to date.
Careers play a significant part in Seabrooke’s storyline. Aria and Emberlynn’s mutual attraction and fondness is undeniable, but the question is whether they can make a relationship work given each of their career arcs.
Seabrooke offers a well-balanced mix of entertaining banter, emotional dialogue, supportive friendships, the angst of resolving old hurts, and the effort it takes to achieve your own goals while supporting your partner’s.
I enjoyed this book so much I read it again before its official publication date.
I received a complimentary ARC and am posting this review voluntarily.
June 19, 2023
A Novel that is worth the reading
I'm a sucker for Lily Seabrooke. I'll admit it 100%. This book has a lot of the key things that I feel make for a good LS novel.
1. Likable main characters. Are they a little screwy? Yes. Are they flawed? Of course. But we're all flawed. They are still likable though.
Ember Lynn is a fantastic MC. She's not just cute and funny, but she's eminently charming. She loves people. She cares about them, and it reads through the book. She is both put together and scatter brained all at once.
Aria is a fun love interest. For whatever else she is, she's still trying to be a good person. She loves her sister, for whatever a mess that she is. She is a work in progress, but that's ok.
2. Side characters. Oh gosh. Well. Let's go hardcore on this. I can't wait for book 2. I want to see where the bits and pieces fall. So many crushable side characters.
I would say that the book is worth the reading. Read it. The characters will draw you in. The drama will leave you feeling twisted up. You know how it ends, but that doesn't mean that the trip to the destination isn't worth it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I'm a sucker for Lily Seabrooke. I'll admit it 100%. This book has a lot of the key things that I feel make for a good LS novel.
1. Likable main characters. Are they a little screwy? Yes. Are they flawed? Of course. But we're all flawed. They are still likable though.
Ember Lynn is a fantastic MC. She's not just cute and funny, but she's eminently charming. She loves people. She cares about them, and it reads through the book. She is both put together and scatter brained all at once.
Aria is a fun love interest. For whatever else she is, she's still trying to be a good person. She loves her sister, for whatever a mess that she is. She is a work in progress, but that's ok.
2. Side characters. Oh gosh. Well. Let's go hardcore on this. I can't wait for book 2. I want to see where the bits and pieces fall. So many crushable side characters.
I would say that the book is worth the reading. Read it. The characters will draw you in. The drama will leave you feeling twisted up. You know how it ends, but that doesn't mean that the trip to the destination isn't worth it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 15, 2023
This first entry into Lily's new series gave me all the feels. As is often the case with the dialogue in Lily's writing, I found myself laughing out loud at the banter between the characters. The attraction between Emberlynn and Aria is palpable from the start, and only intensifies as their feelings for one another grow. The "will they/won't they" aspect of the story doesn't feel forced or contrived, but rather like two people who really care for and love each other so much that they're afraid to say what they really want for fear of keeping that other person from pursuing their dreams. As the title suggests though, if it's meant to be then it will happen. The supporting characters are great as well, in particular Paisley, Aria's sister and Emberlynn's best friend, as she is just the right amount of quirky. I'll certainly never think of lighthouses the same way again.
If you enjoy small town romances and the "my best friend's sister" trope, then do yourself a favor and give this book a read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
If you enjoy small town romances and the "my best friend's sister" trope, then do yourself a favor and give this book a read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 17, 2023
I instantly fell in love with this delightfully written book about Emberlynn & Aria. Bayview is described as “a small town in every sense of the word-not a lot of people and not a lot of size, …But it oozed charm in its old buildings and cobblestone streets…”. The same can be said about these wonderful quirky characters and how they ooze charm and kindness. Emberlynn & Aria’s story told by alternating POV is perfect - letting you experience all the emotions they go through on the journey to love. I am always curious to learn the meaning of names and I found that Emberlynn (a.k.a Lady of the Long Name) and Aria are perfect for these amazing characters. I found the secret meanings of each name: Emberlynn’s name is a generous individual and is fascinated in turning the world into a better place. Aria’s name is an independent, creative individual who is true to their ambitions who people perceive as impressive and elegant. I highly recommend reading this wonderful written story by Lily Seabrooke to find out why these names fit these charming personalities. I am looking forward to reading more about the town of Bayview.
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