Book Review for The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara

Author: Olivia Lara
Title: The Meeting Point
Publisher: Aria
Publication Date: 9 Dec 2021
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Comments: I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review from The Write Reads and the author. All opinions are my own and are in no way influenced by a cheating ex.

Synopsis

What if the Lift driver who finds your cheating boyfriend’s phone holds the directions to true love?

‘Who are you and why do you have my boyfriend’s phone?’
‘He left it in my car. You must be the blonde in the red dress? I’m the Lift driver who dropped you two off earlier.’

And with these words, the life of the brunette and t-shirt wearing Maya Maas is turned upside down. Having planned to surprise her boyfriend, she finds herself single and stranded in an unknown city on her birthday.

So, when the mystery driver rescues Maya with the suggestion that she cheers herself up at a nearby beach town, she jumps at the chance to get things back on track. She wasn’t expecting a personalised itinerary or the easy companionship that comes from opening up to a stranger via text, let alone the possibility it might grow into something more…

Summary

Maya Maas decides to arrive unexpectedly in San Francisco to surprise her boyfriend on his business trip. But when she calls him to ask him to pick her up at the airport, someone else answers the phone.

It’s the Lift driver that just dropped off her boyfriend… and a hot blonde.

Devastated to discover his cheating, Maya is ready to turn back home with her tail tucked between her legs. But the driver has other plans.

Sending her on a guided travel tour around the area via text, Maya gets to know her mysterious saviour through an unbelievable day out.

But when Maya decides to finally uncover just who was behind the anonymous texts, she isn’t prepared to have her life turned upside down.

Review:

Ahh, I needed that.

After several thrillers, heavy hard-core fantasy and historical novels it was lovely to sink into a quick sappy romance.

While obviously you know how things are going to play out and clichés abound, there is just something so satisfying about the predictability.

Not to say that it wasn’t unique. After all, the idea of the Lift driver being the one to answer your cheating boyfriends’ phone is a new one.

But the aura of hopeful romance that perpetuated the book was familiar and comforting. like a warm hug or a huge jumper on a cold morning.

I loved the characters. Maya was just coming into her own and we see her go from strength to strength with the help of her Lift driver, she was even able to step out of a controlling quite toxic relationship with a douchebag.

I adored her habit of jotting down stories about the people that she met and the lives she wanted them to live. Her inner desire to be a writer was a great addition to her character and made us so much more sympathetic to her, especially when that began to translate into her matchmaking.

Ethan was another great character. Although he came off as quite standoffish at times, once you knew his background it was easy to see why and it was nice to see him slowly come out of his shell.

I thought the idea of interweaving the actual book with chapters of the novel within the book was a great way to show the various points of view without long exposition.

As with most romance novels you do have to suspend a bit of disbelief with how oblivious some characters are. To you it is obvious who ‘Max’ was but Maya needs the great revelation at the end to have it all come together.

All in all, this was an adorable con-rom with nice pacing, engaging characters and a happily ever after.

Something we all need from time to time.