Review: Meant to Be by Tiffany Patterson

Meant to Be by Tiffany Patterson
Published by Amazon Digital Services LLC on July 31, 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Love & Romance, Multicultural & Interracial, Romance
Pages: 312
Format: eBook
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four-stars

Kayla
Seven years ago I left Williamsport, carrying with me the grief of losing my best friend and the shame of the feelings I’d developed for the man she left behind. I spent time running from those feelings and the guilt that tried to suffocate me. But something much worse is forcing me to pick up and relocate again. This time back home. To the city I’ve always loved and missed, and surprisingly back to the man I tried to forget. But it could never be. The stark, anger-filled expression in Joshua’s emerald eyes when he first lays eyes on me, warns of his unforgiveness. At least, that’s what I thought it was, until he invites me to stay in his home. Once there, the friendship that was always between us, changes into something more...something different.

Joshua
I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed her until I saw her for the first time in seven years. She was different. Hell, we both were but the confident, outgoing woman I remembered wasn’t the same Kayla Reyes that come back from the West Coast. No matter how much I wanted to forget about it, to give her the cold shoulder for leaving the way she did, I couldn’t. And when she moves into my home, things get worse. Not only is there trouble brewing at my multi-million dollar real-estate company, but Kay’s got her own secrets. Secrets that sent her scurrying back to the city she left behind. I resolve to get to the bottom of both these issues and get rid of them, root and stem. What I hadn’t banked on was breaking the vow I’d made years earlier; to never lose my heart to a woman again. And this time, it’s deeper than ever before. This time it’s starting to feel as if it were meant to be.

I discovered Tiffany Patterson earlier this year when I read her novel, Carter’s Flame. It was the second book in the Rescue Four series about firefighters and the beginning of the Townsend Brothers. Meant to Be follows middle brother, real estate mogul Joshua Townsend.

Joshua and Kayla bonded as friends in 6th grade and were close up until high school graduation. They had a link that tied them together and that was Chelsea Armstrong, Kayla’s best friend, and Joshua’s girlfriend. After Chelsea died shortly after graduation, Kayla left town embarrassed and heartbroken after briefly acting on her long-dormant feelings for Josh.

Seven years later and Kayla is back in Joshua’s life after returning home for her own safety, struggling with finding herself after suffering through a traumatic experience and subsequent harassment.

To most, Joshua seems to be the calm and collected Townsend brother but just like his brothers, there are more layers to him than meets the eye. He has feelings for Kayla and isn’t afraid to act on them despite Kayla’s reservations that he knows are a lie. He is loyal to a fault and willing to do anything to protect his family. When he finds out the reason for the shadows behind Kayla’s eyes, he does everything he can to protect the woman he loves while vowing to never let her leave his sight.

Joshua and Kayla had a level of understanding from years of friendship that added another layer to their chemistry. It was also nice seeing the other parts to Joshua, which I won’t spoil here, that most wouldn’t expect from a buttoned-up real estate mogul.

While Carter is still my favorite Townsend brother, Joshua is a close second. This can be read as a stand-alone but I would suggest reading up on the other brothers as well.

Meant to Be is a multicultural romance that is equal parts unrequited love and friends to lovers. This combination makes for an interesting tale as once again we are able to see the real Townsend men beneath the veneer of wealth and business that they show to the public.

P.S. The secondary characters were solid and I’d love to see stories for Connor, Damon, Brutus, and Mark. I’m pretty sure the youngest brother, Tyler is next though.

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Natalya

Natalya is an Account Manager by day and an editor and author's assistant to passionate creatives by night. When she is not adding to her enormous book collection or stationery supply, she is catching up on her favorite television shows.

Natalya is the author of All The Things I Never Said, a soul-stirring collection of short stories, prose and love letters for the soulful wanderers, the brokenhearted and the hopeless romantics.

You can follow her rantings and occasional sparks of brilliance on Twitter @NatalyaMuncuff.