Halpern, Julie. Meant To Be.

Halpern, Julie. Meant To Be. Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends  2017        313p.  $17.99  ISBN 978-1-250-09498-8  hs           Science Fiction          E-BN

Agatha “Aggy” Abrams lives in a world where The Naming is a big part of life.  Six years ago, out of nowhere, names started appearing over the hearts of everyone over the age of 18. The name refers to the person known as one's Meant-To-Be, or MTB.  Aggy refers to them as “Empties”.  Aggy doesn’t want to believe that she has no free will. She spends her summers working at a haunted carnival dreaming about making out with Luke Jacobs, and she is determined not to look up Hendrix Cutter, the name that has appeared on her chest. When her parents had MTBs appear on their chests, Aggy's father left, and her agoraphobic, romance-novel-writing uncle moved in and avoided talk of his MTB. Her best friend, Lish, finds and promptly falls in love with her MTB, and Aggy wants no part of it. Aggy is a hilarious and raunchy character that teens will instantly relate to. Her openness about her overly large breasts, her gassiness when she eats certain foods, and helping herself in the sex department will have readers laughing and commiserating with her in this well-written and fun romance for the unromantic.

Summary: Six years ago, names started appearing on people’s chests at the age of 18 -- the name of the person with whom they are meant to be.  Agatha is determined to avoid the itchy name on her chest and enjoy her summer swooning over Luke Jacobs and then moving to Australia to be a carny.  She just has to avoid looking up her MTB ("Meant To Be").

Romance, Fate, Science Fiction                                       --Erin Daly