The Meet-Cute Project by Rhiannon Richardson

Reviewed by Lauren M.
Grade 11

What would you do for family? In Rhiannon Richardson’s debut novel, The Meet Cute Project, Mia Hubbard debates that very question as she performs numerous tasks for her sister’s upcoming wedding-including finding a date via various meet cutes from popular culture. The result is a lighthearted and feel-good adventure that is sure to bring chuckles from readers.

When 16-year-old Mia’s older sister Sam gets engaged, she--with the rest of the family--is ecstatic. That is, until Sam decides to plan the entire wedding herself and becomes, in essence, a bridezilla. Due to an unexpected event, Mia now has no one to walk her down the aisle, something her sister will not stand. So proceeds the Meet Cute Project as Mia goes from potential date to potential date, crossing off more names than she’d like, and learning a ton of life lessons. However, time is ticking--will she be able to find a date?

I found this novel to be heartwarming. The plot, however, was predictable, with Mia choosing not to do things that would have helped advance the plot and make it more interesting. She also avoided making actions that would be for her own betterment. While at times Mia and her friends were unreasonable and melodramatic, that is to be expected and didn’t make too big of an impact (although I would have liked to see more of Ritchie) in the grand scheme of the story. The characterization was a bit flat and dry--I did not see much nuance between Mia and the supporting characters since she and her friends more or less talked and acted the same way throughout. There was a sufficient amount of diversity in the book (racially and otherwise), which is a strength of this book.

I would recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a quick and lighthearted read without much depth or many subplots. While the story was certainly entertaining, it did not really hold my attention. Out of a five star rating, I would give this read 3.5 stars.