Name: The Only One
Rating: 3.33 (3 reviews)

I enjoyed THE ONLY ONE and Blakely certainly does an excellent job of sharing the past and building the romance. I did, however, miss the humor and development I have previously enjoyed in her full-length stories. I struggled a little with Penny and her handling of their first meeting. When he asked certain things, I felt she was deceptive, but they quickly moved on from that. I thought the reasons for Gabriel missing their meeting ten years ago were valid. Thankfully the romance was low on drama and high on romance. I adored Penny's pup and the playful descriptions of her.

The narration was delightful. I enjoy the pairing of Webber and Arndt. Zachary Webber's voice for Gabriel was seductive and made my ears tingle. Both handled the voices of the opposite sex quite well, and their pacing and tone work well together. I would listen to this duo again.

If you are looking for a fun, fast, and hot, listen THE ONLY ONE offers a pleasurable escape. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sometimes heartbreak happens for a reason.

How would you feel if the only one had made a success of himself and became known as The sexiest chef….The hottest cook…The heartbreaker in the kitchen...? Well, if I was a better person, I’d probably be happy for their success. I honestly can’t say I’m the better person. I think I’d be a wee bit resentful…especially if the only one broke my heart and I didn’t know why.

The Only One starts off with a prologue showing us ten years ago when Penny was stood up by the one man who she thought could be her future. They had set a time and a place to meet after they both landed in Manhattan. Penny had met Gabriel in Barcelona at the tail end of her summer travels across Europe. Gabriel was getting ready to head to America for a job. Their time together had been short but very intense and Penny was convinced it was the start of love.

She waited…but he never showed.

Penny, being young and hurt, removed every trace of the man who broke her heart. Unfortunately, removing the photos can’t remove her memory and even now, ten years later, she still questions what went wrong.

Considering her heartbreak, Penny has managed to make a fairly good life for herself. She’s made friends, fell in and out of love, changed careers and found her calling in a job that gives her a lot of satisfaction. Imagine her surprise (horror) when the one man who broke her heart pops back onto her radar.

Penny’s job involves raising money for Little Friends, the animal rescue place she runs. A fund-raising picnic is being organised and a last minute cancellation by the caterer means they need to find a new one pronto. Gabriel’s is a restaurant that may be able to help them...and could possibly be run by her previous lover? Fate couldn’t be that cruel…could it?

Gabriel has a meeting with a new client. At first sight, he is captivated by her and consumed with a feeling of knowing her already. Gabriel feels certain that this Penny is the Penelope who he met and fell for in Barcelona. But it couldn’t be…because she’s acting like she’s never met him before. No matter, Gabriel is determined to get to know this Penny better. He likes her looks but he also likes her humour and personality too. He knows that he shouldn’t mix business with pleasure but in this case, he’s willing to take the risk.

Imagine Gabriel’s surprise when this Penny is the only one.

Fate had played a nasty trick on Gabriel and Penny but now it is time to let the past go and see if there is still the same connection.

Penny and Gabriel have a lot of history to cover. How and what went wrong is only one thing that needs to be discussed. Can Penny get past the fact that Gabriel is seen as a sex symbol? Will Gabriel be able to deal with the fact Penny hasn’t stopped living because they were apart ten years? It’s not easy…but love never is.

I really enjoyed this novella and I definitely think it has to do with my love of Lauren Blakely’s work. She has created great characters that are real and lovable. They’re not perfect and make mistakes just like everyone else. There are sexy times, but it's more than just "getting it on". You can't help but see the connection and love that grows.

The Only One could easily be read as a standalone and would be a great way to test the waters and see if you like Ms Blakely’s style. When you do (couldn’t possibly be IF…), lucky for you there are plenty of other books to check out.

I can’t wait for Full Package to come out in January.

To buy The Only One from Amazon - http://amzn.to/2h5caIq

I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -

The Only One: A One Love Novella (The One Love)

by Lauren Blakely

The Only One: A One Love Novella (The One Love)

by Lauren Blakely

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