The One Real Thing by Samantha Young

The One Real Thing (Hart's Boardwalk, #1)

by Samantha Young

It's never too late to change the road that you're on . . .

Welcome to Hartwell,
a quiet seaside escape where uncovering old secrets could be the key to finding a love that lasts.

Doctor Jessica Huntington spends her day involved in other people's always careful to avoid emotional attachments in her personal life. Loss and betrayal taught her that lesson long ago. But when she comes across a set of old love letters in the prison's library and visits the picturesque town of Hartwell to deliver them to their intended recipient, she finds herself unable to resist the town's charm-and her attraction to the sexy owner of a local bar proves equally hard to deny.

Since his divorce from his unfaithful ex-wife, Cooper Lawson has focused on what really matters: his family and the boardwalk pub they've owned for generations. But the first time Jessica steps into his bar, Cooper is beyond tempted to risk his heart on her.

Yet as their attraction grows hotter and Jessica remains stubbornly closed off, he begins to realize it will take more than just passion to convince her there's only one real thing in life worth fighting for....

Readers LOVE The One Real Thing

'PURE ROMANTIC MAGIC' - Goodreads reviewer

'It took over my life until I finished reading it' - Netgalley reviewer

'If you're looking for a sweet, emotional and sexy romance that takes place in a charming small town look no further . . . near perfect' - Goodreads reviewer

'It charmed me, made my heart speed up in excitement, and left me feeling complete when I turned the last page . . . the perfect reading experience' - Goodreads reviewer

Reviewed by whisperingchapters on

3 of 5 stars

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This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.


Jessica is a doctor at a women’s correctional facility. She has thrown her life all into working, with a little added bonus on the side. But she never does something to enjoy herself. After finding some old letters inside the spine of a book, she decides she should take a trip to Hartwell and deliver the letters to the person intended. What she doesn't expect is to fall in love with the town and the very welcoming people.

I absolutely loved the feel of the small town. Everyone is so close to each other! The only down side is everyone knows your business, but I'd love to live in this place. Not only are they neighbors or people they know. They are like family. I love these type of books. Something I always remember is the setting, especially when it involves a tight-knit group of people living in a small town.

"I feel at peace here."

Cooper and Jessica had an instant attraction to one another, but Jess had her friend with benefits so she didn't act on anything. Both started a friendship that slowly started to blossom. Let me tell you, I was falling hard for these two. Their chemistry is explosive and it keeps growing as their romance develops.

How the hell was I supposed to resist temptation if temptation had every intention of being irresistible?

Cooper is a great male character. He's so attentive and caring! The moments he showed his vulnerability melted my insides. Not only was he good to Jess, he was amazing to everyone in town. He was a true gentleman and I loved that about him.

Jess is a wonderful woman who always puts the needs of others before her own. When she arrives at the town, she's welcomed with open friends and makes friends almost instantly. It is then that she realizes everything she has missed out of life.

My problem with this story was the impending conflict. I felt like it could have been handled entirely different. It definitely brought a lot of emotions to the story, but it took too long for this to happened. One of the characters was very guarded and should have opened up without second guessing. Another thing that bothered me a little was the change of POV's. Jess' point of view was in first person, which I was thankful for, whereas Cooper's was written as third point of view.

I'm so looking forward to the next novel in this series. I won't think twice in picking it up since it will have one of the couples that I fell so hard for in this first book! That book will be something else and I can't wait for it!

Overall, The One Real Thing is a charming story filled with amazing, loving characters with a wonderful setting. Despite my two minor issues, I recommend this novel to all romance lovers out there!

I received an eARC from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.


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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 16 August, 2016: Finished reading
  • 16 August, 2016: Reviewed