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The One
Is following your heart worth having it broken?
Seventeen year-old Chelsea Davenport is winding up the summer before her senior year at her sister Charley’s engagement party. Life is good and uncomplicated in the mountains. Her family is great. She is looking forward to starting school, applying to colleges, dancing again, and all the other things that go with high school…except the boys. Chelsea is sick of boys. And then Kyle Davis appears at the party and turns her world upside down.
Kyle and Chelsea go way back as family friends, but he’s been away at prep school for a few years, playing football, trying to stay out of trouble, and away from the mess his family has become after his sister’s accidental death three years earlier, and then, more recently, his father’s suicide. The once arrogant and golden Kyle has returned, but he is not the Kyle she knew. Something about him has changed. He seems adrift in a sea of anger and depression, and she is riveted to him, wanting to understand and help. At first she doesn’t realize he is just as thunder-struck by her, but then his feelings become clear. Chelsea isn’t the only girl who wants football player Kyle, and the local mean girl, Elle, is armed for battle and ready to take on anyone to have Kyle for herself. So, who will win his heart? Can anyone unlock Kyle’s soul? Is the heartache over for Kyle, or is it just beginning? Can Chelsea get involved and stay true to what she believes about life and love?
Set in the mountains of North Carolina, The One is a poignant contemporary story about family, self-discovery, and finding first love. In this time, when civility has all but disappeared from some of our lives, it is refreshing to remember there is another way to live…and love. Kyle and Chelsea’s story may cause readers to reminisce over their own first loves, or make them wish for one. Whatever the case, it’s a nice place to be!
Look for the sequel, Second Time’s a Charm, coming in 2011.
Seventeen year-old Chelsea Davenport is winding up the summer before her senior year at her sister Charley’s engagement party. Life is good and uncomplicated in the mountains. Her family is great. She is looking forward to starting school, applying to colleges, dancing again, and all the other things that go with high school…except the boys. Chelsea is sick of boys. And then Kyle Davis appears at the party and turns her world upside down.
Kyle and Chelsea go way back as family friends, but he’s been away at prep school for a few years, playing football, trying to stay out of trouble, and away from the mess his family has become after his sister’s accidental death three years earlier, and then, more recently, his father’s suicide. The once arrogant and golden Kyle has returned, but he is not the Kyle she knew. Something about him has changed. He seems adrift in a sea of anger and depression, and she is riveted to him, wanting to understand and help. At first she doesn’t realize he is just as thunder-struck by her, but then his feelings become clear. Chelsea isn’t the only girl who wants football player Kyle, and the local mean girl, Elle, is armed for battle and ready to take on anyone to have Kyle for herself. So, who will win his heart? Can anyone unlock Kyle’s soul? Is the heartache over for Kyle, or is it just beginning? Can Chelsea get involved and stay true to what she believes about life and love?
Set in the mountains of North Carolina, The One is a poignant contemporary story about family, self-discovery, and finding first love. In this time, when civility has all but disappeared from some of our lives, it is refreshing to remember there is another way to live…and love. Kyle and Chelsea’s story may cause readers to reminisce over their own first loves, or make them wish for one. Whatever the case, it’s a nice place to be!
Look for the sequel, Second Time’s a Charm, coming in 2011.
- GenresRomanceYoung Adult
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2010
1 person is currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Mary Flinn
14 books48 followersA native of North Carolina, award-winning author Mary Flinn long ago fell in love with her state’s mountains and its coast, creating the backdrops for her series of novels, The One, Second Time’s a Charm, Three Gifts, and A Forever Man. With degrees from both the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and East Carolina University, Flinn has retired from her first career as a speech pathologist in the NC public schools since 1981. Writing a novel had always been a dream for Flinn, who began crafting the pages of The One, when her younger daughter left for college at Appalachian State University in 2009. The characters in this book have continued to call to her, wanting more of their story told, which bred the next three books in the series.
Flinn has recently been the recipient of the Reviewers’ Choice First Place Award for Romance Novel in the Reader Views 2011 Literary Book Awards, as well as the Pacific Book Review Best Romance Novel of 2011 for Three Gifts. Second Time’s a Charm, also released in 2011, won an Honorable Mention in the Reader Views Reviewers’ Choice Awards. The Nest, a stand-alone from the Kyle and Chelsea series, won a B.R.A.G. Medallion book award in 2015. Breaking Out, Flinn's second stand-alone was published in 2014. A Girl Like That, released in 2015 is the winner of the Reader Views Literary Book Award, as well as the B.R.A.G. Medallion.
Mary Flinn lives with her husband in Wilmington, North Carolina, where she is at work on her next novel. They have two adult daughters.
Flinn has recently been the recipient of the Reviewers’ Choice First Place Award for Romance Novel in the Reader Views 2011 Literary Book Awards, as well as the Pacific Book Review Best Romance Novel of 2011 for Three Gifts. Second Time’s a Charm, also released in 2011, won an Honorable Mention in the Reader Views Reviewers’ Choice Awards. The Nest, a stand-alone from the Kyle and Chelsea series, won a B.R.A.G. Medallion book award in 2015. Breaking Out, Flinn's second stand-alone was published in 2014. A Girl Like That, released in 2015 is the winner of the Reader Views Literary Book Award, as well as the B.R.A.G. Medallion.
Mary Flinn lives with her husband in Wilmington, North Carolina, where she is at work on her next novel. They have two adult daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 8, 2025
Almost a year ago, my Goodreads friend Anna posted a review of "A Forever Man" by Mary Flinn. It was a great review. It was also the third book in the Chelsea and Kyle series. I liked Anna's analysis so much, that I decided to start with the first book that introduces the reader to the main characters, Chelsea Davenport and Kyle Davis.
This book is a YA story about two teenagers who had been friends since childhood. Their fathers (Tom Davenport and Stuart Davis) were best friends in college. After graduating, they started a business together where Stuart was the construction contractor and Tom the landscape developer. Both married and had children who grew up as close friends until tragedy struck one of the families and everything changed. At that time, the Davis' decided to send Kyle off to an all boys prep school away from their home town and possible "bad influences" from other local kids. He remained a student there through his junior year of high school - the same year his father dies. The book begins when MMC Kyle and FMC Chelsea are about to start their senior year of high school back in his original home town.
Kyle Davis is a stand out football player who holds a "pick six" record from his prep school days. Needless to say, Doughton County High School's football team is excited he's transferred back. He's changed a lot physically and emotionally since Chelsea last saw him. He's also an intellectually mature 17 year old.
Chelsea Davenport has been very involved in her dance lessons and knows she needs to practice and rehearse a lot for her audition to get into a specialized dance program in college. She's a responsible young woman and surprised when Kyle pays a lot of attention to her. They become a couple after school begins.
This is your typical high school drama YA romance. The author takes the reader through the main and supporting characters' senior year and all of the trials and tribulations that befall students at that time in their lives. Popular boy falls for intelligent but shy girl. Beautiful but very evil cheerleader tries to snag popular MMC football star from FMC. It's very predictable, but also sets in motion the beginnings of a long term relationship between Kyle and Chelsea.
This book lays the groundwork for the next two sequels. I could have rated this story higher, but it would be based on sentimental reasons instead of the author's writing. I've personally known three couples who married after being long time high school and college sweethearts and thought the world of them. This book reminded me of their stories. One couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year.
This book is a YA story about two teenagers who had been friends since childhood. Their fathers (Tom Davenport and Stuart Davis) were best friends in college. After graduating, they started a business together where Stuart was the construction contractor and Tom the landscape developer. Both married and had children who grew up as close friends until tragedy struck one of the families and everything changed. At that time, the Davis' decided to send Kyle off to an all boys prep school away from their home town and possible "bad influences" from other local kids. He remained a student there through his junior year of high school - the same year his father dies. The book begins when MMC Kyle and FMC Chelsea are about to start their senior year of high school back in his original home town.
Kyle Davis is a stand out football player who holds a "pick six" record from his prep school days. Needless to say, Doughton County High School's football team is excited he's transferred back. He's changed a lot physically and emotionally since Chelsea last saw him. He's also an intellectually mature 17 year old.
Chelsea Davenport has been very involved in her dance lessons and knows she needs to practice and rehearse a lot for her audition to get into a specialized dance program in college. She's a responsible young woman and surprised when Kyle pays a lot of attention to her. They become a couple after school begins.
This is your typical high school drama YA romance. The author takes the reader through the main and supporting characters' senior year and all of the trials and tribulations that befall students at that time in their lives. Popular boy falls for intelligent but shy girl. Beautiful but very evil cheerleader tries to snag popular MMC football star from FMC. It's very predictable, but also sets in motion the beginnings of a long term relationship between Kyle and Chelsea.
This book lays the groundwork for the next two sequels. I could have rated this story higher, but it would be based on sentimental reasons instead of the author's writing. I've personally known three couples who married after being long time high school and college sweethearts and thought the world of them. This book reminded me of their stories. One couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year.
September 2, 2013
I'm so glad I won this book it was a great read with easy to follow plot lines and characters you could really care about. I loved how the end of the book was wrapped up, some books its like all of a sudden the author gets tired of writing this book you have been loving and just wraps it up it a couple of pages,this book had a very nice ending and I was happy to see here there is a second book.I am really getting to love YA books.
October 5, 2012
Loved this book! Very refreshing to read a young adult story that didn't involve vampires, sex, or anything crazy. A great love story, not just between boy and girl but also the families and friends. Bought the second in the series before finishing this one and can't wait to get started!
June 17, 2012
Wonderful teen love story by an NC author.
October 21, 2012
Not my cup of tea. It's well written but extremely simplistic. Would make a good airplane read.
June 21, 2013
Simple, but cute. Easy read and intriguing. Conflicts seemed to be resolved rather quickly, yet I was always curious what would happen next!
January 13, 2014
Easy and fun reading not only for teenagers but also for adults because it will remind them of their own youth and all the heart problems they encountered.
April 17, 2019
I loved this book!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews