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Canton #1
One & Only
One night they can't forget...
Tess McMann lives her life according to the secrets she's sworn to the father who won't acknowledge her, the sister who doesn't know she exists, and the mother who's content playing mistress to a prominent businessman. When she meets the distractingly cute Dylan Kingsley at a prestigious summer program and falls in love, Tess allows herself to imagine a life beyond these secrets. But when summer ends, so does their relationship—Dylan heads off to Canton College while Tess enrolls at the state university.
One love they can't ignore...
Two years later, a scholarship brings Tess to Canton and back into Dylan's life. Their attraction is as strong as ever, but Dylan has a girlfriend…who also happens to be Tess's legitimate half-sister. Tess refuses to follow in her mother's footsteps, which leaves her only one break the rules she’s always followed, or allow Dylan to slip away for a second time.
...And only one chance to get things right.
*** New Adult romance suitable for 17+***
Tess McMann lives her life according to the secrets she's sworn to the father who won't acknowledge her, the sister who doesn't know she exists, and the mother who's content playing mistress to a prominent businessman. When she meets the distractingly cute Dylan Kingsley at a prestigious summer program and falls in love, Tess allows herself to imagine a life beyond these secrets. But when summer ends, so does their relationship—Dylan heads off to Canton College while Tess enrolls at the state university.
One love they can't ignore...
Two years later, a scholarship brings Tess to Canton and back into Dylan's life. Their attraction is as strong as ever, but Dylan has a girlfriend…who also happens to be Tess's legitimate half-sister. Tess refuses to follow in her mother's footsteps, which leaves her only one break the rules she’s always followed, or allow Dylan to slip away for a second time.
...And only one chance to get things right.
*** New Adult romance suitable for 17+***
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2013
273 people are currently reading
3074 people want to read
About the author
Viv Daniels
13 books164 followersViv Daniels writes love stories for the young and young at heart. Like many of her characters, she met her husband in college, and knows all the ins and outs of navigating that kind of relationship -- from how to date when you're both flat broke to how to fit two people in narrow dorm room bed.
Her favorite new adult authors include Tammara Weber and Sarina Bowen.
Viv can usually be found on her Facebook page or Twitter feed, chatting with readers about her favorite New Adult fiction, or sharing pictures of cute boys.
Her favorite new adult authors include Tammara Weber and Sarina Bowen.
Viv can usually be found on her Facebook page or Twitter feed, chatting with readers about her favorite New Adult fiction, or sharing pictures of cute boys.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 273 reviews
November 19, 2013
4.5 stars Smart, serious, sexy, and playful all at once--and not a single freaking cliche. It is heartening to see authors taking advantage of the liberties that writing for the New Adult category affords--and doing it with integrity and style.
This book is kind of like a really great episode of Felicity, with smart girls (non liberal arts girls, too!), intense worry about education, complicated family relationships, anxiety over identity and dating and life decisions, and one seriously cute boy.
Big thanks to my friend Emily, who raved so much about this book that I added it, bought it, read it, and loved it without ever reading the synopsis. We should all have awesomely reliable blogger friends like that.
And now I'm going to have to go get some baklava tomorrow. *fans self*
This book is kind of like a really great episode of Felicity, with smart girls (non liberal arts girls, too!), intense worry about education, complicated family relationships, anxiety over identity and dating and life decisions, and one seriously cute boy.
Big thanks to my friend Emily, who raved so much about this book that I added it, bought it, read it, and loved it without ever reading the synopsis. We should all have awesomely reliable blogger friends like that.
And now I'm going to have to go get some baklava tomorrow. *fans self*
September 10, 2016
2 STARS
I really want to be fair, because I find it's so easy now to Rage Against the Machine that is New Adult Contemporary Romance these days than find something nice to say about it as a whole. And I heartily acknowledge that Diana Peterfreund/Viv Daniels did try to offer a fresh perspective with a character like Tess McMann, but its really, really hard to give a polite, appreciative applause when I just can't trick myself well enough to cheer for a heroine like her. And that's really unfair because this had some good moments… great moments that were eclipsed by the moments I was restraining myself from doing something violent to my ereader.
The blurb is off-putting: Illegitimate and secret daughter Tess meets biofuel geek Dylan one summer when they were eighteen in a science research camp in Cornell. They flirt, fittingly enough, over cheese. They had virgin sex. They part ways. Much to Dylan's dismay of course but Tess is going to State college and Dylan's going to Canton University, the dream school her father expressly forbids her to go to because it runs too close a risk into revealing the truth about their "delicate situation" to his legitimate and clueless daughter, Hannah who, gasp, goes there as well. So it was all for the best.
We've been around this block haven't we? So we pretty much know Tess will find her way to Canton. Find her way to meeting Dylan again who still harbors this world burning love for her because obviously, two virgins having sex for the first time could only be earth-shattering and mind-blowingly amazing. The kind that you masturbate to for two years, yes.
Oh alright, I'm being sarcastic. Because the real foundation of that love was the cheese. Hey, hold that eye-roll, it wasn't just ordinary cheese, you know, they're not barbarians. It was artisanal cheese with organic date-blueberry compote if you must know. And we all know love borne over artisanal cheese with organic date-blueberry compote conquers all. Including two years of separation, an unsupportive father and the fact that Dylan is now dating Hannah, Tess' legitimate half-sister. Who Dylan can't break up with at the moment because… you know what, I'll let you discover that for yourselves and here, use this gif for that status update.
What saved this from being a 1-star read for me was Tess' struggle to not become the woman her mother is. The conflict of knowing too well where her and Dylan's doomed relationship will be heading after seeing her mother play that game for so long… it was fresh, interesting and quite brave. The perspective of the Lydia Bennetts and reluctant femme fatales is something that I haven't seen yet and I liked that this brings up some unique issues but disappointed that this chose the predictable and less impressive angles of Tess and Dylan's relationship. Why choose that well-trodden, exhausted track when the unchartered emotional minefield of Tess and her mother or her father was so much more ripe with tension and depth?
Probably because she can have sex with Dylan and not with her parents.
I'm sorry I gave you that mental picture but its true.
It felt like this had a lot of spirit and enthusiasm to do something different but still fell prey to the usual tropes and archaic ploys I hate about New Adult (enough already with the UNIQUE GRAY EYES and the FLOPPY HAIRS and the PEACHES AND CREAM COMPLEXION, geez) which would have been forgivable if we had a heroine better than how Tess was painted here.
I hated how she toed the line of morality and how she rationalizes her actions.
I actually liked that there's a dissonance between Tess the scientist and Tess the hormonal twenty-year old because it adds a layer of complexity in her character and her internal conflict should make me sympathetic to her plight. But she's the sort of girl that doesn't resonate with me.
She posts an interesting dilemma in that does she only get attracted to men who are in a committed relationship? She easily rebuffs Dylan's pursuit of her when they were eighteen but when they meet again two years after and he's in a relationship with her half-sister no less, suddenly there's conflict. This was a very intriguing issue but I don't think this was given proper resolution at the end of the book.
Furthermore, its not enough that she burdens the people around her with these moral baggages but she also has to make them unwitting accomplices to her lies and deceptions. There are things for me that you just don't do. Stealing your half-sister's boyfriend, even if you got to him first two years ago, is one of them. Her being aware of who Hannah is gave her the opportunity to be the bigger person, but this isn't that kind of story.
She isn't strong the way I like my heroines. True she goes after her dreams and fights for what she deserves by breaking free from the control of her father. But she never would have done that without Dylan, which makes me uncomfortable, the way distressed damsels getting rescued by princes make me uncomfortable. Because they're twenty-one, running on love fueled by sex and artisanal cheese and organic blueberry compote.
This just went on longer than I intended. So should you pick up this book? A good litmus test would be this scene.
Also on BookLikes.
Maybe this was my fate. I was the child of lies. Everything I did was touched by that poison.
I really want to be fair, because I find it's so easy now to Rage Against the Machine that is New Adult Contemporary Romance these days than find something nice to say about it as a whole. And I heartily acknowledge that Diana Peterfreund/Viv Daniels did try to offer a fresh perspective with a character like Tess McMann, but its really, really hard to give a polite, appreciative applause when I just can't trick myself well enough to cheer for a heroine like her. And that's really unfair because this had some good moments… great moments that were eclipsed by the moments I was restraining myself from doing something violent to my ereader.
The blurb is off-putting: Illegitimate and secret daughter Tess meets biofuel geek Dylan one summer when they were eighteen in a science research camp in Cornell. They flirt, fittingly enough, over cheese. They had virgin sex. They part ways. Much to Dylan's dismay of course but Tess is going to State college and Dylan's going to Canton University, the dream school her father expressly forbids her to go to because it runs too close a risk into revealing the truth about their "delicate situation" to his legitimate and clueless daughter, Hannah who, gasp, goes there as well. So it was all for the best.
We've been around this block haven't we? So we pretty much know Tess will find her way to Canton. Find her way to meeting Dylan again who still harbors this world burning love for her because obviously, two virgins having sex for the first time could only be earth-shattering and mind-blowingly amazing. The kind that you masturbate to for two years, yes.
Oh alright, I'm being sarcastic. Because the real foundation of that love was the cheese. Hey, hold that eye-roll, it wasn't just ordinary cheese, you know, they're not barbarians. It was artisanal cheese with organic date-blueberry compote if you must know. And we all know love borne over artisanal cheese with organic date-blueberry compote conquers all. Including two years of separation, an unsupportive father and the fact that Dylan is now dating Hannah, Tess' legitimate half-sister. Who Dylan can't break up with at the moment because… you know what, I'll let you discover that for yourselves and here, use this gif for that status update.
What saved this from being a 1-star read for me was Tess' struggle to not become the woman her mother is. The conflict of knowing too well where her and Dylan's doomed relationship will be heading after seeing her mother play that game for so long… it was fresh, interesting and quite brave. The perspective of the Lydia Bennetts and reluctant femme fatales is something that I haven't seen yet and I liked that this brings up some unique issues but disappointed that this chose the predictable and less impressive angles of Tess and Dylan's relationship. Why choose that well-trodden, exhausted track when the unchartered emotional minefield of Tess and her mother or her father was so much more ripe with tension and depth?
Probably because she can have sex with Dylan and not with her parents.
I'm sorry I gave you that mental picture but its true.
It felt like this had a lot of spirit and enthusiasm to do something different but still fell prey to the usual tropes and archaic ploys I hate about New Adult (enough already with the UNIQUE GRAY EYES and the FLOPPY HAIRS and the PEACHES AND CREAM COMPLEXION, geez) which would have been forgivable if we had a heroine better than how Tess was painted here.
I hated how she toed the line of morality and how she rationalizes her actions.
✹ She explicitly told Dylan they will not have a relationship until he breaks up with Hannah.
✹ Dylan didn't cheat on Hannah with her because they didn't sleep together, they just made out.
✹ After mutually agreeing with Dylan that he shouldn't break up with Hannah because of… reasons, her idea of staying away from him is pulling him inside a dark closet to talk to him in private. Because that's what rational, sexually attracted people who trying to stay away from each other do right?
I actually liked that there's a dissonance between Tess the scientist and Tess the hormonal twenty-year old because it adds a layer of complexity in her character and her internal conflict should make me sympathetic to her plight. But she's the sort of girl that doesn't resonate with me.
She posts an interesting dilemma in that does she only get attracted to men who are in a committed relationship? She easily rebuffs Dylan's pursuit of her when they were eighteen but when they meet again two years after and he's in a relationship with her half-sister no less, suddenly there's conflict. This was a very intriguing issue but I don't think this was given proper resolution at the end of the book.
Furthermore, its not enough that she burdens the people around her with these moral baggages but she also has to make them unwitting accomplices to her lies and deceptions. There are things for me that you just don't do. Stealing your half-sister's boyfriend, even if you got to him first two years ago, is one of them. Her being aware of who Hannah is gave her the opportunity to be the bigger person, but this isn't that kind of story.
She isn't strong the way I like my heroines. True she goes after her dreams and fights for what she deserves by breaking free from the control of her father. But she never would have done that without Dylan, which makes me uncomfortable, the way distressed damsels getting rescued by princes make me uncomfortable. Because they're twenty-one, running on love fueled by sex and artisanal cheese and organic blueberry compote.
This just went on longer than I intended. So should you pick up this book? A good litmus test would be this scene.
I tapped my pen against the edge of my notebook, thinking. It flew out of my hand and rolled off the desk, and I reached down to get it at the same time as Dylan.
Our hands met under the table, each of us with our own end of my pen. I raised my gaze to his face and saw, for the first time, that he was wearing his glasses today.
"Hi," he whispered.
"Hi."
Also on BookLikes.
December 6, 2013
One & Only is a surprising read, primarily because it’s a New Adult novel with a modicum of depth, complexity, and true worth. Forget the mindless, steamy novels you’ve known and imagine – just for a moment – a novel about an intelligent young woman, a bioengineering major, whose main goal in life is to never follow in the footsteps of her parents. It sounds familiar, doesn’t it? After all, which teenager, fresh off to college, doesn’t set off with the hopes to distinguish themselves from the people who have brought them up? Moreover, which teenager wants to repeat the same mistakes of their parents? In her debut, Daniels writes a story that is one-part family, one-part friendship, one-part college, and only two-part romance. If that isn’t a formula for success, I don’t know what is.
Of course, from the surface, One & Only is a love story. Tess, the illegitimate daughter of a millionaire, has lived with her single-mother all her life, abiding by the rules her father lay down for her and even attending the state college he commanded she study in lest she meet her half-sister in the prestigious Canton College she desires to attend. Thus, when Tess earns a scholarship to a summer program in Cornell the summer before her freshman year, she whisks herself away to a summer of scientific immersion. It is there that she meets Dylan – cute, intelligent, and ever-so-slightly nerdy – and sparks fly. But Tess knows better than to start a long-distance relationship and after that summer, she never meets Dylan again. Until, that is, she transfers into Canton after two years. Only, this time, while Tess is determined to make her relationship work with Dylan, he isn’t as available as he was two summers ago. And this time, he’s dating her half-sister, Hannah.
What makes One & Only such a spectacular novel, aside from the fact that the messy romantic relationship is dealt with in a tasteful manner with little to no angst or drama, is the fact that the relationships drawn up throughout the story are authentic and realistic to this age group. Tess must not only balance school work and a job, but she struggles under the burden of her secret as an illegitimate child. Yet, her relationship with her mother is strong and sure, one filled with affection despite the fact that Tess refuses to follow down her mother’s footsteps and become “the other woman” in any relationship. Additionally, I enjoyed Tess’s blooming friendships with the sisters she waitressed with and the competitive biomedical students she found herself competing with. What I found interesting was the fact that both these groups of friends were part of very different friend circles, but Daniels still allows Tess to befriend them both, sharing different experiences with each. Just the portrayal of friendships in college is rare to find in New Adult novels, but the different types of friendships, the multiple bonds and their respective strengths is even harder to find, which is why I applaud Daniels for their inclusion.
Ultimately, One & Only offers originality into the field of New Adult. Tess takes advantage of her relationships with her professors to find working internships, the economic struggles she faces are outlined but never judged, there is absolutely zero slut-shaming, and the inner growth Tess undergoes is universally relatable. Moreover, the icing on the cake is the fact that her romance with Dylan is both sweet and steamy. Dylan respects Tess’s boundaries, encourages her ambitions, and fosters her intelligence. In every sense of the term, they are a couple formed and bonded on equal footing, which is such a relief to see. I sincerely hope this is a signal that alpha males are fading into the background of long-forgotten nightmares. If New Adult is headed in this direction, I can only wait and watch anxiously for more.
You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.
Of course, from the surface, One & Only is a love story. Tess, the illegitimate daughter of a millionaire, has lived with her single-mother all her life, abiding by the rules her father lay down for her and even attending the state college he commanded she study in lest she meet her half-sister in the prestigious Canton College she desires to attend. Thus, when Tess earns a scholarship to a summer program in Cornell the summer before her freshman year, she whisks herself away to a summer of scientific immersion. It is there that she meets Dylan – cute, intelligent, and ever-so-slightly nerdy – and sparks fly. But Tess knows better than to start a long-distance relationship and after that summer, she never meets Dylan again. Until, that is, she transfers into Canton after two years. Only, this time, while Tess is determined to make her relationship work with Dylan, he isn’t as available as he was two summers ago. And this time, he’s dating her half-sister, Hannah.
What makes One & Only such a spectacular novel, aside from the fact that the messy romantic relationship is dealt with in a tasteful manner with little to no angst or drama, is the fact that the relationships drawn up throughout the story are authentic and realistic to this age group. Tess must not only balance school work and a job, but she struggles under the burden of her secret as an illegitimate child. Yet, her relationship with her mother is strong and sure, one filled with affection despite the fact that Tess refuses to follow down her mother’s footsteps and become “the other woman” in any relationship. Additionally, I enjoyed Tess’s blooming friendships with the sisters she waitressed with and the competitive biomedical students she found herself competing with. What I found interesting was the fact that both these groups of friends were part of very different friend circles, but Daniels still allows Tess to befriend them both, sharing different experiences with each. Just the portrayal of friendships in college is rare to find in New Adult novels, but the different types of friendships, the multiple bonds and their respective strengths is even harder to find, which is why I applaud Daniels for their inclusion.
Ultimately, One & Only offers originality into the field of New Adult. Tess takes advantage of her relationships with her professors to find working internships, the economic struggles she faces are outlined but never judged, there is absolutely zero slut-shaming, and the inner growth Tess undergoes is universally relatable. Moreover, the icing on the cake is the fact that her romance with Dylan is both sweet and steamy. Dylan respects Tess’s boundaries, encourages her ambitions, and fosters her intelligence. In every sense of the term, they are a couple formed and bonded on equal footing, which is such a relief to see. I sincerely hope this is a signal that alpha males are fading into the background of long-forgotten nightmares. If New Adult is headed in this direction, I can only wait and watch anxiously for more.
You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.
February 20, 2014
For anyone who needed a reason to read One & Only, here it is. Dylan Kingsley. He’s not your typical bad boy, breaking hearts, but he’s not completely sweet and good either. He’s a healthy mix of sexy, hot, nerdy, charming, and smart that just makes you want to keep turning the pages to get more of him. And he might be like a distant cousin to my Jack Howard, which is always a plus in my book…
But Christina wasn’t about to let me get away with it. “Are you in his pants?”
I sighed, then admitted, “Not all the way in.”
She squealed again. “Oh my God, I knew it.” …
“He…has a girlfriend,” I said.
“You man-stealing slut,” she joked. “That is awesome.”
Tess McMann is a brainy, brilliant, self-made woman who takes over the pages. Despite her insecurities, maybe because of her insecurities, she endears you to her cause. You want to root for her every step of the way even when it seems everything is against her—her father, her half-sister, funding, academics. Then she picks herself up over and over again and proves to everyone she can without anyone else’s help.
“I didn’t want to be dependent on anyone, the way Mom and I had always been. I knew I was weak like her, willing to give up the things I wanted—like Canton—to make the people I loved happy. … I was here to work—to prove to myself that I could do something extraordinary all on my own.”
Viv Daniels writing style is fantastic. Her flowing prose makes me want to never stop reading. It’s immersive. The characters are entirely relatable even in a very complicated situation. I mean she is the result of an affair that her father is secretly hiding, she’s never met her half-sister, who is also dating the guy she’s in love with. Yeah…complicated doesn’t begin to cover it. I had many stabby moments where I wasn’t sure what the characters were going to do or how I was going to read fast enough to find out how she was going to put my heart back together.
This is a fun read with enough humor, angst, and steam to keep you interested. The story is completely fresh and original. It isn’t like anything else I’ve read before, which is a joy in and of itself. Just what I was looking for. Now go one-click!
But Christina wasn’t about to let me get away with it. “Are you in his pants?”
I sighed, then admitted, “Not all the way in.”
She squealed again. “Oh my God, I knew it.” …
“He…has a girlfriend,” I said.
“You man-stealing slut,” she joked. “That is awesome.”
Tess McMann is a brainy, brilliant, self-made woman who takes over the pages. Despite her insecurities, maybe because of her insecurities, she endears you to her cause. You want to root for her every step of the way even when it seems everything is against her—her father, her half-sister, funding, academics. Then she picks herself up over and over again and proves to everyone she can without anyone else’s help.
“I didn’t want to be dependent on anyone, the way Mom and I had always been. I knew I was weak like her, willing to give up the things I wanted—like Canton—to make the people I loved happy. … I was here to work—to prove to myself that I could do something extraordinary all on my own.”
Viv Daniels writing style is fantastic. Her flowing prose makes me want to never stop reading. It’s immersive. The characters are entirely relatable even in a very complicated situation. I mean she is the result of an affair that her father is secretly hiding, she’s never met her half-sister, who is also dating the guy she’s in love with. Yeah…complicated doesn’t begin to cover it. I had many stabby moments where I wasn’t sure what the characters were going to do or how I was going to read fast enough to find out how she was going to put my heart back together.
This is a fun read with enough humor, angst, and steam to keep you interested. The story is completely fresh and original. It isn’t like anything else I’ve read before, which is a joy in and of itself. Just what I was looking for. Now go one-click!
January 30, 2014
Truth: this review has taken me MONTHS to write. This is my fourth or fifth attempt to write it. Why? Because One & Only is one of the best books I read in 2013. I've read it three times, cover to cover, and read specific scenes and chapters over and over, since November. And yes, I realize I'm saying that about a romance novel, which I never read until...this book.
Here's the deal: When I heard that Diana Peterfreund was self-publishing a romance novel as Viv Daniels, my first reaction was..."WHAT?!" Having stalked Diana a lot on her blog and Twitter, I know that she's a real romance novel fan and has even been a cover model for romances. But a lot of her usual themes seemed bit more feminist and scientific than I ever thought could be covered in a romance novel.
How wrong I was.
Guys, I don't know how to tell you how much I loved this novel. The concept is amazing and original: we get a lot of stories about cheating in YA, but not often ones about illegitimacy and long-term mistresses, and how it feels to be the daughter of, well, cheaters.
The characters...just feel so real. Tess is a super ambitious science student and such a brainiac, and the book is definitely as much about her finding out who she is as it is about the romance. I was not prepared for how many feels I got. You will ache and pine with Tess, and you'll want her to succeed, because generally, her life kinda sucks. With a dad who won't acknowledge her in public and dictates her every move, a mom who's a lifelong mistress...it's just a terrible situation.
But through all that, you'll also be amazed by how awesome she is. This is a girl who has picked herself up over and over, who has had to endure the worst of everything, who has watched while her dad constantly chose another family and another daughter over her, and despite that, she's still funny, sassy, and focused. She's determined to get the best education, determined to fulfill her own potential, and determined to prove herself. It's really inspiring.
And Dylan, her love interest. Guys, this guy is SMOKING HOT. I can't even think about him without fanning myself...this is the book boyfriend we all want. Reading his words is enough to get even the most unemotional girl in the gut. He's seriously sexy, he's a brainiac, he cooks, and he never stops thinking of Tess.
I can't say enough good things about this novel. My reading experience was one total, can't-put-down moment: I read from 6pm until about 4am. I had to know what happened and I could NOT STOP. I laughed, ached, and fist-pumped so hard at so many moments. I was so immersed in Tess and her story that I felt every swoon and every conflict like it was my own. And when I was finished, I just wanted to go back and read the entire thing again.
Read the rest of this review on Mostly YA Lit
Here's the deal: When I heard that Diana Peterfreund was self-publishing a romance novel as Viv Daniels, my first reaction was..."WHAT?!" Having stalked Diana a lot on her blog and Twitter, I know that she's a real romance novel fan and has even been a cover model for romances. But a lot of her usual themes seemed bit more feminist and scientific than I ever thought could be covered in a romance novel.
How wrong I was.
Guys, I don't know how to tell you how much I loved this novel. The concept is amazing and original: we get a lot of stories about cheating in YA, but not often ones about illegitimacy and long-term mistresses, and how it feels to be the daughter of, well, cheaters.
The characters...just feel so real. Tess is a super ambitious science student and such a brainiac, and the book is definitely as much about her finding out who she is as it is about the romance. I was not prepared for how many feels I got. You will ache and pine with Tess, and you'll want her to succeed, because generally, her life kinda sucks. With a dad who won't acknowledge her in public and dictates her every move, a mom who's a lifelong mistress...it's just a terrible situation.
But through all that, you'll also be amazed by how awesome she is. This is a girl who has picked herself up over and over, who has had to endure the worst of everything, who has watched while her dad constantly chose another family and another daughter over her, and despite that, she's still funny, sassy, and focused. She's determined to get the best education, determined to fulfill her own potential, and determined to prove herself. It's really inspiring.
And Dylan, her love interest. Guys, this guy is SMOKING HOT. I can't even think about him without fanning myself...this is the book boyfriend we all want. Reading his words is enough to get even the most unemotional girl in the gut. He's seriously sexy, he's a brainiac, he cooks, and he never stops thinking of Tess.
I can't say enough good things about this novel. My reading experience was one total, can't-put-down moment: I read from 6pm until about 4am. I had to know what happened and I could NOT STOP. I laughed, ached, and fist-pumped so hard at so many moments. I was so immersed in Tess and her story that I felt every swoon and every conflict like it was my own. And when I was finished, I just wanted to go back and read the entire thing again.
Read the rest of this review on Mostly YA Lit
July 11, 2015
Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I received an eARC of this book 2 years ago, and this has been archived. I know it's pretty late but it's better that I've read this or else I will not be able to discover of how good this is.
One & Only is about Tess McMann. She's a simple, hardworking and an achiever. She got accepted on her father's alma mater, Canton University and wants to take bioengineering on the said university. However, her father wants her to attend a State university and take scholarships because the expenses at Canton is pretty expensive. The truth is, her father has another family. Tess and her mom lived in secret, and her father provides their needs.
After high school graduation, she attends a science camp at Cornell where she met Dylan Kingsley. He is a funny, dork but cute nerd. They have similar interests and soon became partners for a science project. During that camp, their feelings seemed to developed and hooked up.. Dylan is going to Canton University. However, she's not prepared to have a relationship with a boy who attends at Canton University. They lost their communication after she didn't replied on his messages, emails or returned his calls.
2 years later, Tess transferred to Canton University as a Bioengineering student. She sees the boy she fell in love with at Cornell. He's more handsome than she ever expected, it's just that he has a girlfriend. What complicates that? He is dating her half-sister, Hannah Swift.
I am instantly hooked with the story, the writing style and its conflict. I love the little drama. The romance between Tess and Dylan are so adorable in different ways. They're funny, cute, brainy and romantic. This book is totally a page turner. I swear it's really good. Dylan Kingsley is a Hot, Sexy, Nerd (with Glasses and sexy hair). Swoon worthy guy by the way. Gosh. Dream guy. HAHA! Tess is such a lucky gal. If you're looking a New Adult novel and you are in a reading slump, this book is worth the pick.
I received an eARC of this book 2 years ago, and this has been archived. I know it's pretty late but it's better that I've read this or else I will not be able to discover of how good this is.
One & Only is about Tess McMann. She's a simple, hardworking and an achiever. She got accepted on her father's alma mater, Canton University and wants to take bioengineering on the said university. However, her father wants her to attend a State university and take scholarships because the expenses at Canton is pretty expensive. The truth is, her father has another family. Tess and her mom lived in secret, and her father provides their needs.
After high school graduation, she attends a science camp at Cornell where she met Dylan Kingsley. He is a funny, dork but cute nerd. They have similar interests and soon became partners for a science project. During that camp, their feelings seemed to developed and hooked up.. Dylan is going to Canton University. However, she's not prepared to have a relationship with a boy who attends at Canton University. They lost their communication after she didn't replied on his messages, emails or returned his calls.
2 years later, Tess transferred to Canton University as a Bioengineering student. She sees the boy she fell in love with at Cornell. He's more handsome than she ever expected, it's just that he has a girlfriend. What complicates that? He is dating her half-sister, Hannah Swift.
I am instantly hooked with the story, the writing style and its conflict. I love the little drama. The romance between Tess and Dylan are so adorable in different ways. They're funny, cute, brainy and romantic. This book is totally a page turner. I swear it's really good. Dylan Kingsley is a Hot, Sexy, Nerd (with Glasses and sexy hair). Swoon worthy guy by the way. Gosh. Dream guy. HAHA! Tess is such a lucky gal. If you're looking a New Adult novel and you are in a reading slump, this book is worth the pick.
January 8, 2014
In a strange twist...
I ended up being the person in a group buddy read who liked the book, instead of being the person who hated the book.
Quick story rundown : A college age girl is forced to keep her identity a secret because her father has another family somewhere out there. The guy she loved and lost (and hopes to love again) is now involved with someone else who has the potential to ruin the secret.
What does it say about me when others are hating the main character and I'm thinking that I was a lot like her at that age? Does that make me unlikable? Hah. Who knows?
Apparently, I had questionable morals and ethics as a young person. I would have gone for what I wanted too, and probably been even more ruthless about it.
The only thing that pissed me off about the story was Tess's motivation to keep quiet for so long. I would have blown everyone's secrets out of the water at the start of the book - because I'm ruthless like that.
Hey, it wasn't a great book or anything, but I thought the story was okay enough. It sucked less hard than most of the recent NA contemps I've read. If you hate most NA contemps, it's probably a crapshoot whether you'll like this or not. I see that a few trusted reviewers have rated One & Only higher than the average NA, so there's obviously something here which might appeal to people who are wary to read the category. If you like NA contemps, then I'd consider adding this book to your list, because I do think it's better than a lot of the standard offerings in the category at the moment.
Buddy Read with my friends at To Be Decided.
I ended up being the person in a group buddy read who liked the book, instead of being the person who hated the book.
Quick story rundown : A college age girl is forced to keep her identity a secret because her father has another family somewhere out there. The guy she loved and lost (and hopes to love again) is now involved with someone else who has the potential to ruin the secret.
What does it say about me when others are hating the main character and I'm thinking that I was a lot like her at that age? Does that make me unlikable? Hah. Who knows?
Apparently, I had questionable morals and ethics as a young person. I would have gone for what I wanted too, and probably been even more ruthless about it.
The only thing that pissed me off about the story was Tess's motivation to keep quiet for so long. I would have blown everyone's secrets out of the water at the start of the book - because I'm ruthless like that.
Hey, it wasn't a great book or anything, but I thought the story was okay enough. It sucked less hard than most of the recent NA contemps I've read. If you hate most NA contemps, it's probably a crapshoot whether you'll like this or not. I see that a few trusted reviewers have rated One & Only higher than the average NA, so there's obviously something here which might appeal to people who are wary to read the category. If you like NA contemps, then I'd consider adding this book to your list, because I do think it's better than a lot of the standard offerings in the category at the moment.
Buddy Read with my friends at To Be Decided.
November 11, 2013
Are you wary of most new adult novels and the usual emphasis they place on "damaged" characters or virginal characters who are simply trying to get that first time out of the way? Yeah...me, too. And so, it's with some trepidation that I admit I would have completely passed over this novel had it not been for my awesome reading buddy Emily. She clued me into the fact that this new adult story was actually written by the awesome Diana Peterfreund, under her psuedonym.
The fact that One & Only was written by one of my favorite authors was definitely a point in the book's favor, but the selling point was when I actually took the time to read the premise of this novel. Falling in love as teenagers is one thing -- often a fleeting one -- but finding each other years later means there really was a connection, often one that's hard to deny.
And, boy, does Tess do a lot of that. She denies knowing who her father is. She denies herself dreams of attending Canton College. She denies her initial attraction to Dylan and later her very real feelings for him. Tess is used to not getting what she wants, but when an opportunity arises that she just cannot say no to, she gives in, feeling reckless and daring, knowing what her father will say when he finds out. I have to be honest, I was fearful of his reaction, too, but this was something that Tess had to do, no matter the consequences. To always live in hiding, in the shadows, and putting aside what matters to you is no kind of existence, and I was glad to see Tess finally take a stand, even if it could have cost her everything.
Dylan was the epitome of the "good guy". In the beginning, he was just a cute, nerdy boy who fell for a girl who couldn't give him what he was looking for. When we meet him again, he's still that guy, but he's slightly more worldly and a lot more wary of Tess. For like, ten minutes. It's obvious that there are some seriously unresolved feelings between these two, and becoming lab partners once again while at Canton proves to be difficult. But what I loved about these two was that they had frank discussions about everything. Granted, there are just some things that Tess can't break the silence about, but for the most part, Tess and Dylan participate in open and honest conversations about their feelings and their future and everything in between. I despise the use of miscommunication to further drama and cause conflict in a storyline, so it was invigorating to see this story head in the opposite direction.
You know to expect a love triangle in this story based on that summary, but it's not as bad as all that. Actually, I thought the way that the characters handled their mutual feelings and avoided hurting the third party at all costs was rather admirable. In fact, and despite the circumstances, I found that the characters were rather likable all the way around, which I honestly was not expecting coming into this story. Tess and Dylan are brilliant and kind of amazing; Hannah -- Tess' half-sister -- isn't nearly the snobby, stereotypical sorority-type girl I was expecting; and Tess' mother is just a woman who fell for the wrong man. The only person in this story without a redeeming quality is actually the man who caused this whole mess in the first place.
It was so refreshing to see such an original plot in a new adult novel. But that shouldn't be all that surprising, considering Peterfreund is the queen of originality...and that she was writing "new adult" before it was even coined with that somewhat obnoxious term. This story portrays a realistic college experience, with all of the ups and downs that come along with it, and I was equally as enamored with the romance as I was with the family aspect, which I was worried would be a little heavy-handed and contrived. But it all meshed well and culminated in a very cute story. I can't wait to pick up Hannah's story in the companion novel!
Thanks to the author for providing a review copy and allowing me to be a part of the tour!
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Review.
The fact that One & Only was written by one of my favorite authors was definitely a point in the book's favor, but the selling point was when I actually took the time to read the premise of this novel. Falling in love as teenagers is one thing -- often a fleeting one -- but finding each other years later means there really was a connection, often one that's hard to deny.
And, boy, does Tess do a lot of that. She denies knowing who her father is. She denies herself dreams of attending Canton College. She denies her initial attraction to Dylan and later her very real feelings for him. Tess is used to not getting what she wants, but when an opportunity arises that she just cannot say no to, she gives in, feeling reckless and daring, knowing what her father will say when he finds out. I have to be honest, I was fearful of his reaction, too, but this was something that Tess had to do, no matter the consequences. To always live in hiding, in the shadows, and putting aside what matters to you is no kind of existence, and I was glad to see Tess finally take a stand, even if it could have cost her everything.
Dylan was the epitome of the "good guy". In the beginning, he was just a cute, nerdy boy who fell for a girl who couldn't give him what he was looking for. When we meet him again, he's still that guy, but he's slightly more worldly and a lot more wary of Tess. For like, ten minutes. It's obvious that there are some seriously unresolved feelings between these two, and becoming lab partners once again while at Canton proves to be difficult. But what I loved about these two was that they had frank discussions about everything. Granted, there are just some things that Tess can't break the silence about, but for the most part, Tess and Dylan participate in open and honest conversations about their feelings and their future and everything in between. I despise the use of miscommunication to further drama and cause conflict in a storyline, so it was invigorating to see this story head in the opposite direction.
You know to expect a love triangle in this story based on that summary, but it's not as bad as all that. Actually, I thought the way that the characters handled their mutual feelings and avoided hurting the third party at all costs was rather admirable. In fact, and despite the circumstances, I found that the characters were rather likable all the way around, which I honestly was not expecting coming into this story. Tess and Dylan are brilliant and kind of amazing; Hannah -- Tess' half-sister -- isn't nearly the snobby, stereotypical sorority-type girl I was expecting; and Tess' mother is just a woman who fell for the wrong man. The only person in this story without a redeeming quality is actually the man who caused this whole mess in the first place.
It was so refreshing to see such an original plot in a new adult novel. But that shouldn't be all that surprising, considering Peterfreund is the queen of originality...and that she was writing "new adult" before it was even coined with that somewhat obnoxious term. This story portrays a realistic college experience, with all of the ups and downs that come along with it, and I was equally as enamored with the romance as I was with the family aspect, which I was worried would be a little heavy-handed and contrived. But it all meshed well and culminated in a very cute story. I can't wait to pick up Hannah's story in the companion novel!
Thanks to the author for providing a review copy and allowing me to be a part of the tour!
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Review.
March 20, 2015
Such a beautiful and fun story!
NA is not a genre that I easily enjoy, but every now and then I find a captivating story, that keeps me interested and it makes me love the characters so much that I wish I could befriend them just to spend more time with them..
A lot more even.
“One & Only” is a very sweet, cliché-free and fun story about new beginnings, about finding yourself and (of course) finding love in the process. It has a lot of depth, great character development and the romance is intense and beautiful (though a bit frustrating too, because that’s how love always is).
More than that, “One & Only” is at its core a story about friendship, about family, about mistakes, about lies. It’s a story about figuring out what is right, but also about fixing what is wrong (or trying to).
Tess is an amazing lead character – she is very smart (passionate about science & dedicated to her studies), open and fun to be around. She is also a secret to be kept, a shadow of another family (as the illegitimate child of Steven Swift, as the product of a love affair) and most of her life has been ruled by her father. But she is sick of the rules, of the secrets, and when the moment comes for her to shine she takes that opportunity and makes her own path away from her father.
Dylan on the other hand makes his own path, his own decisions. He did start as a cute, nerdy, slightly chubby and not all that popular guy. But he’s grown into a beautiful man, he has left his nerdy looks behind, he’s gathered a lot more confidence, his life is filled now with success (as much as one can have in college) and his only regret is probably losing Tess – as she was his first love, the girl of his dreams, and she broke his heart that summer.
Tess and Dylan make a perfect team, so (when they meet again) they try to go back to their friendship, to work together in order to achieve their dreams, though also they need to fight their undeniable attraction when all those dreams become of each other.
But secrets tend to catch up and to catch on fire and, when their passion ignites like fireworks, there’s no place to run away from them. Because it’s not the past only separating them now, but Hannah – Dylan’s girlfriend and Tess’ secret half-sister.
Romance aside (which was tasteful and realistic), “One & Only” also gives insights into a broken family and the struggles to keep it safe from all the secrets they guard, it gives insights into the college years and what means balancing school and work and awkward social interactions.
Most characters in this book have depth – from the selfish bastard of a father, to the affectionate and loving mother; from the great, supporting friends to the jealous college colleagues; from our sweet couple to the one that stands between them. They weren’t only good or bad, but they fell somewhere in between; they all had qualities and flaws and I hope to see some of them in the next book.
Conclusion: Such a wonderful romance story. Highly recommended. Where’s Hannah’s story, I want it right now!
Happy midnight reading!
Read the full review at: ReadingAfterMidnight.
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Blog (EN) | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin' | Blog (RO)
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I guess there are nice NA stories out there ;) they are just hard to find. 4.5 stars
NA is not a genre that I easily enjoy, but every now and then I find a captivating story, that keeps me interested and it makes me love the characters so much that I wish I could befriend them just to spend more time with them..
A lot more even.
“One & Only” is a very sweet, cliché-free and fun story about new beginnings, about finding yourself and (of course) finding love in the process. It has a lot of depth, great character development and the romance is intense and beautiful (though a bit frustrating too, because that’s how love always is).
More than that, “One & Only” is at its core a story about friendship, about family, about mistakes, about lies. It’s a story about figuring out what is right, but also about fixing what is wrong (or trying to).
Tess is an amazing lead character – she is very smart (passionate about science & dedicated to her studies), open and fun to be around. She is also a secret to be kept, a shadow of another family (as the illegitimate child of Steven Swift, as the product of a love affair) and most of her life has been ruled by her father. But she is sick of the rules, of the secrets, and when the moment comes for her to shine she takes that opportunity and makes her own path away from her father.
Dylan on the other hand makes his own path, his own decisions. He did start as a cute, nerdy, slightly chubby and not all that popular guy. But he’s grown into a beautiful man, he has left his nerdy looks behind, he’s gathered a lot more confidence, his life is filled now with success (as much as one can have in college) and his only regret is probably losing Tess – as she was his first love, the girl of his dreams, and she broke his heart that summer.
Tess and Dylan make a perfect team, so (when they meet again) they try to go back to their friendship, to work together in order to achieve their dreams, though also they need to fight their undeniable attraction when all those dreams become of each other.
But secrets tend to catch up and to catch on fire and, when their passion ignites like fireworks, there’s no place to run away from them. Because it’s not the past only separating them now, but Hannah – Dylan’s girlfriend and Tess’ secret half-sister.
Romance aside (which was tasteful and realistic), “One & Only” also gives insights into a broken family and the struggles to keep it safe from all the secrets they guard, it gives insights into the college years and what means balancing school and work and awkward social interactions.
Most characters in this book have depth – from the selfish bastard of a father, to the affectionate and loving mother; from the great, supporting friends to the jealous college colleagues; from our sweet couple to the one that stands between them. They weren’t only good or bad, but they fell somewhere in between; they all had qualities and flaws and I hope to see some of them in the next book.
Conclusion: Such a wonderful romance story. Highly recommended. Where’s Hannah’s story, I want it right now!
Happy midnight reading!
Read the full review at: ReadingAfterMidnight.
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Blog (EN) | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin' | Blog (RO)
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I guess there are nice NA stories out there ;) they are just hard to find. 4.5 stars
September 3, 2016
2 Lemon Stars
What I Liked
1. I loved the plot or basis of this story line.
2. I liked how her dad's role played out and her moms. I felt they were written perfectly.
3. I loved that Tess and Dylan were both innocents.
4. I loved that Tess and Dylan were both smart over achievers. I loved their "nerd" status. They didn't fit the normal NA cliche.
5. The necklace. The story behind it and how she received it.
6. I like how she and Hannah parted ways.
Issues:
1. Didn't connect with the characters.
2. Felt a major disconnect with Dylan and his feelings for Tess.
3. I didn't feel the story or reason behind Tess' leaving Dylan in the first place really worked out for me. I felt like it was just ehhh... It didn't ring true for me or wow me or... I don't know. It just didn't work and didn't play out to what I thought it should have.
4. Too many easy cliches to pull the story along.
5. I hated the games that were played.
What I Liked
1. I loved the plot or basis of this story line.
2. I liked how her dad's role played out and her moms. I felt they were written perfectly.
3. I loved that Tess and Dylan were both innocents.
4. I loved that Tess and Dylan were both smart over achievers. I loved their "nerd" status. They didn't fit the normal NA cliche.
5. The necklace. The story behind it and how she received it.
6. I like how she and Hannah parted ways.
Issues:
1. Didn't connect with the characters.
2. Felt a major disconnect with Dylan and his feelings for Tess.
3. I didn't feel the story or reason behind Tess' leaving Dylan in the first place really worked out for me. I felt like it was just ehhh... It didn't ring true for me or wow me or... I don't know. It just didn't work and didn't play out to what I thought it should have.
4. Too many easy cliches to pull the story along.
5. I hated the games that were played.
December 2, 2013
So here’s a statement that merits both boldface and all caps in the typing:
MY FAITH IN NA HAS BEEN RESTORED BY ONE & ONLY.
Not one moment in this is annoying or over the top. Rather we’ve a girl exploring who she is what she wants. Plus, a boy doing the same. Sure, there are some messed up family connections, but wait for it… it’s not dramatically done!
I enjoyed how there’s a past that we start with linked to a present that she’s working through. But mostly, I loved the absence of clichés: no bestie pushing her into unlikely situations or heroine who’s clueless about everything and nary an alpha type in sight! All of them are simply regular people figuring out what it is they want while being certain about what they don’t want:
What they don’t want: not to hurt anyone, not to repeat the mistakes of others.
And what they do: their place, their choice… EACH OTHER! *sigh*
It’s an intense connection that they find plus an almost too-perfect matching up of interests and goals that should have felt unreal… but there’s no denying the way they clicked and the way their chemistry just sucked me in. Yet, it’s each one’s actions and the other’s reactions that made it clear: matching up wasn’t all there was to them.
And OK, so maybe there was drama: but it’s not overdone; what’s here is presented in a way that’s plausible but still had me feeling for her and the set up of things. The conflicn, especially, on her part on whether she should or shouldn’t do something or how she’d see parallels between her choices and actions versus those of another… all proof positive that she’s more than the typical NA heroine. Plus, the emotion of it all, that ‘you can’t pick who you love’ thing is especially felt here, but beyond that it’s the realizations on all parties involved that you do get to choose what you do about the same.
Oh, next one, please.
MY FAITH IN NA HAS BEEN RESTORED BY ONE & ONLY.
Not one moment in this is annoying or over the top. Rather we’ve a girl exploring who she is what she wants. Plus, a boy doing the same. Sure, there are some messed up family connections, but wait for it… it’s not dramatically done!
I enjoyed how there’s a past that we start with linked to a present that she’s working through. But mostly, I loved the absence of clichés: no bestie pushing her into unlikely situations or heroine who’s clueless about everything and nary an alpha type in sight! All of them are simply regular people figuring out what it is they want while being certain about what they don’t want:
What they don’t want: not to hurt anyone, not to repeat the mistakes of others.
And what they do: their place, their choice… EACH OTHER! *sigh*
It’s an intense connection that they find plus an almost too-perfect matching up of interests and goals that should have felt unreal… but there’s no denying the way they clicked and the way their chemistry just sucked me in. Yet, it’s each one’s actions and the other’s reactions that made it clear: matching up wasn’t all there was to them.
And OK, so maybe there was drama: but it’s not overdone; what’s here is presented in a way that’s plausible but still had me feeling for her and the set up of things. The conflicn, especially, on her part on whether she should or shouldn’t do something or how she’d see parallels between her choices and actions versus those of another… all proof positive that she’s more than the typical NA heroine. Plus, the emotion of it all, that ‘you can’t pick who you love’ thing is especially felt here, but beyond that it’s the realizations on all parties involved that you do get to choose what you do about the same.
Oh, next one, please.
December 7, 2013
Hello, New Adult, you may have redeemed yourself with this book. I don't know why I should be surprised by a sensible heroine who loves science and a romance with a nerdy and cute boy, but with the stalker alpha males and the slut-shaming girls that litter the landscape lately, this book is like a breath of fresh air. I love that there is still a bit of innocence between the two, the feel of first love. I like that the back story actually makes sense, and that Tess' insecurities and worries are all understandable. There were no "Huh?" moments where I have to wag my finger at the author and say "I don't buy it." Such as girls who are supposedly "smart" but then repeatedly make stupid, non-sensical decisions.
Tess was great. There was not a moment in the book where I wanted to groan and shake her because of some immature melodrama. She does make some mistakes, she does experience disappointment, but she deals with it like an adult. She has her share of confusion and over analysis, and then she snaps herself out of it.
Dylan was a good match for her as well. I could believe in their physical chemistry and friendship and romance. I liked the take on the "boy with girlfriend" drama. The romance was swoon-y, but it wasn't quite the type of romance that makes me beam from ear to ear. However, that's not why I read New Adult anyway. I'm read it more for the nostalgia of that point in my life, of the different experiences and friendships that I experienced, and this one was definitely what I was looking for.
I'm surprised that this is the pen name of a YA author that I never quite got into. I'm looking forward to more of her New Adult works though and will pick up the next in the series!
Tess was great. There was not a moment in the book where I wanted to groan and shake her because of some immature melodrama. She does make some mistakes, she does experience disappointment, but she deals with it like an adult. She has her share of confusion and over analysis, and then she snaps herself out of it.
Dylan was a good match for her as well. I could believe in their physical chemistry and friendship and romance. I liked the take on the "boy with girlfriend" drama. The romance was swoon-y, but it wasn't quite the type of romance that makes me beam from ear to ear. However, that's not why I read New Adult anyway. I'm read it more for the nostalgia of that point in my life, of the different experiences and friendships that I experienced, and this one was definitely what I was looking for.
I'm surprised that this is the pen name of a YA author that I never quite got into. I'm looking forward to more of her New Adult works though and will pick up the next in the series!
November 10, 2013
Diana Peterfreund's alter ego! So excited for this one.
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Its hard to believe this book was written by the same person who gave us the Secret Society Girl series. I was surprised by how much of a let down this one turned out to be :(
The beginning started off decently and I liked how realistic the MC's financial struggles and college experience came off. It was somewhat reminiscent of SSG. I even thought her family situation was unique. I liked how I could relate to the bits of detail Peterfreund includes... like the struggles of getting into classes at State or Tess's jealousy towards her classmates who never had to worry about money. Even the Facebook stalking is authentic lol.
However... somewhere towards the middle of the book, the MC's self reflections started driving me absolutely nuts! All the stuff I appreciated in the beginning was overshadowed by Tess's naive/immature attitude. Though I suppose the point of the story was to watch her break out of her shell, but I was not impressed. I had to skim to get to the end. And the romance was cute at times, but that fire dies out fast after the couple almost hook up. Then it gets waaaay to cheesy and unoriginal. And I'm not sure how to feel about the cheating, but I won't elaborate. It pains me to criticize favorite authors. I felt the same after reading Left Drowning earlier this year.
Anyway, I probably won't continue with this series, but still looking forward to other books that Ms Peterfreund will come out with in the future.
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Its hard to believe this book was written by the same person who gave us the Secret Society Girl series. I was surprised by how much of a let down this one turned out to be :(
The beginning started off decently and I liked how realistic the MC's financial struggles and college experience came off. It was somewhat reminiscent of SSG. I even thought her family situation was unique. I liked how I could relate to the bits of detail Peterfreund includes... like the struggles of getting into classes at State or Tess's jealousy towards her classmates who never had to worry about money. Even the Facebook stalking is authentic lol.
However... somewhere towards the middle of the book, the MC's self reflections started driving me absolutely nuts! All the stuff I appreciated in the beginning was overshadowed by Tess's naive/immature attitude. Though I suppose the point of the story was to watch her break out of her shell, but I was not impressed. I had to skim to get to the end. And the romance was cute at times, but that fire dies out fast after the couple almost hook up. Then it gets waaaay to cheesy and unoriginal. And I'm not sure how to feel about the cheating, but I won't elaborate. It pains me to criticize favorite authors. I felt the same after reading Left Drowning earlier this year.
Anyway, I probably won't continue with this series, but still looking forward to other books that Ms Peterfreund will come out with in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2015
“I was six years old when I found out my father had another family.”Tess, the illegitimate daughter of a millionaire, has lived with her single-mother all her life, abiding by the rules her father lay down for her. Keep the ‘family’ secret, never acknowledge each other in public, do as her father tells and stay away from her half sister Hannah.
Even though keeping a big secret like that’s eating her up inside Tess always has played by the rules. Until the moment she’s reunited with her “first” aka (probably) the love of her life aka Dylan in Canton College. Sparks fly, the chemistry and the interest is stil there but there’s just one tiny problem. Dylan is dating her sister.
I can hear you groan and yell ‘come on’. Aint nobody has time for that shit.
Dont. This isnt ‘that kind of a book.
Hear me out first:
I was incredibly worried to pick this book up, because I hate cheating so cheating storylines are big no-no for me. Plus, reading about one character being in a relationship that drags out, is always a turnoff. But rest assure, nobody went over the line here (they kinda made out…like two times but I’m in a good day so I’m gonna let them get away with it ‘cause you know one word; HORMONES. Plus, they were dripping with sexual tension… for like 2 years.) I kinda liked the way it was handled. Although they might be selfish, I fully appreciate the respect they both had for each other and Hannah and chose to wait until Dylan could end things with her (which wasnt easy. DUH.)
The author managed to tackle the situation so realistically without unnecessary drama here. Tess doesnt want to be ‘that girl’ so she’s trying to fight the “like mother, like daughter” stigma when she falls for another woman’s man.
Dylan doesn’t play any games and doesn’t carry any baggage of his own. He is straightforward and goes after what he wants. He also has glasses and can cook and is so clever and hot and etc etc. He makes a pretty good book boyfriend ;)
Hannah is amazing as well because she doesnt behave like an entitled, spoiled, your ordinary stereotype. If this was any other contemporary novel you’d think the author would have made Hannah this jealous and extremely bitchy girlfriend (or just absent and cold) so that the main character will become a better choice for the guy, but she’s not. I was amazed at how calm she was and how mature she handled the whole situation.
Romance: I just LOVE Dylan and Tess together. Their connection is so palpable. I GET it - why they wanted to be together so much. I shipped them so bad! Dylan is a gem.
What else I loved:
- I loved how college setting was handled. It felt so realistic because THEY ACTUALLY STUDY! Can you believe it?! They had books, they went to class, they had college problems. It wasnt just drinking all day and partying all night. Or 'I'm so horny I want to be with this other person even though I'm/he's spoken for' shit all the time. They were living. Their lives. They actually had a life.
- The family drama was managed in a plausible way (a bit too optimistic, but still).
- The scinece was incorporated into the story so well!
- It was nice seeing two both intelligent people falling in love for a change
- Have I already mentioned that Dylan doesn't have any emotional baggage? And he's adorable and cute as hell? He has glasses and can cook and...Ok I'm just gonna stop now and behave.
Reason for taking a star off: I felt like they didnt have enough obstacles? Plus, I had trouble with Tess rationalizing her actions a lot.
Overall: Besides Anna and French Kiss this is the only cheating book I was able to stomach.
***
Read the whole thing in one sitting. Slept like for an hour or two and now I have to go to work but it was all worth it :)
April 26, 2018
her daddy is a cheater scumbag + heroine is illegitimate daughter and her mother is the other woman + heroes were the first of each other + hero dates her sister who is the legitimate daughter of their father + Heroin is poor and have to work to pay for the studies while her sister is rich and has everything for granted + dear daddy treats her as a second class citizen and dirty secret
April 22, 2024
Dios mío, no sé por donde empezar.
Este libro te hace sentir tantos sentimientos al leer -y no todos buenos- que no sé cual decir primero.
Empezaré con Dylan y Tess.
Amé la pareja que hacían estos dos juntos. Y la sinceridad de Dylan respeto a todo es el rasgo de su personalidad que más amo. No me gustó la forma en la que reaccionó cuando Tess le contó toda la verdad, pero supongo que es entendible.
Tampoco estoy totalmente de acuerdo de la forma en la que llevaron el tema del engaño hacia Hannah, pero bueno...
En definitiva, Tess es de las únicas personajes femeninas que no llegué a odiar y, ¡estoy totalmente enamorada del chico nerd-sexy obsesionado con las algas que es Dylan!
Y ahora, vayamos con todos los idiotas de esta novela.
Supongo que muchos odiarán al padre, a Hannah (no sé porqué, yo no la odié en ningún momento)...
Pero yo odio a la madre de Tess y creo que toda la culpa de lo sucedido es por ella.
No fue el hecho de que se metiera en un matrimonio, ni que se quedara embaraza sin querer.
Fue el hecho de que aceptó en su vida y lo más importante, en la vida de su niña a un tipo que nunca le ofreció amor, seguridad y cariño a su propia hija.
Su madre se dedicó a aceptar las reglas del tipo como si nada y dejó que su amante se las impusiera y éstas dominaran la vida de su hija.
Hizo todo esto para que él la ayudara con Tess, es decir, por dinero.
Personalmente, prefiero mil veces partirme el culo trabajando sin descanso para que mi hija tenga una vida digna y esté rodeada de gente que la ama y sin miedo a mencionar a su jodid*o padre a que ella pasé toda la vida con miedo y sin opciones y yo tenga que estar suplicando a un tipo para que venga a ver a su hija o para que aparezca en el hospital cuando está ingresada.
Lo siento, pero no podía tragarla y no podía creer que estuviera siempre de acuerdo con el padre. ¡Por Dios! ¿Así o más idiota?
Y su padre, bueno...
No tengo nada que decir sobre este tipo de hombres.
Cobardes sin dignidad que causan más dolor a lo largo de su vida que otra cosa.
Dejando de lado a estos personajes, me encantó el libro y el hecho de que Tess no se hiciera la víctima -no tanto, por lo menos- sobre la horrible vida que sus padres le habían hecho vivir, fue algo refrescante respecto a otras protagonistas.
Lo recomiendo totalmente.
Este libro te hace sentir tantos sentimientos al leer -y no todos buenos- que no sé cual decir primero.
Empezaré con Dylan y Tess.
Amé la pareja que hacían estos dos juntos. Y la sinceridad de Dylan respeto a todo es el rasgo de su personalidad que más amo. No me gustó la forma en la que reaccionó cuando Tess le contó toda la verdad, pero supongo que es entendible.
Tampoco estoy totalmente de acuerdo de la forma en la que llevaron el tema del engaño hacia Hannah, pero bueno...
En definitiva, Tess es de las únicas personajes femeninas que no llegué a odiar y, ¡estoy totalmente enamorada del chico nerd-sexy obsesionado con las algas que es Dylan!
Y ahora, vayamos con todos los idiotas de esta novela.
Supongo que muchos odiarán al padre, a Hannah (no sé porqué, yo no la odié en ningún momento)...
Pero yo odio a la madre de Tess y creo que toda la culpa de lo sucedido es por ella.
No fue el hecho de que se metiera en un matrimonio, ni que se quedara embaraza sin querer.
Fue el hecho de que aceptó en su vida y lo más importante, en la vida de su niña a un tipo que nunca le ofreció amor, seguridad y cariño a su propia hija.
Su madre se dedicó a aceptar las reglas del tipo como si nada y dejó que su amante se las impusiera y éstas dominaran la vida de su hija.
Hizo todo esto para que él la ayudara con Tess, es decir, por dinero.
Personalmente, prefiero mil veces partirme el culo trabajando sin descanso para que mi hija tenga una vida digna y esté rodeada de gente que la ama y sin miedo a mencionar a su jodid*o padre a que ella pasé toda la vida con miedo y sin opciones y yo tenga que estar suplicando a un tipo para que venga a ver a su hija o para que aparezca en el hospital cuando está ingresada.
Lo siento, pero no podía tragarla y no podía creer que estuviera siempre de acuerdo con el padre. ¡Por Dios! ¿Así o más idiota?
Y su padre, bueno...
No tengo nada que decir sobre este tipo de hombres.
Cobardes sin dignidad que causan más dolor a lo largo de su vida que otra cosa.
Dejando de lado a estos personajes, me encantó el libro y el hecho de que Tess no se hiciera la víctima -no tanto, por lo menos- sobre la horrible vida que sus padres le habían hecho vivir, fue algo refrescante respecto a otras protagonistas.
Lo recomiendo totalmente.
November 18, 2013
Short review: quite an easy read and started off well... then it spiraled down. Not sure what to make of the "love triangle". I'm a person who absolutely does not condone cheating and while this book didn't descend into outrageous territory, I didn't agree with Tess's outlook on it. Either way, I can't deny that this was a more realistically written NA than stuff like, say, True or Wait for You.
December 19, 2013
It was mainly the romance that made me want to read this book but I was surprised by how easily I got invested with the friendship and family relationship presented in this book too. My heart went out for Tess especially with how her Dad treats her. (And damn! I was actually hoping he'd have a change in heart in the end!) But this is definitely one of the most smart and elegantly written New Adult novels I'd come across with.
Thanks for recommending this, Wendy. I think I need some baklava myself too. Ha! :)
Thanks for recommending this, Wendy. I think I need some baklava myself too. Ha! :)
July 22, 2014
Ehhh... Did not connect with the characters. I picked it up last night and it was a fast read but it didn't grab me like I was expecting it to. It's not every day I get to read about character who're into studying biology. I had to read it just because of that, plus there's a cute nerdy guy. All my Cricket Bell feels came rushing in but... Dylan's no Cricket.
June 20, 2016
4-4.5 stars!
A little different than the typical NA, which I appreciate.
A little different than the typical NA, which I appreciate.
November 24, 2013
This book tells a captivating story, one that feels so real. I'm a sucker for originality, as I figure we all are; so I knew instantly that I had to read this when I read the synopsis.
Tess is the love child, the product of a long relationship between a powerful rich man and his mistress; she and her mom are the others, the hidden family. And it's shocking all the situations, all that Tess has to feel and go through because living that kind of life, because of decisions that were made for her. But she's an incredibly smart hard-working girl. She is a fighter. This is the time when she takes back control, when she starts driving her life in the direction she wants.
Dylan, is an amazing guy. PLEASE, if you want to read a truly swoon-worthy guy; Dylan is it. He can be a cutie, a hottie, an adorable nerd... And he cooks! Perfect. But no, wait, he is not perfect, he actually has his wrongs, completely human mistakes, but if anything, those only add more credibility to the plot. I love him and he has come to be one of my favorite book guys.
I appreciate how, for I think the first time, an NA book that is placed in college actually feels like it. Not everything is parties, drama and implied situations of 'I did my homework and went to class already'. Here, the students work, worry about their grades, about their careers, and the academic aspect of it all is taken into consideration while the characters talk, and it's not done in any boring way, I had lots of fun reading this, I was grinning like an idiot from the adorable moments and laughing my butt off with the fun ones.
And the sexy moments... Well, I'm not going to spoil those with quotes. But I can say that the sexual tension that is present is exactly the kind I like, built-up slowly, with a lot of teasing and control, so you can have an explosion of bliss when finally something happens, and man... When it happens is so damn hot you get burnnnn. That's right.
If you are a NA enthusiast, if you love amazing book guys and lovable badasses heroines you should give this one a try. I enjoyed it so much! It was really great.
Tess is the love child, the product of a long relationship between a powerful rich man and his mistress; she and her mom are the others, the hidden family. And it's shocking all the situations, all that Tess has to feel and go through because living that kind of life, because of decisions that were made for her. But she's an incredibly smart hard-working girl. She is a fighter. This is the time when she takes back control, when she starts driving her life in the direction she wants.
Dylan, is an amazing guy. PLEASE, if you want to read a truly swoon-worthy guy; Dylan is it. He can be a cutie, a hottie, an adorable nerd... And he cooks! Perfect. But no, wait, he is not perfect, he actually has his wrongs, completely human mistakes, but if anything, those only add more credibility to the plot. I love him and he has come to be one of my favorite book guys.
I appreciate how, for I think the first time, an NA book that is placed in college actually feels like it. Not everything is parties, drama and implied situations of 'I did my homework and went to class already'. Here, the students work, worry about their grades, about their careers, and the academic aspect of it all is taken into consideration while the characters talk, and it's not done in any boring way, I had lots of fun reading this, I was grinning like an idiot from the adorable moments and laughing my butt off with the fun ones.
"'Organic date-blueberry compote. The blueberries are from Cornell too.' 'I'm guessing the dates aren't though.' 'No. It's pretty hard to get dates around here.' A flush stole over his cheeks as he realized what he'd said. 'I mean- ' The flush grew deeper. 'Can we, uh, pretend I never said that?'"
And the sexy moments... Well, I'm not going to spoil those with quotes. But I can say that the sexual tension that is present is exactly the kind I like, built-up slowly, with a lot of teasing and control, so you can have an explosion of bliss when finally something happens, and man... When it happens is so damn hot you get burnnnn. That's right.
If you are a NA enthusiast, if you love amazing book guys and lovable badasses heroines you should give this one a try. I enjoyed it so much! It was really great.
November 9, 2013
3.5 Stars
One & Only is the first New Adult romance book I've read, written by one of my favourite writers Diana Peterfreund under a pen name.
Tess is ambitious and driven, but because she is the daughter of an important man's mistress she can't be anywhere near him, his family, or near his alma mater. But when she meets old flame Dylan again, it's hard not to break the rules.
Three cheers for good guys in romances! This is a recurring theme for books written by Ms Peterfreund, but they seem so sparse in the romance genre. I personally love books that feature a guy that wants to do the right thing, that doesn't play mind games, that's honest. Really, I'm sick of all those men seducing women by pushing her in a corner, by forcing her into uncomfortable situations and by being an overall ass. Dylan is a great guy, even though he falls in love with someone else while he still has a girlfriend. He is human and has his faults, but he doesn't like to lie or deceive. That's the kind of guy I can root for.
The focus of this book is quite college-heavy. There is a lot of talk of Tess working on projects and trying to navigate the college social system. For me this all feels very familiar - I'm a college student myself, and haven't really made any "friends for life" in there either. The book is quite science-focussed, since Tess spends a lot of time thinking about her project, which might put some people off the story. Of course, there is also plenty of smooching to make up for that.
One & Only is a very realistic book about being in your early twenties and navigating love, friendships and school. Another layer is added by Tess's relationship with her father and the half-sister that doesn't even know that she exists. The beginning of the story is a bit rocky. There is a LOT of telling and near to no showing. After a few pages this gets better and the narrative gets flowing. Tess is a realistic girl, but we spend a lot of time in her head and her adherence to the "rules", although making sense, annoyed me sometimes. Would recommend it to romance readers around their twenties.
One & Only is the first New Adult romance book I've read, written by one of my favourite writers Diana Peterfreund under a pen name.
Tess is ambitious and driven, but because she is the daughter of an important man's mistress she can't be anywhere near him, his family, or near his alma mater. But when she meets old flame Dylan again, it's hard not to break the rules.
Three cheers for good guys in romances! This is a recurring theme for books written by Ms Peterfreund, but they seem so sparse in the romance genre. I personally love books that feature a guy that wants to do the right thing, that doesn't play mind games, that's honest. Really, I'm sick of all those men seducing women by pushing her in a corner, by forcing her into uncomfortable situations and by being an overall ass. Dylan is a great guy, even though he falls in love with someone else while he still has a girlfriend. He is human and has his faults, but he doesn't like to lie or deceive. That's the kind of guy I can root for.
The focus of this book is quite college-heavy. There is a lot of talk of Tess working on projects and trying to navigate the college social system. For me this all feels very familiar - I'm a college student myself, and haven't really made any "friends for life" in there either. The book is quite science-focussed, since Tess spends a lot of time thinking about her project, which might put some people off the story. Of course, there is also plenty of smooching to make up for that.
One & Only is a very realistic book about being in your early twenties and navigating love, friendships and school. Another layer is added by Tess's relationship with her father and the half-sister that doesn't even know that she exists. The beginning of the story is a bit rocky. There is a LOT of telling and near to no showing. After a few pages this gets better and the narrative gets flowing. Tess is a realistic girl, but we spend a lot of time in her head and her adherence to the "rules", although making sense, annoyed me sometimes. Would recommend it to romance readers around their twenties.
December 4, 2013
~3.5 stars
This is the first "new adult" contemporary romance I've read since Easy that I really enjoyed. I think the college setting is probably stronger than Easy, too, with more realism and authentic college relationships. I really enjoyed the family stuff, which surprised me, since I was worried it would be a bit overwrought.
I'll write a longer review soonish. Hey, hey... I finally wrote my review: http://cleareyesfullshelves.com/blog/...
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Hey, hey... Viv Daniels is actually Diana Peterfreund. Thanks for the heads-up, Angie!
This is the first "new adult" contemporary romance I've read since Easy that I really enjoyed. I think the college setting is probably stronger than Easy, too, with more realism and authentic college relationships. I really enjoyed the family stuff, which surprised me, since I was worried it would be a bit overwrought.
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Hey, hey... Viv Daniels is actually Diana Peterfreund. Thanks for the heads-up, Angie!
December 6, 2013
I freaking loved this!
I was hooked from the first line: "I was six years old when I found out my father had another family."
New Adult often lets me down, with repeated story lines and slipshod writing. But this book has neither of those. Dylan and Tess were very real, excellent characters. I stayed up until midnight reading this, feeling Tess's tension and betrayal, hoping for the best.
Awesome job, Ms. Daniels. I can't wait for the next one.
I was hooked from the first line: "I was six years old when I found out my father had another family."
New Adult often lets me down, with repeated story lines and slipshod writing. But this book has neither of those. Dylan and Tess were very real, excellent characters. I stayed up until midnight reading this, feeling Tess's tension and betrayal, hoping for the best.
Awesome job, Ms. Daniels. I can't wait for the next one.
June 16, 2014
2.5-3 stars
it started out really good; I was hooked, and I loved it. (the. beginning was like 4.5-5 star. and then.) and then along the way, the rating in my mind started gradually plunging. and damn, did it plunge by the end. some may have liked the way it ended, but I'm left baffled. I wouldn't know the first thing about ending a book properly, but in my opinion, this just did not work. that's all.
it started out really good; I was hooked, and I loved it. (the. beginning was like 4.5-5 star. and then.) and then along the way, the rating in my mind started gradually plunging. and damn, did it plunge by the end. some may have liked the way it ended, but I'm left baffled. I wouldn't know the first thing about ending a book properly, but in my opinion, this just did not work. that's all.
November 11, 2014
3.5
Who'd have thunk it?
This book has zero slut shamming, zero angst and a great female protagonist who actually acts her age, best friends of said protagonist who SHE ACTUALLY TALKS AND HANGS OUT WITH., a sweet, kind and smart male protagonist whom I adore. What could I possibly ask for?
My only problem is that I felt the love declaration came on a little too early, but I'll take it.
Who'd have thunk it?
This book has zero slut shamming, zero angst and a great female protagonist who actually acts her age, best friends of said protagonist who SHE ACTUALLY TALKS AND HANGS OUT WITH., a sweet, kind and smart male protagonist whom I adore. What could I possibly ask for?
My only problem is that I felt the love declaration came on a little too early, but I'll take it.
December 17, 2013
Dudes and dudettes,
This is how NA should be.
The life of a twenty-year old is not simple. It is complicated and weird and...fun, and I'm glad that not only do we come across a very nice and cute and adorable love story over here, but we also get acquainted with the very complications that come with growing up. LOVELY. GIVE ME MORE.
This is how NA should be.
The life of a twenty-year old is not simple. It is complicated and weird and...fun, and I'm glad that not only do we come across a very nice and cute and adorable love story over here, but we also get acquainted with the very complications that come with growing up. LOVELY. GIVE ME MORE.
March 5, 2018
One & Only by Viv Daniels is a new adult title that is a departure from all that you think new adult is. One & Only is a smart and funny story that is filled with heart and substance and everything that you could want in a story set in college. But as Viv Daniels is the alter ego of Diana Peterfreund, of Secret Society Girl fame, this comes as no surprise. However, when I started to read One & Only was was unsure of it. There was just something weird about Tess’s voice and manner of telling her story that just made it hard to connect with. The language or something just felt off and my brain would focus on trying to figure out what it was that wasn’t quite right and not as much time on the story.
The more I read One & Only the better able I was to ignore this strangeness or perhaps over the course of the book it went away. I can’t say for certain and I really can’t give an exact example of what felt off to me either. It just did and then it didn’t.
The character of Tess was was one that I liked. She wasn’t perfect, she made mistakes and then had to live with the consquences. The more you learn of her past the more you can see why she made the choices she did. I like how over the early chapters you see her grow from a strong, yet passive, girl into one who is strong and willing to fight for what she wants. To add to the complex nature of Tess’s life, she reconnects with her first love, Dylan, whose heart she broke when they broke up 2 years prior. They’d had a brief but intense relationship while at a special science program and then since she had so many secrets she thought the easiest thing to do was to just stop all contact when they returned to the real world and prepared to go to college. Not the smartest choice but haven’t we all made irrational choices before?
When the reconnect Dylan has a girlfriend, who just happens to be Tess’s half-sister. The half-sister who doesn’t know that Tess is her sister. There is also the added complication that both Tess and Dylan seem to have retained all of their strong and intense feeling for each other. Now when this all started to happen I rolled my eyes and though ‘Oh sweet baby Jesus this is a cheating story!’ and was in a hairs breath of just putting the book aside. But something kept me reading and I was so glad that I did as One & Only is one of those super heart-achy reads that has you cheering on the main characters despite the obstacles in their way. If I could compare One & Only to one book it would be Anna and the French Kiss, Anna and Etienne have a very similar relationship to Tess and Dylan and if you like that book then you will like One & Only.
This book had so many emotions! It was a total roller coaster ride and there came a point where I was unable to put it down. My heart ached through much of the story for both Dylan and Tess and Tess’s sister Hannah. So I’m really glad that the next book in this series will be Hannah’s story as she deserves a happily ever after. While One & Only wasn’t a perfect read it was one that I loved by the end. I stayed up late to finish it and am so sad that there is no more. Sad that I can no longer read this story for the first time. But you can experience all those ups and downs. All the hopeful moments and the ones that almost break your heart.
Stories like One & Only are what new adult books should be about. Learning to be an adult. Making tough choices. Balancing work and school – because we see the characters do both here and they aren’t in some easy peasy major either but in an intense science program. (I loved that they were both science nerds!) If you’ve been on the fence of new adult then try this story. I don’t think that you will regret it.
The more I read One & Only the better able I was to ignore this strangeness or perhaps over the course of the book it went away. I can’t say for certain and I really can’t give an exact example of what felt off to me either. It just did and then it didn’t.
The character of Tess was was one that I liked. She wasn’t perfect, she made mistakes and then had to live with the consquences. The more you learn of her past the more you can see why she made the choices she did. I like how over the early chapters you see her grow from a strong, yet passive, girl into one who is strong and willing to fight for what she wants. To add to the complex nature of Tess’s life, she reconnects with her first love, Dylan, whose heart she broke when they broke up 2 years prior. They’d had a brief but intense relationship while at a special science program and then since she had so many secrets she thought the easiest thing to do was to just stop all contact when they returned to the real world and prepared to go to college. Not the smartest choice but haven’t we all made irrational choices before?
When the reconnect Dylan has a girlfriend, who just happens to be Tess’s half-sister. The half-sister who doesn’t know that Tess is her sister. There is also the added complication that both Tess and Dylan seem to have retained all of their strong and intense feeling for each other. Now when this all started to happen I rolled my eyes and though ‘Oh sweet baby Jesus this is a cheating story!’ and was in a hairs breath of just putting the book aside. But something kept me reading and I was so glad that I did as One & Only is one of those super heart-achy reads that has you cheering on the main characters despite the obstacles in their way. If I could compare One & Only to one book it would be Anna and the French Kiss, Anna and Etienne have a very similar relationship to Tess and Dylan and if you like that book then you will like One & Only.
This book had so many emotions! It was a total roller coaster ride and there came a point where I was unable to put it down. My heart ached through much of the story for both Dylan and Tess and Tess’s sister Hannah. So I’m really glad that the next book in this series will be Hannah’s story as she deserves a happily ever after. While One & Only wasn’t a perfect read it was one that I loved by the end. I stayed up late to finish it and am so sad that there is no more. Sad that I can no longer read this story for the first time. But you can experience all those ups and downs. All the hopeful moments and the ones that almost break your heart.
Stories like One & Only are what new adult books should be about. Learning to be an adult. Making tough choices. Balancing work and school – because we see the characters do both here and they aren’t in some easy peasy major either but in an intense science program. (I loved that they were both science nerds!) If you’ve been on the fence of new adult then try this story. I don’t think that you will regret it.
March 1, 2015
Tess has had to live by the rules her entire life. Not the typical rules a teenage girl finds herself with, but rules that ensure that her true identity remains unknown. Her father has kept his two families separate. The wife and daughter he adores in public and the mistress and bastard daughter that he keeps at arms length.
But Tess finds the rules unraveling as she fights to make her dreams come true. Attending Canton is a dream, one that her father doesn't want her to have. But when she makes the choice to get there no matter what, her two worlds come crashing together. One summer two years ago she met a boy. A boy that she lost her virginity to, a boy that she didn't speak to again because she needed to focus on her goals. But when she arrives at Canton not only does she run into Dylan again she finds him in a relationship with her half sister. But as they work together on a class project the feelings from two years ago come back tot he surface. But Tess can't be the other woman. She can't fall into the same relationship that her parents share, the life of lies she was born into. And as much as she should resent her half sister for having everything she's been denied, she can't help but not want to hurt her in the process.
But months of being in Dylan's presence brings back all those old feelings. Falling in love with him happened two years ago - but before she can truly have him, he needs to be available. But her past is lurking in the shadows and although she can't reveal the truth without breaking all the rules, the lies might destroy everything.
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I enjoyed this college romance immensely. Tess was such a likable character that was a fighter. I loved that she stuck to her guns and although she might have faltered once or twice, she held strong. Dylan was a lovable nerd. I was a little worried that he might have changed too much from that awkward boy she met two years before, but was so pleased to see that he was still that sweet geek.
Although Dylan is in a relationship, the friendship and flirting didn't register with that 'cheating' vibe. I started to worry for a bit since that is usually something that I don't like in romances, but Viv Daniels did a great job keeping these two on the edge and ensuring that you felt their connection strongly, that you were pulling for things to fall into place for them so it could all work out. And she accomplished all that without making you hate Hannah (the sister/girlfriend).
I am looking forward to Hannah's story in the next installment. Not sure if there is redemption for their father - but there is no denying that the each of the characters you meet in the first book makes you hope they all get their chance at a story, especially Annabel.
But Tess finds the rules unraveling as she fights to make her dreams come true. Attending Canton is a dream, one that her father doesn't want her to have. But when she makes the choice to get there no matter what, her two worlds come crashing together. One summer two years ago she met a boy. A boy that she lost her virginity to, a boy that she didn't speak to again because she needed to focus on her goals. But when she arrives at Canton not only does she run into Dylan again she finds him in a relationship with her half sister. But as they work together on a class project the feelings from two years ago come back tot he surface. But Tess can't be the other woman. She can't fall into the same relationship that her parents share, the life of lies she was born into. And as much as she should resent her half sister for having everything she's been denied, she can't help but not want to hurt her in the process.
But months of being in Dylan's presence brings back all those old feelings. Falling in love with him happened two years ago - but before she can truly have him, he needs to be available. But her past is lurking in the shadows and although she can't reveal the truth without breaking all the rules, the lies might destroy everything.
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I enjoyed this college romance immensely. Tess was such a likable character that was a fighter. I loved that she stuck to her guns and although she might have faltered once or twice, she held strong. Dylan was a lovable nerd. I was a little worried that he might have changed too much from that awkward boy she met two years before, but was so pleased to see that he was still that sweet geek.
Although Dylan is in a relationship, the friendship and flirting didn't register with that 'cheating' vibe. I started to worry for a bit since that is usually something that I don't like in romances, but Viv Daniels did a great job keeping these two on the edge and ensuring that you felt their connection strongly, that you were pulling for things to fall into place for them so it could all work out. And she accomplished all that without making you hate Hannah (the sister/girlfriend).
I am looking forward to Hannah's story in the next installment. Not sure if there is redemption for their father - but there is no denying that the each of the characters you meet in the first book makes you hope they all get their chance at a story, especially Annabel.
January 3, 2014
I had a few minor issues with the book. For one, you DO have to pay full-tuition at Cornell, even if you're a New York State resident. (I should know since I almost went to school there). This mistake on the author's part really irks me because money problems & private school tuition are major driving factors in this book. Therefore, the author should have really gotten this detail correct, or at the very least, an editor should have caught the mistake.
Overall, though, the book was wonderful! I loved the heroine-- Tess-- & I feel that the author did a stellar job of writing the novel from Tess's point of view, thereby depicting Tess's "stream of consciousness." Tess's background story, her motivations & her actions were understandable & realistic. The psychology was just spot-on, & for that, the author deserves A LOT of credit. *4.5/5 stars*
Overall, though, the book was wonderful! I loved the heroine-- Tess-- & I feel that the author did a stellar job of writing the novel from Tess's point of view, thereby depicting Tess's "stream of consciousness." Tess's background story, her motivations & her actions were understandable & realistic. The psychology was just spot-on, & for that, the author deserves A LOT of credit. *4.5/5 stars*
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