The One in My Heart by Sherry Thomas

by Sherry Thomas

When Evangeline Canterbury meets the gorgeous, intriguing doctor next door, all she wants from him is a bit of distraction, to help her get over a few rough days.


Her one-night stand, however, has other plans: He needs an accomplished and presentable girlfriend to bring before his parents—and for six months of her time, he is willing and prepared to spend an obscene amount of money.


Nothing but trouble can come of such an arrangement. But can Eva stop herself? Or will she fall headlong in love with a man who will leave her when their contract expires with a smile, a check, and hardly a backward glance?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Fiction, Audiobook, M F Romance

Paperback

First published April 21, 2015

About the author

USA Today-bestselling author Sherry Thomas decided years ago that her goal in life is to write every kind of book she enjoys reading. Thus far she has published romance, fantasy, mystery, young adult, and three books inspired by the martial arts epics she grew up devouring. Her books regularly receive starred reviews and best-of-the-year honors from trade publications, including such outlets as the New York Times and National Public Radio.

A Study in Scarlet Women, A Conspiracy in Belgravia, and The Hollow of Fear, the first three entries in her gender-bending Lady Sherlock historical mystery series, are all NPR best books of the year. The Magnolia Sword, her 2019 release, is the first young adult retelling of the original Ballad of Mulan in the English language.

Sherry emigrated from China at age 13 and English is her second language.

“Sherry Thomas has done the impossible and crafted a fresh, exciting new version of Sherlock Holmes. From the carefully plotted twists to the elegant turns of phrase, A Study in Scarlet Women is a splendid addition to Holmes’s world. This book is everything I hoped it would be, and the next adventure cannot come too soon!” —Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author

“Thomas weaves a lush, intricate fantasy world around a gorgeous romance that kept me riveted until the very last page. What a breathtaking journey!” (Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series )

"Sherry Thomas is the most powerfully original historical romance author writing today."—Lisa Kleypas, New York Times bestselling author



Visit Sherry at her website

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Reviews

[Christina ~ Brunette Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starting from a couple of premises that don't bode very well with me, namely the one-night-stand trope and, having a very low tolerance for snobbery in modern settings and for egomaniacs in any setting, the mi/billionaire hero, I surprisingly managed to quite enjoy this book anyway. It didn't wow me as a whole, but Sherry Thomas's wonderful prose, which I've already come to appreciate in Historical Romances, did the trick again also in her first foray into Contemporary territory. Some plot points felt a little too contrived and I couldn't bring myself to fully warm up to both the leads, though the skilful storytelling and the in-depth characterisations kept me turning the pages nonetheless. Curiosity did the rest, as I really wanted to see how one of my favourite authors had fared out of her usual element. At the end, I'm glad I gave this story a chance and I most likely will try possible future books Sherry Thomas may add to her budding Contemporary list.

Evangeline Canterbury and Bennett Somerset meet on a rainy summer night and have some hot and passionate sex. It could have ended there, just a nice memory, if only Bennett hadn't come up with an "indecent proposal" later on: six months as his fake socially-suitable fiancée, "a Park Avenue trophy girlfriend", with the benefits of an outrageous sum donated to scientific research and the tempting opportunity to slake the unspent lust still hanging and crackling between them. The physical attraction is powerful, Bennett knows how to be persuasive and so Eva soon finds herself impersonating the fundamental pawn in a grand scheme to recuperate a relationship with his estranged parents. Whether the risky game they're playing will lead to playful excitement or to utter heartbreak only time, the time they've put an expiry date on, can tell.

Narrated in first person point of view, Eva's voice and glance take us to glamorous upper-class NYC. A thirty-something successful assistant professor of materials science, she gives us back, in clear-cut mirror pieces, glimpses of her milieu. A "scene" in which she has always moved with some ease and grace regarding her social duties and façade, even though a faint shadow of inadequacy has been following her around. "Incapable of emotional intimacy" the words she uses to describe her sentimental self, commitment issues stemming from an unconventional relationship with her parents that have had her rolling through more or less brief affairs unscathed, somewhat resigned and quite detached. That is until a man like Bennett unexpectedly bursts into her safely managed private life. A man whose "manipulativeness was without bounds" according to Eva's early (and correct) assessment and still "trapped between his pride and his past asshole-ism" by his own admission.
And Bennett is indeed a complex character, but so clearly entrenched in his privilege as to often result, for me, unpleasant. Preoccupied with making sure we register all the posh trappings of his scintillating lifestyle, I perceived him as somebody constantly trying to impress us with a sort of worldly prowess masquerading the underlying shallowness and immaturity instead truly sustaining his personality. Be it dancing the tango as if he were born in a Buenos Aires milonga, selling an inherited Pissarro or travelling to the Amalfi Coast out of season, our Bennett doesn't miss a chance to preen, more or less consciously, and all the while heroically striving not to appear too bourgeois (the horror!) in the process. Now, I could have felt much more forgiving had I been convinced by the "quality" of his love for Eva, but sadly I was not. Maybe the sham-betrothal trope is irremediably doomed to hold little water in a contemporary context or maybe he liked to scheme too much and there was nothing spontaneous about him, so concentrated on himself that he was, but Eva seemed to be a mere spectator sometimes, emotionally alone while he was busy explaining his motivations and background or uttering unrivalled finesses such as "Do I f**k you all night?" during perfunctory love scenes. Apparently, according to Bennett, in certain circumstances noblesse ne oblige pas. It didn't help either in this sense the fact that the author decided to allow a disproportionate amount of space to the recounting of Bennett previous scandalous relationship, the cause of fracture with his family, making the other woman's "ghost" hover and Bennett's ego wallow for too long.
Eva had little left to do with him taking up all the stage and her thoughts, but for someone initially portrayed as having trust and commitment issues she sounded too eager to attune to his pace, not seldom making me forget the independent and sharp minded woman she was supposed to be.

That said, there was an undeniable sophistication to the writing, the first person point of view didn't even have the sort of closed-circuit connotation usually making me dislike this narrative choice very much in less than deft hands, so whether I liked what (or better, who) I was reading about or no, I have to concede how well-thought and well-crafted it was. And I would go as far as saying that this is a book much more enjoyable if read as character-driven fiction rather than proper romance. In this sense, no wonder the strong points that made me eventually enjoy the book were the ones falling outside of the leads' interactions. Besides Eva telling the story and extravagances of her parents and of her younger years, I especially loved the parts describing the balancing bond she has formed with her father's second wife Zelda, a fragile but intelligent and caring woman and for this alternatively a mother and a daughter to Eva, though always showing her, way more than Bennett, the latent capacity to love and to be loved she deep down possessed.

[Ⓐlleskelle - That ranting lady ッ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5 STARS⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my first book by Sherry Thomas and I fell head over heels in love with her writing style and characters!
I was so engrossed in my book I said goodbye to Monday obligations, I just couldn't put it down!
Over the first chapters what started as a mere crush for this book and author, grew exponentially.

First, the banter between Evangeline and Bennett was *use Smeagol voice here* precioussssss! *use Smeagol voice here*

Tongue in cheek retorts from both characters and relentless ribbing between them fascinated me and made me grin like a Cheshire cat. I knew I was in for a treat just then. I love how easy going their small talk was, how the author naturally made them fall into an easy and familiar exchange despite the circumstances of their meeting. Evangeline always quick to put Bennett in his place with as much sarcasm and wit I think I fell in love with her instantly.

-“Hey, people keep telling me this neighborhood is really safe. But it's late. Can I drop you off at home?’
He braced a hand on the top of the car and leaned down. -“No. Grandma told me I'm too pretty to get into cars with strangers.”
My lips twitched.-“Grandma was lying through her teeth; You're just average.”

Bennett Somerset seems to have it all, gorgeous, successful cardiothoracic surgeon, rich, beauty and the brain with a highly dose of charm and humor.
Evangeline Canterbury is on the path to get her tenure, she's assistant professor of material science, living with her step-mom, Zelda. Her upbringing looks like a tainted fairytale. She was born to become a princess but her wits and will as well as life pushed her on an all other path. She's full of wit and despite her abandonment issues I thought she was a very strong character.

-“Do you know you have the perfect face for a nun—as if you have only prayers on your mind? And then there are those times when it all changes, and you look pornographically turned on.”
-“Do I look like that now?”
-“Yes.”

Second, what followed and was portrayed in such a genuine way between them is the chemistry. I'm talking about the off the charts kind with the steam thick enough to make my kindle' screen appears foggy.

“When I have to take care of myself I imagine al the things I'd do to you,” he murmured against my lips. “And I think of all the sounds you'd make, from the first catch of your breath, to your screams when you come.”

But what really made me love those scenes is that Sherry Thomas ingeniously combined sexy comebacks and emotions. It wasn't just hot sex, it was playful, intense and engaging and I loved every word of it.

-“It's very, very nice to make love to you, but exhausting it isn't.”
-“Clearly I'm doing something wrong.”
-You're not doing me enough—that's what you're doing wrong. You should keep at it until you break me.”

I love a good sex scene in my romance, but I can positively say that I prefer a couple who doesn't turn into pornstars in the bedroom. Evangeline and Bennett kept their banter and attraction in and out of it. The witticism a great part of their lovemaking.

-“Praise the Lord, for a woman who can bring me to my knees.”
-What use do I have for a man on his knees?”
-Begging for a demonstration, aren't you? Open your legs for me.”

Third, my nerdy self was absolutely thrilled—pleased even, by all the Star Wars and LoTR references! It fit the story so well, almost to perfection, Evangeline the Leia to Bennett's Han Solo. Sigh. All those references to one of my favorite fandom and I was a goner.

-“Would you like to see the engagement ring I picked out?”
Had I been dropped on my head, I couldn't have been more stunned.
-“Wh-what? Why?”
-“I'll tell you if you come up.”
It's a trap, shouted the Admiral Ackbar from Star Wars.
It's bullshit, said my common sense.

In the book he calls himself the Rosie to her Sam, lol! (Because her step-mother is Frodo, she is Sam and therefore Bennet is her Rosie. from Lord of the Rings)
Not only that but the literature references will please any book nerd, really. The things Bennet would say, I was a melting like ice cream on a hot sidewalk too.

❝In Henry V, King Henry says to Kate, ‘You have witchcraft in your lips,’ Bennett murmured sleepily. “Do you know where you have witchcraft, Eva?”
“Do tell,” I answered archly, expecting him to heap praise on my private parts.
He pressed a kiss into my shoulder. “In your eyes.”
❞

And to top it all? Unrequited love on top of unrequited love. Angst SO good it felt illicit!!!

Pain pinched my heart, the pain of being understood when I didn't wish to be, by someone who was only playing a game.

The story starts with a one night stand then blends into the fake couple trope with the inevitable attachment and unrequited feels.

I couldn't meet his gaze, so I wrapped my arms about him and buried my face in the crook of his should, wanting only enough sensations to drown out any insidious feeling of need.

Waters are muddled with after thoughts and hopes, unrequited? Maybe. Maybe not. But the story is told from the heroine's point of view... So maybe all is not what it may seem. And I guess you'll have to read the book if you want to know more.

❝Everything he said about us always had that glossy patina of plausible deniability—compliments and declarations that were extravagant but ultimately insubstantial.
And I loved and hated them as Gollum loved and hated his precious.❞

You MUST READ that book.

That night, as I lay in bed, I reached for my phone.
'I love you too', I texted.
His reply came a minute later.
'In the immortal words of Han Solo, I know.'

More reviews and book talk at :

You can find me here too ☞

[[Aengell] · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

First, I must say that I love authors who venture into other genres. Mainly HR-authors writing Contemporaries/Young Adult novels. It’s like Oreos: Classic Oreos are the best, but sometimes there are other flavours and special editions like cookie dough, gingerbread, or red velvet. Yes, classic Oreos are how we get to learn these gifts of God from the beginning, but you can try out those other flavours, and you may even like them.

So we have Sherry Thomas, who is one of the most talented Historical Romance authors I know, and who has this book here coming out, a Contemporary Romance.
The story is about Evangeline and Bennett, who pretend to be in a relationship so that Bennett can reconcile with his estranged parents. Both the heroine and hero are outsiders in the New York High Society, so they somehow have to make the perfect picture of a dream-couple, while holding their true feelings at bay.

I can assure anyone who has read a novel by Sherry Thomas: you can expect her at her best. Her writing style is still astonishingly perfect in every way. Her narrative voice is clear, flowing, and has a psycho-analytic undercurrent, which makes it a delight to read. We get to know Evangeline with all her thoughts and faults, and it made me love her. Evangeline is a true nerd and scientist and outsider, and although she isn't new to High Society, she avoids the scene as much as possible. I could understand her 100%, and her relationship to her ex-step-mother is beautiful to watch.
Bennett is also an unique hero. He has a boy-next-door charm, a kindness and sweetness about him that makes you want to cuddle him and give him a kiss on the forehead. But his story is bittersweet and made me uncomfortable at first, so in the end it added edges to his otherwise round character.

Sherry Thomas always makes me go into the heads of the characters, even though we don’t get to have all perspectives, and I always feel the angst and love it, because it’s not overdone with high-drama, which is often enough a toxic mixture.

Now, why I only gave it 3.5 stars.

1. I don’t like this theme. I just can’t connect wholly to the couple if they are in a pretend-relationship, because it’s predictable, and I’m not anti-predictable in general, but with this trope I have issues. I don’t like the scenario where it’s all about the casual relationship, or where they pretend and the reader clearly knows that someone will end up hurt etc. And I have to stress that I don’t like it in either genre, Historicals or Contemporaries. True, it happens more in CR’s, but it still doesn't catch my interest the way it should.

2. I felt like Sherry Thomas didn't have a smooth transition into this genre. The New York High-Society felt like the ton, and both main characters could have been a spinster and a notorious rake. It didn't exactly dampen my reading pleasure, but while reading this I had constant feeling of a Historical-frame being fit into modern times.

Still:

This book is a true delight to read, and I would dearly recommend it to everyone who likes Sherry Thomas. Maybe you won’t like it, but then you will have experienced a talented writer while she is trying to broaden her horizons, as cliché as that may sound. And maybe you will like it because it’s still Sherry Thomas in the core, and her narrating and characterization and build-up of conflict will just draw you in and leave you emotionally drained and satisfied at the same time.

ARC via NetGalley

[Susana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc provided by NLA Digital LLC through Netgalley

Release date: April 21

My reaction after having read this novel:

CAN I HAVE MORE... LIKE NOW?
Evangeline has friends. Bennett has a brother and sister. There's clearly a great number of people waiting to be...paired of... with their significant others! ;)

What is so great about this novel _ despite the fact that Eva does go into a stranger's house in the middle of the night... a stranger who knows how to use scalpels! _ is that they're actually perfect for one another in their own imperfections. And, trust me, there's plenty of those -_-

But let's talk about the positives aspects... well, first of all I can't point out a significant negative one!
o_O
I Know! It surprised the heck out of me.

Their chemistry... Dear Lord... it basically gets a fifteen out of ten.
Do not read this in public!

Their characters
They have depth. They have their issues. They're less than perfect, but they just fit.
The actual depth of the romance. This is much more than A meets B on the HEA road.

The way they connect with their respective families _ which is an important part of the story _ and try to deal with out life has thrown at them... I loved it all!

Oh, and you know how I am often complaining how the guys in historical romances are asses that should be kicked out to the curb? No... well it happens from time to time.
Well, Bennett is in fact a descendent of the Tremaine family line _ see book "Private Arrangements" _ and he is not an ASS... well, okay... yes, he had some moments when he was younger... but now, he has grown out of them it!
I am so, so happy for you Bennett. I never felt like hitting you in the head with a heavy object!:D
So refreshing.

Sorry, but as you can see this is not going to be one of those analytical reviews that I mostly write: I still have stars in my eyes, I can't stop remembering the scene with the princess ball gown. LOL IRL

And I want this in paperback.
Please let this be published in paperback format!

[Zizz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came upon this book following a back-to-back reading of 2 NA books. I gave those two reads 5 stars which brings me to this conclusion: Goodreads should provide for reads above 5stars because The One in My Heart deserves way more than that. While I thoroughly enjoyed those two traditionally published books, they were "commercial" books. They were "written and produced" to pass away a few hours of your time. They were enjoyable reads - with the right amount of banter, wit, smarts, angst and romance. They were formulaic and there really is nothing wrong with that if it works well - like they did with those two books.

The One in My Heart follows no such formula. I've always said that there are a few authors out there that write with such exemplary skill that they make writing feel like an artform. Miss Thomas belongs within that circle.

I've read two of her historical works before and I both loved them. I called them "angst central". But her stab at contemporary romance goes above and beyond that.

That blurb seriously gives this book serious injustice. At first, it seemed shrouded in mystery and fate or an accidental stab at a second chance. There was a romantic pull to it. It made me feel like I was watching those old Hollywood romances. Whether it was fate or by an accidental fluke, here was a chance to take that road that was not taken. Years ago, Bennett was going to escort Evangeline to her debutante ball in Paris. But he never showed up as he "eloped" to the US to engage in his May-December romance. The consequences of that no-show were staggering - life-altering. 18 years later, they finally meet. And so the story begins.

But this was no old Hollywood classic. It goes deeper and is more complex than that. It was about two extremely guarded individuals dealing with abandonment issues. One is seeking reparation while the other wants to keep the status quo to keep herself secure within her "perfect world", behind the steel walls she had put up.

The book's context is an interesting play on the six degrees of separation theory as it weaved several subplots of various people whose history and/or current circumstances are interlinked with one another. With New York as its main setting (Park Avenue 740 no less), it all made for a very enchanting backdrop.

But the story's true beauty lies in the underlying theme it exposes that human nature is complex. Real life is not pretty nor perfect. Some get deluded by romantic notions. Hearts are broken. Some are sick. Some are bastions in strength in dealing with illness while others run-away from it. Some live in hope while some live in fear. Some engage. Some change. Some people do not.

"We were all fucked-up. And we were all fuckups by choice".

Miss Thomas writes that this may be her first and only Contemporary Romance. Why? It would be a shame to not read anymore of her works in this genre considering how masterful this was.

To say that I loved this book feels like a disservice as that sounds so mundane and given the melancholy feel that pervades through the whole plot. Let's just say it's a book that will make you feel a gamut of emotions - from pensiveness, to curiosity, to outright sadness, and to hope. And it really is quite wonderful when your emotions get a work-out while reading through a tale as deftly told as this.

arc received from netgalley

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, mostly. The heroine, Evangeline, is an interesting character for a romance. She's very reserved, wrapped up in her world of academe and family. A lot of that is her step-mom, Zelda. Zelda is bipolar and that has a lasting impact on Eva as she dreads the events that so fundamentally change the personality of the woman she thinks of as her mother. At least some of my interest was their shared love of nerd icons (the Lord of the Rings, mainly, but other nerd tropes play a strong role in the emotional landscape of the family).

Thomas plays the emotional involvement of the love interest, Bennett, pretty close to her chest. We're never really sure where he stands in his relationship with Eva. Which is understandable because Eva is as skittish as a colt on a trampoline. It isn't hard to see that she's poised to bolt so it only makes sense that he'd approach her so carefully, wrapping his motives tight. By mid-novel I was pretty sure where he stood, but only because I knew this was a romance story. Even so, the ambiguity made it hard for me to attach to him, even as dreamy as he is.

And he is rather dreamy. A rich doctor nerd-troping with abandon isn't exactly a hard sell. It's easy to see how Eva might fall for him and I enjoyed being along for the ride. Until . . .

The last quarter of the book was painful for me to get through. I just don't get it. When you can acknowledge that you love someone deeply and he declares himself in love with you (in both word and deed), I don't get choosing the pain of diving into denial. Worse, Eva isn't denying she loves him, she's denying herself the opportunity of being with the one she knows she loves. For really, really stupid reasons. I'm sorry, but there's just no downside to Ben. He's all that and a cornucopia of chips. At that point, she's not so much protecting herself as she is beating herself with a stick.

I was cruising along at three stars edging higher until that last quarter. It dropped a full star and nearly farther at that point. I can only handle so much self-inflicted pain before I lose sympathy with a character. No amount of nerd troping can get me past that, I'm afraid.

A note about Steamy: This was the middle of my steam tolerance, though edging higher. There are three or four explicit sex scenes. They're pretty fun, mind, but don't really play into the emotional landscape of the story, even (particularly?) when Eva seems to be using sex as an anesthetic for her emotional turmoil.

[Jultri · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5. What a wonderful book! Sherry Thomas is just one of the best romance writers ever, effortlessly changing genres from historical romances to fantasy to contemporary and excelling in each. Her settings might change, her language might adapt to the genre and audience, but her essence remains the same - skillfully weaving complex character-based, emotionally-laden, psychologically multi-layered stories. This one, her first and only contemporary romance to date, is no exception. The banter between the leads is quick-witted and sharp and the prose just stunning.

It started with a one night stand - a seemingly chance meeting in the rain. The heroine rescued from her overwhelming despair and the downpour by a handsome, charming stranger. An offer of warmth and dryness and a safe return home turned to late night tiramisu and hot, banish-all-the woes-away sex. They said their goodbyes soon after and it was supposed to be a fond memory, a recurrent distant sexual fantasy they could both revisit for weeks to come. They were busy successful individuals. Their paths would not cross again.

Evangeline Canterbury is a university professor of materials science. She is also the main support person for her beloved stepmother, a brilliant woman battling bipolar disorder for many years. Eva doesn't have time to date, and certainly has no time to expose herself and her heart to potential harm. Enter Bennett Somerset back in her life, the man who rescued from her the rain and distracted her melancholic thoughts that night so many months ago and the subject of her fantasies every night since then. This charismatic cardio-thoracic surgeon seemingly has it all - elite family background, bank vaults stuffed with money, abundance of sex appeal and charm. Her heart doesn’t stand a chance. Hell, my heart doesn’t stand a chance!

It turns out things are not quite what they appear. Chance events might not be serendipitous after all, because Bennett has a way of making the world turn according to his will and Eva is helpless against his potent seductive mix of boyish charms, pure masculine confidence, and just a touch of exposed vulnerability. He manipulates situations and people around him to further his end. Soon she finds herself against all reason agreeing to enter a fake relationship with Bennett in order to reconcile him with his longterm estranged parents - a fake relationship with massive benefit (read loads of steamy sex) and one that can only lead to heartbreak. With the deception building up, she finds it increasingly hard to know where the lies start and the truth begins.

“A nice girl like you should be alone as long and as often as you prefer,” he said quietly. “But I want to be there for when you’d like someone next to you.” Pain pinched my heart, the pain of being understood when I didn’t wish to be, by someone who was only playing a game.

Bennett, whoah, this guy is devastatingly HOT! I wish, we get insight into his point of view more, but seeing how Eva narrates the story in first person, our only glimpses into his mind are the little subtle clues his body language conveys, or a few meaningful words hidden within the plethora of charming lines that spout easily from his mouth. He leaves the reader wonder as much as Eva about his true intentions. Eva, she has the strength of the solid double-brick wall she builds up around her, even as she succumbs to his physical seduction. She did not yield him an inch of her soul. And in the end, it is she who holds all the cards. I did not expect that at all. Thomas has once again proven herself a magnificently shrewd master of psychological twists. I bow to her bloody marvellous brilliance.

This was marked down slightly because:
1. Bennett can be too suave at times.
2. I don't think Eva's background justifies her degree of emotional damage.
3. Although my heart fluttered and ached while reading this, it did not move me to tears (five full stars major criteria)



The lives of others were like icebergs, largely hidden from view, even for someone standing only a short distance away.

Not all those who wander are lost. But those who never set a foot wrong often were—that was the reason they did and said all the right things, so nobody would realize that they’d lost their bearings long ago.

I felt suspended, above an absolute void. “You want too much. You should have left things alone.” “Believe me, I’ve thought long and hard about leaving things alone. But then there will always be this wall between us.”
“It’s all ugly things behind the wall,” I said, not looking at him.
“I’m not afraid of what’s behind the wall, only the wall itself.”
But the wall was my exoskeleton. It was what held me up. Sometimes it was the only thing that held me up.

But sometimes people forget that there is no strength greater than that of the fragile who carry on in spite of their fragility. You are strong. You have always been. And I hope today you proved it to yourself beyond a shadow of a doubt.

[Wollstonecrafthomegirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll say this much for ‘The One In My Heart’ it made me think more than any book I've recently read. My Kindle tells me I have 22 notes scattered throughout the book. The problem is that none of them are complimentary, most are variations on: ‘eh?’ This book frustrated and confused me in equal measure.

Before I get on to the problems I’ll highlight the positives. There’s no doubt that Sherry Thomas can write. I read this all the way through. I did not think about packing it in. There’s also a mental health element to the book which was thoughtfully and carefully handled. If I had cared more about the characters, I would undoubtedly have enjoyed the sex more because ST can write sex, as we all know.

But, but, but. I found it hard to care about any of the characters in this book, but most particularly the hero. He is suffering with the very definition of Rich Person Problems. He’s smart, handsome, fit ( “taut gluteal muscles” ), fashionable, rich, witty etc etc etc and yet: he had a row with Mommy and Daddy on a completely daft basis and I am supposed to care about his plight to repair that relationship. I simply Do Not. Lots of romance is about rich people with comparatively small problems, but this guy was far too perfect for me to give a damn. There is a scene in which he does the tango and the heroine is so aroused by his hip swaying she basically has to take him to bed straight away. It was one of the most awkward scenes I have ever read (take a moment to think about the implications of that: I am a romance reader, we’re a genre with a fair amount of awkward):

“The feral agility with which he moved had me slack jawed. His turns and steps were as precise as an assassins aim. His posture was gorgeous. And his understanding of the soul of the tango – the courtship in all its danger and complexity mesmerized me.” (26%)

What. On. Earth.

“feral agility”

“assassins aim”

“understanding of the soul of the tango”

This is a man who went to Eton.

I know men who went to Eton, born with an “understanding of the soul of the tango”, they ain’t. Dancers, they ain’t.

My dislike of the ridiculous, credulity stretching perfection of the hero was compounded by the (it seemed to me) utterly stupid way he decided to try and repair that relationship – a fake girlfriend from a walk of life they’d appreciate (the plot of this novel).

The heroine is better. Also rich and beautiful and so on. But trying to keep together her life with her stepmother (the lady with the mental health problems). My issue with the heroine was that I didn’t follow her character issues. She’s supposedly afraid of commitment, but I never got it, I never followed where it came from. She is constantly concerned that Mr Impossible Perfect is too perfect for her and worried that he’ll drop a fake relationship with her for a fake relationship with someone else. Yet when Mr Impossibly Perfect declares himself to be in love with her, her commitment issues cause her to break up with him. So it’s a big problem that I don’t understand her commitment issues. She keeps saying she can manage a fake relationship with the hero but not a real one and I did not understand why.

So, I’m left with a romance in which I do not care about the characters or particularly understand their motivations. And that proved pretty fatal to my chances of enjoying this novel in any meaningful way.

There were other strange things about the writing which bugged. References to Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, which seemed shoehorned in and misplaced. Almost like ST was thinking: I’m writing a contemporary romance, how do I make the book contemporary? And then could only think of two pop culture references. Constant descriptions of clothing. Some strange language, including the heroine comparing sex with the hero to making love to a race car. Those moments were few and far between but they were peculiar enough to really stick out to me (particularly coming from ST who is usually such a master of description). So much here that bothered me.

In summary: as is probably apparent from this review, this did not work for me.

[-ya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not all those who wander are lost.
~The Lord of the Rings

A heroine with an abandonment issue:

We don’t live in a fairy tales and true love cures nothing.
I was a scientist, a pretty damn good one too. A core principle of science was that the hypothesis must fit the facts: One didn’t bend, ignore, or dismiss facts to suit one’s hypothesis.

...if I looked at the entire picture objectively, it was much more likely that I wasn’t simply a means to an end. I was an end in and of myself.

A hero who was a spoiled, ruthless brat in the past finally wants to go home.

My parents turned their backs on me because they didn’t like the person I dated. And the woman for whom I gave up everything sat me down one day and told me that I was too bourgeois for her.

I may not love her characters or even the plot, but the one thing I won’t be disappointed is Thomas style of writing. The One in My Heart is her first CR, and the elements of fake relationship, abandonment issues, unflattering backstory for the hero seem to suggest a rather conventional plot. But the story is crafted in a refreshing, thoughtful way and packed with strong character development and superb writing. Sharp. Smart. Unapologetic. Psychological. This is a good read for me.

Thanks to Jill for the recommendation:)

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I liked this CR from an author who is better known for her HRs. It's an emotional and intense story, which I suppose is kind of the trademark of her HRs as well, so no surprise. But if you're looking for a light, fluffy CR, this isn't really the one.

It starts off typically enough I suppose, with Evangeline and Bennett having a hot one-night stand. But it's not too long before you start noticing that this story is a little deeper than it first seemed. Some of Bennett's behaviour almost seems a bit creepy and stalkerish, and the reader wonders what's going on.

It takes quite a while for the story to unravel and reveal itself. But we can see early on that there are problems underlying the surfaces of both the charming Bennett and the perfect Evangeline. And it's not easy for either of them to resolve their issues.

But there is no doubting the red hot sexual attraction between the two of them. In fact the sex scenes are pretty full-on, and more conservative readers may even feel a little uncomfortable at times.

One thing that I did find was that Bennett, whilst being a hot and likeable H, was almost too perfect. Model-gorgeous, urbane, charming, sexy, smart, (he's a surgeon!), rich, connected with old money and the upper class both in New York and England, owner of incredible art works etc etc. Kind of too good to be true. Yeah, it's a romance novel and we like to dream about our hot H, but this guy is almost too incredible - too much. Interestingly, Bennett is a descendant of Lord and Lady Tremaine, the H and h of Thomas' HR Private Arrangements. I have read that, but sadly didn't make the connection whilst I was reading. I wish I had - it would have added to my reading experience.

I don't want to give spoilers, so there's not much more to say except that Evangeline and Bennett do get their satisfying HEA.
Overall I enjoyed the read, and would read more CRs by this author if she chooses to write more in this vein.

[Nefise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Sherry Thomas's book and another delighted read for me. It's official now, she is one of the best author that I love to read.

I was undecided to give it 4 or 5 stars. When I started to read I had overjoyed to reading this kind of story. Because when I thought I would read a classic trope, story progressing promised different kind of thing waiting for me. And I wasn't wrong. Step by step we read about a relationship in progress or maybe an emotion, love that was trying to find a place and acceptance in its owner.

I felt quite contented throughout the book and at the end of it. Although I have some little issues, overall I decided to give it 5 stars.
If you want to read a clever and unique plot which based a very classic trope with excellent writing style, you should read the book. Love story, its progress are all good but most I love the writing style. It made it unique and precious for me.

[seton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: CR
Sensuality: R (rating reflects more on quantity than quality)

31 year old millionaire surgeon hires a 32 year old professor to help him reconcile with his estranged family.

The H is a descendant of the H & h in the author's daring first novel, Private Arrangements and it made me a bit wistful. A sapphire ring (now called the Tremaine Ring) that played a pivotal role in that bk makes an appearance here and it took me back to that time when I read PA seven years ago and how my heart beat faster when I first read THAT SCENE.

The One In My Heart doesnt quite give me the same butterflies but the sexy banter was superb. It might be worth a read just for that.

Rating: 3.75

[Wicked Incognito Now · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rife with all the talent and pure emotional resonance that I've come to associate with Sherry Thomas. I hope she continues to write contemporary romances because this was a winner.

I will say, for those who are used to a standard light-hearted and silly romantic romp, you may be thrown by this author. I've read many reviews that were not impressed. I think those reviewers are probably not into the Sherry Thomas type of writing. Her work is purely character driven. It's very much like a Megan Hart book. What may seem like a contrived plot is actually deeply psychological.

[MBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Praise the Lord,” he murmured, slipping off my undies, “for a woman who can bring me to my knees.”

The One in My Heart is Sherry Thomas’ first foray into the world of contemporary romance. Written in the first person, The One in My Heart is a novel that firmly entrenches itself in the reader’s heart as you go deeper into the story. If you have read any of my reviews on Ms. Thomas’ historical romances, you’d know that I always praise her for her ability to write stories in such poetic prose – there is no other way to describe what her words does to you. They just flow through you, become one with you, as if you have been waiting your whole life for those words to come to you.

The One in My Heart starts on a dark stormy night, when Evangeline Canterbury, while walking home, altogether too depressed for words, runs into the enigmatic, charming and handsome Dr. Bennett Oliver Stuart Somerset. What happens in the next couple of hours is a connection of the instantaneous variety, the kind that sears through the walls of reserved indifference on the part of Evangeline.

Months later, Evangeline encounters the good doctor again, only to be persuaded to help him in a scheme to get back into the good graces of his family, a family he had walked away from in the pursuit of the only woman who had owned his heart. Evangeline knows that when it comes to Bennett, that her heart is in serious jeopardy of falling, and falling hard. The one thing Evangeline has always evaded is getting too close to anyone who could hurt her because life had taught her that in abundance.

What follows is as delicious as it is heartbreaking and reaffirming. Ms. Thomas takes you on a journey of the type that is not easy to forget, that just consumes you as a whole. I couldn’t get enough of Evangeline and Bennett once I got into the story, nor would my stomach settle down from the nervous anticipation of the ultimate destruction of their non-relationship relationship when it happened. A good romance is one where all your emotions are involved and there is no holding back. And Ms. Thomas delivered just that with The One in My Heart.

The One in My Heart has a bit of a slow start to it. But 2-3 chapters in, and bam, you are hooked, line & sinker & there’s no turning back. The infamous Sherry Thomas magic was present in spades in this one. Being her first & only contemporary romance to-date, I’d say Ms. Thomas definitely has had zero issues in transitioning from the historical genre to the contemporary. A job well done, I must heartily admit.

One thing that surprised me though, was the first person take of the story. None of her historical romances are told in the first person, & yet Ms. Thomas made this work too. Though I truly wanted to get inside the mind of the charmingly sexy Bennett, Ms. Thomas did an excellent job of making the reader not feel too cheated out on in that aspect.When Bennett laid out his side of the story, when everything clicked so well in that a-ha! moment, that was when I truly felt my heart quake inside my chest.

Bennett totally invaded my heart & soul, ravaged my mind & left it all muddled with all the effortless charm and sexy he brought to the story. If there’s anything that makes a girl salivate over a romance is a hero presented well, a hero that can turn your half-hearted “no” to a complete “Oh my God yes!” in a heartbeat. When Bennett pushed Evangeline against the wall and had his way with her, this just mere hours after their first encounter, well, that was my “you had me at hello” moment when it came to him. With his penchant for older women & tendency to fall in love at first sight, well, lets just say that Bennett can turn up on my doorstep any day with just his trench coat on & nothing else. Well, a girl can always dream, can’t she? A hero who is so beautifully portrayed as you sink deeper into the story, that you can’t help but sigh endlessly over his character. Yes ladies, Bennett is that salivation worthy!

Evangeline was the tough cookie in this novel. But she was just as endearing, especially with her high wall of reinforced steel guarding her vulnerabilities & emotions, adept at playing dodge with the messier aspects of relationships. Evangeline actually prefers her existence the way it is, but then Bennett had to enter into it, entice her into saying yes to being his fake girlfriend and before she knew it, she’d fallen head over heels for the man. The fact that Bennett loved Evangeline too much to not let her hide behind barriers, to shake her out of the contentment she seeks in never showing her true self to anyone, made me love him just more. Evangeline’s attempts to thwart all efforts by Bennett to let him in was heartbreaking to watch, but I think that was exactly the jolt she needed to really face her past, exorcise the ghosts and move on.

Loved the secondary characters, the little tidbits about them that made the story that much better & enticing. I could’ve kept on reading and reading about Bennett & Evangeline, but like everything else that is good and beautiful, the end did come. A beautifully fitting end to an otherwise golf-sized-lumps-in-your throat variety of story. Icing on the cake was the fact that this story is very loosely tied to one of the most emotional historical romances from Ms. Thomas that I’ve read & reviewed to date; Private Arrangements. I continually find myself amazed at Ms. Thomas’ ability to make the unworkable work. Private Arrangements has such a storyline. The One in My Heart has the other woman done to a T, but yet, it doesn’t leave you feeling like the heroine got second helpings when it came to the hero, nor did it paint his first love as a villainous harlot that you absolutely had to hate. Absolute genius is Sherry Thomas!

Ms. Thomas definitely proved to be a quick study when it came to her first contemporary romance. Nothing short of splendid! Absolutely worth your time. Highly recommended.

Rating = 4.75/5

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[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dumb plot, absurd contrivances, annoying WASPx100000 names, irritating 1st person POV (what did she even LOOK like? No idea.), and constant, endless expository dialogue, mostly centered around the hero recounting his icktastic first romantic relationship.

As for the current romance - nothing unfurled naturally - it was all forced - and it was really hard to see what either of them saw in one another. Bennett's great-great-great grandmother, Lady Tremaine would have rolled her eyes at these two for sure.

[OLT · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2.5 stars) Well. I am a bit dumbstruck by this book. I love Thomas's historical romances and think she's one of the best HR writers of today, but this CR does not appeal to me. Still, it's relatively well written so my 2.5 stars is rounded up to 3.

So what does this have going for it? As far as my reading of it, the main interest for me is that the hero is the great-great-great grandson of the Marquess and Marchioness of Tremaine, the H and h of Thomas's excellent Private Arrangements (The London Trilogy Series). That fact actually does not, however, play any part in the story other than for there being a portrait and a ring still in existence.

For those who like earthy, sexy bits to their romances, there's a lot of sex and talk about sex. I guess the sexual attraction between H and h is well established. Where the story falters is in the angst and emotional parts. I just couldn't get myself to care that much about their emotional woes.

In the case of the H, the problems were of his own making anyway and he couldn't even come up with a straightforward way to make things right with his parents. Not only that but his past romance, which was the reason for the estrangement, started from glorified statutory rape and I found that icky. Perhaps the heroine has more excuses for her emo issues but not enough to convince me, since she has great friends in her life and a very loving relationship with ex-stepmom. OK, the stepmom is bipolar but even so...

As for the H-h relationship, I considered the hero to be manipulative and closed-off about himself, his feelings and his hopes with regard to the heroine and, because of this, his criticism of her because she wouldn't open up to him was just plain hypocritical.

Strange book, strange relationships and I hope to read many more *historical* romances by Thomas in future but not contemporary ones. (Oh, who am I kidding? It's Sherry Thomas, so I'd probably pick up another contemporary one anyway, just on the off-chance it's better than this one.)

[Annette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book confusing. I really couldn't get a handle on the characters. I certainly didn't understand Eva. She fantasised about the perfect man and relationship and when she has it in her hands she walks away from it. Perhaps this is because the characterisations weren't strong enough. Eva admits to herself that she's in love with Bennett and figures out that he's in love with her, but when he comes out and actually tells her she leaves him. WTH? Why? I just didn't understand her motivation.

I hate it when people act illogically and that's what happened here. I also didn't connect with the characters. I didn't particularly like Bennett. He seemed like a bit of a dick to me.

This is the first Sherry Thomas book that I've read. I understand that she usually writes historical romance and I think that in historical romance it's easier to get away with extraordinarily wealthy men acting inexplicably. However, I don't think it works in contemporary fiction.

I'm not sorry I read this book but I think it's for diehard Sherry Thomas fans.

Complementary copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

[Robin Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books grab you from the beginning, and within the first few chapters, you have a pretty good idea if you’re going to love it or hate it. I was sucked in right away but clueless which direction I would go. Thomas kept me on the edge of my seat with her cleverly written cast of intertwined characters. I couldn’t quite get a read on them or their motivations, but since the book was recommended to me by a trusted friend, I was confident they would get their happy ending—I just didn’t know if I’d be happy with it. I soooo am. The ending is gloriously swoony, and my kindle remains intact.

[Margo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Brittle WASPs suffer anguish in a tiresome manner. No matter what the H spouted at the end, the h will always be second-bestiest by a million miles.

[Laura (Kyahgirl) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have really liked some of the historical romance by this author but this book was a fail for me. The characters were hard to get to know and get to like and I couldn’t really relate to the ‘world’ they lived in. Money, manipulation, deceit. Not for me.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sorry, what? I liked, really liked, the last two Sherry Thomas I read, I saw this at the library so I picked it up. What the hell. Hero is a cardiothoracic surgeon who "could buy the hospital", made a shit ton of money "out west" (read: Silicon Valley), bought a penthouse in 740 Park Ave just like that (seriously -- has no one ever researched the co-op board process?) He can dance the tango, not just dance, but bring the audience to applause. He's so confident he'd throw the keys to his Tesla Roadster to a virtual stranger. He's 32 and gorgeous, with a closet full of beautifully cut suits, and a Patek. (Listen children, I went to school with med students - they live in scrubs 24/7 and they want a waterproof watch with a second hand that can survive blood and puke, that's all.) He's in love with the heroine, and had been since he first laid eyes on her, whilst she's on a bridge in Central Park. God help me, bring the insulin and use a horse needle right into my heart. He probably possesses this magical wang that is the source of endless pleasure too, oh no wait, he does! It says so in the book. So what the fuck is our heroine's damage that she's running away from this guy?

Yeah, no. All the good surgeons I'd want to cut into me are in their fifties, harried, overworked, probably past their first divorce because they sacrificed so much of their personal life to their career. I know this is fiction, and not just fiction, genre fiction, so it's not like I'm expecting Steinbeck. But get real, this book makes me remember why I abhor 'romance' and my contemptuous regards. After so much inflated exaggeration, I just roll my eyes. I get that this is something like fairy tales for adults, but there's a line past which my incredulity breaks from the strain and the character's impossible perfection becomes laughable.

When I read something I like, it's because there's a sliver of recognizability within the character. I'm not asking for much, it's a rom-com in book form, after all. This perfect hero, with the perfect MacArthur-genius-grant recipient heroine whose likeness is an internet meme, the two of them so accomplished but yet so immature and emotionally crippled as to fuck up something like a perfect relationship -- that, I can't handle. Not only do they trip over their own relationship, they manage to bungle the other relationship most important to them as well: with their parents. How are they so accomplished in the rest of their lives and so miserably incompetent where it's important? He cooks, he makes perfect pancakes, and 600 million dollars in tech without even trying. He went to medical school to spite his father. The fuck is this brain damage, that's like saying you saved orphans and puppies from a burning church to spite God.

No no no no no to everything about this book. That tango thing made me cringe. I also feel the need to say that there's absolutely no need for soup to spend 30 minutes in the oven to warm up. We are in the second decade of the second millenium, are we not? There are soup deliveries in Manhattan that takes less than 30 minutes. Also, there is this wonderful thing called the ... the ... mi-cro- ... something, the name of it is on the tip of my tongue. You put food in it, and push some button for 60 seconds. Food, especially soup, comes out magically hot. No waiting. And there goes all excuses for the characters to bone, while waiting for the soup to warm up. God, is there a worse, more contrived, setup?

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid three star read. I found the story only somewhat compelling, and the writing was not as good as in some of Thomas's historical romances, like the fabulous Not Quite a Husband and Private Arrangements.

The plot cliches actually didn't bother me; they were handled deftly enough. But I could never get past how ridiculous and perfect the hero, Bennett, is. He never came to life for me and as such the romance never really came to life for me either.

Who is Bennett Somerset?

He is gorgeous and a tech multi-millionaire. Tall, stylish, with a country home in Greenwich and penthouse on 5th Avenue. He is a cardiothoracic surgeon who speaks Spanish and spends his free time on missions in Guatemala helping poor schoolchildren. He quotes Shakespeare and cooks for you every time you’re over at his place. He’s mysterious but always romantic and ready with a tender compliment. He wants to whisk you off to Italy for a weekend and drive you around the Amalfi Coast in an eco-friendly designer car. He rescues you from the rain in his Tesla. He can have sex seven times in twenty-four hours and remembers seeing your lovely, lonely face in Central Park long ago. He once worked construction in his “rough” and tumble days. He lived much of his life in Berkeley, which means he is a liberal who used to run marathons out in the sunny sun sun. He is a tango dancer who can burn down a dance floor. He makes you banana pecan pancakes after a night of AH-MAZING sex!!!!!!!

I rolled my eyes so many times while reading about him.

I think I would die of inadequacy if I were to ever meet this man in the flesh. Why did he have to be so perfect? Do you know what his flaws were?

1. He is a good liar.
2. He had been an asshole to his parents when he was eighteen.
Wow! He was a terrible teenager! Big deal!

The heroine was the best part of the book. I could relate to her a great deal and appreciated that, even at thirty-two, she had no experience with long-term relationships. I feel like that’s genuinely common of many millennials these days. The fact that she lives with and takes care of her sick (step-)mom, and uses that as an excuse to not let herself lead her own life—I found that incredibly relatable as well. She humanized Bennett somewhat and I really enjoyed reading about her.

Overall, this was a decent book and Sherry Thomas is a great writer. It's not one of my favorites from her, though.

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0
OH. MY. GOSH!! I don't even know where to start with this book! There is just so much of... Everything! Would it help if I start by saying I have only read THREE books more than once, in my entire life - and this is the third! Yep, that is how truly amazing the depth, layers and nuances of this story are.

But first... A disclaimer (and the reason for the 1/2 star deduction). Anyone who knows me or has even read many of my reviews knows I have one all-consuming, head-banging, red-faced, steam-spouting, burn-the-book, pet peeve. That of a highly intelligent, successful, competent woman who, upon seeing a handsome man loses every single brain cell IN HER HEAD and falls at his feet in a quivering mass of hormones.

That happens in this book. No, not the one night stand at the first - but the second time she sees him... After their first world-ending encounter, she dares hope that he will call her, text her... Anything? Nope, not even a thank you or a how are you? for four months. Yet, when they happen to run into each other accidentally and he invites her up to his house for some whoopy (and although her brain is reminding her what an incredible, inconsiderate jerk he has been) she immediately acquiesces. GAH, BLECH, SPFFFT!! BUT... That is the only thing in the entire book that isn't written to absolute perfection - and even that is understood by the end of the story.

Evangeline and Bennett are very complex characters. Both are very hard to like at times and both have a LOT of baggage to work through. However, while Bennett is doing his best to do so, Evangeline is completely, emotionally cut-off. So much so that the only way she can express any real feeling at all is physically with him (so for those who don't like sex, beware. While the scenes are not explicit, they are definitely steamy. Yet, they are part of the overall journey she must take).

Throughout the story, Ms. Thomas so masterfully exposes layer upon layer of depth, ever so subtly and always so beautifully that one is not even aware of the incredible talent it must take to accomplish this feat. That is until the end when everything comes together and the reader's mouth hangs open in utter awe!

That is also why one reading just isn't enough. It takes the first time through to understand what is really happening, then at least another reading to truly appreciate the exquisite beauty that is in the characters and the journey.
It is intelligent, poignant yet heart-breakingly sad at times. But, that just makes the ending all the more sweet and ultimately unforgettable.

One of the BEST written contemporaries I think I have ever read!

[Glory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Томас, безусловно, очень талантливый автор. Можно любить или не любить ее героев, понимать их или не понимать, но не верить им и их чувствам не получается.
Томас уже завоевала сердца любителей ИЛР. И в сегмент YA ворвалась с фанфарами, порадовав поклонников фэнтези "Трилогией стихий". А теперь вот добралась до СЛР.

Тут, в общем-то, все просто: встретились, разошлись, встретились вновь - только теперь и обстоятельства другие, и цели, и стремления.
И больше о сюжете ни слова. Потому что не в нем суть. Не в том, кто куда пошел и что сказал или сделал. Суть в людях, в судьбах и в случае.
Это история поломанных людей и их семей. И да, любви, но оно и так понятно.

Честно, я не знаю, как относиться к этому роману. Он прекрасно написан, в нем глубины - утонуть хватит. Но также в нем очень много боли. Да, Томас никогда не славилась легкомысленными книженциями, но тут, по-моему, перебор.
Нет, автор не давит, не вываливает на читателя чужие страдания, но делает своих персонажей такими живыми и объемными, что их боль воспринимаешь как собственную.
Здесь нет простых решений и надуманных проблем. Есть самоанализ и два одиночества, нашедшие друг друга.

И я бы поставила на балл выше, кабы после прочтения у меня не возникло сожалений, что я вообще взялась за эту историю.
Все хорошо, закон жанра, но... остался какой-то осадок.
Я слишком чувствительная, да. Пойду читать розовые сопли)

[Eunice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so so good! I know some readers might feel skeptical to start this book, with the plot being a little too used, but I promise you this book offers a whole lot more than your ordinary pretend/fake relationship stories. This book will definitely give you the feels yet will make you also feel so light you're like floating in fluffy clouds. What I think I loved the most about this book is that it was not just about romantic love but it also gives a great dose of both friendship and familial love, of forgiveness and acceptance and understanding. With all those things plus Sherry Thomas's great writing, this book has become a gem. I highly recommend this.

P.S. So Sherry Thomas, please do write more contemporary romances. I've read and loved your historical romances but this contemporary romance is I think my favorite among all the books I've read of yours. :)

[Pat Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

You have to read this book. That's what I'm telling everyone. Ms Thomas is an exceptional writer, and The One in My Heart ranks among her very best. She takes the same elements as other writers, i.e., talented, handsome, beautiful flawed protagonists, and creates a riveting and compelling read. I couldn't put it down. When I finished, I wanted to start all over again -- just didn't want to leave Bennett and Evangeline's world.

[Didi]

Did I just get approved by NetGalley?? For a Sherry Thomas book?? YES! I hardly EVER get approved!!

[Elizabeth May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sherry Thomas has some of the most beautiful prose I've ever seen in romance. I just completely lose myself in it. I didn't want this book to end.

[Andree · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this made me achy in a good way. However, weirdly, it also felt a bit like a historical. Not in the sense of the gender roles or the societal tropes, but given the type of families involved. I mean, it's basically the descendants of the English aristocracy in ST's other books. I dunno, maybe it was because most of what ST writes is historical in some way, but this didn't feel entirely modern (though it also absolutely is? I know I'm being unclear).

I dunno, I liked it a lot generally, but also didn't quite connect. The type of charm that Bennett displays works for me better in a historical (maybe *that's* why it feels historical for me - he acts exactly liked the redeemed 'rake/disappointment to the family' of a historical novel - he's even been freaking disowned). So, I didn't quite connect until fairly far in. But I love all the geek references in this (although, does anyone ever actually refer to themselves as working in a STEM field? I know it's a term that's used, particularly in writing, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone use it in conversation when referring to their own work. I've only ever heard it spoken when say, discussing labour patterns at large, or larger societal trends).

Mostly, I was giggling over meeting some of the Asquith and Tremontaine descendants (although, which Asquith is Lady Asquith descended from? Inquiring minds want to know!).

Also, I seem to be out of ST romance novels, except for the one that seems to based on amnesia/kidnapping, which I am still gearing myself up for (because WHY?). Le sigh.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I'm pretty open about the fact that I enjoy romance novels, but always in a kinda aloof "yeah I like cheesy shit" kind of way—like the equivalent of a dude wearing a "real men wear pink" shirt.

I'm talking about this because this book is exactly about that: being a romantic but also holding those feelings at arms length from yourself.

It's also about having loved ones who are dealing with depression, and contains arch dialogue and a book long Lords of the Ring allegory that starts out cheesy, becomes weirdly profound and relevant, and then reverts back to being cheesy.

This book just gave me a lot of feelings that I don't know what to do with and thought were long neutered since I read too many romance novels in 2014 and became desensitized. Now I'm just weirdly moved and I don't know what to do with myself.