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One True Love
Can True Love overcome anything?
Even Death?
Emily-Elizabeth Seawatcher's summer of '68 was supposed to be filled with sun, laughter, and backyard adventure. But she never expected it to include a boy with mystery in his eyes and whose inexplicable abilities blur the lines between fantasy and reality.
As she and Danny Corsair set sail aboard the scarlet-sailed pirate play-ship his father built in the backyard, she discovers a world where animals whisper secrets, dreams connect minds, and intuition becomes prophecy.
Meanwhile, across the sea, a dark menace awakens, driven by twisted desires and deadly secrets…
When fate threatens to tear the teens apart and storm clouds gather beyond the horizon, Danny forges an impossible covenant that will echo across oceans and time.
And when tragedy strikes, he will face unimaginable loss as he struggles to confront the true power of his vow.
From sun-drenched California to the hope of Scotland's rugged coasts, Danny's quest becomes a haunting coming-of-age tale of courage, vulnerability, and a test of young love's endurance in the face of grief.
In a world where joy and sorrow intertwine, can Danny's unwavering devotion and awakening gifts fulfill a promise that dares to defy the boundary between life and death?
'One True Love' is the first installment of the 'Scarlet Sails' series, a poignant tale of young romance, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit.
Set against the backdrop of the deceptively peaceful 1960s, this young adult journey explores the transformative power of first love and the depths of a boy's commitment to his soulmate.
Even Death?
Emily-Elizabeth Seawatcher's summer of '68 was supposed to be filled with sun, laughter, and backyard adventure. But she never expected it to include a boy with mystery in his eyes and whose inexplicable abilities blur the lines between fantasy and reality.
As she and Danny Corsair set sail aboard the scarlet-sailed pirate play-ship his father built in the backyard, she discovers a world where animals whisper secrets, dreams connect minds, and intuition becomes prophecy.
Meanwhile, across the sea, a dark menace awakens, driven by twisted desires and deadly secrets…
When fate threatens to tear the teens apart and storm clouds gather beyond the horizon, Danny forges an impossible covenant that will echo across oceans and time.
And when tragedy strikes, he will face unimaginable loss as he struggles to confront the true power of his vow.
From sun-drenched California to the hope of Scotland's rugged coasts, Danny's quest becomes a haunting coming-of-age tale of courage, vulnerability, and a test of young love's endurance in the face of grief.
In a world where joy and sorrow intertwine, can Danny's unwavering devotion and awakening gifts fulfill a promise that dares to defy the boundary between life and death?
'One True Love' is the first installment of the 'Scarlet Sails' series, a poignant tale of young romance, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit.
Set against the backdrop of the deceptively peaceful 1960s, this young adult journey explores the transformative power of first love and the depths of a boy's commitment to his soulmate.
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First published January 22, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 14, 2025
A passionate story that pulls at heartstrings. The family dynamic is relatable and makes one question how kids can be so resilient despite hardships. A must read for teens going through a rough time.
July 7, 2025
Mr. Stark's mastery of the elements of storytelling made me a believer in a world touched by the lore of the rollicking seas as well as the comfort and intimacy of a family breakfast on a Saturday morning. Through the pain of loss, uncertainty, and self-doubt, we cannot help but to hope alongside these characters. They are guided by love, just as we wish to be.
August 21, 2025
The youthful romance in the book “One True Love” combined with elements of adventure and mystery create an entertaining story. The lives of Emily Elizabeth and Danny are always interesting as they invent imaginative games, explore the wonders of nature, and have their first experiences with deeper emotions. Following their lives brings a naive and playful feeling carried throughout the book. The authorship of R. C. Stark is dialogue driven, richly descriptive, and influenced by the culture of the past. The concise exposition of the basic lives and values of the main characters make them quickly relatable. This well-crafted groundwork also enhances the audiences perspective on why each main character acts as they do. The story sacrifices speed for detail. However, the characters themselves put a premium on world-building, so the book’s expressive nature matches the nature of the characters.
A central theme in “One True Love” is the importance of being kind. Danny frequently thinks about others before himself to protect them and help them feel happier. Emily is rewarded when she empathises with Danny and she is often corrected by her peers and family when she grows selfish. The extent that young love is validated in this book was unreasonable to me. Emily’s mom and dad express their differing perspectives on Emily and Danny’s relatively juvenile relationship at multiple points in the story and stir up seemingly unnecessary contention. Emily’s mom resorts to manipulative tactics to support Emily and Danny’s relationship in the book which are a little distasteful to me. However, she goes too far at one point and apologises which balances her manipulative moments.
Overall, the sweet relationship between Danny and Emily prevails in this story and it would definitely contribute to a good moral foundation for any young reader. I enjoyed reading the way these two characters supported each other through every emotional point in the story and grew. At a time where books seem to be produced to promote agendas, R. C. Stark has demonstrated that it is possible to write literature for the exclusive purpose of allowing a reader to get lost in a story.
I was provided a free copy of this book to review it.
A central theme in “One True Love” is the importance of being kind. Danny frequently thinks about others before himself to protect them and help them feel happier. Emily is rewarded when she empathises with Danny and she is often corrected by her peers and family when she grows selfish. The extent that young love is validated in this book was unreasonable to me. Emily’s mom and dad express their differing perspectives on Emily and Danny’s relatively juvenile relationship at multiple points in the story and stir up seemingly unnecessary contention. Emily’s mom resorts to manipulative tactics to support Emily and Danny’s relationship in the book which are a little distasteful to me. However, she goes too far at one point and apologises which balances her manipulative moments.
Overall, the sweet relationship between Danny and Emily prevails in this story and it would definitely contribute to a good moral foundation for any young reader. I enjoyed reading the way these two characters supported each other through every emotional point in the story and grew. At a time where books seem to be produced to promote agendas, R. C. Stark has demonstrated that it is possible to write literature for the exclusive purpose of allowing a reader to get lost in a story.
I was provided a free copy of this book to review it.
January 8, 2026
One True Love completely pulled me in with its dreamy, almost magical take on first love, loss, and destiny. Set in the summer of 1968, the story has that nostalgic, sun-soaked feeling at the start, kids, imagination, backyard adventures, before slowly revealing something deeper, darker, and far more emotional. Danny and Emily-Elizabeth’s connection feels tender and genuine, and the blend of coming-of-age, quiet fantasy, and romance is really well done. The idea that love might stretch across time, distance, and even death is both beautiful and heartbreaking.
I listened to the audiobook, and Mary Jane Wells was fantastic. She brought so much warmth, emotion, and personality to the characters that it was easy to get completely lost in the story. Her narration elevated the book and made the emotional moments hit even harder.
That said… RC Stark, how dare you. The ending absolutely leaves you hanging, and I was immediately hunting for book two, only to come up empty. The storylines, especially the Venezuela drama, were just getting really interesting, and stopping there felt downright cruel. I’m genuinely hoping the next book comes out soon because I need to know where this goes.
Overall, this is a heartfelt, imaginative, and emotionally rich start to a series. Just be warned: you may finish it equal parts enchanted and frustrated, desperately waiting for the next chapter in Danny’s journey.
I listened to the audiobook, and Mary Jane Wells was fantastic. She brought so much warmth, emotion, and personality to the characters that it was easy to get completely lost in the story. Her narration elevated the book and made the emotional moments hit even harder.
That said… RC Stark, how dare you. The ending absolutely leaves you hanging, and I was immediately hunting for book two, only to come up empty. The storylines, especially the Venezuela drama, were just getting really interesting, and stopping there felt downright cruel. I’m genuinely hoping the next book comes out soon because I need to know where this goes.
Overall, this is a heartfelt, imaginative, and emotionally rich start to a series. Just be warned: you may finish it equal parts enchanted and frustrated, desperately waiting for the next chapter in Danny’s journey.
July 13, 2025
Audiobook: This was my first experience with this author, and I enjoyed it. At first, it started off a little slow but then the characters wrapped around my heart, and I found it difficult to drag myself away from the story. I liked Emily-Elizabeth Seawatcher and Danny Corsair and their friendship as the story started when they when children. The story made me laugh, cry, held me on the edge-of my seat, and touched my heart. I was sad when it ended, and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. I thought Mary Jane Wells' narration was great, and her performance added to my enjoyment of the story. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews