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You Only Live Once
When Lily’s husband dies, she moves to the edge of a tiny village, settling into a solitary life, her only real company her brother and his family. A quiet life becomes her safe space, with no risk of getting hurt.
When her brother offers her spare room to his oldest friend, Jack, Lily’s reluctant – but knowing how much she owes her family, can’t say no.
A lodger takes some getting used to but to her surprise, Lily begins to enjoy Jack’s company. Slowly but surely, Jack encourages Lily to step outside her comfort zone.
But taking risks means facing the consequences, and telling people how she really feels, means Lily might have to face losing them. But as the saying goes - you only live once - and being brave could mean Lily gets a second chance at love…
When her brother offers her spare room to his oldest friend, Jack, Lily’s reluctant – but knowing how much she owes her family, can’t say no.
A lodger takes some getting used to but to her surprise, Lily begins to enjoy Jack’s company. Slowly but surely, Jack encourages Lily to step outside her comfort zone.
But taking risks means facing the consequences, and telling people how she really feels, means Lily might have to face losing them. But as the saying goes - you only live once - and being brave could mean Lily gets a second chance at love…
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2022
2310 people are currently reading
1365 people want to read
About the author
Maxine Morrey
32 books308 followersMaxine has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember and wrote her first (very short) book for school when she was ten. Coming in first, she won a handful of book tokens – perfect for a bookworm!
As years went by, she continued to write, but ‘normal’ work often got in the way. She has written articles on a variety of subjects, as well as a book on Brighton for a Local History publisher. However, novels are what she loves writing the most. After self publishing her first novel when a contract fell through, thanks to the recession, she continued to look for opportunities.
In August 2015, she won Harper Collins/Carina UK’s ‘Write Christmas’ competition with her romantic comedy, ‘Winter’s Fairytale’.
Maxine lives on the south coast of England, and when not wrangling with words loves to read sew and listen to podcasts. As she also likes cake she can also be found either walking or doing something vaguely physical at the gym.
As years went by, she continued to write, but ‘normal’ work often got in the way. She has written articles on a variety of subjects, as well as a book on Brighton for a Local History publisher. However, novels are what she loves writing the most. After self publishing her first novel when a contract fell through, thanks to the recession, she continued to look for opportunities.
In August 2015, she won Harper Collins/Carina UK’s ‘Write Christmas’ competition with her romantic comedy, ‘Winter’s Fairytale’.
Maxine lives on the south coast of England, and when not wrangling with words loves to read sew and listen to podcasts. As she also likes cake she can also be found either walking or doing something vaguely physical at the gym.
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February 3, 2024DNF. The painstaking politeness got a bit too much.
October 14, 2023
"You Only Live Once" by Maxine Morrey is a delightful and heartwarming romantic comedy that will leave you with a smile on your face. The story revolves around Lily, a widow who has withdrawn into a quiet life in a small village. However, when her brother offers her spare room to his old friend Jack, Lily's world starts to change.
Morrey skillfully portrays Lily's journey of stepping outside her comfort zone and taking risks. Lily's character is relatable and endearing, and the development of her relationship with Jack is beautifully depicted. Their growing friendship and Jack's encouragement bring a sense of warmth and hope to the story.
The author has a knack for creating a charming and picturesque setting, immersing readers in the idyllic village and its colorful inhabitants. The writing is light-hearted, engaging, and filled with humor, making it a joy to read.
"You Only Live Once" is not just a love story; it also explores the themes of family, self-discovery, and the importance of embracing life's opportunities. Morrey's novel is a perfect blend of laughter, emotion, and romance, leaving readers feeling uplifted and inspired. It's a must-read for fans of feel-good romantic comedies.
Morrey skillfully portrays Lily's journey of stepping outside her comfort zone and taking risks. Lily's character is relatable and endearing, and the development of her relationship with Jack is beautifully depicted. Their growing friendship and Jack's encouragement bring a sense of warmth and hope to the story.
The author has a knack for creating a charming and picturesque setting, immersing readers in the idyllic village and its colorful inhabitants. The writing is light-hearted, engaging, and filled with humor, making it a joy to read.
"You Only Live Once" is not just a love story; it also explores the themes of family, self-discovery, and the importance of embracing life's opportunities. Morrey's novel is a perfect blend of laughter, emotion, and romance, leaving readers feeling uplifted and inspired. It's a must-read for fans of feel-good romantic comedies.
May 1, 2022
You Only Live Once by Maxine Morrey is the story of a romance novelist, a widow, whose husband died in a horrific accident years earlier. Lily has been a recluse since shortly after her husband’s death. In an effort to shake up her life, her brother traps her into hosting their childhood friend, Jack, and you can guess the rest, I expect.
Let’s start with the title: it’s stupid and over-used. Don’t agree? Do a search for books with that title. And also ask yourself what that title actually means. See also YOLO. Moving on…
A little bit of personal information that informed my review: I too am a widow and as such, I was very interested to see how the author would portray Lily. Most of the time, authors get it wrong. No criticism but it’s a hard thing to write about if you haven’t lived it or talked extensively with people who have.
Now, I don’t know Morrey, including whether she’s a widow, but I can tell you that she, too, got it wrong. And that really matters in a book that centers itself on loss. Her protagonist is literally a recluse because she’s afraid of experiencing loss again. We’re talking she doesn’t own a pet because pets die.
But here’s the problem: we don’t just love our spouses. We love friends, siblings, nieces and nephews, parents, cousins, etc. Lily’s brother and family visit Lily frequently and she appears to love them very much. Why isn’t she terrified of that connection? The author seems to have completely overlooked that Lily’s love for her brother’s children is probably even more impactful than her love of her spouse.
In the story, Lily has been a recluse for a long time, like maybe 10 years. All it takes for her to break out of her shell is for Jack to move in. Not only does she go to a party – in a dress that she hasn’t worn in 10 years but somehow it isn’t dated or faded and it still fits perfectly – but she also stands up to a bully at the party, protecting Jack from embarrassment.
Given that I could hardly remember how to buy groceries after more than a year isolated by a pandemic, I am having a hard time suspending my disbelief that she can function normally at a loud, crowded function when she’s been mostly alone for 10 years.
AND she immediately falls for basically the only man she has seen since her husband died. If I were Jack – who, apparently, is perfect and nursing a crush that he’s had since they were children, I’d be really cautious about committing to a woman who hasn’t interacted with another man since her husband died. That’s not love – that’s mental illness.
And finally, let’s talk a little about the romance: Lily occasionally objectifies Jack. Jack seems to be carrying a torch for Lily, which we get some additional details about late in the story. But the pacing of their romance is ridiculous.
They go from platonic friends supporting each other to a weird partial scene of them stripping their clothes off – mostly implied, by the way. BOOM. They’re in love. There’s no build up. The author doesn’t let us see what happened that caused them to fall through the front door, passionately kissing as they start to strip off their clothes. It’s weird, like the author wasn’t sure what would make them want to kiss. And to be honest, I’m not sure what would make them want to kiss either.
The author has created a character who is terrified of the deep intimacy of loving someone. And then the author writes a scene in which that character – who hasn’t kissed anyone romantically in 10 years – is tearing off her love interest’s clothes. Balderdash.
This protagonist was deeply trapped in her fear and grief. Wouldn’t it have been great if her family and Jack had helped her get into counseling? She needed that far, far more than a romantic entanglement.
Also, there’s quite a bit of over-writing: You know what I mean: ‘“I’m cold. I will put on this sweater.” I keep a sweater close by for those times when I feel the chill in the air. Since it’s chilly right now, I will put on this sweater.’ PSA: This is not a quote from the book. This is an example of over-writing. I can’t quote from the book because I received an ARC. Okay? Okay.
There’s also a lot of unnecessary explanation – dear author, we do not need to know that she used the bathroom after all that tea. (ALSO AN EXAMPLE.) We can assume a bunch of stuff that happens in normal life. We only want the details that move the story forward.
Nope yourself right out of this one. It will just make you mad.
I received a digital ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
bookbuzzblog.com
Let’s start with the title: it’s stupid and over-used. Don’t agree? Do a search for books with that title. And also ask yourself what that title actually means. See also YOLO. Moving on…
A little bit of personal information that informed my review: I too am a widow and as such, I was very interested to see how the author would portray Lily. Most of the time, authors get it wrong. No criticism but it’s a hard thing to write about if you haven’t lived it or talked extensively with people who have.
Now, I don’t know Morrey, including whether she’s a widow, but I can tell you that she, too, got it wrong. And that really matters in a book that centers itself on loss. Her protagonist is literally a recluse because she’s afraid of experiencing loss again. We’re talking she doesn’t own a pet because pets die.
But here’s the problem: we don’t just love our spouses. We love friends, siblings, nieces and nephews, parents, cousins, etc. Lily’s brother and family visit Lily frequently and she appears to love them very much. Why isn’t she terrified of that connection? The author seems to have completely overlooked that Lily’s love for her brother’s children is probably even more impactful than her love of her spouse.
In the story, Lily has been a recluse for a long time, like maybe 10 years. All it takes for her to break out of her shell is for Jack to move in. Not only does she go to a party – in a dress that she hasn’t worn in 10 years but somehow it isn’t dated or faded and it still fits perfectly – but she also stands up to a bully at the party, protecting Jack from embarrassment.
Given that I could hardly remember how to buy groceries after more than a year isolated by a pandemic, I am having a hard time suspending my disbelief that she can function normally at a loud, crowded function when she’s been mostly alone for 10 years.
AND she immediately falls for basically the only man she has seen since her husband died. If I were Jack – who, apparently, is perfect and nursing a crush that he’s had since they were children, I’d be really cautious about committing to a woman who hasn’t interacted with another man since her husband died. That’s not love – that’s mental illness.
And finally, let’s talk a little about the romance: Lily occasionally objectifies Jack. Jack seems to be carrying a torch for Lily, which we get some additional details about late in the story. But the pacing of their romance is ridiculous.
They go from platonic friends supporting each other to a weird partial scene of them stripping their clothes off – mostly implied, by the way. BOOM. They’re in love. There’s no build up. The author doesn’t let us see what happened that caused them to fall through the front door, passionately kissing as they start to strip off their clothes. It’s weird, like the author wasn’t sure what would make them want to kiss. And to be honest, I’m not sure what would make them want to kiss either.
The author has created a character who is terrified of the deep intimacy of loving someone. And then the author writes a scene in which that character – who hasn’t kissed anyone romantically in 10 years – is tearing off her love interest’s clothes. Balderdash.
This protagonist was deeply trapped in her fear and grief. Wouldn’t it have been great if her family and Jack had helped her get into counseling? She needed that far, far more than a romantic entanglement.
Also, there’s quite a bit of over-writing: You know what I mean: ‘“I’m cold. I will put on this sweater.” I keep a sweater close by for those times when I feel the chill in the air. Since it’s chilly right now, I will put on this sweater.’ PSA: This is not a quote from the book. This is an example of over-writing. I can’t quote from the book because I received an ARC. Okay? Okay.
There’s also a lot of unnecessary explanation – dear author, we do not need to know that she used the bathroom after all that tea. (ALSO AN EXAMPLE.) We can assume a bunch of stuff that happens in normal life. We only want the details that move the story forward.
Nope yourself right out of this one. It will just make you mad.
I received a digital ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
bookbuzzblog.com
April 28, 2022
"I was living in the shadows and I had been for far too long. It was time to step into the light, no matter how scary and bright it felt right at this moment."
I immediately wanted to pick up the book after reading it's blurb. I was already prepared to get to understand Lily and her life after losing her husband. I wanted to see how would she really get out of the loneliness that had become her comfort zone and would she really give Jack a chance to mend her heart. Her dynamics with her family and especially Jack put a smile on my face. I also loved how Jack respected her feelings for her husband and was able to talk with her about it so comfortably. He just wanted her to see that she can't keep living in fear and grief forever and wanted her to give him a chance. I loved her and Jack together, they somehow fit perfectly. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the side characters but I feel like it should have included more backstory about when Jack and Lily first met because when it was implied that she once had a crush on him, it seemed like there was more chemistry between them in the past and we didn't get to read about it. Still it was a good read though with a cute epilogue.
Thank you Netgalley & Boldwood Books for the ARC
I immediately wanted to pick up the book after reading it's blurb. I was already prepared to get to understand Lily and her life after losing her husband. I wanted to see how would she really get out of the loneliness that had become her comfort zone and would she really give Jack a chance to mend her heart. Her dynamics with her family and especially Jack put a smile on my face. I also loved how Jack respected her feelings for her husband and was able to talk with her about it so comfortably. He just wanted her to see that she can't keep living in fear and grief forever and wanted her to give him a chance. I loved her and Jack together, they somehow fit perfectly. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the side characters but I feel like it should have included more backstory about when Jack and Lily first met because when it was implied that she once had a crush on him, it seemed like there was more chemistry between them in the past and we didn't get to read about it. Still it was a good read though with a cute epilogue.
Thank you Netgalley & Boldwood Books for the ARC
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May 16, 2024DNF 30%. I’m not sure if it is the narration or the story/writing but it is very slow-moving and the first person POV doesn’t work for me because the heroine just isn’t interesting or witty enough. It also doesn’t help the appeal that the narrator makes the MMC sound like late Queen Elizabeth II. No disrespect but it is decidedly not very sexy.
August 25, 2022
Having lost my husband just over 5 years ago, I was instantly intrigued by this book. This line in the synopsis, "When Lily’s husband dies, she moves to the edge of a tiny village, settling into a solitary life, her only real company her brother and his family. A quiet life becomes her safe space, with no risk of getting hurt." is one I totally understand. Although Lily is still dealing with grief, there is so much more to this story and a lot to love. Lily is an author, who writes under a pseudonym. When one of her books is made into a movie, it forces her out of her comfort zone. Meanwhile, her brother's childhood friend, Jack, who is also from a family with a title, moves into her home as a lodger, while he looks for a place to live. So, we have forced proximity, a family who doesn't think she is good enough, and a man who has been hurt, but wants to help Lily. All this comes together in an uplifting and sweet story.
I really enjoyed seeing the relationship between Jack and Lily develop. Even though they had known each other most of their lives, Jack left the country when he married. Returning after his marriage ended, he was hurt. He understood Lily had to deal with her grief in her own way, and never made her feel uncomfortable when talking about him. Their banter was fun, they seemed to know how to push each other's buttons. As much as Jack supported Lily, she did the same for him, especially when it came to seeing his family. I didn't like his mother at all, she was a big snob and so rude to Lily. I loved how both of them had to deal with their families who thought they knew what was best. As the story progressed there were hints about a situation when they were younger and their feelings toward each other, but I would have liked more about their past. This is a heartwarming and sweet read, with great characters, especially, Clive the dog. If you want to know more about him, you have to read the book.
I really enjoyed seeing the relationship between Jack and Lily develop. Even though they had known each other most of their lives, Jack left the country when he married. Returning after his marriage ended, he was hurt. He understood Lily had to deal with her grief in her own way, and never made her feel uncomfortable when talking about him. Their banter was fun, they seemed to know how to push each other's buttons. As much as Jack supported Lily, she did the same for him, especially when it came to seeing his family. I didn't like his mother at all, she was a big snob and so rude to Lily. I loved how both of them had to deal with their families who thought they knew what was best. As the story progressed there were hints about a situation when they were younger and their feelings toward each other, but I would have liked more about their past. This is a heartwarming and sweet read, with great characters, especially, Clive the dog. If you want to know more about him, you have to read the book.
April 18, 2025
This book was a tonic and exactly what I needed. I loved it!
Lily has been a recluse for years following the sudden death of her husband. Except, thanks to her brother organising a lodger, she now has to adjust to sharing her very large living space with the gorgeous Jack. Lily and Jack have known each other for years, which helps when Lily tries to avoid interacting with people. Yet, over time, she starts to realise she enjoys the company, especially Jack’s, and cannot imagine a life without him.
Having all the typical features of a romance story, I loved the easy nature of the read. I easily slipped into the narrative, instantly warming to the protagonists. Lily had a crush on Jack when she was a teenager and I loved seeing how these feeling resurface, as well as a thirst for enjoying life again. The grief that Lily has experienced for so long has held her back and it is Jack’s arrival that sees her realise how much she has missed.
I enjoyed how Morrey creates Jack’s character in the sense that he comes a very fancy background! Despite the heir to a massive estate and title, Jack has shunned this for a simpler way of life. After living in New Zealand for many years, his return home means he needs to patch things up with his parents and I was entertained by the upper class stereotypes that Morrey includes.
A lot of the plot builds up to Lily attending a film premiere and I was curious to know how she would handle being out in public with nowhere to hide. I warmed to how solid and supportive Jack was for Lily, offering that emotional help when Lily was stepping so far out of her comfort zone. I knew the two characters would eventually become a couple, but I think it was from this point that I really grew frustrated that they were not acknowledging their feelings anytime soon!
A sweet read with pleasant characters and a lovable dog. I enjoyed the warmth of this romance and seeing the main character evolve from being hidden away, suffocated by grief, to realising she does enjoy company. Lily is like her namesake, blossoming like a flower to appreciate life once more.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lily has been a recluse for years following the sudden death of her husband. Except, thanks to her brother organising a lodger, she now has to adjust to sharing her very large living space with the gorgeous Jack. Lily and Jack have known each other for years, which helps when Lily tries to avoid interacting with people. Yet, over time, she starts to realise she enjoys the company, especially Jack’s, and cannot imagine a life without him.
Having all the typical features of a romance story, I loved the easy nature of the read. I easily slipped into the narrative, instantly warming to the protagonists. Lily had a crush on Jack when she was a teenager and I loved seeing how these feeling resurface, as well as a thirst for enjoying life again. The grief that Lily has experienced for so long has held her back and it is Jack’s arrival that sees her realise how much she has missed.
I enjoyed how Morrey creates Jack’s character in the sense that he comes a very fancy background! Despite the heir to a massive estate and title, Jack has shunned this for a simpler way of life. After living in New Zealand for many years, his return home means he needs to patch things up with his parents and I was entertained by the upper class stereotypes that Morrey includes.
A lot of the plot builds up to Lily attending a film premiere and I was curious to know how she would handle being out in public with nowhere to hide. I warmed to how solid and supportive Jack was for Lily, offering that emotional help when Lily was stepping so far out of her comfort zone. I knew the two characters would eventually become a couple, but I think it was from this point that I really grew frustrated that they were not acknowledging their feelings anytime soon!
A sweet read with pleasant characters and a lovable dog. I enjoyed the warmth of this romance and seeing the main character evolve from being hidden away, suffocated by grief, to realising she does enjoy company. Lily is like her namesake, blossoming like a flower to appreciate life once more.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2022
A blink and you'll miss it romance.
June 14, 2022
After Lily's husband of just three years dies in a freak accident she becomes practically a recluse. She leaves London with its memories and moves to a large house on the edge of a small village where she continues to write her very successful novels. She avoids meeting neighbours, shopping very early in the morning, and declines invitations to visit friends and family. Her only real contact is with her brother Felix, his wife, and their two children who visit regularly.
Her brother's best friend, and her secret childhood crush, Jack has been living in New Zealand building up his own landscape gardening business. Jack is the son of landed gentry but always seemed to spend most of his time at Felix and Lily's house as a child. Jack is now returning to the UK and Felix has volunteered a room in Lily's house for him to stay in until he gets his new business up and running.
Although Lily initially objects to having a lodger thrust upon her, especially one who was a witness to her greatest humiliation as a teenager, she does eventually come to appreciate his friendship, but can she let go of the past and learn to love again?
Oh dear, I see that I have read a couple of Ms Morrey's previous novels and I have to say I have the same grumbles about this book as I did with those books. Taking that into account, obviously I need to stop requesting ARCs by Maxine Morrey because her style doesn't suit me - if you have enjoyed other books by her then I'm sure you will also enjoy this. Which is not to say that I didn't like the book, just that there were some niggles.
First, I get that Lily was wallowing in her grief (I believe her husband died nearly ten years ago) and was becoming a recluse. However, both Jack and Felix steamrollered her into doing things she didn't want to do, "for her own good". Lily is a woman who earns a very good living, lives life on her own terms and is happy the way she is. It is not for her brother and lodger to force her to change. Also, it makes Lily look stupid; just once I would like the male character to persuade the female to step outside her comfort zone and it's a disaster, something they both agree will never be attempted again!
Second, in any journey of the nature which Lily is on, there are three steps forward and two steps back, that's just life. But when Lily starts to retreat backwards Jack storms off. It is a pet peeve of mine that (generally) men in romance seem to see the need to force the woman to do what they want or it's all over.
Third, it was all so predictable, practically from the first page, I think this needed to be less formulaic. Also, what was the point of making Jack the son of an aristocrat? It smacked a bit of a kitchen-sink approach to plot by throwing every genre at it and hoping something might stick, it didn't go anywhere and also left me with some legal questions about future children.
Overall, an enjoyable, if rather formulaic and predictable, friends-to-lovers romance let down by the hero's behaviour for me. (I even copied that conclusion from my review of one of Ms Morrey's previous books).
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Her brother's best friend, and her secret childhood crush, Jack has been living in New Zealand building up his own landscape gardening business. Jack is the son of landed gentry but always seemed to spend most of his time at Felix and Lily's house as a child. Jack is now returning to the UK and Felix has volunteered a room in Lily's house for him to stay in until he gets his new business up and running.
Although Lily initially objects to having a lodger thrust upon her, especially one who was a witness to her greatest humiliation as a teenager, she does eventually come to appreciate his friendship, but can she let go of the past and learn to love again?
Oh dear, I see that I have read a couple of Ms Morrey's previous novels and I have to say I have the same grumbles about this book as I did with those books. Taking that into account, obviously I need to stop requesting ARCs by Maxine Morrey because her style doesn't suit me - if you have enjoyed other books by her then I'm sure you will also enjoy this. Which is not to say that I didn't like the book, just that there were some niggles.
First, I get that Lily was wallowing in her grief (I believe her husband died nearly ten years ago) and was becoming a recluse. However, both Jack and Felix steamrollered her into doing things she didn't want to do, "for her own good". Lily is a woman who earns a very good living, lives life on her own terms and is happy the way she is. It is not for her brother and lodger to force her to change. Also, it makes Lily look stupid; just once I would like the male character to persuade the female to step outside her comfort zone and it's a disaster, something they both agree will never be attempted again!
Second, in any journey of the nature which Lily is on, there are three steps forward and two steps back, that's just life. But when Lily starts to retreat backwards Jack storms off. It is a pet peeve of mine that (generally) men in romance seem to see the need to force the woman to do what they want or it's all over.
Third, it was all so predictable, practically from the first page, I think this needed to be less formulaic. Also, what was the point of making Jack the son of an aristocrat? It smacked a bit of a kitchen-sink approach to plot by throwing every genre at it and hoping something might stick, it didn't go anywhere and also left me with some legal questions about future children.
Overall, an enjoyable, if rather formulaic and predictable, friends-to-lovers romance let down by the hero's behaviour for me. (I even copied that conclusion from my review of one of Ms Morrey's previous books).
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
June 7, 2022
This book had a lot of potential based on the description, but unfortunately it fell short for me.
The story progressed slowly and felt unrealistic. As the reader you could sense that there was something budding between Lily and Jack, but there was just no real chemistry between them. We come to understand that Lily is still traumatized 10 years after her husbands unexpected death and that she’s afraid to move on, but suddenly she’s getting naked and making out with Jack. Doesn’t fit knowing how much she struggled with her husbands death. Plus there are chapters where several weeks pass, which could’ve been used to further build the relationship between Jack and Lily. Just didn’t work for me.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story progressed slowly and felt unrealistic. As the reader you could sense that there was something budding between Lily and Jack, but there was just no real chemistry between them. We come to understand that Lily is still traumatized 10 years after her husbands unexpected death and that she’s afraid to move on, but suddenly she’s getting naked and making out with Jack. Doesn’t fit knowing how much she struggled with her husbands death. Plus there are chapters where several weeks pass, which could’ve been used to further build the relationship between Jack and Lily. Just didn’t work for me.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2024
5 stars because it was a fulfilling love story and kept me interested, waiting to see what would happen next. Great book to clear my mind after a bunch of psychological thrillers.
Story follows Lily who's husband dies tragically and she in turn becomes a recluse. All these years later Jack, a boy she knew to be well to do and a player, re-enters her life.
I loved this story and kept rooting for the two of them to just take the plunge.
Clean romance not spicy.
Will definitely look for more books by this author.
Story follows Lily who's husband dies tragically and she in turn becomes a recluse. All these years later Jack, a boy she knew to be well to do and a player, re-enters her life.
I loved this story and kept rooting for the two of them to just take the plunge.
Clean romance not spicy.
Will definitely look for more books by this author.
June 17, 2022
Placid, British, “roommates to lovers” romance with middle-aged protagonists
For the past nine years, 39-year-old widow and bestselling romance author, Lily Thomas, has restricted herself to an isolated, celibate, emotionally-risk-free existence in her home town, a small village in England. Lily moved to the village from London a year after the untimely death of her beloved husband due to a gruesome accident, which occurred on the very night they were celebrating the third anniversary of their marriage. After all this time, Lily still misses her dead husband every single day.
Lily owns a gorgeous, Georgian-style manor that is so immense and costly, it has its own name, Meadow Blossom House. It is surrounded by an expansive amount of acreage, which is populated with a dense, privacy-insuring stand of trees and, immediately adjacent to the house, a massive garden that was pristinely landscaped when Lily moved in. Unfortunately, over the years, the garden has run wild, because Lily cannot bring herself to endure the stress of regular, face-to-face human contact with a gardener. For the same reason, she has also avoided hiring a cleaning service or a handyperson to help her with crucial, routine upkeep of her home. She also purchases her groceries at 6:00 in the morning from the main village shop in order to evade running into her fellow villagers as much as possible. In fact, the only people that Lily has voluntarily associated with during the past decade are her 42-year-old brother, Felix, her 42-year-old sister-in-law, Poppy, and their two young children, Freddy and Ruby. Until the moment arrives, at the start of this story, when Felix volunteers Lily's home as a temporary abode for his best friend since childhood, Jack Coulsdon-Hart.
Jack is a 42-year-old, highly talented landscape designer who has returned to the village where Lily lives, which is his hometown as well, after a 10-year sojourn in New Zealand. While in NZ, he was married for several years, and two years ago went through a low-angst divorce. Jack is heir to an earldom and is estranged from his snooty, judgmental parents, who live at a very large estate near Lily’s village. In large part, Jack fled England to escape the constant matchmaking of his parents, who expected him to marry a fellow aristocrat and produce the next generation of heirs to the earldom. In addition, they believe his landscaping profession is far beneath his dignity as a future Earl and resent his egalitarian attitude, in general, toward non-aristocrats.
This novel is a melodrama-free, quintessentially British romance which employs the following, popular romance tropes: roommates become lovers, falling for her brother's best friend, and second chance at love. Fans of this author will enjoy the leisurely pace of the story, the lack of foul language, and the off-stage sexuality, all of which are hallmarks of this author's style.
Jack is an idealized, no-faults-allowed version of a romance hero, from his handsome face and well-toned body, to his hard-working, responsible, easy going, kind and generous disposition. In contrast, while Lily is a typical, beautiful, slender heroine, she is a very emotionally closed off individual who has been living a peacefully isolated existence for a very long time, which she is completely satisfied with. She has no “Story Goal” that she is pursuing. Hers is an avoidance motivation, which provides the main romantic conflict in this novel, which is that Lily has zero desire to change any aspect whatsoever in her stultifying routine.
Speaking of which, it is rather hard to believe that a romance author who has, for over a decade, refused to fill her creative well with human interaction, in the process starving the natural curiosity that is an absolutely crucial feature of life as a professional writer, would be capable of continuing to successfully write thrilling romance stories. However, be that as it may, it is clear that the author has chosen to assign Lily the occupation of novelist, because it conveniently has allowed her to continue to have an income while working entirely from home, with no need to involve anyone else in her work on a routine basis.
Given that Lily is a borderline agoraphobic misanthrope, the only way any man could ever become part of her life would be to approach her with the proverbial kid gloves, via the “forced proximity” of a roommate situation, which is exactly what Jack does in this book. The progression of their relationship from acquaintances, to friends, to potential life mates is almost as ardor-free as Lily's life when she was living alone. Over the course of this novel, Lily and Jack gradually evolve into a comfortable, "old shoes" version of an HEA, and it is easy to visualize the two of them sliding without a ripple into a mellow old age together.
In short, if you are looking for exciting sparks of emotional and sexual chemistry between romance protagonists, you will need to find it somewhere else. But if you are in need of a restful break between high-intensity plot lines in other novels on your reading list, this is a good book to provide you with a relaxing intermission. It is an especially good choice to read right before you go to bed. It definitely won't keep you up at night.
I experienced this novel as an audiobook which, given that the book is written in the first-person point of view of only the heroine--another typical feature of this author's writing style--it is narrated only by one female voice talent, Gloria Sanders. GS has a quiet, mellifluous voice that represents well the soothing, low-key atmosphere of this novel. However, since there is very little difference between her portrayals of the voices of female and male characters, a great deal of the time it was difficult for me to know if it was Lily speaking or if it was Jack.
I rate this novel as follows:
Heroine: 3 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters: 3 stars
Romance plot: 3 stars
Setting: 3 stars
Writing: 3 stars
Narration: 3 stars
Overall: 3 stars
For the past nine years, 39-year-old widow and bestselling romance author, Lily Thomas, has restricted herself to an isolated, celibate, emotionally-risk-free existence in her home town, a small village in England. Lily moved to the village from London a year after the untimely death of her beloved husband due to a gruesome accident, which occurred on the very night they were celebrating the third anniversary of their marriage. After all this time, Lily still misses her dead husband every single day.
Lily owns a gorgeous, Georgian-style manor that is so immense and costly, it has its own name, Meadow Blossom House. It is surrounded by an expansive amount of acreage, which is populated with a dense, privacy-insuring stand of trees and, immediately adjacent to the house, a massive garden that was pristinely landscaped when Lily moved in. Unfortunately, over the years, the garden has run wild, because Lily cannot bring herself to endure the stress of regular, face-to-face human contact with a gardener. For the same reason, she has also avoided hiring a cleaning service or a handyperson to help her with crucial, routine upkeep of her home. She also purchases her groceries at 6:00 in the morning from the main village shop in order to evade running into her fellow villagers as much as possible. In fact, the only people that Lily has voluntarily associated with during the past decade are her 42-year-old brother, Felix, her 42-year-old sister-in-law, Poppy, and their two young children, Freddy and Ruby. Until the moment arrives, at the start of this story, when Felix volunteers Lily's home as a temporary abode for his best friend since childhood, Jack Coulsdon-Hart.
Jack is a 42-year-old, highly talented landscape designer who has returned to the village where Lily lives, which is his hometown as well, after a 10-year sojourn in New Zealand. While in NZ, he was married for several years, and two years ago went through a low-angst divorce. Jack is heir to an earldom and is estranged from his snooty, judgmental parents, who live at a very large estate near Lily’s village. In large part, Jack fled England to escape the constant matchmaking of his parents, who expected him to marry a fellow aristocrat and produce the next generation of heirs to the earldom. In addition, they believe his landscaping profession is far beneath his dignity as a future Earl and resent his egalitarian attitude, in general, toward non-aristocrats.
This novel is a melodrama-free, quintessentially British romance which employs the following, popular romance tropes: roommates become lovers, falling for her brother's best friend, and second chance at love. Fans of this author will enjoy the leisurely pace of the story, the lack of foul language, and the off-stage sexuality, all of which are hallmarks of this author's style.
Jack is an idealized, no-faults-allowed version of a romance hero, from his handsome face and well-toned body, to his hard-working, responsible, easy going, kind and generous disposition. In contrast, while Lily is a typical, beautiful, slender heroine, she is a very emotionally closed off individual who has been living a peacefully isolated existence for a very long time, which she is completely satisfied with. She has no “Story Goal” that she is pursuing. Hers is an avoidance motivation, which provides the main romantic conflict in this novel, which is that Lily has zero desire to change any aspect whatsoever in her stultifying routine.
Speaking of which, it is rather hard to believe that a romance author who has, for over a decade, refused to fill her creative well with human interaction, in the process starving the natural curiosity that is an absolutely crucial feature of life as a professional writer, would be capable of continuing to successfully write thrilling romance stories. However, be that as it may, it is clear that the author has chosen to assign Lily the occupation of novelist, because it conveniently has allowed her to continue to have an income while working entirely from home, with no need to involve anyone else in her work on a routine basis.
Given that Lily is a borderline agoraphobic misanthrope, the only way any man could ever become part of her life would be to approach her with the proverbial kid gloves, via the “forced proximity” of a roommate situation, which is exactly what Jack does in this book. The progression of their relationship from acquaintances, to friends, to potential life mates is almost as ardor-free as Lily's life when she was living alone. Over the course of this novel, Lily and Jack gradually evolve into a comfortable, "old shoes" version of an HEA, and it is easy to visualize the two of them sliding without a ripple into a mellow old age together.
In short, if you are looking for exciting sparks of emotional and sexual chemistry between romance protagonists, you will need to find it somewhere else. But if you are in need of a restful break between high-intensity plot lines in other novels on your reading list, this is a good book to provide you with a relaxing intermission. It is an especially good choice to read right before you go to bed. It definitely won't keep you up at night.
I experienced this novel as an audiobook which, given that the book is written in the first-person point of view of only the heroine--another typical feature of this author's writing style--it is narrated only by one female voice talent, Gloria Sanders. GS has a quiet, mellifluous voice that represents well the soothing, low-key atmosphere of this novel. However, since there is very little difference between her portrayals of the voices of female and male characters, a great deal of the time it was difficult for me to know if it was Lily speaking or if it was Jack.
I rate this novel as follows:
Heroine: 3 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters: 3 stars
Romance plot: 3 stars
Setting: 3 stars
Writing: 3 stars
Narration: 3 stars
Overall: 3 stars
May 26, 2022
You Only Live Once
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 6/14/22
Author: Maxine Morrey
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Pages: 301
Goodreads Rating: 3.59
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing a digital copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: When Lily’s husband dies, she moves to the edge of a tiny village, settling into a solitary life, her only real company her brother and his family. When her brother offers her spare room to his oldest friend, Jack, Lily’s reluctant – but knowing how much she owes her family, can’t say no. Slowly but surely, Jack encourages Lily to step outside her comfort zone. But taking risks means facing the consequences, and telling people how she really feels, means Lily might have to face losing them. But as the saying goes - you only live once - and being brave could mean Lily gets a second chance at love.
My Thoughts: The story was narrated in a dual timeline, which I did love. The characters were well developed and had an attraction that I could appreciate, but would have loved to see more of the courtship, as in the dates and the first kiss. While I generally love this author, there were a few things I would love to have seen expanded such as the courtship, I felt like it was rushed in the book and not descriptive enough. However, even saying that, you could feel how much Jack cared for Lily, he truly wanted what was best for her, even it meant that may or may not be him. The author’s writing was intriguing, complex, and was wonderful, even with the above. Overall, I felt this was a good book that I enjoyed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 6/14/22
Author: Maxine Morrey
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Pages: 301
Goodreads Rating: 3.59
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing a digital copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: When Lily’s husband dies, she moves to the edge of a tiny village, settling into a solitary life, her only real company her brother and his family. When her brother offers her spare room to his oldest friend, Jack, Lily’s reluctant – but knowing how much she owes her family, can’t say no. Slowly but surely, Jack encourages Lily to step outside her comfort zone. But taking risks means facing the consequences, and telling people how she really feels, means Lily might have to face losing them. But as the saying goes - you only live once - and being brave could mean Lily gets a second chance at love.
My Thoughts: The story was narrated in a dual timeline, which I did love. The characters were well developed and had an attraction that I could appreciate, but would have loved to see more of the courtship, as in the dates and the first kiss. While I generally love this author, there were a few things I would love to have seen expanded such as the courtship, I felt like it was rushed in the book and not descriptive enough. However, even saying that, you could feel how much Jack cared for Lily, he truly wanted what was best for her, even it meant that may or may not be him. The author’s writing was intriguing, complex, and was wonderful, even with the above. Overall, I felt this was a good book that I enjoyed.
June 14, 2022
Thanks to Net Galley for providing me a digital arc in response for an honest review.
This is the second book I’ve read by Maxine Morrey and I loved it!
When Lily's husband dies, she moves to the edge of a tiny village, settling into a solitary life, her only real company her brother and his family. A quiet life becomes her safe space, with no risk of getting hurt. When her brother offers her spare room to his oldest friend, Jack, Lily's reluctant but knowing how much she owes her family, can't say no.
A lodger takes some getting used to but to her surprise,Lily begins to enjoy Jack's company. Slowly but surely, Jack encourages Lily to step outside her comfort zone. But taking risks means facing the consequences, and telling people how she really feels, means Lily might have to face losing them. But as the saying goes - you only live once and being brave could mean Lily gets a second chance at love…..
My opinion: I loved the dual timeline of this novel. The characters were really nicely developed but I would have loved to see more of the development of their romance such as the first kiss. But despite this you could understand how much Jack cared for Lily and her feelings and how the best for her may not be him.
Overall this book was enjoyable and I cannot wait to read any further book by this author.
This is the second book I’ve read by Maxine Morrey and I loved it!
When Lily's husband dies, she moves to the edge of a tiny village, settling into a solitary life, her only real company her brother and his family. A quiet life becomes her safe space, with no risk of getting hurt. When her brother offers her spare room to his oldest friend, Jack, Lily's reluctant but knowing how much she owes her family, can't say no.
A lodger takes some getting used to but to her surprise,Lily begins to enjoy Jack's company. Slowly but surely, Jack encourages Lily to step outside her comfort zone. But taking risks means facing the consequences, and telling people how she really feels, means Lily might have to face losing them. But as the saying goes - you only live once and being brave could mean Lily gets a second chance at love…..
My opinion: I loved the dual timeline of this novel. The characters were really nicely developed but I would have loved to see more of the development of their romance such as the first kiss. But despite this you could understand how much Jack cared for Lily and her feelings and how the best for her may not be him.
Overall this book was enjoyable and I cannot wait to read any further book by this author.
June 12, 2022
What a heartwarming and charming read!! I loved the characters-even Clive the dog was so sweet!
Lily has been struggling with her confidence and finds herself hiding away from everyone after she loses her husband in a freak accident. When her brother’s best friend needs a place to stay for a few days when he comes back to town, her brother suggests that he stay with Lily, and as much as she objects to it on the basis that she likes her quiet life, she agrees to let him stay. Of course, over the course of time, lily comes to realize all she’s been missing by hiding herself away and once she opens her heart and her life up again, good things start happening again. Cute and entertaining rom-com that will stick with you.
This was my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last!
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
Lily has been struggling with her confidence and finds herself hiding away from everyone after she loses her husband in a freak accident. When her brother’s best friend needs a place to stay for a few days when he comes back to town, her brother suggests that he stay with Lily, and as much as she objects to it on the basis that she likes her quiet life, she agrees to let him stay. Of course, over the course of time, lily comes to realize all she’s been missing by hiding herself away and once she opens her heart and her life up again, good things start happening again. Cute and entertaining rom-com that will stick with you.
This was my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last!
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
June 15, 2022
Lily loses her husband Mike in a freak car accident. She is devastated and moves to the village to be close to her brother. She lives as a recluse only seeing her brother and his family. She is a romance writer and the village loves to gossip about her.
Her brother is concerned for her well being. He doesn't like her being alone so he tells his best friend Jack that he can just stay at Lily's until he gets settled in town. Lily is mad but figures she owes her brother for all he has done and reluctantly says yes.
When young child she had crush on Jack so it is awkward when he moves in. He is rich, fit and dreamy and manages to push her buttons and rile her up almost everyday. He keeps telling her she needs to get out more and start living as that is what Mike would have wanted.
Although the truth is hard to hear she eventually finds happiness and love again.
Her brother is concerned for her well being. He doesn't like her being alone so he tells his best friend Jack that he can just stay at Lily's until he gets settled in town. Lily is mad but figures she owes her brother for all he has done and reluctantly says yes.
When young child she had crush on Jack so it is awkward when he moves in. He is rich, fit and dreamy and manages to push her buttons and rile her up almost everyday. He keeps telling her she needs to get out more and start living as that is what Mike would have wanted.
Although the truth is hard to hear she eventually finds happiness and love again.
July 6, 2022
3.5 out of 5 stars
May 7, 2024
Quelle jolie histoire. 🥹 Un roman à mi-chemin entre la romance et la fiction contemporaine. Une histoire de nouveau départ, d'acceptation et de résilience. J'ai été profondément touchée par Lily, l'héroïne. C'est avec émotion que l'on suit son évolution, pas à pas, vers un chemin teinté d'espoir et de renouveau. C'est un roman telle une ode à la vie, qui ramène à l'essentiel, et j'ai vraiment adoré!⠀
⠀
Depuis la mort de son mari, Lily n'est plus que l'ombre d'elle-même. Elle a quitté Londres avec ses souvenirs et s'est installée dans une grande maison à la campagne où elle continue d'écrire ses romans à succès. Lorsque son frère propose à Jack, son meilleur ami, d'emménager dans une chambre d'ami de la maison de Lily pour le dépanner, celle-ci est réticente. Mais elle ne peut pas refuser après tout ce que son frère a fait pour elle..⠀
⠀
Jack est le héros parfait, je suis obligée de le dire. 🤭 J'ai adoré la manière dont il va bousculer Lily, pour l'inciter à vivre plutôt que de survivre sur le fil de son existence. Il va prendre soin d'elle, mais également la pousser à sortir de sa zone de confort et j'ai trouvé ça tellement touchant. On sent l'attachement grandissant entre eux, et ce côté slow burn m'a totalement convaincue. J'ai également trouvé le lien fraternel très beau, tout comme ce qui va toucher au côté professionnel de Lily (et même de Jack, parce que son background est très intéressant également, bien que moins présent).⠀
⠀
Si j'avais un bémol à énoncer, ce serait que j'aurais aimé que la concrétisation de la romance soit moins rapide. L'ensemble est slow burn et bien géré mais ce petit moment-là aurait tant mérité ++++++, mais ça n'entache rien à tout ce que j'ai pu ressentir au fil de ma lecture. Cette histoire est très belle et je vous la recommande. 🥰⠀
⠀
⠀
Depuis la mort de son mari, Lily n'est plus que l'ombre d'elle-même. Elle a quitté Londres avec ses souvenirs et s'est installée dans une grande maison à la campagne où elle continue d'écrire ses romans à succès. Lorsque son frère propose à Jack, son meilleur ami, d'emménager dans une chambre d'ami de la maison de Lily pour le dépanner, celle-ci est réticente. Mais elle ne peut pas refuser après tout ce que son frère a fait pour elle..⠀
⠀
Jack est le héros parfait, je suis obligée de le dire. 🤭 J'ai adoré la manière dont il va bousculer Lily, pour l'inciter à vivre plutôt que de survivre sur le fil de son existence. Il va prendre soin d'elle, mais également la pousser à sortir de sa zone de confort et j'ai trouvé ça tellement touchant. On sent l'attachement grandissant entre eux, et ce côté slow burn m'a totalement convaincue. J'ai également trouvé le lien fraternel très beau, tout comme ce qui va toucher au côté professionnel de Lily (et même de Jack, parce que son background est très intéressant également, bien que moins présent).⠀
⠀
Si j'avais un bémol à énoncer, ce serait que j'aurais aimé que la concrétisation de la romance soit moins rapide. L'ensemble est slow burn et bien géré mais ce petit moment-là aurait tant mérité ++++++, mais ça n'entache rien à tout ce que j'ai pu ressentir au fil de ma lecture. Cette histoire est très belle et je vous la recommande. 🥰⠀
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April 19, 2023
I think I have found my long-lost love for romantic books. I found this book "You only live once" on 'prime reading' randomly scrolling through my Kindle. It's a very fast read and has a "feel good" factor in it.
Lilly, who lost her husband a long time ago in a horrifying accident now is just scared to take risks by giving love another chance. People around her care for her and time and again try to help her get out of the cocoon that she has locked herself in.
There are some good funny moments in the book and the best part is when the author introduces the dog "Clive". I love the friendly and emotional bond Lilly shares with her sister-in-law Poppy.
If you want to add an easy "beach/holiday/travel" read to your list then you should go for it.
Lilly, who lost her husband a long time ago in a horrifying accident now is just scared to take risks by giving love another chance. People around her care for her and time and again try to help her get out of the cocoon that she has locked herself in.
There are some good funny moments in the book and the best part is when the author introduces the dog "Clive". I love the friendly and emotional bond Lilly shares with her sister-in-law Poppy.
If you want to add an easy "beach/holiday/travel" read to your list then you should go for it.
June 16, 2022
I have been a fan of Maxine’s work for a while now. I read the synopsis for ‘You Only Live Once’ and it certainly sounded like the sort of story I have come to expect from Maxine- a fun and feel good story. Well it was certainly all that and more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘You Only Live Once’ but more about that in a bit.
It took me no time at all to get into ‘You Only Live Once’. In fact the synopsis was enough to draw me in and the story between the book’s covers sealed the deal as it were. As soon as I started reading, I knew that there was a fair chance that I wouldn’t be moving very far from the sofa for the rest of the afternoon because I wouldn’t be able to put the book to one side. That’s exactly what happened too. My Kindle wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I just couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. I had taken so well to the characters that I simply had to know how things panned out for them. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the story. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘You Only Live Once’ and I had to say goodbye to Lily and the rest of the characters. I found ‘You Only Live Once’ to be a joy to read, which held my attention throughout and which certainly kept me guessing. The story certainly made me smile and laugh out loud.
‘You Only Live Once’ is extremely well written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Maxine Morrey. Maxine has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of her books feels more like a chat between friends than reading an actual book. I hope that makes sense. She certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story. Maxine clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes them seem just as real as you and I. I love the way in which Maxine makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘You Only Live Once’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Maxine’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
It took me no time at all to get into ‘You Only Live Once’. In fact the synopsis was enough to draw me in and the story between the book’s covers sealed the deal as it were. As soon as I started reading, I knew that there was a fair chance that I wouldn’t be moving very far from the sofa for the rest of the afternoon because I wouldn’t be able to put the book to one side. That’s exactly what happened too. My Kindle wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I just couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. I had taken so well to the characters that I simply had to know how things panned out for them. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the story. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘You Only Live Once’ and I had to say goodbye to Lily and the rest of the characters. I found ‘You Only Live Once’ to be a joy to read, which held my attention throughout and which certainly kept me guessing. The story certainly made me smile and laugh out loud.
‘You Only Live Once’ is extremely well written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Maxine Morrey. Maxine has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of her books feels more like a chat between friends than reading an actual book. I hope that makes sense. She certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story. Maxine clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes them seem just as real as you and I. I love the way in which Maxine makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘You Only Live Once’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Maxine’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
July 1, 2022
You Only Live Once is a book that I instantly fell in love with.
Get ready for some major gushing on my part! I love Maxine’s storytelling abilities, and You Only Live Once just had me squealing with joy. I loved this book so much that I bought my own copy, and when it came in the mail, I proceeded to re-read the whole book.
I knew right from the first chapter that I would be falling hard and fast for this book. Maxine always creates characters that I instantly love. I think it is because they are just so genuine, fun, and charming. Lily is one of those characters I know I would be friends with if she existed in real life. I think it is her love for books (she is a romance author), food, and everything Jane Austen that had me imagining sitting in her backyard chatting away for hours. I loved Lily’s heartwarming journey of learning to live again. I could understand Lily’s need to hide from the world and its social pressures after the death of her husband. But it was truly incredible watching as she took steps to start going out of her comfort zone and engaging with society again. I don’t know how Maxine does it, but she makes the most dreamiest, gorgeous book boyfriends. I fell head over heels for Luca from Living Your Best Life and didn’t think she could create a book boyfriend I would love even more than him. I was wrong; Jack just had me swoony and acting like a giddy teenager. Jack is so kind, understanding, and of course, tall, dark and handsome. I lost count of the times he had my heart racing.
The story and setting had this incredible fun, cozy feel to them. It has just the right amount of those lovely qualities in Hallmark movies to give the story a heartwarming, charming feel without becoming cheesy and unrealistic. That balance between realism and charm makes this story stand out for me. It’s just such a fabulous book! Lily’s house and the garden surrounding it were lush and enchanting. I fell in love with all the garden talk in this book. And it was really perfect timing because I have been spending all my spare time working and tending to my own garden.
Click on the link to read our full review on our blog: https://romancebythebook.com/2022/06/...
Get ready for some major gushing on my part! I love Maxine’s storytelling abilities, and You Only Live Once just had me squealing with joy. I loved this book so much that I bought my own copy, and when it came in the mail, I proceeded to re-read the whole book.
I knew right from the first chapter that I would be falling hard and fast for this book. Maxine always creates characters that I instantly love. I think it is because they are just so genuine, fun, and charming. Lily is one of those characters I know I would be friends with if she existed in real life. I think it is her love for books (she is a romance author), food, and everything Jane Austen that had me imagining sitting in her backyard chatting away for hours. I loved Lily’s heartwarming journey of learning to live again. I could understand Lily’s need to hide from the world and its social pressures after the death of her husband. But it was truly incredible watching as she took steps to start going out of her comfort zone and engaging with society again. I don’t know how Maxine does it, but she makes the most dreamiest, gorgeous book boyfriends. I fell head over heels for Luca from Living Your Best Life and didn’t think she could create a book boyfriend I would love even more than him. I was wrong; Jack just had me swoony and acting like a giddy teenager. Jack is so kind, understanding, and of course, tall, dark and handsome. I lost count of the times he had my heart racing.
The story and setting had this incredible fun, cozy feel to them. It has just the right amount of those lovely qualities in Hallmark movies to give the story a heartwarming, charming feel without becoming cheesy and unrealistic. That balance between realism and charm makes this story stand out for me. It’s just such a fabulous book! Lily’s house and the garden surrounding it were lush and enchanting. I fell in love with all the garden talk in this book. And it was really perfect timing because I have been spending all my spare time working and tending to my own garden.
Click on the link to read our full review on our blog: https://romancebythebook.com/2022/06/...
June 22, 2022
The Blurb :
When Lily’s husband dies, she moves to the edge of a tiny village, settling into a solitary life, her only real company her brother and his family. A quiet life becomes her safe space, with no risk of getting hurt.
When her brother offers her spare room to his oldest friend, Jack, Lily’s reluctant – but knowing how much she owes her family, can’t say no.
A lodger takes some getting used to but to her surprise, Lily begins to enjoy Jack’s company. Slowly but surely, Jack encourages Lily to step outside her comfort zone.
But taking risks means facing the consequences, and telling people how she really feels, means Lily might have to face losing them. But as the saying goes - you only live once - and being brave could mean Lily gets a second chance at love…
My Thoughts :
As Maxine Morrey is one of my Favourite Authors, I was excited to get started on her new release.
We meet Lily Thomas, widowed for 10 years after her husband Mike died in a freak car accident in France.
Lily moved from the rat tace of London to a quiet village.
Lily has never got over losing her husband and now spends her time as a recluse alone and not really seeing anyone. The only person she has contact with is her brother Felix, his wife Poppy and their children Ruby and Freddy.
When Felix’s childhood friend Jack Coulsdon-Hart returns to the village after living in New Zealand for 10 years, Felix offers up Lily’s spare room for him to stay in, although she isnt pleased about the idea she feels she cant say no. Hoping its only temporary until Jack finds somewhere to live.
Over time, Jack trys to help Lily find herself again and she soon realises she has been missing out on things in life. After the loss of Mike, Lily finds it hard to let anyone in again.
Will having Jack in her life help her move on or will Lily stay stuck forever?!.
As always Maxine Morrey always writes her stories with empathy, she has a way of drawing the reader into the storyline and making us feel as if the charaters are our own friends.
Once again a great story, delivered by a great Author about hope, family and second chances.
Looking forward to more soon.
When Lily’s husband dies, she moves to the edge of a tiny village, settling into a solitary life, her only real company her brother and his family. A quiet life becomes her safe space, with no risk of getting hurt.
When her brother offers her spare room to his oldest friend, Jack, Lily’s reluctant – but knowing how much she owes her family, can’t say no.
A lodger takes some getting used to but to her surprise, Lily begins to enjoy Jack’s company. Slowly but surely, Jack encourages Lily to step outside her comfort zone.
But taking risks means facing the consequences, and telling people how she really feels, means Lily might have to face losing them. But as the saying goes - you only live once - and being brave could mean Lily gets a second chance at love…
My Thoughts :
As Maxine Morrey is one of my Favourite Authors, I was excited to get started on her new release.
We meet Lily Thomas, widowed for 10 years after her husband Mike died in a freak car accident in France.
Lily moved from the rat tace of London to a quiet village.
Lily has never got over losing her husband and now spends her time as a recluse alone and not really seeing anyone. The only person she has contact with is her brother Felix, his wife Poppy and their children Ruby and Freddy.
When Felix’s childhood friend Jack Coulsdon-Hart returns to the village after living in New Zealand for 10 years, Felix offers up Lily’s spare room for him to stay in, although she isnt pleased about the idea she feels she cant say no. Hoping its only temporary until Jack finds somewhere to live.
Over time, Jack trys to help Lily find herself again and she soon realises she has been missing out on things in life. After the loss of Mike, Lily finds it hard to let anyone in again.
Will having Jack in her life help her move on or will Lily stay stuck forever?!.
As always Maxine Morrey always writes her stories with empathy, she has a way of drawing the reader into the storyline and making us feel as if the charaters are our own friends.
Once again a great story, delivered by a great Author about hope, family and second chances.
Looking forward to more soon.
May 3, 2022
was a very charming and heartwarming read - this novel follows lily as she struggles to find confidence and happiness after the loss of her husband, and then is persuaded into letting her brother’s best friend, jack, live with her for some time.
i really liked the plot of this book, and enjoyed the family dynamic between lily and her brother, and his wife. i also felt that lily and jack worked really well together, and appreciated that he was genuinely respectful to her throughout the novel.
i sometimes felt that jack and felix (lily’s brother) were a bit harsh on her and her feelings, but appreciated felix’s wife, poppy, actually being kind to her after. the novel was also very predictable in general, and when it came to the inclusion of a dog (randomly) that lily originally didn’t want, but as a nice and classic rom com book it was very enjoyable!
thank you to netgalley and the author for the arc of this novel.
i really liked the plot of this book, and enjoyed the family dynamic between lily and her brother, and his wife. i also felt that lily and jack worked really well together, and appreciated that he was genuinely respectful to her throughout the novel.
i sometimes felt that jack and felix (lily’s brother) were a bit harsh on her and her feelings, but appreciated felix’s wife, poppy, actually being kind to her after. the novel was also very predictable in general, and when it came to the inclusion of a dog (randomly) that lily originally didn’t want, but as a nice and classic rom com book it was very enjoyable!
thank you to netgalley and the author for the arc of this novel.
October 23, 2024
Such a lovely story, easy to read and just made me feel really warm and fuzzy😂
First book in a long time that's made me happy cry too.
100% would recommend this! Off to read another one by this author!
First book in a long time that's made me happy cry too.
100% would recommend this! Off to read another one by this author!
July 6, 2023
This is a romance and the part where the MCs finally get together is not described. I literally checked twice to see if I somehow missed a chapter. How is this even allowed?! This is sloppy grade 8 writing. You can't build up a relationship for 80% of the book and then skip the most important part. I am so mad I read this! Also, the dialogue sounded like it was written by an American imagining what fancy British people sound like. Zero stars.
August 9, 2022
I was really happy to have the opportunity to read this book by Maxine Morrey! I really enjoyed this lovely romance. I loved the characters, the settings, the storyline. I had a really good time reading "You only live once"!!! I recommend you this book!
February 3, 2023
i felt like the first 50% of the book they just kept talking about the same thing
April 11, 2024
4.5/5⭐️
You Only Live Once is about a woman who was once widowed by her husband who was in an accident. Years later, a childhood friend came back into her life and stayed in her house. This book tells the story of how Lily locks herself away from the real world after losing her husband, but with the help of Jack, she starts living her life to the fullest.
Definitely a heartwarming, gentle read 📚
You Only Live Once is about a woman who was once widowed by her husband who was in an accident. Years later, a childhood friend came back into her life and stayed in her house. This book tells the story of how Lily locks herself away from the real world after losing her husband, but with the help of Jack, she starts living her life to the fullest.
Definitely a heartwarming, gentle read 📚
August 11, 2022
It's not that I didn't enjoy this book, it just seemed to be very much a will they- won't they for so long that when they eventually decided on "they will" I almost missed it.
I enjoyed the characters and the writing, I just want a keen on the timeline of the plot.
A nice, easy read with fun characters.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
I enjoyed the characters and the writing, I just want a keen on the timeline of the plot.
A nice, easy read with fun characters.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2023
I gave it two stars because it’s very hard to write a book, but otherwise it was trash. The plot was dull, the dialogue wooden and uncomfortably banal. Any attempt to liven it up was just silly. The whole thing was drivel, honestly. Right down to the “but you’re different from other girls” garbage. Give this one a wide berth.
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