The One You Chose

Ridgewood #2

by Linnea March

A chance meeting
A steamy one-night stand
A whirlwind holiday season

When Lina McConnell headed to her hometown bar the night before Thanksgiving she wasn't expecting to find a connection with a mysterious newcomer.
New to town, Fitz Dier wants to keep his head down and settle into his new job. Fate has other plans as they are pulled together for a single steamy night. In the light of day, they are separated from one another.
As they go through the holiday season they can’t help but think of the other. Can fate bring them together again?
Who will they kiss when the clock strikes twelve?

Genres: Romance

133 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 22, 2022

Reviews

[Natalie Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect!

I loved this story! Lina and Fitz are amazing together, even when they didn't know they were together. A swoon worthy happily ever after.
Great job, Linnea March! I will definitely be checking out the rest of the Ridgewood series.

[Kia B · Rating 5 out of 5]

OVERALL RATING – 5

RECOMMENDED for those that like: quick read/ slight secret identity / second chance / small town/ insta lust that turns into a slowish burn

First my usual points:
- I do not do spoilers unless warned.
- Read the summary above; it will tell you what the book is about. I will not reiterate.
- This is a standalone centered around the holidays.
- No errors that I caught as far as editing.
- The author was not new to me.

BOOK:
- Cover adequately reflects the story
- Genre/troupe: contemporary romance/ holiday
1st person POV alternating

Star Ratings - 1 (poor) - 5 (READ THIS BOOK)
• Writing Quality: 5 stars
• Story ingredient: 5 stars
• Ease of reading/Pace: 5 stars
• Plot strength: 5 stars
• Steam Level: 3 stars

Notes/Opinion (personal):

A one night stand that unknowingly turns into a friendship that turns into a HEA.

Loved these characters. Loved the story. I was drawn into the story immediately and kept reading to see the winding road that Fitz and Lina took to get to their HEA.

Linnea march has a gift of writing real characters. This slight take on The Shop around the corner and You’ve Got Mail is a satisfactory holiday read for a winter day.

[Kelly G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a sweet - and spicy - holiday novella.

Lina grew up in a small town with limited dating choices that she is very much over. Fitz just moved to town from the big city for a job and wasn't looking for love when we walked into the local watering hole.

They hook up and have instant, sizzling chemistry. A series od unfortunate events happens the following day that leaves them unable to reach one another, which leads to lots of mutual pining and missed connections.

I loved Lina, she was fun and smart and no-nonsense. I dont want to give anything away, but their communicating (without knowing it), was way fun. I really enjoyed their back-and-forths.

I'm not typically a holiday book kind of gal. I guess my brain has likened them to holiday lifetime movies... and as much as i love spicy romance, I am not a fluffy made-for-tv romcom watcher. I think this little novella just taught me a lesson to not judge a book by its romcom cover and maybe pick up a few holiday themed books this year (as long as theres spice. There's gotta be spice lol).

[Alexandria✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The One You Chose is a cute, somewhat spicy holiday themed contemporary romance. I got a bit of You’ve Got Mail vibes from the email exchanges. The book starts off strong with a spicy scene almost right off the bat (thanks for not making us wait, Linnea). Lina and Fitz’s story is one I think a lot of us can relate to. We meet the perfect one and then spend time trying to track them down to see if the relationship could go somewhere more serious. Lina did get on my nerves a bit later in the story by her immature and not very logical approach to a certain situation. However, there were moments I laughed, smiled and felt giddy as their relationship unfolded. I would suggest going back through and editing some areas of the book that do have typos as well as going from first person to third person within the same sentence. Overall it was a great read and I would be interested to see how their story continues. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[alyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute, I loved the festive vibes and it was just the short quick thing I needed. The plot was well thought out and simple to follow. I found it unique and memorable.

I loved Lina and Fitz. they’re both sweethearts and I am so happy to have read their story. It was told swiftly. They are not deep characters but I found that suited the situation. I would definitely say it’s worth a read.

It’s my second Linnea Match book and I enjoyed this one alot more. I could tell how the author has improved and I enjoyed this so much. It was a contrast to Reckless Liar. This one was more my style and preferred it.

I can imagine being Fitz as a sweet but handsome man. He’s got the best heart, working in an animal adoption facility. The epilogue made my heart melt. They are a perfect match and it was so obvious through out the hole piece.

As much as I am not a fan of the 3rd act break up, this one actually made sense to me. They needed that break. Lina felt lied to and I understood her.

I would totally pick up this book if you had the chance. It’s festive, funny, sweet and sexy. Thank you Linnea and I can not wait to read your future work💜

[Patty Duplechin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lina McConnell, a young woman who is a preschool teacher goes out with her girlfriend. She decides she’s had enough of the place so she steps outside for some fresh air. It’s just not her thing. She would rather stay home. Fritz, a new kid in town with a new job there, sees Lina from across the room and knows he has to meet her. He’s drawn to her. They talk and decides to leave the bar. She had a one night stand with him. She had to leave early but wants to see him again. Fritz wakes up with her gone and wishes he had gotten her number. They both can’t seem to forget each other but didn’t get the last names. Will they meet again? Will fate step in and help? Unbeknownst to them, an error on an email has Lina and Fritz exchanging emails. Will they realize that they are who they’re looking for? Again mistakes happen. Will the two cross star lovers get together as fate would have it? The characters are wonderful. The story is quick and an awesome read. I received this book for my honest review. I give it voluntarily.

[Fleur · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Lina thinks is a disaster of a day turns into a the best night of her life, but fate makes them meeting again difficult with neither knowing each others full names although it appears they are getting to know each other without knowing it. This was a great well paced read with fun characters as well as some quirky ones (I do love Aunt Dottie's straight talk) there are some good laughs, cute animals and a sweet romance that leaves you with a smile on your face.
This is the perfect book if you want a romance but don't have time for a full novel as you get everything you need without feeling like anything is missing.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet holiday novella! It’s a small town romance with a one night stand and two characters who try to find each other afterwards. I really liked Lina and Fitz. I loved that Fitz was a director at an animal shelter. I also really enjoyed seeing the dynamic between Lina’s extended family. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the back and forth emails. I thought it was such a sweet and organic progression of their relationship, even though they had a one night stand. I also loved the line in the coffee shop with Chad, where Lina talks about what it means when you see a woman reading a romance book. This was a fun and quick read that definitely gets you in the holiday spirit!

[Kristina Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lina and Fitz meet the moment they aren’t expecting to meet anyone. Fitz is new in town, and Lina has lived in that small town all her life. Their chance meeting leads to a night neither one of them can forget. This book follows them as they try to find their way back to each other. I do like the dual perspectives and being able to see what each character is thinking and feeling. I feel it jumped around some in this book. The email part of the plot was a fun touch! I enjoyed the spicy parts and loved the sweet side of Fitz and real side to Lina. I am thankful there’s a full storyline as some novellas don’t feel complete. This was a nice festive quick read to start off the holidays!

[Cara A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lina is a preschool teacher, lives in her hometown and the dating pool is limited.
Fitz is new to town having just taken a new job.
Lina goes out the night before thanksgiving and meets Fitz they have an instant connection ending with a one night stand.
Life interrupts their bubble and a series of miscommunication ensues.
I enjoyed their growing connection, loved the spice included. I appreciated the speed in which the story took place to cover the full story in the full novella.
This was such a sweet holiday romance!

I received an ARC copy of this book and am leaving an honest review.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully sweet and steamy holiday romance read. Well written and captivating I loved our main characters Lina and Fitz. A great small-town romance where our two main characters have a great one-night stand and spend time trying to find each other again after. I love that they get to know each other without knowing and thought this was - while short - a fun read. I loved how March delivered this storyline and I'm looking forward to more!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Reading_with_dani93 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a great short holiday read. Once I started I could not put this one down and was sad when I realized I was done with it. I loved the characters and really love the small town romance books. Such a sweet holiday romance and if that is up your alley I definitely recommend reading this. I can't wait to read more by Linnea March as I have been a huge fan of other books!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emma Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The One You Chose is by far my favorite holiday novella this year!

Once I picked it up there was no putting it down. Fitz and Lina’s quick fall into love had me hooked immediately.

Fitz has such a charismatic, fun personality, and from what imagined in my head, pretty darn handsome. Lina is such a great female lead, I just loved her.

There chemistry is immediately combustible 💥
Perfect amount of steam ♨️ and spice 🔥

The quintessential holiday novella of this season!

[Sheri Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect holiday meet-cute novella.

I really enjoyed this quick read. The characters were so sweet and well written.
Fitz and Lina meet just before thanksgiving, and luck isn’t on their side when they try to find one another again. They finally find their way back to each other but some mistakes were made and Lina leaves. I’m such an HEA lover and this one hit the spot.
Definitely a feel good holiday story with just the right amount of steam.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute quick holiday read! You get to meet Lina and Fitz who meet at Thanksgiving as a one night stand or so they thought.. they think of each other often but don’t know each other’s full names so fate chooses to have a little fun with them! Come see the antics that fate has them playing into. You’ll enjoy this quick holiday read!

[Vee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent short holiday read. I absolutely loved the way these two connected and then reconnected again and again. I loved seeing how the universe seemed to be putting them together, even when they didn't realize it.

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kimberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a sweet Christmas Novella with a hint of spice making it a perfect holiday read. It was a quick and easy read so perfect for an afternoon on the couch. Fitz and Lina had instant chemistry and the epilogue was perfect. I really enjoyed The One You Choose.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute holiday story about a couple who have instant chemistry but are met with just enough hurdles to keep them apart. It’s a fast read and just what I needed to get myself in the mood for the season.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd ARC from this author and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this cute holiday novella. The characters were well written and we are able to get to know each of their personalities throughout the short story. I enjoyed the plot and would definitely love to have more Lina and Fitz in the future!

[Lisa Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lina and Fitz

Lina and Fitz have a one night stand. After that they both try to find each other. He's new to town and didn't know anyone. They share some emails and get to know one another. This is a good quick and sweet read.

[Tyra Voss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, a book to drag you in your feels, mix in the holidays, a one night stand, and fate stepping in on a cute meet!

[Iraima · Rating 3 out of 5]

So what was the lie exactly???? This part ruined the whole book for me.

[Jacqueline Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Steamy holiday romance that has just the right touch of steam. I did get a little lost sometimes on the timing of events as I felt like it skipped from one holiday to the next a little quickly, however I still really liked the book! Highly recommend this holiday season!