There's only one boy Celia would NOT want to be stuck sitting next to on this interminably long train ride. So guess who just walked on board… Clearly the universe has a sick sense of humor. That's the only explanation Celia can come up with when she finds herself alone on a train with her crush since second grade. Maybe some girls would call this fate. Destiny, even. But Celia knows better. This is cruel and unusual punishment, because Heath is also the one boy who turns her into a stammering, incoherent fool. And that's before he kisses her senseless. Heath's not exactly jazzed about this turn of events either. He's supposed to be on this trip with his girlfriend. But now his girlfriend is his ex and he's trapped on a train ride from hell with the one girl who apparently hates his guts. Cool. Looks like everyone is in for a good time. Except, one derailed train, a shared motel room, two unexpected detours, and a few steamy kisses later, and maybe, just maybe—they're both about to change their tune. Only One Boy is a standalone, sweet young adult romance—perfect for fans of Kasie West, Jillian Dodd, and Jenny Han!
Plot- Very fun opening with them sitting by each other on a train that ends up breaking down, and then having to find their way to NYC together. Loved the forced proximity.
Romance- Started out cute with them learning that the other likes them. Loved the situations they find themselves in. Very strong start! But then it became a negative motivation where the FMC is pushing him away because she had her life mapped out and a boyfriend wasn’t part of it. That got old fast. She was constantly overthinking everything. Both characters were in their heads too much (and dragged me along for the ride).
Writing- There was a lot of ruminating by the characters, sometimes in the middle of conversations. There was even a point where I distinctly remember thinking, “blah blah blah,” and wishing I could edit it all out. This isn’t my favorite style of writing. I don’t want to hear every last thought in the characters’ heads, especially in this case with a FMC who is overly anxious.
Characters- The MMC is a really nice guy and I liked his character. He was cheated on by his ex, but he took half the blame because he said he wasn’t a good communicator and claimed that he had caused her pain too. I mean, I think forgiveness is awesome, but he went above and beyond… and I’m not sure how I felt about it, tbh. He even apologized for not being a good boyfriend to her. I thought that was a bit of a stretch (!), but I guess more power to him for having such a level head and not hating her guts like most people would. However, it was indicative of how he took too much blame upon himself. There was one lame scene where the FMC got upset she missed a crucial interview because she was hanging out with him with her phone on silent, and in essence punished him by leaving him in the middle of NYC to go back to the hotel. Like, she just tearfully said, “I’m going back. Alone.” And she ditched him to find his own way back, separate from her. Without saying as much, it was clear that she partly blamed him (ridiculous!). Her reaction was horribly inconsiderate, selfish, and hurtful. But he wasn’t offended. He felt bad that he had had anything to do with her missing the interview (this is unreasonable, self inflicted guilt, folks) and tried to make it better for her. That’s when I struggled to like her anymore and was thinking he was too kind to be paired with someone who was willing to treat him that way. By the end, I thought they were a cute couple and they had a LOT of emotional growth along the way (😳).
I’m tempted to think maybe YA isn’t for me anymore if it’s this heavy on emotional maturing, but I’ve enjoyed a lot of YAs so I don’t necessarily think that’s the issue. Maybe it is just this writing style that doesn’t appeal to me.
Content- Language- not much Substance abuse- no Spice- just some sweet kisses. No innuendo. Appropriate for a young teen audience. Cover- cute! Format- audiobook via Everand Narrator- good
This is a mature YA romance that just hit with the perfect balance of steam, sweetness and coming of age uncertainty.
Celia has her life carefully planned out. She knows where she’s going and how to get there but when she misses her train to NYC for her leadership trip everything goes off the rails. Literally. Now she’s trapped on a train with THE boy. The one that leaves her tongue-tied and unsure of herself. I love that Celia is such a strong female with clear direction and nothing was going to stop her. Not even the kindest, hottest guy that she's been crushing on since grade 2.
Heath can’t believe his girlfriend dumps him while he’s on his way to meet her in NYC so they can work on their “relationship”. Now he’s stuck on a derailed train with Celia. THE girl that just seems to hate him while everyone else likes him just fine. He's such a sweetheart of a guy that seems to underestimate himself.
When these two finally speak to each other what they find isn’t only attractive it's downright mind blowing. They gradually expose their vulnerabilities and find real trust and support in each other. I adore these two together and how they encourage each other to grow. This series just keeps getting better and I cannot wait for more!
'Un beso no será suficiente. Sé esto como sé que necesito aire para respirar. Mi lista de necesidades en la vida creció para incluir el beso de Celia. Comida, agua, aire... y esto.'
•Mi opinión puede contener Spoilers. •Esta destinada a ser un descargo personal no para que alguien más lea pero si lo haces y te ofende, me disculpo porque sé lo que es que te guste un libro y otros lo critiquen.
Only One Boy de Maggie Dallen seríe The First Loves libro 2
Argumento:
Solo hay un chico con el que Celia NO querría estar sentada al lado de este interminablemente largo viaje en tren. Así que adivina quién acaba de subir a bordo...
Es evidente que el universo tiene un sentido del humor enfermizo. Esa es la única explicación que se le ocurre a Celia cuando se encuentra sola en un tren con su enamorado desde segundo grado. Tal vez algunas chicas llamarían a esto destino. El destino, incluso. Pero Celia sabe mejor. Este es un castigo cruel e inusual, porque Heath es también el único chico que la convierte en una tonta tartamuda e incoherente. Y eso es antes de que él la bese sin sentido.
Heath tampoco está exactamente entusiasmado con este giro de los acontecimientos. Se supone que debe estar en este viaje con su novia. Pero ahora su novia es su ex y está atrapado en un viaje en tren desde el infierno con la única chica que aparentemente lo odia a muerte. Genial. Parece que todo el mundo está en un buen momento.
Excepto, un tren descarrilado, una habitación de motel compartida, dos desvíos inesperados y algunos besos apasionados más tarde, y tal vez, solo tal vez, ambos están a punto de cambiar de tono.
Mi humilde opinión:
Me empecé a encariñar con los chicos que voy conociendo de la escuela LakeView. Ahora es el momento de Celia y Heath.
La historia no era solo sobre dos adolescentes descubriendo que se gustaban en un fin de semana. Se trataba también de crecer, los dos tenían dudas y miedos sobre lo que querían a futuro después de la secundaria, además de haber crecido con padres que no están involucrados en sus vidas. Me gustó conocerlos desde esa perspectiva también. Los vi un poco más reales. Al final, yo vi un cambio, un crecimiento personal en los que me dejó con una buena sensación.
Y bueno, la historia de amor fue súper linda. Heath era un amor y no comprendí su relación tóxica con Pamela. Tampoco cómo nadie le insinuó o le dijo que Celia tenía un crush con él. Cómo nunca le preguntó porque lo evitaba o cómo nunca se fijó en ella antes? Solo pareció verla de verdad cuando estan de viaje.
No esperaba un Te amo porque comprendí que todo era muy reciente entre ellos. Era un comienzo y ese comienzo me dejó con una sonrisa porque los dos eran perfectos juntos y llegarían a ese sentimiento pronto.
Only One Boy es un romance juvenil dulce con una nostalgia de ese primer amor imposible.
This book is so good. I loved the chemistry and the slow burn romance is so good. This book has an unlikely premise and a romance between two unlikely characters but what I loved is how they saw the real person behind the mask and the struggles. The kissing scenes are one of the best. There is so much tenderness. Also, the opposite attracts is super good. The differences are surface level but more deeper more similar. Loved this book. Highly recommend.
I mean it was fine. The miscommunications and the character’s themselves getting in their own way constantly was very aggravating and dragging, but it also made for a realistic story so I can’t fault it too much there. Celia and Heath are cute, and I enjoyed their presence in later books but honestly nothing to write home about.
I found Only One Boy a little lacking after Just One Kiss (bc JOK really blew it out of the park for me) BUT I am not saying Only One Boy wasn’t good. It was great! A little drawn out & not quite enough swoon worthy moments for my taste but the pace was steady & it was overall a good clean read. I don’t remember any swearing. Great book bout your childhood crush finally realizing what an amazing person you are. I loved each of their insecurities & how they each tried to help the other get over them. I can’t wait for Addie’s story next! I am loving this series
I love the name Heath btw. It’s not used often enough.
I loved that this story was so... Simple, but in the BEST way possible. It gave you ALLLLLL the feels of first love. There was no need for over the top drama, not one was kidnapped or injured to make the plot "more interesting". It didn't need it, it was absolutely perfect on its own. I loved it so much I'm heading to go find other stories from this author for my next read.
Some TAGS and COMMON THEMES: - Romance (Duh) - High School - Sweet YA - FL falls first, ML falls harder - Forced Proximity - Green Flag ML - Dual POV
My REVIEW: I love this book. It's sweet and simple, with very minor angst. The FL is very likable, and so is the ML. (Minor Spoiler) The ML begins the story in a toxic relationship with a girl named Pamela, who is insufferable. But towards the end, the author decides to take the surprising route of not making her into a raging jealous bitch. Pamela is a complex character and I love her. The ML and Pamela resolve their issues with each other and depart as amiable strangers and I truly praise the author for this choice.
Anyway, I am obsessed with this trope. The initial misunderstanding is also enjoyable, with the ML thinking the FL is afraid/hates him when in reality she is head over heels for him. The forced proximity is also nice, and the dual POV brings me joy as I can see the different perspectives and thoughts. There are some angsty moments, with a misunderstanding towards the end of the book that I wish would have lasted a bit longer (I'm a sucker for those), but our ML is too much of a green flag to let their relationship deteriorate from a misunderstanding. We love a communicative King.
Overall, a fun read that doesn't require too much thought. I loved it.
This has been my least favorite of Maggie's book so far that I've read. It was just too.... messy.
First off, Heath seemed really weak to me. Staying with a terrible girlfriend and letting her cheat on him and treat him bad. That really turned me off of him even though he did grow on me some throughout the book. It made it hard to believe he really cared for Celia when we had to transition from him being with one girl for 2 years to all of a sudden liking another one in a weekend. Because Pamela broke up with him. So he wouldn't have even chosen Celia - he was dumped and the choice made for him.
Then there's Celia who has had a crush on him for years. Literally a decade but doesn't actually want to be with him. And her reasoning is because her parents are too in love and put each other first too much?? What?? I get not wanting to give up her dreams based on a boy, but the reasoning presented here didn't make sense - her mom loved her dad so much she only wanted to be with him, and that's a bad thing?? It just didn't work for me.
There were definitely some sweet parts and once Heath gets with the right girl he's really great boyfriend material. But there were too many things clouding it up for me to truly love it.
🇲🇽 Heath es mi nuevo book boyfriend. ¡Me encanta! Es divino, considerado, romántico pero también tiene un pasado emocional que lo hace real y le causa inseguridades.
El crush que Celia tiene con él está increíble. Juntos me fascinan y confirman lo que siempre he pensado, simplemente hay personas que te inspiran a ser tu mejor versión.
Cada libro de Maggie Dallen es mi favorito e incluso me gusta más que el anterior. Esta serie es maravillosa y no puedo esperar a leer el siguiente.
🇺🇸 Heath is my new book boyfriend without a doubt. He has it all; the big heart, the incredible personality but also this edge that makes him real. But the way he is and how he becomes with Celia is the best!
Celia’s crush on Heath is adorable. Together they are just better because they inspire each other’s best versions. I love that.
Every Dallen’s book is my favorite. Her stories are beautiful, original, real and charming. This series is one of my favorites and I can’t wait for the next book!
I love the discovery aspect of Dallen's young love books. What I like best is the way she presents the enlightenment that dawns in snappy, enchanting conversation during encounters with other young people. And these meetings are so natural in the normal (although maybe unlucky) happenings of the day. It makes the reader laugh, cry, and cheer the heroes on as they make new realizations of why they acted one way in the past and are now acting differently! Yes, there is some introspection but not pages and pages as some authors do. I always feel so fine after reading her books, not just because there was a happy ending but because you know you've been with really good characters throughout the whole reading. I am always thrilled to get one of her ARCs; it's a joy to volunteer this review.
I honestly can’t think of anything that would make this book better. It’s filled with hope, personal discovery, chemistry, heat, relationships, and real life questions. I absolutely love the main characters and am looking forward to hearing more about the side characters in future books. I love that they are realistically good kids. Young adults dealing with issues, not sheltered and unrealistically innocent, but not foul mouthed, sexually obsessed, teenage bullies. Great content and truly excellent writing that sucks you in and makes you feel like you are living the story, not just reading it.
Can I just say how much I love the covers in this series?! They're so freakin adorable!!
"I am aware of Heath’s toned arms. Good Lord, am I aware. I suppose one doesn’t become a first-string varsity basketball player without having fantastic arms. But right now, I could do without that knowledge."
Maggie never fails to make me laugh out loud while reading her books!! This one was fantastic like always!!! I enjoyed Celia and Heath's crazy train ride and the one hotel room! This is YA gold! It's clean but still has chemistry between the characters! I can't wait to introduce my daughter to Maggie's books!
This is my first book by this author and I liked it. I liked how real the characters were and how everyone, even the bad guys, tried to be better. Heath was so sweet! I liked the dual point of view so I could see why he did and said what he did. I didn't like how the whole ex thing was done though. The last bit of drama they had didn't feel resolved; it felt like Cecelia forgave him too quick. But overall it was a nice way to spend a couple of hours.
I like this one better than Dallen's adult novels. I can beyond the shadow of a doubt believe two teenagers would tumble into intense like over the course of a weekend. Nobody in the story ever says they love each other. They have feelings for. They care about. They have a crush on. But they aren't head over heels in love in no time flat. The lack of adult supervision anywhere is pushing it some. The ending that just seems to abruptly stop didn't impress me. But I liked the characters and the story. I wouldn't mind spending more time with them.
This book was soooo good. I fell in love with heath. The story was short but sooo sweet. I enjoyed it so much. This series is so good if you are in a book slump or want a lwokey book. While there is some conflict in this stories it isn’t super big which I loved. It’s a great summer read or a evening quick read that won’t get you too upset like some books can. I simply was calm or super excited while reading g the book. I would recommend this book and could see reading it again. Soooo good. It was close to a five but it didn’t have that wow I reserve for 5 stars. 4/5
Celia and Heath end up on a train misadventure when electrics, old schedules and shared room while on their way to school event. Heath thinks Celia dislikes him but Celia becomes incompacitated unable to think or talk due to her huge crush on Heath. True feelings come to the surface during their weekend adventure but miscommunication, past promises, future plans and an ex girlfriend shows the path to love is never smooth. I enjoyed this couples story with their commonalities, support for each other and teasing being each other's safe space during their unexpected time together.
What happens when your lifelong crush gets stranded on the train with you? Well, most people would be excited about it, but not Celia! Poor girl is totally freaked out about it! It's no better for Heath, the guy she's been crushing on since they were 7 years old, as he just had his girlfriend break up with him over the phone while sitting next to Celia! The girl that has despised him for as long as he can remember! Fate's playing a cruel trick on them or is it> Great YA read!
this was very very very hilarious and the first few chapters i couldn't stop laughing. The writing was really nice, but it was 'the girl doesn't know how beautiful she is and the guy who doesn't know how perfect he is' and the 'taking a step back for love' trope. It was real nice, just that i hoped the author wouldn't have made Heath so perfect
It was really clever writing and a cute story, and I really enjoyed it
Such a sweet book! Celia has had a crush on Heath since they were kids. She gets so tongue tied around him that he thinks she hates him. But when they get stuck on a train together, then stranded in a tiny town with one motel, they get a chance to see what they could be like together. This was a great story of two people finding each other and together finding themselves. Heath is so kind and caring and their relationship was swoony to see unfold! Lots of sizzle and tension without the spice.
I really enjoyed this easy to read, heart warming YA romance.
Many of us will have had that one school crush that was the subject of many dreams but seemingly out of reach. So when that crush turns out to truly be everything you believed and more, it’s not hard to see that there will be uncertainty along the way! Relatable characters, enjoyable read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Celia has been crushing on Health since she was young, always way to shy to even talk to him. Heath seems obvious to that fact that Celia likes him, he thinks she hates him. Until one weekend and train ride changes it all. This was such a cute story. Celia and Heath have a lot of mishaps that get them to their happy ending, but it makes for a great read! I definitely recommend!
I love how crushes turns out to be amazing love it was so sweet and painful because he didn't think he deserved her and she didn't want to be like her parents but you things can change and it looks like for them I loved this story so Precious ❤❤❤❤
A cute fun read with good characters. I liked the growth they showed too. For the most part it's all clean, there were a few curse words and taking the Lord's name in vain - which I would have preferred not be there, but it is very rare at least.
I've probably said this before, but... this book might be my favorite of Maggie Dallen's. I loved it so much. Perfect blend of real and sweet. Complex characters, relatable feelings, and all the swoons.
I liked this book even more than the first. The hero had me swooning more than any book I've read lately. He was seriously so sweet and the book was the perfect mix of angst, sweet, funny romance. 6 stars!