One True Theory of Love

by Laura Fitzgerald

Meg Clark believes in the “hokey pokey” theory of life, which demands that you put your whole self in; she even teaches it to her kindergarten students. But after the love of her life betrays her, and her father takes a flying leap off the pedestal she set him on, Meg has a hard time putting this theory into practice. What’s the point of opening yourself up if your heart comes back a little more broken each time?

Now only one man receives Meg’s full devotion: her nine-year-old son, Henry. She’s happy with her single-mom life. She and Henry are taking on the world in their own lively way, and it’s enough. Still, sometimes love finds you, whether you’re ready or not.

Love comes to Meg in the form of Ahmed Bourhani, an exotically handsome Iranian-American who befriends her and Henry over a game of chess in a coffee shop. Meg knows that second chances require a leap of faith, and the result is more often a complicated mixed bag than a neatly packaged happily-ever-after. Sometimes in order to heal you have to hurt, but most of all you have to live your life and put your whole self in. . . .

“A promising author.” — Booklist

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Womens Fiction, Adult, Audiobook, Contemporary

Audio CD

First published January 17, 2009

Reviews

[Velma · Rating 4 out of 5]

One true theory of love by Laura Fitzgerald

Wow I couldn’t put the book down it was really good
I thought is was funny and cute as well as steamy just a little

What caught my eye was the saying
“It’s easy to look at men and think they’re idiots” I mean yes but they are smart really smart.

Henry the nine year old boy omg he is so cute and he is funny when he said “you got no balls” and there were plenty more funny things in the book.

When he sat on Meg’s lap ahhh so cute and he is such a cutie pie in the book. He’s also funny and I love him (yes he’s fantasy I know)

There were some grammar errors but that’s expected in a book sometimes I guess.

What made me just a little frustrated was Jonathan like he wanted to come back in Meg’s life and be a father after so many years and Meg fell in love with a new guy named Ahmed.

She said no I don’t want you back or something like that and he couldn’t take no as an answer at first like dude she said no are you fucking stupid (excuse my French haha) but seriously when a women says NO why don’t men get it.

Ahmed he is a hottie with a body I know he’s fantasy why can’t he be real though and he’s a gentleman seriously I want him it’s not fair.

we need more guys that are like Ahmed sweet and cute and smart.
(brown eyes are very attractive I agree 100%)

There’s also a lesson to learn you should tell the truth like my mom says you’ll get caught sooner or later and that is also very true.

⭐️ 4.8/5
Bye for now

[Susan Gottfried]

Well, the characters were well-drawn.

And there were some bits that were laugh-out-loud funny.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book had a great message, but it was hard to get past the language. Meg finds out that her husband has been having an affair at the same time she tells him she is pregnant with his child...he still leaves. she falls apart wondering what she did wrong and struggles with her self worth. She devotes her full life after that to her son Henry who is now 9. She has sworn off men up until she happens upon Ahmed at a coffee shop while playing chess with her son. Should she give Ahmed a ticket into her life? She has a theory on life and that's to "put your whole self in" just like the hokey pokey song she sings in her kindergarden class. She ways all the options and after even Henry tell her he wants them to date Ahmed she relents. That's when Jonathan calls and wants to see her and it was Henry who called him. Life as Meg knows it falls apart and she takes off her rose colored glasses. Life has looked so good when you always thought the best of people, but sometimes people make mistakes as meg finds out and forgiveness isn't easy to give or be given.

[Lightblue · Rating 3 out of 5]

One True Theory of Love
Devo esser sincera, mi aspettavo tutt'altro! Dalla copertina pensavo fosse una storia incentrata sul melting pot culturale, su una relazione amorosa tra un'americana e un iraniano. Speravo di leggere le stesse emozioni che avevo trovato in Colazione da Starbucks, primo libro di quest'autrice. In realtà la copertina è molto fuorviante, qui si racconta la storia tra un uomo e una donna che ha paura dell'amore, a causa di pesanti delusioni passate. Il fatto che lui sia iraniano è solo un dettaglio insignificante. Il libro è carino, ma non va oltre le 3 stelline perchè un po' prevedibile e perchè rimane persistente la sensazione che l'autrice abbia sprecato l'occasione di parlare di una cultura diversa ma cosi affascinante come quella iraniana.

[Kiarup · Rating 2 out of 5]

Veramente brutto! Peccato perché secoli fa ne avevo letto un altro della stessa autrice (si intitola "colazione da Starbucks") che era molto carino. In questo caso invece abbiamo una protagonista non particolarmente simpatica (a me) con un figlio particolarmente impiccione, la quale ha un colpo di fulmine completamente insensato (secondo me) per un tizio affascinante che vede nel suo caffè preferito. Credevo lo avrei letto in un attimo, me lo sono trascinata invece nell'anno nuovo, ma voglio pensare di aver chiuso male il 2023 delle letture anziché aver cominciato male il 2024.

[Ronelle Widenhofer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so enamored by Veil of Roses & Dreaming in English, that I was really looking forward to reading One True Theory of Love by the same author. I didn't anticipate the disappointment I felt while reading it. It's basically a positive story about the honesty in relationships... between husbands & wives, parents & children, siblings, etc., but muddied by the amount of sex that permeated the chapters!

[Jeanne (love2cook)]

A good story of a single mother Meg Clark, her son Henry and her newfound love Ahmed Bourhani. It's also about her relationship with her mother, father, sister and the children in the Kindergarten class that she teaches. It full of the incites into her life. A very good read.

[Cate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books about which I am neutral. It was mediocre. I was mostly engaged in it, but it's certainly not something that will stick with me for very long at all.

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really liked the narrator.

[Tammy Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable easy read. Ending to perfect and rushed. Ok

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but the further I got the more annoying I was over the cheesiness of the story.

[Amber Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I didn’t really like these characters at all. Any of them.

[Edwina Book Anaconda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a cute book and a much-needed break from the thrillers that I've been reading lately.

[LindyLouMac · Rating 2 out of 5]

One True Theory of Love disappointed me, after having been on a Bookcrossing Bookring list waiting to read for two years. I assumed it was something I must have wanted to read because I had enjoyed her previous novel Veil of Roses. To be honest I could not remember much about it, so I checked back to my review before writing the review for this one. It seems that did not meet my expectations either.

I do seem to be in the minority with my opinion on this one though, if you take a look at what the other Bookcrossers who read it before me had to say.

There is nothing to dislike or criticise about the writing or the characterisation, it was just I personally found the storyline a little too perfect and I am sorry to say I got bored. The protagonist Meg a single parent who was abandoned by her husband when she was pregnant with Henry her nine year old son is an intelligent and independent woman. She is a very complicated character, who seems to find it difficult to be completely truthful, in a relationship that seems to be so important to her, I found this disconcerting. The other thing that bothered me was just how easily Henry accepted his mothers relationship with Ahmed. Maybe I was just never going to become emotionally engaged with a novel whose opening line is ‘It’s easy to look at men and think they’re idiots’ as I do not happen to agree!

I would still recommend One True Theory of Love to those of you that enjoy this genre and her previous one Veil of Roses.

As for me I expect given the opportunity I will still read her recently published novel, Dreaming In English, published February 2011, a sequel to Veil of Roses as disappointment does not equal dislike.

For links and author details please visit LindyLouMac's Book Reviews.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...

[Bunny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, likable characters. Good story line.

[Mark Howell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book I'd say actually rates about 3.25 stars. The reading is easy and straightforward... and well, for my first venture into romance-lit, wasn't too painfully bad. (If you're looking at this review from the main book page, if you look about 2-3 reviews down, that Jenn girl is the one who put me up to reading a romance novel--I read it first and sent it on to her)
Truth is, I liked it so much not for the writing or the plot, but the characters. I can understand Meg and her issues, having been in the position of being the "one left" a couple of times... so I understand her hurt, doubt, and how hard it is for her to reach out. Likewise, I know someone who's pretty much exactly the female version of Ahmed (lol ;-) )... truthfully that was one of the things that drew me to the book, reading the back cover synopsis.
So I guess in the end, you can have a good book by having a great storyline and awesome writing skills... which aren't really present here... or by having great characters that readers can identify with. I think that's honestly what did it for me.
But what do I know? Apparently I'm a chick in guy's clothing. lol

[Michelle Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book, as I loved Veil of Roses by this same author. However, I found this book frustrating and for me, it required me to suspend belief one too many times.

I really enjoyed Ahmed and Meg. However, there were some things that happened that made me feel really frustrated. They came across as just alittle hard to believe.

The child in this book is precocious and adorable probably a little more so than some people will be able to take.
Meg's mom is over the top mean, at times, she has no sense of decorum or respect for the feelings of others. Not just within the scope of her family.

There is much to like about this book I don't know why I don't love it, I am sure many people will. As I have already said, I really liked Ahmed however part of the problem with the book is how quickly he allowed himself to become invested in the lives of Meg and her son.

I would probably reccomend this book to some and I will read this author again. This was an enjoyable read just not as much so as I expected..

[Margherita Dolcevita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dalla quarta di copertina una potrebbe legittimamente aspettarsi un romanzo d'amore e di scontro tra due culture: quella di lei, americana, e quella di lui -dal passato tormentato (maddechè!)- iraniana. Questo anche in virtù del precedente romanzo dell'autrice incentrato su una ragazza persiana in cui lo scontro tra culture era evidente. Ecco, in questo libro nulla di tutto ciò. Ahmed è l'uomo perfetto. Bello, di classe, benestante, ottimo lavoro, dolce, ama i bambini, tutti i pregi che vi vengono in mente lui li ha. Unico difetto: pretende sincerità, capirai, più che un difetto una pia illusione. In realtà dunque non c'è alcuno scontro culturale, il meltin pot è inesistente: lei è quella incasinata, lei è quella con mille problemi e una famiglia in disfacimento, con un ex marito ex Chi l'ha visto?, con un figlio impiccione e vagamente irritante. Quindi il romanzo è una storia d'amore, banale se vogliamo dirla tutta. Però l'amore alla fine vince su tutto, anche sulle quarte di copertina fuorvianti: il romanzo si legge volentieri e appassiona, mi è piaciuto.

[Liv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall: I really liked this book. It wasn't your typical romance novel. It had a different point of view, focusing on the people around the main characters as well as her and her relationship. The idea of the "Hokey-Pokey" theory was very cute. I also enjoyed the different aspects that she brought to her kindergarten class. The book was extremely cute. I like that it showed love at many different stages. I feel that this was a nice touch. The whole Johnathan thing was very unexpected. The whole darn book was just awesome.

Characters: I really loved Ahmed and Henry. Shocker, right? They were the two that are meant to be loved in the book, but i'm a stickler for little boys and perfect men. Ahmed: perfect, sweet, sensitive. Henry: Adorable, energetic, perfect. Need I say more?

Quotes: I didn't really find any that were super good. Most of the parts in italics at the beginning of each chapter were good, though.

Recommend?: Yes. This is such a good romance/chick-flick type of book. Definitely meant for girls. It was perfect. 5/5 stars.

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nice, quick, easy read. It's basically about a woman who is very cynical and scared when it comes to relationships (based on past experiences). Then she meets Ahmed, with whom everything seems to click, and she changes her mind. But they still have tons of hurdles to overcome. The main character, Meg, annoyed me quite a bit from the very beginning. Ahmed, however, is pretty much the male version of me.

I'm not a big fan of authors creating a fictional story but including things from their real life. There's just something about it that seems lazy to me. If you want to do that, write non-fiction! :) In this instance, the author is married to an Iranian-born man, and so a lot of the story focused on Ahmed being Iranian, the challenges he's faced being here in America, the unfair sterotypes created after 9-11, etc. It got old.

I'm glad I read it, but I probably won't read it again.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend recommended this book to me because she said that the main character reminded her so much of me and I just had to read it. I'm glad I did. It was a quick and easy read--great for summers at the beach or by the pool. It's not a book you need to study but it is a beautiful little story. If I'm anything like the main character I hope my ending is like hers (yeah, if you've been reading my reviews, I very much prefer happy endings). Another great thing about this book is that it explores (in a very easy no-nonsense way) the intricacies of family--between daughter and father, mother and son, etc. I also loved the light shed on the difficulty a single mom has with dating and all that she has to give up to raise her child. But my favorite part about this book was the cross-cultural link.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meg Clark has a Hokey Pokey philosophy of life, you put your whole self in! Meg is a single mom with a nine year old son, Henry who she devotes herself to whole heartedly. She and Henry have a chance meeting with Ahmed, an Iranian-American at a coffee shop over a game of chess, and Meg feels an amazing connection to him. Meg is also dealing with the separation of her own parents and her sister's unhappiness with her own life. The thing I liked about this book, was the relationship complexities, the self discovery Meg goes through, and the acceptance of her past.
If this book was a movie, it would be PG-13, there is some swearing and a few sexual referances.

[Cheree · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating story of many different relationships. The main character's theme for life: "Put your whole self in," is taken from "The Hokey-Pokey," which she uses with all her students as a kindergarten teacher. It's a story of forgiveness, acceptance, judgments, perceptions, living life vs. being "safe," honesty, love, and many other virtues. It examines Meg's relationships with her son, ex-husband, new boyfriend, father (and new girlfriend), mother (and new boyfriend), sister (and her husband), students, and supportive friends.

[Sarah King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up at a discount store mainly due to the price - however, it has become one of my favorite books of all time. I have read it several times in the past few years...it's a cute, love story. I guess I mostly enjoy reading it because it gave me hope. After a divorce & leading a life as a single mom, I can relate to the main character and her love of her son being the number one concern in her life. She has no expectations of finding love again and one day it just simply appears. Such a great story when you are feeling down in the dumps!

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful, heart-warming tale of a mother who has to recover from her heart break for the sake of her son, who then becomes her life. When a man who reaches past her barriers comes into their life, she realizes that both she and her son have been missing something after all. And not only does she have to learn how to let him in, but also how to deal with her parents' breaking up.

A must-read for all lovers of romance, women's fiction, and just good stories.

[Kasey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. I think the last few I've read have either been romance candy or lacking in character development. Not this book or this author.....who I would definately read again. (You put your whole self in. Read the book to understand.)
Meet Henry....loveable, perfect, nine-year old Henry & his mom Meg. While I can't give you the whole rundown let's just say I want to eat Henry up!! For every single mom out there who needs a boost....read this book! Very good!

[Mairin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book, I stayed up and finished it in one sitting. Similar to Veil of Roses, one of the main characters is of Iranian descent, however this book concentrates less on the differences in culture and the family's opinion of the relationship and more on the relationship itself. The book looks at healing yourself after a bad relationship and learning to trust and love the people around you no matter what their faults.

A great book - I highly recommend it.

[Just - The romance reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was immediately smitten with Meg. Her unquestionably strong bond and undying love for her son were both inspiring and heartwarming. And Henry? Well, he was a little boy after my own heart. Witty, smart and wise beyond his years, Henry was pretty great.

One True Theory of Love is both funny and full of love, not just between a mother and son, but between friends, lovers and teacher and students.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. The writing is clear and crisp. I was drawn in by the very beginning, as the story opens on the main character's thoughts about men, and then transitions to her daily routine in her kindergarten classroom. It was so well-written that I felt immersed in the story, and experienced the highs and lows along with the main character. It's quick-paced, but deep. The characters, and their interactions with each other, felt real. Definitely one I would read again.