5 Smooches!

Synopsis

From the New York Times bestselling author of THE SEXY ONE comes a romance about fate and second chances

Let’s say there was this guy. And he gave you the most mind-blowing night of sex in your life. And you never saw him again.
Until ten years later.
Now, it turns out he’s the ONLY ONE in all of Manhattan whose restaurant is available the night of my charity’s gala.
The trouble is, he doesn’t recognize me.
***
This woman I’m working with is so damn alluring. The first time I set eyes on her, I’m captivated and I can’t get her out of my mind. Even if it’s risky to tango with someone I’m working with, she’s a risk I’m willing to take.
The trouble is, she won’t give me the time of day.
But I’m determined to change that.

THE ONLY ONE is a standalone novella following characters first introduced in THE SEXY ONE (Gabriel) and WELL HUNG (Penny).

REVIEW

“Sometimes heartbreak happens for a reason. Sometimes hurt does make us stronger.”

It seems that I’ve found a new guilty pleasure, and it would be a Lauren Blakely novella. This is the second novella that I’ve read by Ms. Blakely in a few weeks’ time, and just like the other one, The Only One was an unputdownable, utterly indulgent delight to read. Blakely’s novellas are a romance reader’s treat. Obviously constrained by the length, Blakely doesn’t mess around by filling the pages with unnecessary angst or drama. Oh no, not at all. For me, The Only One was like curling up with a warm mug of cocoa only to find out it isn’t my usual cocoa, it’s different–better, spicy, richer–special. This is the story to read when your romance reading heart is beleaguered by angsty or darker tales or when you need to be reminded of how captivating and enchanting falling in love can be. Or when you just want a sweet and sexy second-chance story.

“Do you? Believe in fate?”

Do you believe in fate, in destiny, in serendipity? Because, see, I do, I really, really do. This book had me sitting up and taking notice right away. I was all in on the premise – that the characters initial meeting ten years’ earlier in Spain wasn’t their time, it was more like a prelude of things to come. So when Blakely reunites them a decade later in Manhattan, they are both older, wiser, more experienced—ready. And let me tell you, it was breathtaking. Every single moment of this couple finding each other again, picking up where they left off and discovering the people they’ve become was magical and romantic. I was giddy, positively giddy, as they came together, realized their past connection and then ultimately fell back (or deeper as was the case) in love.

“We fit, like we were meant to be.”

There was a moment in this book, when the heroine could have had a very negative reaction to an exchange between the hero and another woman that she stumbled upon that was ultimately innocent. But instead of storming over and making a scene, the older, more mature woman that she was reigned in her knee-jerk response, examined her feelings and in doing so, she had a very wise realization that allowed her to have a calm reaction. I loved this entire book, but that scene was just so well played. It was absolutely perfect and her inner thoughts in that moment were what set the entire tone of this relationship for me and what had the premise of the whole book snapping into place for me. Brilliant, Ms. Blakely, brilliant!

“We are the lovers who make others jealous…everyone wants what we have.”

When the couple initially met, the heroine was a virgin and the hero, while more experienced than she, was a young man. Ten years later both have more life experiences and relationships under their belts, so when they come together now, it was not with a young couple’s tentative exploration. The passion that these two unleashed upon each other was scorching. It was thrilling, heart-pounding, lustful, confident, sexy. Dirty talking Frenchman – need I say more? Blakely doesn’t shy away from steamy sexual encounters (and I, for one, thank her for that), but when Gabriel lays out all the ways he plans to have her to Penny? Well let’s just say, Penny wasn’t the only one panting.

“…all those times I hoped, it was for this.”

Novella, full-length novel, whatever – this was a fantastic story, plain and simple. I enjoyed every moment of this couple’s story. This is unquestionably one of the most romantic stories I’ve read this year. It was a heady mix of the blush of first love and the bloom of a second chance. It was tender, it was touching, it was passionate collision of old and new coming together at the right time on their fated path. This story was a few hours of heart-healing happiness in my hot little hands, so it is without hesitation that Lauren Blakely’s The Only One gets five smooches from me.

“There is no past that can come between what was meant to be. Us.”

~ Danielle Palumbo

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