• Reviews
    • 5+++++++ Stars
    • 5 stars
    • 4-5 stars
      • 4 stars
      • 4.25 Stars
      • 4.5 stars
      • 4.75 Stars
    • 3-4 stars
    • audiobook
      • Audiobooks Under 3 stars
      • Audiobook 3 stars
      • Audiobook 3.5 stars
      • Audiobook 3.75 Stars
      • Audiobook 4 stars
      • Audiobook 4.25 Stars
      • Audiobook 4.5 Stars
      • Audiobook 4.75 Stars
      • Audiobook 5 stars
      • Audiobook 5+++ Stars
  • Series Orders
    • The Complete Guide To Kristen Ashley
  • What to Read after Fifty
  • About~Privacy
    • Advertising
    • Contact ~ Review Requests
    • Terms and Conditions. Privacy Policy.
    • Archive
  • Wicked Book Weekend

Ana's Attic Book Blog

Romance Book and Audiobook Reviews and Deals

  • Ana's Attic Book Blog
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • 5+++++++ Stars
    • 5 stars
    • 4-5 stars
      • 4 stars
      • 4.25 Stars
      • 4.5 stars
      • 4.75 Stars
    • 3-4 stars
    • Audiobooks
      • Audiobook 5+++ Stars
      • Audiobook 5 stars
      • Audiobook 4.75 Stars
      • Audiobook 4.5 Stars
      • Audiobook 4.25 Stars
      • Audiobook 4 stars
      • Audiobook 3.75 Stars
      • Audiobook 3.5 stars
      • Audiobook 3 stars
      • Audiobooks Under 3 stars
  • New-Sale-Free-Preorder
  • Favorite Lists
    • 2021 Top Picks
    • 2020 Top Picks
    • 2019 Top Picks
    • 2018 Top Picks
    • 2017 Top Picks
    • 2016 Top Picks
    • 2015 Top Picks
    • 2014 Top Picks
    • 2013 Top Picks
    • 2012 Top Picks
    • Top Picks and Favorite Lists
    • Recaps and Best Sellers
  • Book Extras – Exclusives
  • Upcoming Book Releases
The Girl In The Woods ad

Book Review – The Only One by Lauren Blakely

12/31/2016

The Only One by Lauren Blakely

Standalone Contemporary Romance Novella. 

Lauren Blakely bookended 2016 with amazing reads all year long. She started the year phenomenally well with top favorite Big Rock, and ended it with The Only One, and I loved every book in between. She has become a “drop everything to read” author, and her books are pretty much perfect reads with smart characters I love and want to hang with, lots of humor, hot sex and tons of romance. The Only One may be a little shorter than her average book, but it didn’t feel like it was missing anything. It was a fully developed story filled with all the heart humor and heat I expect from Lauren Blakely.

Ten years ago, on a trip to Spain after college when she was 21, Penny fell in love with a young chef. At 24, for three whirlwind days, Gabriel fell in love with a beautiful American. He spent his life wanting to be a chef and planned to come to America to work. So they planned a meet in New York City a week after they parted. But Gabriel didn’t show, and heartbroken, Penny never heard from him again.

Penny works for a non-profit dog rescue (yes, she has come up in other books from Lauren Blakely, but you don’t need to read them first at all). She is planning a big picnic in the park for all the benefactors when her catering falls through. So at the last minute, she has to find another service who can cater a large group in a short time. Enter the hottest new chef in NY, straight off a reality cooking show….Gabriel.

Penny worked herself up for the meet. Should she confront him? Be angry? Fall at his feet? What would happen?

But as he strides toward where I wait by the door, the saying take my breath away means something entirely new. Oxygen flees my body. The twenty-four-year-old guy who dazzled me when I gave him my virginity a decade ago has nothing on this man in front of me.

But then….

“It’s so good to meet you. I want to hear all about your charity and to see if we can work together for your event.”

Whaaat? Meet her? He doesn’t remember her. OMG.

What she doesn’t know is that he thinks it’s her, but she didn’t say anything. She used to use the name Penelope and was supposed to be a Wall Street analyst. But when he asks if they’ve met, she decides to deny it. But there was no denying the electric attraction between them.

And when they reconnect for real, it’s even better. They start to fall for each other again. Gabriel still keeps feeling a sense of déjà vu, and I love it when he realizes he is sure that Penny is his Penelope.

 

This book was so romantic!

“My feet don’t touch the ground. Gravity has no hold on me. I’m floating, falling, gliding….his lips both wonderfully familiar and yet fantastically new.”

One thing I really loved was the maturity of the characters, and the ability of Lauren to write about things that normally cause major angst, and surprise us with a mature result.

Love isn’t all or nothing. It’s a million variations, and some days are better than others. Some are luminous, and others are muted, but none of them mean the end.

Likes:

  • Felt like a full length novel, if I wasn’t told it was a novella, I wouldn’t have known, It was a very full story that never felt rushed.
  • I really liked both characters a lot.
  • Dirty talking.
  • Hot sex.
  • Very romantic.
  • Dual 1st person POV.
  • The flashbacks worked perfectly.
  • Mature reactions to things that normally cause major angst.

Dislikes:

  • I would still recognize a guy I fell for 30 years ago. Maybe not by looks so quickly, but the minute I heard their voice I’d be sure. And for her to have a variation of the same name and he not recognize her for sure 10 years later seems a bit far-fetched.

The Down & Dirty:

Lauren Blakely started my year with an amazing book and ended it with another. The Only One was a little more romantic and a little less funny than most of her other books this year, and I loved every page of this second chance romance. It never felt like a novella to me, it was a full, rich story that never felt rushed, and it was filled with romance, dirty talking, hot sex, humor, and mature characters who aren’t overly prone to overreacting. It amazes me how much I love every single thing Lauren Blakely writes, and I will be dropping almost anything else to read what she puts out in 2017.

Rating: 4.5 Stars, 4.5 Heat

Purchase The Only One by Lauren Blakely

Amazon

 

Related posts:

  • The Girl In The Woods Book ReviewThe Girl In The Woods by Kristen Ashley | Book Review
  • Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey | Audiobook ReviewLove Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey | Audiobook Review
  • The Love Wager ReviewThe Love Wager by Lynn Painter | Book Review
  • The Chameleon Effect by Joe ArdenThe Chameleon Effect by Joe Arden
  • Throttled by Lauren Asher ReviewThrottled by Lauren Asher Review
«
»

4-5 Heat H's, 4-5 stars, 4.5 stars, Book Reviews, Books - 4+ Stars, Lauren Blakely, Reviews, Short Stories/Novellas 0

Follow Me Here!

Join our Facebook Group

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stalk Me – I Like It

Stay in touch!

Subscribe to my monthly newsletter to stay up to date on my blog!

Welcome! Over 18 please

Ana's Attic

Ana’s Attic Book and Audiobook Blog was established in 2012.

Search this site:

search by category

.
Disclosure: Ana's Attic is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Many of the books reviewed on Ana's Attic were provided by the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. We never accept payment in any form for reviews or recommendations. Also an affiliate of Target.com For our full, in-depth Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies, CLICK HERE. By using this website you are consenting to our Policies as set forth here.
DMCA.com Protection Status

latest review:

Next review:

Reading next:

Listening:

Visit These pages:

Visit These pages:

Founding Member

Passionflix

#officialfifty

#officialfifty

New single out now!

Affiliate:

Ana's Attic is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Privacy Policy

For our full, in-depth Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies, CLICK HERE. By using this website you are consenting to our Policies as set forth here.

The only time I collect e-mails is when you sign up for the newsletter or if you register This information is NEVER shared, and is only used to deliver your email to you.

Ana’s Attic does not share personal information with third parties nor do we store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies.

You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings.

We are not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without our permission.

This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on May 24, 2018. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly here: ana@anasattic.com

Please note:

This blog is meant for adults 18+ only. All opinions are my own and custom images are copyright protected. I never accept payment for reviews. All books reviewed are either purchased by me or provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Prices reflected are valid at the time of post only. You are responsible for checking the correct price before completing the purchase.

For our full, in-depth Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies, CLICK HERE. By using this website you are consenting to our Policies as set forth here.

Contest Winners: Contest Winners have 48 hours from my e-mail to get back to me or another winner is chosen. Flash Giveaway winners on Facebook are responsible for checking back to see if they are a winner. Mailed prizes are US only unless otherwise stated. I only pick rafflecopter winners once per month, all at once.

Instagram

anasatticblog

📖Romance Book |🎧Audiobook Reviews since 2012
📚New Releases
💰Sale|Freebie Lists
📆Starting On Monday Blog
🏖Wicked Book Weekend

Ana's Attic Book Blog
I love how @kristenashleybooks can write a differe I love how @kristenashleybooks can write a different genre and completely nail it. I love how The Girl In The Woods is different from all of her other books, yet still has that Kristen Ashley feel. I loved how Kristen surprised me and didn’t follow the expected formula.
The town of Misted Pines is a bit crazy, but let me tell you, if there is another dead resident, I’ll be gobbling up that story as well. I don’t wish anyone dead but…..

📚Read it: https://amzn.to/3ngbDqI
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3Z6UrBi
💻My review: https://anasattic.com/the-girl-in-the-woods/

#newbookrelease #booklover #kristenashley #thriller #thrillerbooks #newbooks #audiobooks #audible #bookreview #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #recommendedreading #bookrecommendations #serialkiller #fbi
The latest #romancebook and #audiobook releases as The latest #romancebook and #audiobook releases as well as sales, freebies and preorders are up at anasattic.com. Always the top post! 
-
#newreleasetuesday #newbooks #newaudiobooks #booksbooksbooks #newreleases #romancereads #freebooks #booksales #audible #kindle #bookblogger #bookstagram #audiobookstagram
Sometimes a book that works for everyone else just Sometimes a book that works for everyone else just doesn’t hit me right. I had really high hopes for this book about a marriage in trouble, especially because I really like the author. Sadly, it just didn’t work for me.
💻My review: https://anasattic.com/love-her-or-lose-her-tessa-bailey/
📖Read it: https://amzn.to/3yMhXci
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3yPYGGM

#bookreview #audiobookreview #audibleromance #audiobooks #bookblog #audiobookblog #romancereads #romancereader #bookstagram #audiobookstagram #honestreviews #honestbookreview
In case you missed it, THE LONG WAY HOME by @harpe In case you missed it, THE LONG WAY HOME by @harper_sloan is LIVE!!! I’ve waited 5 long years for more Harper goodness, I can’t wait to dive in!
—> https://amzn.to/3FsPyvt <—

#newrelease #harpersloan #romancebooks #romancereads #bookrelease #favoriteauthor #romancereads #booklover #bookish #bookstagram #bookstagrammer
#readersofinstagram
NOW LIVE! I absolutely LOVED The Love Wager by @ly NOW LIVE!
I absolutely LOVED The Love Wager by @lynnpainterkirkle , and now I will be looking to read all of her books! Great banter, lots of texting, laugh-out-loud moments and a great friend group. Totally up my alley!

📚Read it: https://amzn.to/401f0Qy
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3YGHQoo
💻My review: https://anasattic.com/the-love-wager/
—
#bookreview #arcreview #lynnpainter #netgalley #kindle #audible #newbook #romcomreads #recommendedreading #romanticcomedy #romancereader #bookblogger #bookstagram #newreleasetuesday #booklover #romancereadersofig
What an amazing #bookmail from @kristenashleybooks What an amazing #bookmail from @kristenashleybooks ! I’m reading The Girl in The Woods now and you can too 3/21. I can’t wait to get this signed at @readerstakeden later this month! Thank you so much! 
—
#bookmailisthebestmail #kristenashley #arcreader #thrillerbooks #romancebooks #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #booksofinstagram #romanticsuspensebook #booklover #bookblogger
I love the unique storyline of this debut solo nov I love the unique storyline of this debut solo novel from Joe Arden, and I especially love when the narrator narrates their own book and I love male POV books written by an actual male! I had a few issues (which you’ll see in the review), but overall I really enjoyed this one, and it is staying in my memory because it was different.

📖Read it: https://amzn.to/3ykRrqf
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3JpgP4j
💻My review: https://anasattic.com/the-chameleon-effect-by-joe-arden/
—
#audiobookreview #bookreview #audiobooknarrator #audible #debutnovel #romancereads #audibleromance #uniquebook #romancenovels #bookstagram #audiobookstagram #amazonaffiliate #audiblebooks
Some of the best memories and best friends have co Some of the best memories and best friends have come from my 6 years of doing Wicked Book Weekend. How many authors do you recognize?
—
#wickedbookweekend #booksigning #authorevent #bookfriendsarethebestfriends #authorsofinstagram #bookishlove #bookfriends #bookevents
Do you love cooking reality shows? If so, you shou Do you love cooking reality shows? If so, you should check out Sadie on a Plate by Amanda Elliot. I loved being behind-the-scenes at a cooking reality show! There is a romance, but it’s way more about the exciting cooking show. The heroine is Jewish and there is a very diverse cast. 
📚Read it: https://amzn.to/3KXsNTT
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3ZjKD8f
💻My review: https://anasattic.com/sadie-on-a-plate/
—
@amandapanitch @prhaudio 

#audiobookreview #bookreview #audible #cooking #cookingshow #jewish #ethniccooking #diverseromance #realityshow #jewishauthor #jewishrepresentation #romcomreads #romancebooks #bookstagram #audiobookstagram #amandaelliot
Want to be a book signing ROCK STAR? @readerstaked Want to be a book signing ROCK STAR? @readerstakeden is looking for volunteers! There will be great opportunities for perks and prizes! Fill out the form on our website: readerstakedenver.com
—
—
#booksigning #bookstagram #booksignings #bookevent #bookevents #bookish #denver #denvercolorado #authorevent #authorevents #booklover #romancereads #thrillerbooks
I started Throttled by Lauren Asher last year and I started Throttled by Lauren Asher last year and it was taking me forever to read, then the audiobook released and I switched over at about 60%. That’s when the book really picked up for me. The new season of Drive to Survive starts on #netflix next week and #formula1 starts the week after. I’m so excited for the new season! I am hoping that more of this series releases on audio soon because I love being in the #F1 world.

📖Read it: https://amzn.to/3EiGVTS
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3IdgAI0
💻My review: https://anasattic.com/throttled-by-lauren-asher-review/

—
—
#bookreview #audiobookreview #bookstagram #sportsromance #booklover #audiobooklove #bookseries #bookblogger #readersofinstagram #audiobooksrule #booksbooksbooks
I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since the v I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since the very first Wicked Book Weekend with @colleenhoover @abbiglines @authortarasivec @jasindawilder @katieashleyluv #rklilley @raine.miller2 and more. Were you there? 
—
#booksigning #wickedbookweekend #girlsweekend #booklovers #bookstagram #coho #tarasivec #booksigningevent #happyanniversary #funtimes #friendsforever #authors #romancebookstagram #romanceauthors
Another book I really wanted to love, but it was j Another book I really wanted to love, but it was just OK for me. I did love the heroine’s business of awesome salads in a cup! A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan was not labeled as book 3 in a series, and it was. Though it was able to stand alone, I think I missed a connection because I didn’t read the first two.
📚Read it: https://amzn.to/410zvhG
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3xuiwH2
💻My review: https://anasattic.com/a-guide-to-being-just-friends-sophie-sullivan/
—
—
#bookreview #audiobookreview #romancereads #audiobooklover #audiblebooks #audible #kindle #friendstolovers #cleanromance #romancenovels
I have my ARC for The Girl In The Woods by Kristen I have my ARC for The Girl In The Woods by Kristen Ashley (releasing 3/21), but I decided to get the audiobook for The Girl In The Mist to refresh my memory. It’s even better in audio!

The Girl In The Mist by Kristen Ashley
📚Read it: https://amzn.to/3KeXLXo
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3YWgbQN
💻My review: https://anasattic.com/the-girl-in-the-mist/

Preorder The Girl In The Woods by Kristen Ashley:
📚Read it: https://amzn.to/40YGKXt
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3YEzluM

See my Complete Guide to Kristen Ashley: https://anasattic.com/the-complete-guide-to-kristen-ashley/
—
—
@kristenashleybooks #kristenashley #romanticsuspensebook #romanticthriller #booklover #favoriteauthor #audiobookstagram #bookstagram #audiobooklove #audiblebooks #audibleromance #arcreader #reader #audiobookaddict #bookblogger
My arm is killing me! There are a TON of great #ro My arm is killing me! There are a TON of great #romancebooks and #audiobooks that released this week! Plus lots of new sales and I'm still adding. These lists are a lot of work, so please consider telling your friends 😁
--> https://anasattic.com/new-sale-free-feb-2023/
You can always find this list at the top of my homepage. 
(If both the book and the audiobook released today there are headphones below the book.)

Are you reading or listening to any of these?

#bookreleases #bookstagram #newreleasebooks #romancereads
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright

All images and text on this blog are credited to Ana’s Attic, unless otherwise stated. Book covers are from Amazon.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material (including translations) without express and written permission from Ana’s Attic’s author is strictly prohibited.

Excerpts (no longer than a short paragraph) and links to this blog are permitted, providing that full credit is given to Ana’s Attic with clear and specific direction to the original content.

For our full, in-depth Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies, CLICK HERE. By using this website you are consenting to our Policies as set forth here.

Facebook Page

Wicked Book Weekend

Ana's Attic Book Blog © 2023

Web Design and Development by emr design studio