Review: The Only One by Lauren Blakely (One Love #1.5)

Note: This ARC was provided by the publisher via InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review.

If you've read the Men of Rom Com series, Penny Jones of the Little Friends animal shelter should be familiar to you, having been mentioned in both Mister O and Well Hung. If you've also read The Sexy One, the first novel in the One Love series, then Gabriel Mathias shouldn't be a stranger since he was an unforgettable supporting character, having started his eponymous restaurant with the financial backing of Simon Travers, the male main character. With the recent release of The Only One, both Penny and Gabriel get their own happily-ever-after...together! It's a story of first loves and missed chances and of an everlasting love and a second opportunity to finally get it all right.

Penelope Jones and Gabriel Mathias met and fell in love in Spain over the span of three days. Knowing that Penelope had to return to the U.S. and that Gabriel had a job waiting for him in New York, they both agree to meet at Lincoln Center at a particular time and date. But when she spends hours alone and realizes he isn't going to show up, Penelope's heart is broken and thinks to herself that if he really wanted to get in touch with her, Gabriel had her email. Ten years pass and Penny is no longer the financial analyst she though she wanted to be, now happily managing an animal shelter which relies heavily on donations. Finding the right restaurant to cater an event to bring in donors leads her to Gabriel's and when she comes face to face with its owner, she confirms that it's none other than the same Gabriel she loved and hated. Finding him in Manhattan brings with it questions that she isn't sure if she wants answered. One thing she is sure of? That Gabriel absolutely doesn't remember her at all.

This was such an adorable novella, one that tugged on my heartstrings, especially when it came to Penny waiting at Lincoln Center and then Gabriel not recognizing her a decade later. I admit that I was a bit bothered about the fact that he claims to have fallen hopelessly in love with Penny in Spain but couldn't clearly picture her in his head. And I know technology is far more advanced now, but gah! Cameras existed back then. I wish these two had bothered to take photos to have mementos but I guess they were busy falling in love. I liked that while they did hold on to the memories of the love they shared ten years ago, they got to know the newer versions of each other and went ahead and fell in love with those versions as well. I loved Gabriel and Penny's second chance romance and that epilogue brought everything full circle and left me with a smile on my face. Five stars go to The Only One. ♥

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Read my reviews for the One Love series:

The Sexy One (book one) - five-plus stars - My Review

The Only One (novella) - five stars - My Review (posted above)

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Date Read: 08 December 2016

Learn more about Lauren Blakely.

Purchase The Only One on Amazon.