Review: Only Fate by Charity Ferrell (Only You #2)


Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author via Valentine PR.

It's been about two years and ten months since my last Charity Ferrell read, and that book was Only Rivals, the first book in the Only You series. That series starter had me looking forward to what Ferrell would have next for this next generation of characters in the town of Blue Beech, Iowa. The wait may have been longer than expected, but now, that second book is out and about and readers can dive into the second chance romance of Esmeralda Lane, the daughter of Rex and Carolina Lane, whose own happily-ever-after plays out in Just Friends (February of 2020), book six of the Blue Beech series.

Adrian Castillo is the bane of Esmeralda Lane's existence. They have history, both good and bad, and years after he ghosted her, he shows up at the law firm she works at. He bribed his way with baseball tickets to a promotion she should have gotten, leading to her quitting and heading home to Blue Beech, Iowa. So, maybe it shouldn't have surprised Essie all that much when Adrian makes his presence known in her hometown, taking over the only law practice in town--the same law practice that she'll be competing for clients with now that she has her own practice set up. He wants a second chance with her, but secrets from their past may kill any shot at their future.

There was quite a bit going on with this book. From their past while in college, what happened to her in high school, AND all the secrets being kept, Essie and Adrian certainly had their challenges ahead of their happily-ever-after. For an intelligent guy, Adrian made more than his fair share of less than stellar choices. I don't doubt how much he loved Essie and wanted an opportunity to make up for his mistakes and show that they belonged together, but following her to her previous place of employment and then to her hometown felt EXTRA extra. I did like the story line concerning the incident from Essie's past and how it intertwined with their present, and Only Fate was still an entertaining read overall, so I'm giving this four stars.

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Read my reviews for the Only You series:


Only Rivals (book one) - 4.5 stars - My Review

Only Fate (book two) - four stars - My Review (posted above)

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Release Date: 11 March 2025

Date Read: 02 March 2025

Learn more about Charity Ferrell.

Pre-order Only Fate on Amazon.

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