He was my first crush, my first kiss, my first everything.But I’m not a lovesick teenager anymore, and I’d never let that cocky troublemaker break my heart again.So when he shows up out of the blue asking me to have dinner with him “for old time’s sake,” I say I will. After all, it’s been twelve years, and I’m stronger and smarter than I was back then. Except…he still does something to me. He’s … something to me. He’s got those eyes that make me weak, those hands that drive me wild, and a body I can’t resist—especially once I see the tattoos. It doesn’t take long for our trip down memory lane to go from sweet to sizzling.
We’re just as good together as we were back then—better, even—and I’m willing to give the only man I’ve ever loved another chance.
But he’s got to tell me the truth.
* * *
All I wanted was to see her again. Tell her I’m sorry. Make her smile.
Okay, that’s a lie. I wanted to do more than that—a lot more. But I know she’s better off without me, and I promised myself I’d behave.
Except I’ve never been much good at keeping promises…or my hands to myself when I’m around her.
I can make her laugh, I can make her cry, I can make her body surrender to mine in ways that neither of us could have imagined back then. I can—and I do—love her more than she’ll ever know.
But I can’t tell her the real reason why I’m here.
And I can’t stay.
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Dallas and Maren will have you crying and laughing, all the while wanting to shake some sense into both of them!
I hated how Dallas was so down on himself, but loved that he finally was able to reconnect with his family. Maren was a strong, independent woman, except when it came to Dallas. This is a great second chance romance-second chance at life and at love.
“He tasted sweet and sinful at the same time – like whiskey and butterscotch, like a memory and a fantasy – and his mouth was familiar but his kiss felt brand new.”
I am often not a big fan of second chance love stories because the idea of all the years lost between the couple is so sad. This book is not a new release but I only recently read it, so it was new to me. I don’t want to write too much about the plot because there is plenty about it out there.
Maren and Dallas, the 2 main characters, reconnect powerfully after be vanished from her life a dozen years earlier. I liked both characters a lot and the author makes their connection really jump off the page. I didn’t think that Maren was a bit quick to just accept him back, but I suppose that was to reinforce the powerful vibe between them.
There were several plot twists that took me by surprise and that I really did like. I definitely enjoyed this book.
Be brave. Be strong. Trust yourself.
Another phenomenal book by this author! She has a knack for creating stories that leave me feeling every emotion the characters feel. Dallas and Maren were extremely easy to love. This second chance love story, with deep feels, was a sexy, swoony, and totally addictive read.
Only Him is the second book in the One and Only series by the extremely talented, Melanie Harlow. It can be read as a standalone novel but we did meet Maren in Only You, as Emme’s sister. The yoga-loving one if you read the book. I actually didn’t read the synopsis so I didn’t even know that about the book. I was so excited to figure out that it was a second chance story because those are one of my favorites!
Twelve years ago Dallas broke her heart by walking away without even a goodbye. Since then she tried to stop thinking about him. Nothing helped. Yoga. Meditating. Dating. Sex. He was her first love. Her first everything and nobody else had ever compared but he was gone. Until…he showed up on her doorstep with an apology. She wanted to slam the door in his face. She wanted to hate him for leaving the way he did. She never got closure. Was this the opportunity she needed all those years ago. One last goodbye then she could move on with her life.
Dallas had to see her. It was time for him to tell her he was sorry for being a selfish seventeen year old. He thought he was doing the right thing. That she was better off without him. He was a troublemaker without a real future. She was good girl with a great one. He still feels that way but he needs to do this. Just see her one last time and then go back to Portland. To still think about her. To still love her from afar. He never stopped but he knows he has to walk away again. But can he after seeing her in person? After spending time with her. After having the time of his life with the only woman he ever loved.
Will Dallas and Maren get their second chance?
I loved this couple! They are not perfect. They have their insecurities about love, life, and worth. It adds to their story. They make them more real to me. I felt for Dallas. I loved his stubborn ass. I felt for Maren too. She needed to find her balance. I wanted to hug her more than a few times. Together, you could feel their connection and passion. It’s both beautiful and heartbreaking.
Overall…it’s a beautiful story about second chances, love, and family. It made me laugh, cry, think, and get hot and bothered. It was an amazing combo. I am looking forward to the next book!
Quotes:
“I probably should have called you first.”
“You probably should have called me twelve years ago.”
“That night did not end well for me.” “I can only imagine.”
“But I promise, you will not end up in handcuffs tonight.” He grinned delightedly and leaned closer to whisper in my ear. “Unless, of course, you’d enjoy that.”
“We all make mistakes. We’re all human. What sets one man apart from the next is what happens afterward.”
5 stars
I purchased a copy of the One and Only steamy 3 book boxset featuring the sisters Emme,Maren, and Stella’s quests for love by Melanie Harlow and this review was given freely.
The three sisters meet handsome and sexy men who don’t believe in love or relationships until after they meet, profess their love to and then dump their respective sister.
Each story has a rocky romance, wonderful characters,a happy ending and an increasing level of steam. While each story features a certain sister, each novel contains the continuing lives of the previous couple and is best read in sequence.
Only You: Emme and Nate
A neighbors and friends to more romance. Sinical divorce attorney and playboy Nate usually rescues his danger prone nextdoor neighbor the wedding planner Emme until a baby abandoned at his door leaves him shocked and clueless. Dramatic, humorous and action packed, combining secret attraction with the chaos of becoming a new parent.
Only Him: Maren and Dallas
High school sweethearts reunite when tattoo artist Dallas stops in Detroit on his way to have brain surgery to apologize for suddenly dumping yoga and wellness studio owner Emme.
Drama in the form of a sinister dream,the emotional stress of a cancer diagnosis and, the emotional trauma of a misunderstanding family add interest to this rocky second chance at love romance.
Only Love: Stella, Grams and Ryan
A steamy ex Marine romance with humor and interest in the form of a feisty and conniving matchmaking grandmother. Unlucky in love psychologist Stella goes to visit her grandmother only to fall in love with the emotionally challenged next door neighbor. Contains a serious and poignant undertone in the form of low self esteem,divorce, the ex-military struggle to assimilate into civilian life, and suicide.
“…it felt good, indulging the villain inside me—wicked and sexy and selfish and greedy and powerful, so powerful I was drunk with it.”
After finishing ONLY YOU I couldn’t wait to read about Dallas. This book is filled with love, passion, regret, friendship, secrets, second chances, friendship and heartache.
“Did she hate me for it? Would she ever forgive me? Did it even matter to her anymore?”
I love second chance reads. Maybe it’s because my relationship is one or maybe because people make mistakes and you hope they get another chance to prove their authentic self and show you how they really feel.
“He tasted sweet and sinful at the same time—like whiskey and butterscotch, like a memory and a fantasy—“
Looking forward to the next book in the series ONLY LOVE. I have a feeling I won’t be disappointed! Hopefully it gives a little recap of previous favorite characters to see where their story led them.
Dallas Shepherd and Maren Devine were in love in high school and he left without anything. Now he is back 12 yrs later. Can she forgive him for leaving and will he win her heart. This is a second chance romance that was really good.
A stunning second-chance romance had me under it’s spell from the very first page. A powerful love story that is inspiring, emotionally raw, intense, incredibly sexy, and breathtakingly romantic.
Dallas is a broken man that is incredibly sexy, guarded, and fiercely protective. Maren is beautiful, sweet, genuine, and strong. They fell in love as teenagers and were torn apart. Years later they are unexpectedly reunited and all those old feeling come rushing back. Despite time, that magnetic pull to one another is still forever drawn home. No matter how hard they try to deny it, the hearts wants what it wants. Searching for that missing piece to make them whole again and they are powerless to stop the fall. These two together are magical. Their passion still burns just as bright; their connection just as strong. The chemistry is electric and undeniable. They now have a chance to mend their hearts but it doesn’t come easy. Secrets are revealed and threaten to tear them apart yet again. How they fight for one another is absolutely breathtaking. The storyline is incredibly well-written and the characters are relatable. The twists and turns are a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I could feel everything the characters experienced; the emotions radiated from the pages. The heartfelt moments stole my breath and the heartbreaking ones shattered my soul. An incredibly beautiful story of love and forgiveness. I loved every second of this amazing book and simply didn’t want their story to end! I highly recommend reading this book!!
Only him
Melanie Harlow
Reviews on goodreads. Amazon. The book addicts.
Goodness gracious she knows how to hit you in the feels !! Dallas oh Dallas how I wanted to hold you one minute and beat you senseless the next … he was fabulous!! And wonderful emotional roller coaster that holds you captive until “the end “.
I can’t wait till Stella!!! It’s going to BEE awesome. ( you see what I did there lol). Come on November!!!
This book just broke me and then put me back together. It’s just written in such a way that pulls you in and makes you feel the pain, love, hurt, happiness within it’s pages. Marlen and Dallas have that once in a lifetime kind of love and they found it early. However, things pulled them apart. Events put them back together again, but is it long term? Trust me you are going go want to read this one! It’s heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time!
Second chance romance with Dallas Shepherd and Maren Devine high school sweethearts two people that were meant to be together. Moving on and letting go of the past and finally getting their HEA.
It was hot and steamy the chemistry and connection of the characters was written so beautifully. I loved their banter and there were a few laugh out loud moments. At times it was difficult and heartbreaking to read but the ending was completely worth it. Loved the epilogue!
Maren’s relationship with her sisters played a big part of the story, along with Dallas’s trying to mend the divide with his brother Finn. Loved Dallas as an uncle. This was so much more than a romance it was also a family healing from the past.
Amazing to check in with past characters that are so interwoven in the story. We reconnect with Emme and Nate and see their continued relationship. This was written in dual points of view. And even though this is the second book in the One and Only Series it can be read as a stand-alone.
I’m a sucker for a good second chance story, and Melanie Harlow definitely pulled out all the stops with this one. Book 2 in the One & Only series, Only Him focuses on Maren, who we briefly met in Only You, and Dallas, her high school sweetheart.
Maren & Dallas were high school sweethearts, completely in love & devoted to each other. Until Dallas vanished, leaving without saying goodbye, and leaving Maren heartbroken. 12 years later he shows up on her doorstep looking for forgiveness, and their undeniable chemistry comes rushing back forcing them to face the feelings they have both tried to forget. Is this their second chance, or will secrets and lies tear them apart for good?
I adored these characters, Maren’s strength and Dallas’s resilience. They both had inner demons to overcome, and present day struggles to accept. The angst was higher than I’m used to from Melanie Harlow, but she wrote it perfectly. I really enjoyed this book, and the way everything played out was perfect. I loved that we got more Emme & Nate in this book, and can’t wait for Stella’s story!
The past serves to highlight our faults and give us indications for the progress of the future.
Henry Ford
The above phrase perfectly describes the feeling of this book. As we run day by day into the future, our choices and past experiences shape us, enrich us, and make us who we are. However, in some cases, we always leave loose ends, unresolved situations, open wounds. Sometimes we just recognize the problem and move on. Others, these open questions prevent us from moving forward. To what extent can unfinished business interfere with our present life? What if a ghost from the past reappeared?
Maren understands these issues very well. With a balanced life, she can say that she has reached perfection, but recurrent dreams do not let her sleep. Trying to discard the motives that might be behind her dream, she finds no loose ends, no regrets to justify. She left her ballet career by choice and does not regret it, she teaches yoga, which is a passion, she has his own studio, loving sisters, travels in her free time, her life is normal. Really?
As much as she does not want to admit to herself, there is an outstanding question in her life. An issue that lasts for exactly 12 years. And it goes by the name of Dallas, her boyfriend of adolescence, her first love, that left without saying goodbye. To say that she was surprised to answer the bell one fine day and stumble upon anyone other than Dallas on the other side of the door is euphemism.
Dallas is seeking closure. Years have gone by, that rebellious teenager who lived in trouble has grown, today is a well-known tattooist, lives his life intensely, not giving satisfaction for anyone, but a turn of fate will make him seek completion for the only regret he had in life: hurt Maren, the girl he loved so much and still loves, even after so much time.
The focus of the book is on this forgiveness, to what extent what happened in the past can be forgotten and left behind. Maren and Dallas loved each other. And they still love each other, that’s undeniable. As long as time has passed, the two have built their lives, the sentimental part has always been a mystery to the two, they have not been able to find a relationship because they are still stuck in the past.
As the two reconnect, a great secret that Dallas hides threatens to jeopardize this second chance. Maren wants to live intensely the new opportunity that life has given her. Dallas on the other hand, is trapped between the love he feels for her and the glimpse of an enigmatic future.
The book is good, the characters have a foundation, the reader manages to connect with them, Maren is sweet and determined at the same time, has suffered a lot in the past, and the unexpected blow has caused her to distance herself from love, as a form of protection. Dallas always felt inadequate, suffocated by the unrealistic expectations of his parents, and the fame of bad boy troublemaker was the armor he had to wear to keep standing. His secret will bring moments of apprehension, his choices will not always be right, he will make a lot of mistakes along the way, his stubbornness is a problem, but you can understand him, even if he does not agree with his actions. It is worth reading.
I very much enjoyed this book! I am a relatively new reader to Melanie Harlow (the only other book by her that I’ve read was the first book in this series, Only You), and I really need to go back and read books in her backlog.
Only Him is a wonderful second-chance book. This is the story of Dallas and Maren. Maren was introduced in the first book, as she was Emme’s sister. She and Dallas had dated in high school, but not feeling accepted by family caused a lot of trouble for Dallas, and he was sent away and didn’t tell Maren that he was leaving. Fast forward ten years, and he showed up on her doorstep, needing to apologize.
Melanie Harlow is a great storyteller. I felt the connection with the main characters, and the plot was well-paced. I look forward to the next book in this series!
What can I say about Melanie Harlow? I love her writing, the depth that she goes to draw the reader into her books is amazing.
She does that yet again with Dallas and Maren’s story. I don’t know how I have handled the surprise that Maren gets or how she will survive everything that is happening in her life. Dallas….swoon-worthy Dallas……he has so much on his plate that he just seems lost and unsure how to proceed with life.
This is a must read for any fan of Ms. Harlow’s.
Reviewed by: Dana D.
Realist, well-written and heartwarming second-chance romance. I went through the gamut of emotions, from laughter to tears, and enjoyed seeing both of the main characters evolve and triumph over their fears to claim their HEA. This was my intro to Melanie Harlow’s books and I’m looking forward to reading the first book about Emme and Nathan, who were adorable in this story too.
Melanie Harlow has done it again! Only Him is an emotionally satisfying read! Dallas and Marin were high school sweethearts. Marin, the quiet ballerina, and Dallas the rule breaker. One day Dallas just disappeared, and Marin is left broken hearted. Twelve years later they reconnect, but can there be second chances? This book was so good! You will fall in love with both of these characters! There are hidden layers to their story, and you will want to discover them all!
Well. 5 I didn’t see that coming stars.
I love Melanie’s books. So much.
I think I have every thing she’s ever written.
Loved. Them. All.
This one. Wow. Didn’t see this one coming!
Meet Maren who lives just outside of Detroit.
(She’s Emme’s little sister from Only You with Nate).
Maren was in love with her boyfriend Dallas as seniors in high school.
Who ghosted on her and she’s never heard from him again! It’s been 12 years…
Meet Dallas. The boyfriend who ghosted. Believed he isn’t good enough for her. Still. Some things are happening in his life and he feels the need to make amends with her and apologize.
No spoilers here but read this.
If you’re looking for an epic love story with hot sexy times that pulls all the feel and strings in your heart, this is the book!
Melanie Harlow
Melanie Harlow brought the feels again with Only Him. Dallas and Maren were high school sweethearts- good girl/bad boy- and their relationship ended quickly and with no explanation. Years later, Dallas looks up Maren to resolve unfinished business and feelings are still there.
I liked the chemistry and banter between these characters. They are both guarded for various reasons, but have a hard time not giving in to the feelings they have for one another. I also enjoy the relationships the characters have with their siblings/friends. Melanie Harlow has a talent for creating character worlds where you want to be a part.
If you are a fan of second chances and having you heartstrings pulled, I would recommend this story!
This is second book in a series of standalone’s. However, I totally recommend reading Only You first. This is Maren’s Story, sister to Emme from Only You.
Maren’s never got over her first love; the one that ran out 12 years ago without so much as a goodbye. Since then she’s dated but she never had the connection she had with Dallas so many years ago.
So she’s completely shocked when Dallas Shows up at her door out of the blue. Maren definitely has her guard up but she agrees to go to dinner with him “for Old Times Sake”. She can handle this. She’s not the kid she was back this. She want fall for his charm. But when he surprises her at dinner and the more time they spend together all those feelings start to come back again. It’s only him that’s ever made her feel this way and she’s so ready to give things a second chance. But there’s secrets that he’s hiding. And is it enough to tear them apart forever?
Such a sweet, angsty emotional read!! Love Maren and Dallas chemistry! I couldn’t wait to see how things worked out for these two!! I absolutely loved Dallas with all his ink and his heart of gold! He only ever had the best intentions! I absolutely loved the ending! Melanie doesn’t disappoint and I can wait to get Stella’s story!!