I was expecting a proposal on my birthday, and I got dumped instead.How could I have been so clueless?Grams knew exactly how to distract me.The gorgeous former Marine next door who’s been helping her with yard work clearly needs a little therapy. Who better to call than her newly single therapist granddaughter?She even fakes dementia to get me to visit, and now that I’m here she’s doing … that I’m here she’s doing everything in her power to throw us together.
Not that I’m complaining. Ryan is the sexiest man I’ve ever met–I mean the full package, from the chiseled jaw to the massive shoulders to the rippling abs. (And yes, his package is full, and he knows exactly how to deliver it.) He makes me want to get out of my head and follow my heart. He makes me want to take chances I never thought I’d take.
He also makes me want to take my clothes off. A lot.
But he’s moody and challenging–one minute he’s an open book, and the next he’s completely closed off. He holds me like he’ll never let go, but insists he wants to be alone.
Some wounds are so deep, only love can heal them.
How can I convince him to let me try?
more
I love Melanie’s books so much! She writes with so much heart! Ryan and Stella’s love story touched me deeply and I rooted hard for them! Get this book!
Funny, sexy, mature romance! Loved it!!
Melanie Harlow knows exactly how to balance humour, heat and heart. Give me one sexy as hell wounded alpha hero, a meddling grandma (cue to comic relief) and a sassy, heroine with a heart of gold and you have the perfect Harlow trifecta. An absolute five star must read.
Don’t miss ONLY LOVE! I can’t wait to read this one. Everyone is saying it is both funny and sexy, and that is my absolute favorite combo! 🙂
Melanie Harlow is a go-to author. Here she applies her considerable talent for the perfect, emotionally-wrenching, deeply satisfying HEA to the story of a former Marine hero wrestling with his demons and the therapist next door he’s destined to fall for! Add in a matchmaking grandma and we got romance gold! I love that the hero and heroine are more mature, both in their 30s, have been around the block, know what they want and find it in each other! It’s funny, sexy, heartfelt, sweet, romantic and yes SEXXXAAAAAY! 😉
Who doesn’t love a Melanie Harlow book. Be prepared to be swept off your feet!
This reminds me of the zany fun early Carly Phillips books that Kelly Ripa chose for her bookclub back in the day on Live with Regis and Kelly. And all the younger people reading this are like ‘huh?” LOL But you ladies my age and older will remember!
I can’t get enough Melanie Harlow OR this book. It was just what I needed. Totally relatable, fun, and swoony! LOVE.
A gorgeous former Marine with a tortured soul. The beautiful, compassionate therapist living next door. A meddlesome grandma determined to get them together. Sign me up! I love Melanie Harlow and I can’t wait do dive in!
One of my picks for must read reluctant heroes in my monthly PopSugar Feature
Oh my lawd….this book did me in! I laughed, I cried, I was heartbroken but most of all I was consumed, consumed by a story where two people weren’t sure about love and if they deserved it or would ever find it! My heart hurt for the pain, anger and guilt Ryan had, felt and carried with him until he met Stella. Stella showed Ryan compassion, understanding, trust and love. This was my favorite book of the One and Only series and one I highly recommend because it will leave you with all the feels!
Only Love is a beautiful story that draws you from the first page. It’s a book that shows wonderfully that the love of the right person is able to change not only our perception of the world, but also ourselves.
Stella is a therapist whose life is safe and predictable. Imagine her surprise when during a birthday dinner her boyfriend, instead of proposing, breaks up with her.
After her sister’s motivating speech, Stella is ready to try something new – an extended one-night stand.
But our heroine doesn’t know yet that her manipulative grandmother decided to have fun as a matchmaker and already has an eye on the right candidate for her granddaughter 😉
Ryan is a former marine. After returning from the front he couldn’t go back to his old life, so he changed his place of residence and now leads a quiet, lonely life. At least until his older neighbor acquaints him with her lovely granddaughter Stella.
Chemistry between these two sparks, like fireworks on 4th of July! But how to wake up emotions in a man who mastered silencing them to perfection?
And now, my dears, it’s time for a recipe!
To the handsome, broody man add a wounded, beautiful woman. In order for these ingredients to combine well, we need help in the form of a cunning grandmother. For better taste add a solid handful of amazing chemistry, a spoon of extremely hot moments and a pinch of humor. Decorate with great secondary characters. Sounds tasty, right?
That is Only Love! And I guarantee that you will consume this book just as fast as an aromatic apple pie!
I recommend this book with my whole heart!
I freaking loved this book. Melanie is always a favorite for me, but this book was everything I’ve come to adore from her. The banter, story, and hero has now landed itself in my top favorites.
A gorgeous former Marine with a tortured soul.
The beautiful, compassionate therapist living next door.
A meddlesome grandma determined to get them together.
SIGN ME UP! Love Melanie Harlow and her writing is always so fresh. Great holiday season read!
A gorgeous former Marine with a tortured soul? Enough said!
My heart is bursting with love for this book!
This might be my favorite Melanie Harlow book yet. I fell in love with Ryan and Stella at the start, and loved every emotional moment I spent with them.
The helplessness and pain Ryan felt, the detachment he needed to cope…well, it hurt my heart in a very real way. This is reality for so many who return from warzones around the world. I loved that Stella brought out the funny, sexy man he was deep down, just as he made her feel cherished. Stella, the buttoned up and beige woman whose inner sex kitten just wanted a chance at true love (and a satisfying orgasm). These two needed each other to be whole, and their story is Melanie Harlow at her best.
And I can’t forget Grams–she had me smiling page after page.
This book is 10-star perfection. A must read for sure and one of the best books I’ve read this year!
This book was so sweet, I loved their connection, Loved Grams meddling.
I felt Ryan´s hurt,you can see his tourtured soul but also you can felt Stella´s love. They are stubborn people, but they were so good together, had fun, Ryan could talk freely about his feelings, about all the ways being a soldier alter him for ever.
I loved to read about previus characters, and to found new ones too.
if you read the two books before this you must read this right now.
La saga One and Only est une saga que je suis depuis le début et j’ai aimé découvrir les histoires des soeurs Devine. Only Love se concentre donc sur Stella , qui est thérapeute et sur Ryan qui est un ancien Marins. Melanie Harlow nous offre une nouvelle fois une douce romance qui saura nous conquérir.
Stella Devine va donc chambouler son emploi du temps pour aller voir sa grand mère Ruthie Gardner qui n’a pas l’air au top de sa forme. J’ai adoré le fait que certains chapitres soient écrits du point de vue de Grams car elle m’a beaucoup fait rire de par son espièglerie. Elle adore sa petite fille et est prête à toute , même des pires mensonges , pour qu’elle soit enfin heureuse. Il faut dire que Stella se souviendra de son anniversaire et du superbe discours que lui a tenu Walter. Encore un échec sentimental et surtout une fracture dans sa confiance en soi qui était déjà bien entamée. Notre thérapeute n’a pas son pareil pour cerner les gens qui l’entourent et pourtant elle ne trouve pas chaussures à son pied. Ce retour auprès de sa grand mère , même si ce n’est que le temps d’une semaine, ne pourra que lui faire du bien. Elle comprend bien vite dans quel piège elle est tombée et il lui faudra donc prendre son courage à deux mains.
Et c’est bien de cela dont il est question puisqu’elle va devoir faire un saut dans le vide et prendre des risques. Mais ce ne sera pas la chose la plus aisée d’autant plus qu’elle lit en Ryan comme dans un livre ouvert. Elle sent ses traumatismes mais ne pourra pas faire grand chose pour lui s’il ne s’ouvre pas plus à elle. Mais il ne faut pas oublier qu’elle est une femme avant d’être une thérapeute et elle devra donc chasser le naturel avant qu’il ne revienne au galop. Ce tome sera donc un pas en avant mais aussi une introspection car elle devra reprendre confiance en elle et son charme si elle veut tenter quelque chose avec lui. J’ai aussi aimé sa relation avec ses soeurs Marren et surtout Emme car elles sont toujours là pour elle et le sens du mot famille n’est pas tronqué.
Ryan Woods est quelqu’un qu’on a du mal à cerner car il est très enfermé sur lui même et se refuse à éprouver tout sentiment quel qu’il soit. Il rend service aux autres , il travaille dans différents lieu pour s’empêcher de réfléchir mais les souvenirs, les douleurs et la culpabilité le ronge. Il ne se laisse pas avoir par les petits pièges de Mrs Gardner car il refuse qu’on lui ouvre la porte d’une demeure mais quand Stella arrivera , il aura dû mal à dire aussi facilement non. Il y a cette ambivalence incroyable en lui et c’est difficile de savoir sur quel pied danser. Il peut être charmant puis tout à coup se refermer comme une huître. Heureusement , il pourra compter sur Mack pour lui remettre parfois les idées en place ou l’obliger à verbaliser ce qu’il ressent. Entre anciens soldats , ils se comprennent et pour ce dernier aussi le retour à la vie civile n’a pas été facile mais il accepte de ressentir les choses. Parviendra t-il enfin à se lancer et à oser vivre à nouveau?
Bref, une fois de plus Melanie Harlow nous propose une sublime romance où des personnages écorchés par la vie vont devoir apprendre à se faire confiance et à ressentir pleinement les choses. Sans risque, la vie reste sans savoir mais si on a déjà pris trop de risques, la peur pourrait prendre le dessus.
Another heart-warming, steamy and funny romance from Melanie Harlow!
Anything from Melanie Harlow is going to be delicious.