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 am still a fan of Melanie with this new addition to the One and Only series. If you have read Only You and Only Him, then you must have met Stella’s sisters Emme and Maren. We finally get Stella in this novel and it’s so wonderful to see what goes on in her mind. Her story is filled with laughter, family, love, hot male and a meddling grandmother. When Stella gets dumped on her birthday, she starts to reevaluate her love life. Her grandmother calls her to come help her for a few days and Stella takes that chance to do some thinking. I love the fact that the grandmother gets a POV in the book because it just adds laughter and love to the mixture of the story. She reminds me of my grandmother and that makes her my favorite character of the whole book. When Stella arrives for her visit, she meets her grandmother’s neighbor Ryan and it’s a meeting of intensity. Ryan is former military and keeps to himself but when he meets Stella, he wants to fight the attraction. He feels like he doesn’t deserve any good in his life, so he shuts down and pushes people away. When Stella starts coming over and talking to him so much, he can’t seem to stop thinking of her. They start a very tenuous friendship that may turn into more, but you must read this book to find out. Stella must get through Ryan’s wall to find out what is keeping him from letting go and finding what he has been missing.
Stella and Ryan are both opposites but can fill a hole in each other they never knew needed filling. Stella is the bookworm who is always in her head and therapist mode. Ryan is the quiet, brooding, and wounded solider in need of love. When they meet Stella tries to get inside his head and she does, but Ryan might run scared because he is feeling something he never felt before. I love all the characters here because there was no drama and the way there was people working in the little parts of the book trying to help the lead characters was beautiful. It’s a quick read that will keep your attention, so be prepared to ignore the kids and spouse. I burned my dinner rolls trying to finish this book and I do not regret it. With the grandmother meddling and causing everyone to love and laugh with her it’s a great novel to add to your collection.
Stella Devine is a therapist who is going to celebrate her birthday with her boyfriend and she thinks he’s going to propose – instead, he dumps her. Ryan Woods is an ex-marine who thinks he is incapable of love and flicks a switch to numb any feelings he may have. Mrs. Gardner is Stella’s grams, and Ryan’s neighbor and an absolute hoot when it comes to making sure her granddaughter and neighbor get it on “in the feathers”. The chemistry between these two is smokin’ but Ryan won’t let himself become involved or “feel”. Stella on the other hand was told by a college boyfriend that she was frigid and since that time, has had esteem issues and thinks that she’s just not good at sex. This is the third book in the series but you don’t have to read the other two to follow this story.
This is the third and final installment in this series and the story of the oldest sister, Stella. I really enjoyed the story but thought the third person POV wasn’t really necessary and that was one thing I didn’t think added much but it didn’t take anything away from what the author was telling with the story.
Stella thinks she has her life all figured out and when she’s out for a b-day dinner with her boyfriend, she’s expecting a ring on her finger but the night doesn’t turn out that way. He ends up breaking up with her. Now as a new single woman, she tries to focus on work. Her grandmother gets her to come visit and even though she’s reluctant to go, she ends up going but what she doesn’t know is that her grandmother is trying to set her up with the ‘boy’ next door.
The first meet doesn’t go that well but she’s intrigued by Ryan and the more she gets to know him, the more attracted she is to him.
But Ryan has had a lot to deal with the last few years and also has a lot of issues due to his ex-marine life but there’s something about Stella that makes him want to try although it’s not all easy for him.
Will they find a way to get over the walls they’ve built and get the happy ending they both deserve?…
Honestly? She had me at Marine. Then she threw in a meddling grandma and I was hooked. What a fun and sexy read!!
We’ve met Stella before and knew that Buzz wasn’t right for her. She doesn’t deserve the way he treats her at the end but it’s an afterthought after meeting Grams’ neighbor boy next door. Only Love can be read as a standalone, but I encourage you to read all about the Devine sisters. This author knows how to write books that you lose yourself in. I can be smiling while silently crying and then laughing out loud all in a few pages. We feel Ryan’s pain in being a former Marine and coming back from war. He has seen so much that he deals with it the only way he knows. Stella is a therapist, but her input and insight just made so much sense and left me thinking “wow, she knows exactly what to say.” Grams is a whole other book. She is the grandma we all had or hope to. I want to be just like her when I grow up. Great story, mouthwatering dishes and five o’clock tails are my new goals.
This book was so beautifully written. I loved the tortured bad boy, the trouble in love girl and the meddling grandma. This book made me laugh and cry just a little. Ryan is a broken soul. He doesn’t want love, he just wants to live alone and work. He has seen and experienced more then most people in life. He has guilt over loss of his brothers and his marriage. Stella, on the other hand, picks out losers that doesn’t do anything for her. She wants what her sisters have. She wants fire and passion. Someone she can grow old with. This isn’t a love at first sight kinda book. Hence why there’s a meddling grandma. Ryan and Stella don’t get off on the right foot right away. She has to ease into by bringing pie and dinner before they feel the spark. Things are going good until one inserts for into mouth and they have a moment. These two are stubborn and hard headed but they work incredible together.
I loved this quote.. “You changed my life but you did it by letting me be who I already was. This sums up both of them perfectly. This book was incredible and I loved every minute of it!
Ryan and Stella’s love story was such a fun read! The balance between seriousness and funny was perfect. I love the girls’ grandma as a side character because of the humor and her enthusiasm towards love. Ryan and Stella’s romance may have been quick, but when you know you just know. There was a lot of emotion packed into a short amount of time but I think it was written so well you forget they’ve just met. Stella and Ryan just had chemistry and connection from the start. I’ve loved this series and can’t wait to read Mack’s book in the next!
Only Love by Melanie Harlow is the third standalone romance in her One and Only Series . This is the story of a quirky and meddlesome grandmother, a stoic retired marine, and the granddaughter that doesn’t expect to find love in the arms of her gran’s neighbor.
Stella has had a rough time of it lately. Dumped on her birthday by a guy she wasn’t even that into and now, concerned over her grandmother’s sudden vision and hearing problems – she takes a trip to see her. Realizing when she arrives that nothing is actually wrong with her she ends up being pushed towards the brooding neighbor next door.
Ryan is solitary. He likes being alone and being left alone, so when his neighbor starts the matchmaking with her granddaughter he wants to just shut down and be invisible but Stella is everything he never knew he needed or wanted. But can he get outside of his own issues and learn to be okay with feelings his emotions again or will he shut down permanently?
Well-written, well-paced and both heart-warming and heart-breaking at times. I loved this book and will definitely be going back to read the stories of the other two sisters. Enjoy!
Only Love is book 3 in the One & Only series. Each following a different Devine sister, these books can each be read as a standalone but I highly recommend reading them all!
I’ve been very interested in Stella since she was introduced in the first book, and I’m so happy Melanie finally gave us her story. She’s definitely more complex than her sisters, a therapist who’s always been more practical than adventurous. She has baggage, and keeps her emotions closed off, trying to keep her heart protected at all costs.
Ryan is a tortured soul, keeping to himself and refusing to let anyone in. He’s a veteran, refuses to believe there’s any good left in him, and doesn’t believe there’s a normal life for him anymore. When he does finally start to let someone in, he’s painfully reminded of the life he chose, and all his walls go right back up.
This story is sweet and heartfelt, and highly emotional. But the addition of a third pov delivers much needed comic relief, and, quite possibly, one of my favorite characters Melanie Harlow has written! While this book is definitely much heavier than the others in the series, I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it!
Harlow knows how to craft a love story, and Only Love is no exception. I was really excited to dive into this one, finally getting to know who Stella really is. As much as I enjoyed getting to know Stella, it was also great to catch up with her sisters.
I loved the dynamic of Stella and Ryan’s relationship, including all of Gram’s schemes to get them together. There were a few parts that I felt were much “rushed” over, but an enjoyable story for sure.
I love this series and this is the best of the three books!
Stella and Ryan’s love story is so much emotional, open and mature. They are hurting in their own way and they way they connect is so beautiful and true.
The meddling grandma is something else! She is so great and reminded me my beloved grams who I am sure would have done the same!
I could not recommend this book enough!
This is a wonderful sweet story about an unexpected love of two people, a meddling Grandmother and her cooking. But it is so much more than that.
High emotions of a woman who was dumped on her birthday. But worse than that she has had bad experiences in the past and doesn’t think very high of herself. She keeps men at a safe distance and steers clear of intimacy where she can.
She gets all worried about not being good enough.
Ryan is looking to start all over again. He has struggled since returning from battle. Shutting down the emotions instead of feeling the grief and guilt he feels. When he meets Stella, she makes him want more than the loneliness and seclusion.
“They teach you how to fight and be soliders but they don’t teach you how to live normal again after ”
Can these two find love in each other? Could Ryan actually get the happy ending?
This was a great read. I need to back amd read Emme and Nate’s story now.
*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***
A Review of Only Love by Melanie Harlow
Stella and Ryan – 5+++++ Stars
I loved the relationships between the sisters, but Grams kinda stole the show in this one. You will want to pick this one up as soon as you can — you really don’t want to miss it!
**********
**Honest review voluntarily provided from a Complimentary Copy**
Amazing read! It fun, heartwarming and sexy. This story has all the feels as it captures your heart from beginning to end. You will fall in love with the characters. I loved the banter, connection and the chemistry is off the charts sexy! It’s entertaining read and enjoyed reading this series.
The moment I finished this book I wanted to start it right away again! Only Love was jam packed with angst and longing that was so addictive that I was hooked! The chemistry between Stella and Ryan was off the charts from the beginning and regardless of how stubborn and rude Ryan was I couldn’t help but adore him. Plus did I mention Stella’s grandmother! What a hoot! I was giggling out-loud at her antics to hook her granddaughter up with the hottie next door! I would read a whole book just about her!
Melanie Harlow has a way of creating such a believable world of characters that sucks you in and makes you want to move in and live with them because it just seems like such a fun place to be!
So many stars, all of the love, can’t recommend high enough!
-Mackenzie
Only Love is a sweet and touchng story. Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. The story is well written, heartwarming, fun and I enjoyed it all. I love grams!! She is a spitefire, and quite the matchmaker. I laughed so much with her antics. I liked seeing more of Stella’s sisters, you can read their stories in Only You, and Only Him. The characters Ryan and Stella were genuine. I loved their connection, and they were so passionate together. Great story!!!
STUNNING, CAPTIVATING, FLAWLESS!!! I’m completely in love with Melanie Harlow She’s left the best book for last in the One and Only series, the story of Stella and Ryan. My heart is so full, my eyes a tad damp and completely stunned. I’m going into full gush mode right now, so bear with me.
Stella and Ryan, and we cannot forget Grams!!, have totally stolen the show in Only Love. I’m mesmerized by the highs, the lows, the push and pull, and the complexity of these characters. To keep pulling back each layer, is like pulling back the layers of an onion. Each one with a new tear and exposing the soul of the characters. I couldn’t help but love every minute.
Ryan, the strong, silent type, has seen so much as a Marine. His heart so bruised it takes a special soul to start the healing process. Stella is his perfect match. Strong and an amazing listener, she can see straight into Ryan’s soul and past all his barriers. This match was straight from the heavens!!
I’m literally floating after reading Only Love. My heart is bursting and I’m just wanting everyone to READ. THIS. BOOK!!! It’s some of Melanie’s best work and one of my favorite reads this year!!! A must read for any romance fanatic
If you are looking for an author who knows what great romance is all about than I suggest you pickup a copy of this amazing book. I was hooked immediately and finished the book in one sitting. The characters are easy to relate to and you can’t help but share their emotions. The writing was superb. Overall the journey this book takes you on is romantic but also holds a lot of humor.
Heartfelt, amazing, sexy, powerful! Those are just some of the words that come to mind when I start thinking about Only Love! This books was just so touching on so many different levels, it is hard to put into words. I have loved this series so much, but this one is my favorite out of the three. The attention to detail and the heartfelt way she writes her books are just so amazing. I just didn’t want to put this book down until I made it all the way to the end! My heart just keeps holding on to the words within these pages. This book can be read as a stand alone, but if you are like me you don’t want to miss one word from the wonderful world that only Ms. Harlow can create!
I absolutely love everything I read from Melanie Harlow, without exception. I just love getting lost in her stories. In the third book of her One and Only series, Only Love, we get a touching and heartwarming story with two broken and a bit lost characters that will captivate us.
Stella Devine is the oldest Devine sister. She likes to keep things safe, especially when it comes to her love life. But when her current boyfriend dumps her on her birthday, she is left stunned. Though she wallows for a bit, a call from her Grams has her going to spend some time with her. But Grams may have ulterior motives!
Ryan is an ex-marine struggling to enter back into the life of a civilian. He is hot and caring, but the next minute he is distant and unemotional. He is helping Grams with yardwork and clearly Grams is up to something. Yet, even without her help, Ryan and Stella have amazing chemistry, but more than that, they are two people who truly needed each other.
I absolutely loved Only Love by Melanie Harlow. It was sexy, emotional and engaging. I could not put it down. Sometimes all it takes is that special someone to make you see what you have been waiting for! Ryan and Stella were great together and stole my heart!
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!