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One Good Reason (Going Back #33)

by Sarah Mayberry (Goodreads Author)

3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 · rating details · 338 ratings · 71 reviews

It's time to move on...

Any day now Jon Adamson will pack his bags and hit the road. After all, his intention was never to hang around Melbourne once he’d settled his late father’s affairs. Yet he hasn’t moved on. And it might have something to do with Gabby Wade. The not-so-big office manager with the really big attitude is making Jon’s days…interesting…engaging…fun. It’s...more

Paperback, Harlequin SuperRomance #1724, 281 pages

Published August 2011 by Harlequin Books

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Jul 12, 2011 Maldivianbookreviewer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: abused-hero, against-the-wall-smexing, arcs, brooding-hero, brooding-heroine, independent-heroine, commitment-phobic-hero, contemporary-romance, emotional-wrangler, endearing-hero, endearing-heroine, explosive-passion, fabulous-cover, favorite-alpha-heroes, favorite-heroines, favorites, grieving-heroine, haunted-by-the-past-hero, haunted-by-the-past-heroine, hot-as-sin-hero, hottest-first-kiss, hottest-sex-scenes-ever, kick-ass-heroine, larger-than-life-hero, loner-hero, loner-heroine, netgalley-reads, not-yet-released, not-your-average-heroine, office-smexing, office-romance, opposites-attract, part-of-a-series, sizzling-sexual-tension, tortured-hero, unforgettable-hero, sarah-mayberry, harlequin-romances, desk-smexing, sexy-tool-belt-clad-hero

I am like a kid with a new stick of candy when it comes to books by Sarah Mayberry. I want to savor every emotion the book invokes, I get frustrated when anything takes me away from my indulgence and I am left with a feeling of melancholy once I am done, knowing that it would be quite sometime afterwards that I would get to indulge in a book by my favorite Harlequin author again.

The release of this book has also brought to light the fact that I am the worst possible stalker in the world. Ever si...more

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Jun 16, 2011 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

3.5 stars

After ten years of living in Canada, Jon Adamson has come home to Australia. Jon's father is now dead, but his abusive legacy lingers, crippling Jon who deals with it by drinking hard. His younger brother Tyler now happily marrried invites Jon to Melbourne to work in his furniture design company. It's not what Jon wants, but he's not prepared to move on again just yet.

Gabby Wade, Tyler's office manager, is still coming to terms with the fact that four years after breaking up with Tyler,...more
3.5 stars

After ten years of living in Canada, Jon Adamson has come home to Australia. Jon's father is now dead, but his abusive legacy lingers, crippling Jon who deals with it by drinking hard. His younger brother Tyler now happily marrried invites Jon to Melbourne to work in his furniture design company. It's not what Jon wants, but he's not prepared to move on again just yet.

Gabby Wade, Tyler's office manager, is still coming to terms with the fact that four years after breaking up with Tyler, she's still in love with him. Now Tyler's brother is in town and she thinks he's rude. Jon thinks she's humourless, defensive and prickly.

My first Sarah Mayberry and I am pretty impressed. I picked this one up as I heard a lot of good things about her writing. Plus she's an
Australian author. Sarah Mayberry's prose and story is quite good. Especially for these short category romances. Normally I avoid contemporaries that rely on everyday life and everyday work, because they fail to take me away into the story. Not so here.

Okay, the one thing I didn't really like which lowered the rating. Gabby. For the first half of the book, she was an annoying, rude and an unpleasant piece of work. Jon's crime? Being too courteous and caring. He would open doors, wait to see she got to her car safely, try to be friendly, offer to change a flat tyre. The nerve of the guy! Some readers may find this attitude of Gabby's charming and feisty and not the least annoying, but for me it just rankled.

Sarah Mayberry did a fine job of explaining why Gabby was this way. Her mother had raised her two daughters alone and had taught them self-reliance and independence. And that's good. Pity she didn't also teach her some manners. Still by the second half of the book Gabby had realised that Jon was simply being polite and caring and wasn't judging her as incapable.

Overall, this romance was lovely. Also noteworthy was the bromance. The growing love and affection between the brothers was almost as captivating as the H/h romance. A good read.

ARC courtesy of Harlequin via NetGalley

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Jul 25, 2011 Steffi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, net-galley, favourites

I am such a HUGE fan of Sarah Mayberry. I think she writes great stories with realistic characters with real problems. With her books I always feel like I'm reading about my neighbor or a friend because they are about everyday people and real life.

One Good Reason is a stand alone but it is connected to The Last Goodbye. In The Last Goodbye we meet Gabby as Ty's ex-girlfriend and employee. Now Gabby is the heroine of this book and her love interest is Ty's brother, Jon. Just as Tyler, Jon is s...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Jess rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-all, 2012-new, romance-contemporary, library-book, romance, romance-category

So I am the kind of person that reads books at work and then stews about them. Which, I did like this one more than its predecessor, so I suppose that's something.

But my issues are really with the core of the story. One, it's an insta-love book and I HATE insta-love books. Sure, it's hidden in a loathing/lust at first sight thing that takes up about half the book, but when they get together they are suddenly in love and it didn't work for me. Especially given the fairly monumental emotional issu...more

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Apr 20, 2012 W. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, ok

A sweet book that leaves you thinking "awwww" at the end. Very character-driven story about both the hero and the heroine getting over their past and learning to love again (the hero more than the heroine though). As per usual Sarah Mayberry, sensitive issues were handled well, the characters were likable and sympathetic, and the happy ending not totally sappy and unbelievable. The story does get a little ansty at times, but it's got some fun moments like:
(view spoiler)...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: category-romance, contemporary-romance, romance

Enjoying Sarah Mayberry books more and more.

Our hero, Jon, moves back to Australia to settle his father's estate and reconnect with his brother, Tyler. While working at his brother's furniture making business, he notices the attractive office manager, Gabby. Gabby is a great office manager, but has not managed to find true love. She dated Tyler for 3 years but broke up with him because she didn't feel they had the emotional connection needed for a long term relationship.

What made this book is...more Enjoying Sarah Mayberry books more and more.

Our hero, Jon, moves back to Australia to settle his father's estate and reconnect with his brother, Tyler. While working at his brother's furniture making business, he notices the attractive office manager, Gabby. Gabby is a great office manager, but has not managed to find true love. She dated Tyler for 3 years but broke up with him because she didn't feel they had the emotional connection needed for a long term relationship.

What made this book is how well the romance unfolded and the personal growth that both characters experienced. Jon and his brother suffered severe physical and emotional abuse from their parents. Jon has never fully addressed this issue and still blames himself for his brother's suffering. This constant hurt causes him to put up barriers in his relationships, including with Gabby.

As the book unfolds, Gabby realizes she has not been taking care of herself emotionally and romantically. At first she thinks she's still in love with Tyler but slowly realizes that it's the idea of him and that she's envious of the relationship he has with his wife. She recognizes part of the problem between her and Tyler had been that he never let her in either. She also recognizes that she is running into the same obstacle with Jon and decides she can't remain in a relationship like that again so she ends it when he refuses her help. Only after Jon works through his issues with help from his brother and Gabby, do we get our happy ending.

I've never experienced the type of emotional and physical abuse suffered by Jon and Tyler, but the descriptions and more significantly their long term reactions to it felt real. It seems that Ms. Mayberry did her research, but it did not feel like she was regurgitating or adding material just to show the research off.

I loved the side characters and the relationships that Gabby had with her mostly male co-workers. It added depth to the story without being distracting.

At first, Jon's protectiveness towards Gabby was annoying. He'd stay late working until she left because the factory was in a bad neighborhood. At first it felt patronizing, but at least Gabby also noticed that too. It did appear that it was Jon's protective nature and there may have been good reason to do so (hello Tyler, provide your female employee a bit safer of a work place), so Gabby and the reader could get beyond it.

I also was icked out by the fact that Gabby was sleeping with the brother of someone she'd slept with for three years. Ick, ick, ick. It really didn't seem to phase her that much. I had problems getting beyond that at times. Good thing I enjoyed almost everything else about the book.

* Rated on my five star romance scale. Read time - about 2-3 hours.
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Apr 04, 2012 Booklover, Indianapolis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, read-in-2012

(March) 3.5* I wanted to love this book - others here whose opinion I respect loved this - but I guess there is a reason I'm not an avid reader of category romances. I have a stack of Harlequin Blaze and Temptation books that I don't know if I'll ever read - but the ones I have read I've liked because they are quick and hot and not too deep. My issue with this book was I think the issues facing the H/h were a bit too deep for a quicky book. You have a heroine who years after a break up still wor...more

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Sep 13, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, non-erotic

Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...

A LASR "BEST BOOK"

This book left me amazed and astounded as to the emotional scope explored between a man damaged by an abusive childhood and a woman strong enough to stand by his side.

At first the story starts off cheeky and I thought it was a shallow battle of the sexes, fun but light. Instead it takes a hard look at the internal scars and the ramifications it has on an adult as he tries to survive the acute trauma from growing up...more Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...

A LASR "BEST BOOK"

This book left me amazed and astounded as to the emotional scope explored between a man damaged by an abusive childhood and a woman strong enough to stand by his side.

At first the story starts off cheeky and I thought it was a shallow battle of the sexes, fun but light. Instead it takes a hard look at the internal scars and the ramifications it has on an adult as he tries to survive the acute trauma from growing up in a household of fear. It’s about the special woman who sees beyond the stoic exterior and attempts to heal him with the power of love. That’s the simple beauty of this absolutely wonderful story called One Good Reason.

Ms. Mayberry has crafted a masterpiece. There is not one scene that didn’t fit, not one sense that wasn’t explored, and the topic was treated with respect, understanding, compassion and hope. At first, like the initial blush of romance, there was the honeymoon stage. But Gabby and Jon are not your typical lovers. They fight like cats and dogs and it’s pretty darned funny. But the author feeds little snippets here and there letting a reader know that it’s not all fluff and light. There is a darkness, a haunting that is pummeling the hero into an emotional pâté and, typical for a guy, he won’t talk about it. Gabby, on the other hand, needs him to face it, shine a light on it and talk it out. But Jon won’t let her in. And there’s the hook. He’s in pain and his pain is her pain but is the heroine strong enough to see it through? To do what it takes to heal him or make him want that healing?

Readers are in for an intense drama filled with all the things that make a relationship worth fighting for. Just like life, there are highs, lows, laughter and tears. There’s fear, anger and hope and delight. And what would a romance be without a healthy dose of lust? Jon and Gabby are dynamite. Literally.
Ms. Mayberry wrote one of the sexiest and volatile scenes I’ve read in a while. Everything that led up to it was a tease, a seduction and when push came to shove, it was a no holds barred, anything goes moment filled with such intense passion, it knocked my socks off. It was only the first of many scenes during the course of the book that were simply genius. It was because of how they affected me, made me think and made me react that makes this story stand out.

Another thing I found amazing were the secondary characters, specifically Jon’s brother Tyler and his wife Ally. They were a credit to the story and to the hero and heroine. Their inclusion didn’t undermine or soften the importance of Jon and Gabby, but strengthened them, made them more real and more personable. It was like visiting a bona fide family – with problems. I can tell the author connected to her characters because she took such care to craft them to be as perfect as they could be. I loved the dialogue, the interactions between them and the moment of catharsis towards the end. It was beautiful, poignant, heart wrenching and influential because Jon and Gabby weren’t an island, they were part of a family. It was that team effort that made this story so powerful and it worked for me.

It’s not all drama and serious intensity however. Gabby is a riot. I loved her sense of humor and her saucy wit. I laughed out loud many times throughout and the best part is when she dragged real laughs from Jon too. They really were fun together and it’s those laughter filled frolicking times that kept me connected and committed to the characters.

The happily ever after is sigh-worthy. I mean it. I had to re-read it a couple of times like I would rewind a movie, to experience that perfect moment again and again when it all comes together and the hero and heroine kiss and make up and declare their undying love. True to the story and to her characters, Ms. Mayberry ended the book in a way that matched what came before. No fake frills but real emotion.

One Good Reason is a book that should be made into a movie. It has all the elements that would win it an Oscar. I adored getting to know Jon and Gabby. I wanted to hug Jon because he tried to be so strong and carry so much pain on his shoulders. I was thrilled with Gabby because she truly never gave up, even when she felt she should. The love was there but so much poison had to be excised first for it to grow and reach its full potential. I was moved by this tale and I thank Ms. Mayberry for a truly remarkable reading experience. Readers who look for a book that talks to the heart and the pure romantic inside can’t go wrong by reading One Good Reason. Just make sure a tissue box is handy nearby.

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Aug 28, 2011 Kristiej rated it 5 of 5 stars

One of my best discoveries of the past few years has been the Harlequin Superromance line and one of the best discoveries within that line is Sarah Mayberry. And One Good Reason is, well, one good reason why I love this line and this author. This book is a sequel of sorts to The Last Goodbye. this one is Jon's story. The brother of Tyler, the hero of The Last Goodbye, Jon has returned to Australia from a rather long stint in Canada, the country he fled too in an effort to escape the horrific abu...more One of my best discoveries of the past few years has been the Harlequin Superromance line and one of the best discoveries within that line is Sarah Mayberry. And One Good Reason is, well, one good reason why I love this line and this author. This book is a sequel of sorts to The Last Goodbye. this one is Jon's story. The brother of Tyler, the hero of The Last Goodbye, Jon has returned to Australia from a rather long stint in Canada, the country he fled too in an effort to escape the horrific abuse he and his brother were subjected to at the hands of their parents.

Jon has never been one to really put down roots and he is conflicted being back home. He's currently working for his brother but feels on the verge of running at any time. Complicating this is his relationship with Gabby, Tyler's former girlfriend/now office manager. Things do not get off to a good start between Jon and Gabby and they are like oil and vinegar. Gabby has residual feelings for Tyler and Jon still suffers from the effects of his childhood.

Normally warring hero/heroines annoy me but not so in this book. While they bicker, it's funny and the sparks fly between the two of them. I love wounded heroes and Jon fits this role quite nicely. He comes across as tough, but the reader can see past his gruffness to then wounded little boy underneath who suffers from an abundance of guilt over not coming more to his brothers aid. And I also liked Gabby though at times her stubbornness was a little much. But she is what Jon wants so I wanted her for him.

One thing I did find a bit amusing and only because I know the territory, but at one point Jon is thrown by the size of Melbourne after living and owning a business in Toronto, but Toronto is the largest city in Canada so I didn't get that. *g*.

As I said earlier, I enjoyed this book and am glad I found this author.

Jon still hasn't totally recovered by the end of the book. While the love of and for a good woman counts for a lot, he is still a work in progress. What I've enjoyed so much about this book and The Last Goodbye isn't so much the romance, though of course chances are I wouldn't have read them if it weren't for that, but for the healing of the heroes and the healing of the relationship between brothers.(less)

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Jul 28, 2011 Ruth rated it 3 of 5 stars

He and his brother were abused as children and he knows he will never have a committed relationship. She dated his brother for several years and they "practically lived together", yet the brother would never get emotionally close to her so she broke it off, and they became "just friends", and she worked for the brother as his office manager. When he married, she was prepared to hate his wife; yet they became close friends too.
Jon comes to town temporarily, but decides to stay a while and work i...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Brie C. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Romance Around the Cornet

Of all of Harlequin lines, Superromance is hands down my favorite one (closely followed by Medical Romance). These books can be a bit misleading, just based on the cover and the blurb one might expect a light romance, but what you get is so much more than that. The stories deal with serious topics and more than once I find myself crying. One Good Reason delivers all of that and more. If you are not familiar with Sarah Mayberry don’t waste more time a...more Originally posted at Romance Around the Cornet

Of all of Harlequin lines, Superromance is hands down my favorite one (closely followed by Medical Romance). These books can be a bit misleading, just based on the cover and the blurb one might expect a light romance, but what you get is so much more than that. The stories deal with serious topics and more than once I find myself crying. One Good Reason delivers all of that and more. If you are not familiar with Sarah Mayberry don’t waste more time and go get her books.

This book is a sequel to The Last Goodbye. If you haven’t read that one I don’t think you will have any problems following the story but I do recommend that you read them in order because The Last Goodbye is a great book, One Good Reason’s leads are introduced there and the backstory will make you much more emotionally invested in the characters.

One Good Reason is about Jon and Gabby. They both are wounded souls going through the motions of life without really living. Some years ago Gabby ended a long-time relationship with a guy she loved very much (this would be Tyler, the hero from The Last Goodbye) because he was emotional unavailable and unable to really open up to her. They now work together and are best friends but she never really got over him. She had to suffer through seeing him fall in love with someone else and even though she tries to convince herself that she is fine with it, what she really feels is pain. Jon is Tyler’s big brother, because they had a very difficult and traumatic childhood Jon left home as soon as he was 18 and never really tried to have a relationship with his brother. When their father dies, Jon comes back and agrees to work with Tyler but he remains distant.

This was a very compelling story. I was glued to the book rooting for Gabby and Jon to find happiness. Gabby was an interesting character, she wasn’t exactly the scorned woman but she was very much in pain. After breaking up with Tyler she just let go a little bit. She stopped dating, stopped using makeup and basically went to a safe place and stayed there while life went passing by. I don’t think she was unhappy, but she wasn’t happy either. It takes some time for her to figure out that she is wasting her life, but once she does it she comes back with a vengeance. I really liked that she learned to put herself first and to not be a martyr. I don’t usually like tomboyish heroines but Gabby was very likeable and one of those people who you just want to be friends with. I found her character realistic, flawed and relatable (and slightly masochistic because I had a hard time understanding how she managed to work with Tyler especially after he went and found true love with someone else).

Jon was a handful. I liked him very much but he was the epitome of a tormented hero. As I said before this book might seem light just based on the cover and the blurb, but it deals with some serious issues, in this case abuse. Jon has spent his entire life feeling guilty and insignificant and it takes a lot of work for him to let go, move on and allow himself to be happy. By the end of the book he is still working on his issues and I was really glad about it. Yes it has a happy ending, yes I felt good and yes I was sure that they will live happily ever after, but they were working towards that and the problems didn’t magically disappear by the end of the book.

I liked this book even more than The Last Goodbye. The real connotations of what the brothers went through were much more evident with Jon than with Tyler. I don’t know if this was because Jon had isolated himself or because he was much more tormented, but this book felt more dramatic. It isn’t a tragedy by any means, it has some light moments and it had a feel-good ending, but I cried for Gabby and for Jon.

I recommend this book to every contemporary romance fan out there. It definitely is a drama, but it doesn’t have any angst and is a short book so if you are looking for a touching story to take to the beach or to enjoy during the summer this one is perfect.

If you read The Last Goodbye, Tyler and Ally play important roles in this book and it pretty much closes the story between the brothers that was left open-ended with that book. As I said I do think that you should read that book first because both stories are intertwined and it can almost be read as one single book, even though this one works as a stand-alone.
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Jul 22, 2011 A Tasty Read/ Sweet Reads Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

One Good Reason by Sarah Mayberry tugged at my heartstrings. This is a warning that you may need tissues while reading this novel. I did not read the first book in the series, The Last Goodbye, but you easily catch on to the characters and where they left off.

Gabby Wade works for her ex-boyfriend Tyler, who is now crazy in love with his wife, Ally. Gabby meets his brother Jon after Tyler hires him on to work for his company making furniture. Gabby and Jon do not like each other after their firs...more

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Jun 22, 2011 Saly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: harlequin-silhouette, category-romance, harlequin-super-romance

One Good Reason by Sarah Mayberry is the sequel to The Last Goodbye and the elder brother Jon's story. We know that both Jon and Tyler had an abusive childhood. Jon who owned a building company in Canada returned too late, his father died while he was on the way and it's been 11 months since his death and Jon is still living in his old childhood home, tortured by memories and drinking way too much when Tyler calls him on it. So, Jon who has sold his business, takes a temporary unpaid job in Tyle...more One Good Reason by Sarah Mayberry is the sequel to The Last Goodbye and the elder brother Jon's story. We know that both Jon and Tyler had an abusive childhood. Jon who owned a building company in Canada returned too late, his father died while he was on the way and it's been 11 months since his death and Jon is still living in his old childhood home, tortured by memories and drinking way too much when Tyler calls him on it. So, Jon who has sold his business, takes a temporary unpaid job in Tyler's furniture business.

It took a while for me for the book to start. Jon is not the easiest and the friendliest guy at first, he has issues more than Tyler. For him his father's death has brought back all the old nightmares and the guilt. Jon felt he let down Tyler so ever since their mother died and that obligation died Tyler and Jon have hardly kept in touch though we find out that they have kept tabs on each others work.

Gabby as we know is the office manager of Tyler's business and his ex. She works a lot and values her independence. There is a moment when Jon doubts her sexuality that Gabby looks at herself, how she has let herself slide after the break-up with Tyler, how she never really grieved. She feels a yearning for what Tyler and Ally have and wonders what was lacking in her. While all this self-evaluation was going on the book wasn't that great for me. Despite all of this Gabby finds herself wondering about Jon, there are no instant sparks between them instead there is animosity. Jon is shocked when he hears about her past relationship with Gabby.

I liked how sweet Jon was about staying back late at work just to make sure that Gabby didn't have to walk back alone and he made excuses so as to not offend her independence. There is a scene when Jon challenges how equipped Gabby is to handle her security, that explodes in them going at it in the office.

But the thing is Jon has problems, he doesn't like talking about the past and Gabby doesn't want to be in a relationship like she had with Tyler, where she keeps trying and trying. I liked how Gabby showed Jon that she is capable of changing her own tyres, how she told him that she wouldn't accept half-measures.
I especially liked how Jon confronted his past by trying to help a little boy like himself.

The book was good but not the best I have read by this author.

Courtesy Netgalley(less)

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Jun 15, 2011 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is a really difficult book for me to grade. The problem is that there's a great romance in here, but there's also some issues that would have had me pitching the book across the room if the rest of the writing weren't so good.

What really worked for me were the scenes of poignancy interspersed throughout the novel. Gabby's coming to terms with her feelings for her ex, Tyler. Jon's struggle to overcome a legacy of abuse, and forgive himself and his brother. Gabby's strength in fighting for a...more This is a really difficult book for me to grade. The problem is that there's a great romance in here, but there's also some issues that would have had me pitching the book across the room if the rest of the writing weren't so good.

What really worked for me were the scenes of poignancy interspersed throughout the novel. Gabby's coming to terms with her feelings for her ex, Tyler. Jon's struggle to overcome a legacy of abuse, and forgive himself and his brother. Gabby's strength in fighting for a relationship that is fulfilling and and honest is commendable.

What didn't work for me is some of the retrofuck gender attitudes that seem to be populating category romance these days (I mean seriously, are we swinging back to the 80s?). Gabby's mother is considered weird by both Tyler and Jon because "she hasn't had a boyfriend in 30 years." Tyler calls it "scary." Jon hasn't had a girlfriend in a long time either, no one's calling him scary. Maybe her mom's gay, or maybe she just doesn't need to have a partner to be happy. I mean, why is this presented as WEIRD? Is it not the 21st century?

There's also a bit that made my teeth grind - where Jon assumes because Gabby doesn't like him, and because she's boyish looking, that she's a "man-hating lesbian." I'm pretty sure the author intended this section as humorous, but it really made me dislike Jon as a character, and made it very difficult for me to see him as a man deserving of a romantic ending. I know men who make assumptions like this because a woman doesn't fall all over them - and they're assholes, straight up.

The abuse sub-plot also gave me some concerns about the long-term happiness for Gabby and Jon. Near the very end, Jon loses his cool and beats the shit out of a man who's verbally abusing his son. I get the reaction, but dude - not healthy. The fact that everyone encourages him and tells him it was a good thing to do - ehhhh. I guess I'm just a little wary for Gabby settling down with a man who hasn't conquered his addiction to alcohol yet, and who has violent outbursts.

I do, at the very least, appreciate a read where an abused child DOES get to have a happy ending (heaven knows, in Literary Fiction Jon would've probably died in a gutter somewhere after drinking himself stupid).

So, at the end, I would give One Good Reason a qualified recommendation. I'm hoping some of the blatant sexism disappears from category romances soon though, or I'm going to have to quit reading them.(less)

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Jun 07, 2011 Lindsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, advanced-reading-reviewers-copy, first-read-in-2011, contemporary-romance, summer-reading-program-2011, series-romance

Sarah Mayberry has done it again! Mayberry's One Good Reason, the unexpected sequel to The Last Goodbye, continues the story of the Adamson brothers, but it also gives voice to a character I am thrilled to learn more about: Gabby, Tyler's ex and right-hand woman at work.

Jon Adamson is back, battling his drinking addiction and a demon that his brother just recently started to conquer: their father, a physically and mentally abusive man, that left both brothers scarred. Will he be able to overcome...more

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May 21, 2012 Ami rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

This story is the sequel for The Last Goodbye. Featuring Jon Adamson (Tyler's brother) and Gabby Wade (Tyler's ex),

Enduring the same abuse during his childhood, Jon carries around the feeling of guilt. Since he's the eldest, Jon always feels that he somehow fails his brother -- he should've been able to protect Tyler, but he cannot. All these years, Jon exiles himself, because he can't help if he finds out that Tyler blames him. But when their father died, Jon returns home and ends up staying lo...more This story is the sequel for The Last Goodbye. Featuring Jon Adamson (Tyler's brother) and Gabby Wade (Tyler's ex),

Enduring the same abuse during his childhood, Jon carries around the feeling of guilt. Since he's the eldest, Jon always feels that he somehow fails his brother -- he should've been able to protect Tyler, but he cannot. All these years, Jon exiles himself, because he can't help if he finds out that Tyler blames him. But when their father died, Jon returns home and ends up staying longer than he thinks he should. In the process, Jon finds himself attracted to Gabby.

Gabby Wade uses to be Tyler's girlfriend. Their relationship lasts for three years, to the point of them moving in together. But Tyler always distants himself from Gabby, when it comes to his emotion. Gabby ends up breaking their relationship, although she stays working with Tyler, handling the sales division of his business. When Tyler falls in love with Ally, Gabby thinks she is over him. But she also learns that she yearns for someone who can love her as thorough as Tyler to Ally.

Another winner from the pen of Sarah Mayberry! it's another character driven story that satisfies my taste.

Jon is even more messed up than Tyler!! He's this stoic guy, who keeps himself in control, excepts when he loses himself in alcohol. There are times when I want to shake him so bad, to make him see that what happened in his childhood was not his fault!! But I also want to hug him bad. I'm really glad that in the end, he is able to open himself (somewhat) to Gabby. Even if he refuses the help of professional. The scene where Jon finally has heart-to-heart talk with Tyler brings me to tears.

As for Gabby, I feel like I want to reach out for her. I can feel her pain, her yearn for someone. Although, I'm a bit annoyed (view spoiler). Their first sex is pretty hot and their intimate moments wonderful.

I like how Ms. Mayberry keeps Gabby as this independent girl, and that Jon can understand her stance even when he struggles to do the protection thing. The scene where Gabby changes her flat tire in the rain while Jon holds the umbrella for her is sweet :).

I definitely have been converted into Sarah Mayberry's fan, that's for sure.(less)

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Aug 27, 2011 Janusz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There are sequels and there are sequels. Oh that all were as good as this one.

According to the author's introduction, this story grew spontaneously from The Last Goodbye. The spontaneity shows in the almost seamless seque from the characters and events in the first book.

While Tyler and Ally, the protagonists of The Last Goodbye, bask in the sunlight of their mutual adoration, the focus turns to Jon, Tyler's elder brother and another victim of their father's physical abuse. Instead of a simple P...more

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Jun 24, 2011 Judith rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5 out of 5. A compelling novel that is a sequel to Ms Mayberry's earlier novel "The Last Good-bye" and one that addresses a number of relational and personal issues that are extremely timely for our times. This story takes up the saga of the Adamson brothers, and within that context the reader is faced with the long-term effects of parental abuse, the emotional damage that never seems to go away, the problem of using alcohol or drugs to "anesthetize" the inner person that is hurting so bad, re...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks

4 1/2 Stars ~ All his adult life Jon shied away from commitments and making real connections with people. His abusive father died mere minutes before he arrived back in Melbourne and still he couldn't quite let go of the past. He really wants to make things work with his brother, Tyler, so he offers to help him out and works with him building beautiful furniture. Tyler's hugely successful, and can't keep up with the orders coming in. Jon welcomes the work that keeps him focused on today and lets...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Jadaloves rated it 4 of 5 stars

One Good Reason was a sweet story about finding love in unexpected places. Jon Adamson moves to Melbourne to work out his demons while working for his younger brother Tyler. But when he meets Gabby sparks fly though they both resist by convincing themselves that they don’t like the other and are disinterested. They soon give in to their desires, but Jon’s past and the guilt he’s holding onto prevent him from completely giving himself to Gabby.

The love story between Jon and Gabby was cute and sw...more One Good Reason was a sweet story about finding love in unexpected places. Jon Adamson moves to Melbourne to work out his demons while working for his younger brother Tyler. But when he meets Gabby sparks fly though they both resist by convincing themselves that they don’t like the other and are disinterested. They soon give in to their desires, but Jon’s past and the guilt he’s holding onto prevent him from completely giving himself to Gabby.

The love story between Jon and Gabby was cute and sweet. I loved the chemistry between the two and the verbal sparring was great. Jon has a myriad of issues though, and most of them stem from his abusive childhood. He feels guilty for leaving his younger brother, and must always be in control of his emotions. He fears letting go and letting people in because he is constantly scared of being like his father.

Although I liked Gabby she did kind of get on my nerves at times. She was so fiercely independent that she couldn’t accept a man doing any little thing for her. I mean something as simple as opening a door or offering to change her tire would set her off, causing an argument. My thoughts are that if you can accept a woman doing those things for you, just to be nice, then don’t get all uptight when a man offers. He’s not threatening your womanhood or your independence by being nice. Contrary to popular belief, many don’t offer because they don’t think you can handle it, they offer because it’s the decent thing to do.

I also had a little bit of a problem with the fact that Gabby had a long-term relationship four years prior with his younger brother Tyler. Although I realize things happen, there is still a bit of an ick factor for me. I understand that she broke up with Tyler, which allowed him to meet and fall in love with his wife Ally. But brothers having been with the same woman…not my cup of tea. So side eye to Sarah Mayberry for that aspect.

Overall though, the story was solid and the writing was good. I adored the relationship between Gabby and Jon and loved Jon’s sensitivity. I recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of contemporary romance with realistic characters.(less)

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Nov 18, 2012 Heliga rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, romance-contemp

3.5 stars.

Despite the fact that I found the story quite entertaining, and at times very moving, I could never quite get over the fact that she'd been in a relationship with one brother for years and was still hung up on him when she met the other brother. She'd not had a single sexual partner in between the relationships, and in some ways it felt to me like she considered the relationship with Jon a continuation of the relationship she had with his brother. And the record speed that their relati...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Barbara ~*Lindt Ninja*~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

John Adamson has come home to Australia to sell the family home and scrape off any ties he might have to his dead father. The lone exception to the purge is his younger brother Tyler, who manages to get him to come to Melbourne and accept a job creating furniture at his store and stay for a while. The brothers’ relationship is tenuous at best, made worse by Jon’s last ten years spent living in Canada, and Tyler is hoping that they can get closer to each other.

Jon’s first day at the store doesn’t...more John Adamson has come home to Australia to sell the family home and scrape off any ties he might have to his dead father. The lone exception to the purge is his younger brother Tyler, who manages to get him to come to Melbourne and accept a job creating furniture at his store and stay for a while. The brothers’ relationship is tenuous at best, made worse by Jon’s last ten years spent living in Canada, and Tyler is hoping that they can get closer to each other.

Jon’s first day at the store doesn’t start well when he manages to completely irritate Tyler’s office manager just by getting caught using her computer. Gabby Wade likes being in control and finding a strange man sitting in her office at her desk sets her off. Finding out he’s the boss’ brother only makes things worse – she’ thinks he’s obnoxious, overbearing and uses his relationship to do what he wants. He thinks she’s a rather plain shrew who’d cut off her own nose to spite her face and the insults fly between them. When he openly mistakes her for a lesbian though, Gabby realizes how stuck in her own past she’d become.

Four years earlier, Gabby ended a long-term relationship with Tyler and she still hasn’t finished getting over him even though he’s moved on, fallen in love with and married Ally. Determined to start over, she changes her looks and draws Jon’s eye. Their biting and sniping at each other turns into what Gabby thinks is the start of a relationship when she and Jon start having sex. He seems determined to make sure that’s all it is though – sex. He refuses to open up about the nightmares he has or his family’s past and he always seems to be holding pieces of him away from her. She ended her relationship with Tyler for the same reason – she has to decide whether Jon’s worth accepting that she’ll never have all of him.

This is a story that deals with the aftermath of physical and emotional abuse and it was one of the most emotional books I’ve read in the past month or so. I went through quite a few Kleenex in the last quarter of the story. I didn’t put much of what happens with it in my synopsis because it’s just easier to go into it when talking about the characters – it’s tough stuff, but Mayberry handles it beautifully and while in any other story I’d have been upset by way the couple went back and forth, in the context of Jon’s past it made sense.

The story got off to a very slow start. There was a book ahead of this one about Tyler and Ally that I hadn’t read but I don’t think it would have made any difference. Most of the early space was taken up with Gabby bristling at Jon, Jon being hangdog and moping, Gabby defending the way she looked, Jon growling at her for not being able to accept anyone’s help. In short, Gabby was really crabby and Jon was a little self-pitying and overly-nice to her.

That’s not to say I didn’t like Gabby but she took some time to warm up to. She was extremely prickly, taking offense anytime anyone offered to do anything for her and blaming it on her mother who apparently raised her daughters to be militant about taking care of themselves with no help. It was a little sad to read about her own pain when watching how happy Tyler was with his wife Ally contrasted with how lonely she was. I wanted to bean him sometimes for being so insensitive around her and treating her like the furniture he sold. The Gabby who was in the relationship with Jon was heartbreaking, sometimes just as much as he was.

The heart of the story was obviously Jon. He started the story clearly outwardly damaged, drunk and destroying the family home when Tyler found him. When Tyler got him back to Melbourne and he realized the state he’d been, in he bitterly put himself under complete control, tried to retreat away from everyone when he wasn’t working and avoid any messy emotional scenes when he was with people. Gabby pushed his buttons and forced him to interact with her. Even though the abuse he and Tyler had suffered at the hands of their father had come up during the book, it wasn’t until he started seeing Gabby that it became so hard to read. I was grabbing my Kleenex from the first time he wouldn’t let her comfort him through the revelation about why he couldn’t talk about the abuse with Tyler to his happily ever after with Gabby. The post-traumatic effects of what happened to Jon were so well-written, not overwrought or over the top but something I really could see happening to people like Jon and Tyler.

My Summary: If you can get past the slow start and Gabby’s initial bad impression, this is a beautiful if occasionally difficult story about a survivor of abuse overcoming his fears and exorcizing his demons for the woman he loves. It’s haunting, funny, sexy, sweet, sad and uplifting and the happy ending is satisfying and felt exactly right. My one warning is that you should have lots of tissues on hand.

My Rating: A-

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the eGalley!(less)

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May 20, 2012 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, read-2012

I'm pretty sure this is the first category romance I've ever read. No particular reason for that, other than I find the category books a bit overwhelming when I look at them on the rack at the store (or even online.) So many different lines and series to try and sort out. I probably wouldn't have read this one if it weren't for some fabulous people here on GR that talked about how amazing it was. And they were right!

This book was lovely. These were real people with real problems. They had bagga...more

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Jul 27, 2011 Leslie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, contemporary, ebook, romance, reviewed

After reading about Jon's brother Tyler in The Last Goodbye, I was looking forward to finding out more about Jon, and Gabby too. I was also hoping Jon and Gabby's story would have more romance. They still have emotional issues to get through but the story isn't as dark as The Last Goodbye and Jon and Gabby are cute together!

Gabby Wade is a petite, feisty woman who works in an office of all men. She's not much for dressing up, preferring casual wear for her job as office manager of T. A. Furnitur...more After reading about Jon's brother Tyler in The Last Goodbye, I was looking forward to finding out more about Jon, and Gabby too. I was also hoping Jon and Gabby's story would have more romance. They still have emotional issues to get through but the story isn't as dark as The Last Goodbye and Jon and Gabby are cute together!

Gabby Wade is a petite, feisty woman who works in an office of all men. She's not much for dressing up, preferring casual wear for her job as office manager of T. A. Furniture Designs. It's not surprising that Gabby gets along well with men, since she's used to working with them, but for some reason Jon just rubs her the wrong way. They're squabbling is amusing, each giving as good as they get. Lots of sexual tension going on here! I liked that Gabby didn't suddenly do a 180° and ditch her jeans and t-shirt for skirts and heels. It's more a gradual realization that she's stopped caring about how she looks. It's the fallout of her breakup with Tyler, Jon's brother, nearly four years ago. Once Gabby is honest with herself and how she feels, you see her start to hope for something lasting with Jon.

Jon Adamson is a strong, silent type. Very silent. He's fighting his demons and while he's not losing the battle, he's not really winning either. It's a daily struggle that Mayberry puts him through. The oddly bright spot in his days is Gabby Wade. Odd because on the surface they don't get along but in spite of that they're developing a relationship based on mutual like and respect. Mayberry puts Jon in limbo. He's working for his brother but he doesn't plan on staying. But he sold his company in Canada so he has nothing to go back to there. He really has no plans but you see him slowly thinking that maybe he could have something with Gabby.

Mayberry lets Gabby and Jon's relationship develop naturally, with some interference from Tyler and Ally but that's to be expected since they love and care about both Gabby and Jon. The way Mayberry woven in the two couples and their relationships really worked. I thought I might have a problem with Gabby having been Tyler's lover then her being with Jon. But Mayberry had me believing that while Gabby still had feeling for Tyler, they were that of close friends, not of a lost love. Gabby's feelings for Jon ran much deeper. There was a small issue of Gabby thinking she was still in love with Tyler, then falling for Jon happening rather quickly. To have such strong emotions change so quickly didn't ring completely true for me.

In the end, Gabby and Jon get their Happily Ever After that they both worked so hard for. This couple really clicked for me. They came across as a real couple with real issues. They had a rocky start that led to both of them facing some hard facts about what they really want in life. A very sweet, romantic story.(less)

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Jul 20, 2011 Cleffairy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea
Review date: 21 July 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/one-good-reason/

I you ask me to describe this book, I’d say it’s slow and steady, but concrete. I like how the author put this story together. It’s rather inspiring, though at some point of the story, I wish the main characters just will get down to business and get intimate with each other without further ado.

Very inspiring, dramatic and memorable. i enjoyed reading this book very much a...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Emily (Book Jems) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angst, adult-fiction, bring-tissues, controversial-subjects, favorite-authors, erotica, contemporary, kindle, harlequin, guilty-pleasure, horrible-cover, romance, released, third-person-pov, stand-alone, up-all-night

Sarah Mayberry is my feel-good author. Every book I've read by her has left me feeling satisfied, with a smile on my face. While they aren't always amazing books, I've always found her storytelling enjoyable. One Good Reason is no exception. This one broke my heart more than usual, but I really loved it. Our protagonists are so far from stereotypical, and they own it. Didn't always like Gabby's attitude, but I just adored Jon. The plot was much different that many of the romance novels I've read...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Babyfishmouth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: category-romance, contemporary-romance, kindle

I really enjoyed this book. Like most of Sarah Mayberry's romances, it's got real people living in the real world with real problems that aren't easily solved. There is a lot of angst as well as a great build up of tension stemming from the enemies-to-lovers premise. The writing is excellent and there are enough moments of humor to keep the book from being too depressing given the heavy baggage Jon is lugging around.

The only factor keeping this from being a 5 star read for me is the short time f...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Jean rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sarah Mayberry has become an auto-buy for me. This was a wonderful story of two people with real baggage to overcome, who rub each other the wrong way from the moment they meet--until the sparks they strike off each other turn into a whole different kind of heat. The hero, Jon, is dealing with the memory of an abusive father, and that sensitive storyline is handled beautifully by the author. The heroine, Gabby, is very prickly at first, and I loved watching her soften (but never weaken) as the s...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Lynette rated it 3 of 5 stars

Sarah Mayberry is an excellent writer. Her stories are superbly written and layered exquisitely. However, whenever this is not the first time reading a story of hers where I thought that the characters of her novels needed to be in therapy instead of the figures playing a prominent role in a romance novel.

It's great that ONE GOOD REASON seems so realistic. It is a realistic, superbly written novel, but I still had serious issues with the characters.

Gabby. You slept with your boss. Ewww. So not p...more Sarah Mayberry is an excellent writer. Her stories are superbly written and layered exquisitely. However, whenever this is not the first time reading a story of hers where I thought that the characters of her novels needed to be in therapy instead of the figures playing a prominent role in a romance novel.

It's great that ONE GOOD REASON seems so realistic. It is a realistic, superbly written novel, but I still had serious issues with the characters.

Gabby. You slept with your boss. Ewww. So not professional. And you're still working for him? I mean come the F on. Why are you still working at a firm where you screwed the boss for three years, a man you still love (who in my opinion was a dork and he and his wife are oblivious freaks who are using you for their own selfish purposes and to think they were the hero and heroine of a previous book!). Really. You're an office manager, you can get another job, especially since you've been there what three years since you and Ty broke up.Screwing brothers. Ewwww! And then you go and screw Ty's brother (the hero). Really. I mean no one had an ick factor where you were screwing one brother and then the other. Granted my male cousins used to pass girlfriends back and forth between each other, but they were in high school at the time and they never did it between brothers only other cousins (I come from a large family and we all lived pretty much in the same neighborhood).

Also, why the whine fest? You don't own the company so please shut up and do what you're told. You are the office manager, you don't own the company what's what the hissy fit when you're boss tells someone that they can use your computer. That was sooooo lame. It's not your computer, you don't own the darn thing. He does. Also, what business is it of yours how Jon is getting paid, kept your freaking mouth shut and do what you're told. As a former senior admin this aspect hit on my last nerve.

Jon. Sorry man. You need therapy not a girlfriend. And why didn't you have an ick factor when you realized that your little brother had his wick in the pot you just dipped yours into? And what's up with everyone patting you on the bat for nearly killing a man. Granted something needed to be done about the situation but really? Really? The judge should have at least made you go to therapy, anger management, something if not jail.

Despite my snark. Once again, ONE GOOD REASON is multi-layered, well-written novel, but I just couldn't buy into their relationship and their happily ever after, because the hero and heroine had such deep seated issues that 200 pages couldn't solve.

http://lynettestwocents.blogspot.com/(less)

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Nov 01, 2012 Mlleelizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wonderful book! Sarah Mayberry writes some of the best character-driven romances and this is one of her best. And this one is almost purely character driven. Watching Jon and Gabby slowly come to love and trust each other is such a delight. There were a few times I had to grab the tissues but they were worth it. I do wish I had known this was the second in a mini series and read Tyler and Ally's story (in which Gabby plays a part) first. Tyler & Ally's book is The Last Goodbye. But I believe...more

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About Sarah Mayberry

Sarah Mayberry was born in Melbourne, Australia, and is the middle of three children. From the time that she first “stole” paper from kindergarten and stapled it together to make “books,” Sarah has always wanted to be a writer. In line with this ambition, on graduation from high school she completed a bachelor of arts degree majoring in professional writing, then sat down to write a book. When ins...more Sarah Mayberry was born in Melbourne, Australia, and is the middle of three children. From the time that she first “stole” paper from kindergarten and stapled it together to make “books,” Sarah has always wanted to be a writer. In line with this ambition, on graduation from high school she completed a bachelor of arts degree majoring in professional writing, then sat down to write a book. When inspiration didn’t strike, she began to wonder if, perhaps, she needed to live some life first before writing about it.

This still left the burning question of how to pay the rent. She found her way into trade journalism, working off the principle that it was better to write anything for a living than nothing at all. Her time there lead to the opportunity to launch a new decorator magazine for one of Australia’s major retailers, an invaluable and grueling experience that she found very rewarding.

But the opportunity to write fiction for a living soon lured Sarah away. She took up a post as storyliner on Australia’s longest running soap, Neighbours. Over two years she helped plot more than 240 hours of television, as well as writing freelance scripts. She remembers her time with the show very fondly — especially the dirty jokes and laughter around the story table — and still writes scripts on a freelance basis.

In 2003 she relocated to New Zealand for her partner’s work. There Sarah served as storyliner and story editor on the country’s top-rating drama, Shortland Street, before quitting to pursue writing full time.

Sarah picked up a love of romance novels from both her grandmothers, and has submitted manuscripts to Harlequin many times over the years. She credits the invaluable story structuring experience she learned on Neighbours as the key to her eventual success — along with the patience of her fantastic editor, Wanda.

Sarah is revoltingly happy with her partner of twelve years, Chris, who is a talented scriptwriter. Not only does he offer fantastic advice and solutions to writing problems, but he’s also handsome, funny and sexy. When she’s not gushing over him, she loves to read romance and fantasy novels, go to the movies, sew and cook for her friends. She has also become a recent convert to Pilates, which she knows she should do more often. (less)

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