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The One

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Brenna’s love for Jase has grown from a crush to a soul-searing need, a painful hunger…and an unrequited ache, because the savagely sexy Texan doesn’t feel the same. A bequest and stipulation in his father’s will have hardened Jase, it seems. Now she must endure three months of living under his roof. Three torturous, tension-filled months and Brenna will have fulfilled the stipulation; will be free to attempt to regain the heart lost to Jase so long ago.Since the age of eighteen, Jase has protected Brenna—from himself, as much as anyone else. Living with her proves too rousing even for his iron will. He’ll claim what’s his, take Brenna in ways he’d previously only dreamed, sink so deeply inside her luscious body he’ll never find his way out. And be damned if he’ll let her go.A scorching Texas summer can’t compete with blazing lust as Brenna gives in, gives over, gives all that she is to Jase, to the only man she’s every loved…to the one.

65 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 29, 2011

44 people are currently reading
1169 people want to read

About the author

Lora Leigh

192 books10.1k followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Lora Leigh is a New York Times bestselling author of erotic romance novels. Leigh started publishing with electronic publisher Ellora's Cave in 2003. Leigh's longest-running series is The Breeds. She won the 2009 RT Award for erotica. Leigh was born in Ohio and raised in Martin County, Kentucky, US.


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5 stars
455 (25%)
4 stars
504 (27%)
3 stars
549 (30%)
2 stars
226 (12%)
1 star
83 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
Profile Image for Mitzi.
1,056 reviews86 followers
August 23, 2011
It makes me sick to my stomach to think my favorite author can no longer write the stories that I’ve come to love over the last 8+ years. I expect better from LL and this ‘new’ story sets yet another ‘BAD’ example in short story format of her new ‘writing style’ compared to her previous works. My advice to fans of LL: Don’t bother….it is not worth 10 cents let alone the price her publisher has set!!! This is a ‘less than okay read’ IMO, and although the book has a couple of her ‘classic’ hot scenes, the rest of the story is way below par.

Profile Image for Hollie.
1,680 reviews
July 13, 2017
I really should have read reviews before buying this

I figured since it was by lora leigh it would b good. No such luck. I just pissed away over $5 on a 65 page book that held no plot nor character development. Absolutely awful and a waste of money. There were 2 decent sex scenes. That was it. No back story. No details. Long review short. Don't waste your time or money on this so called book. It's a waste.
Profile Image for Kathy Davie.
4,876 reviews737 followers
December 31, 2017
A standalone short story that you shouldn’t bother with.

My Take
This story makes no sense. The only character who acts in a straightforward manner is the stepfather. Thank god for him. Brenna prefers to suffer in silence and accepts anything thrust at her — the girl has no pride or self-respect. And, dang, she’s stupid. Jase also prefers to suffer for fear that he might suffer, and he makes others suffer as well. Then there’s Miriam. Her character is so two-faced, but I don’t think she knows it.

How useful that Leigh uses third person point-of-view so we know how each of them…sob…suffers. Although it doesn't help explain to me why it’s better to definitely suffer than to take a chance that you may suffer later?

If one person owns 40% of something, doesn’t that mean it’s 40% theirs?

The Story
Bren has been in love with Jase for thirteen years…and has never acted on it. Because…sob…he must hate her. Now Poppa has thrown a curve ball from beyond the grave…and…sob…she’ll have to suffer some more so that her beloved Jase can inherit it all…sob…

I know. I don’t usually let my annoyance carry me away this badly…

The Characters
Brenna Laine is an orphan going for a college degree in veterinary medicine. In New York City. Poppa Jason, a.k.a., Jason Samuels IV, is her loving stepfather, who had married her mother, Lillian, fourteen years ago.

Jase Samuels is Poppa’s gorgeous player of a son. Miriam Dallas is a war widow who was hired as Jase’s assistant. Gina had been Poppa’s first wife. The Arrow S is a ranch that has been in the Samuels family for generations. Josie is the cook; Carol is the housekeeper.

Ron Harold is a corporate CEO with a hanger and landing strip near his lake house, which is close to the Arrow S. Noah is the grumpy pilot. Stacey is Brenna’s best friend, and James Mayer is Stacey’s jerky uncle.

The Cover and Title
The cover is simple with its white background. A gradated blue banner crosses the top with the publisher’s imprint in white. The main attraction is Jase’s naked upper body in profile with his too-muscled bicep flexed, as he glances out at us through the angle of his bent arm. The title is below his bicep in a black-to-red gradation with an info blurb in a smaller black, beneath which is the author’s name writ large in black.

The title is who they are, “The One”.
Profile Image for Tracey.
492 reviews10 followers
August 15, 2012
Brenna's love for Jase has grown from a crush to a soul-searing need, a painful hunger . . . and an unrequited ache, because the savagely sexy Texan doesn't feel the same. A bequest and stipulation in his father's will have hardened Jase, it seems. Now she must endure three months of living under his roof. Three torturous, tension-filled months and Brenna will have fulfilled the stipulation; will be free to attempt to regain the heart lost to Jase so long ago.

Since the age of eighteen, Jase has protected Brenna-from himself, as much as anyone else. Living with her proves too rousing even for his iron will. He'll claim what's his, take Brenna in ways he'd previously only dreamed, sink so deeply inside her luscious body he'll never find his way out. And be damned if he'll let her go.

A scorching Texas summer can't compete with blazing lust as Brenna gives in, gives over, gives all that she is to Jase, to the only man she's every loved . . . to the one.

This was really just and excuse to read/write about sex..............
Profile Image for Darcy.
14.4k reviews543 followers
December 27, 2011
All I can say after reading this one is that Jase is an ass!! He has been attracted to Brenna since he first meet her, so what does he do, treat her like a little girl, then after she is legal treat her like a piece of crap. I sort of felt like he was justified him his behavior after Poppa Jason died and the will was read and he was unaware of the secret part that Brenna had. Then when he revealed he knew from day one, I realized just what an ass he was!!
Profile Image for Stephanie.
248 reviews4 followers
May 20, 2014
Ehh.. So just ehh..

And then the more I think about it.. The more I dislike this book.

The whole plot is stupid. She's forced to stay there because of a will... Stupid
Of course he's an asshole.. Of course she's still in love with him anyways.. But wait he was doing it to protect.
Of course shes a virgin. Way to be original.
There now you've read it.

On to the things I did like..
It was short.
Profile Image for Mojca.
2,132 reviews169 followers
July 4, 2011
Awww. I loved it.

Jase was such an asshole, but I still loved it. Brenna was a bit too passive for my taste, I’d have punched him the first chance I got, but I still loved it.

The only bad thing: it was way too short.

But I still loved it.
Profile Image for Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews.
5,476 reviews177 followers
August 2, 2011
Originally posted at: http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...

“I can see your heart breakin’ in your eyes, Bren.”

For years Brenna Lain has been in love with Jase Samuels. Even Poppa Jason, Jase’s father could see the love and heartache in her eyes. Brenna was young, beautiful, and oh so innocent—she caught this reader's heart with her soul aching need to be loved by only one man: Jase Samuels. Seeing her heartache and being sympathetic to her fear, I was rooting for her through the whole story.

Poppa Jason was a crafty old goat. He's only found in the first chapter of the book but he made a big impression on me and kept me smiling with his not too subtle pushes to bring Brenna and Jase together. His last push came with his death and the reading of his will. Jase is like most alpha males in his "he man" actions and inability to communicate effectively with the opposite sex. I didn’t know if I wanted to hit him or kiss him but I did enjoy watching him work out his love life.

Ms. Leigh was one of the first erotic romance authors I read and fell in love with when I discovered eBooks. Her unique imagination and luscious sex scenes make her stories worth reading over and over again. Even though The One is a short story, it does not lack in the heat department so I would recommend this one for those days at the pool where you can take a dip when things get to warm.

One thing I was surprised to see were editing errors. However, they were not enough to take away from the story nor would they prevent me from looking for the next Lora Leigh book. Definitely a sizzling naughty romance with all the bells and whistles that kept me entertained to the end. Maybe not my favorite book of hers, but still an enchanting tale and a nice addition to my library.

Profile Image for PepsiGirl.
478 reviews
January 5, 2014
I should only give it two stars. Quick little read, reminded me of why I don't read this author that much. Her men are always douche bags that wham bam and I forgot to thank you mam. You poor little innocent virgin. Enough already with that. I was just reading a review that someone wrote about a different Leigh book and it was the same plot. Guy acts like a dick whips it out and they get it on. Then he again acts like a dick and they get it on and so on and so forth. Oh, and then all of a sudden he has an epiphany that he says he's sorry and all is right in the world. Oh, okay if you say so. Yeah there's your story. You had to get to know Jase's character through Brenna's thoughts and it goes down hill with his actions. Brenna was spineless and completely taken advantage of by Jase repeatedly. It was ridiculous how he walked all over her.
2 reviews
April 24, 2019
This is actually probably the only Lora Leigh book I didn't really like. Maybe it's the whole step brother step sister thing, maybe it's the language he used with her, maybe it didn't really seem realistic enough. Not sure. Was kind of an uncomfortable read for me. But it doesn't change my opinion of the author. Have read many of her books and liked or loved the rest (and have read a lot of them)
Profile Image for Lynda.
358 reviews4 followers
July 2, 2011
Good. I enjoyed it and will read it again, but it was WAAAAY too short and there was not NEARLY enough groveling by Jase to suit me. If the book had been another 50 pages it would have been better.
Profile Image for Dana.
73 reviews10 followers
July 28, 2013
Loved. My only issue was that it wasn't long enough. I wanted more.
Profile Image for Anna St. Amant.
232 reviews
November 6, 2021
Well that was a quick read. Totally trashy. Absolutely perfect for a lazy Saturday morning! Honestly the characters were pretty pathetic. But that's kinda the vibe with all slutty romance books

Anything memorable during the read: smoking four pork butts for the winter months!
246 reviews
June 28, 2024
I love this author but mainly for her paranormal books. Short story, I read it in a couple of hours. As step siblings, these 2 are throw together as per the will. She has always loved him but he thinks of her as a little sister. I guess you can guess what happens there.
588 reviews4 followers
July 28, 2018
Much too quick to build anything interesting.
219 reviews1 follower
November 18, 2018
I like the story but could have been so much more. The characters were barely developed. Would have been nice to see more of a backbone in Brenna.
238 reviews2 followers
June 4, 2023
Short, steamy, vanilla.
11 reviews
March 19, 2025
This one has haunted me for years. I love the push/pull but Jace is a complete asshole.
Profile Image for Amanda Gill.
442 reviews
March 1, 2017
65 pages....I didn't realize this when I downloaded it. The premise was cute, step-sister has always had feelings for step-brother. Not much to the story though and the resolution came quickly. I guess if you want a quick read and can grab it free it was pretty good.
Profile Image for Lindsey ( United By Books Reviews).
182 reviews5 followers
July 26, 2012
3.5 out of 5

Brenna has always loved Jase. It started as a crush, and then matured into the love of a woman for a man. While Jase, on the other hand, lusted and cared for her, he thought to protect her so he kept her in the sister category which means hands off. Tired of waiting and watching, by chance on Jase's birthday things go a step further and get a little hot and bothered between them. Once he is able to think again without a lustful mind he backs off and Brenna goes back to life as she knew it at college. Now she is back home to fulfill a part of a will and she must deal with the pain, love, and lust she feels for Jase . But jase is battling the same lust and growing feelings.

Ok, anyone who knows me knows I love Lora Leigh. When I saw this, like all of Leighs work, I had to have it. I just needed to get my smut fix like only Leigh can give me at times. My first thought when I saw the price was wow a bit steep for a short read, but I still bought it. As for the book I actually enjoyed it for a short. I bet it would have been even more amazing if it was longer. I loved Jase cause he had my emotions all over the place about him. One minute I wanted to yell at him, the next I wanted to hug him for that tender side he had toward Brenna, but he had a guard up so he didn't get hurt. The sex was hot. Brenna is great too, except I would have been happier to not have her on the verge of tears or crying too often. I'm used to the leading ladies of Leighs to be just as strong and fierce and confident as the males. I loved her loyalty to do what she had to ensure the farm would stay with Jase even if that meant months of heartache and pain. It showed strength and a bit of backbone. And yet with all that being said I still read this short in one sitting and didn't want it to end. I will always be a fan of Lora Leigh and if you pass up the fact of the price and the leading lady is on the verge of tears a lot it's a good read. Filled with love and hot sex, just how I like it.
Profile Image for Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog).
1,886 reviews505 followers
July 8, 2011
This review was posted at Under The Covers

It's kind of hard to give an accurate rating to such a short story! I think I finished this one in about an hour and a half. However, after that short period of time I might've needed a change of panties! LMAO

The story is set basically on a farm, Jase's family farm. His father had married Brenna's mother and basically raised Brenna as his own, even after her mother died. But Jase never really saw her as his little sister. He has wanted her since she turned eighteen, but always held himself back.

Now, after his father's death, she is forced to come back to the ranch for the summer as a clause on the will so she could turn over the ranch to Jase.

She has had feelings for him one way or another since she was 10. He's always been the one for her, and she waited for him to notice her. But she's been rejected by him one too many times and want to close that chapter in her life forever.

But as soon as she comes back to the ranch sparks fly immediately between them, and he can't deny any longer his hunger.

There is nothing else happening in this story. It is extremely short. So just look for it to give you a few heart palpitations.
Profile Image for SirenBookReviews.
327 reviews14 followers
March 13, 2013
Being a long-time fan of Lora Leigh’s work it was a real treat to get to review the story of Brenna and Jace. The emotional turmoil that surrounds Brenna tugged at my heart strings and even brought a few tears to my eyes as the book went along. While the tears were flowing for the broken heart she harbored, somehow she kept letting Jace back in, even though more pain was sure to come her way. There were points when I was almost angry at her way of bending to his will too much, but as the story went along everything made sense and the pain in the beginning was worth the pleasure in the end. The characters of both Jace and Brenna literally came to life in my mind as the story began, being able to see the story unfold in my mind, just made this story that much better.

Having read several other works by Lora Leigh, the HEA in this story was along the same caliber as her other works and left me with a sense of completion that all the loose ends had been tied up. The romance genre is one where I can tell Ms. Leigh is quite comfortable, and while I have read several of her more erotic works it’s her contemporary romances that really keep me drawn in. Getting an opportunity to read her works for reviewing has been a pleasure and would not disappoint anyone who picked up this great read.
91 reviews1 follower
July 8, 2015
It was a big story of clichés and since it was just a short story, there was no room for clarification. However, the author gets no pass on this since she knew it was a short story as she was writing it. That means don’t add a lot of questionable things in there that you won’t be able to clean up.
The attraction between Jase and Breanna isn’t well detailed. I didn’t feel it. It felt more like we are familiar with each other so why not? Like how you still have sex with your ex because you know him/her versus a complete stranger.

Just no. it wasn’t even worth it to say this is an enjoyable read because it wasn’t. Nothing excited me. Nothing reeled me in except that I had already rented it so why not finish it. The cover is nice. Maybe that’ll go for you. One star!

Two white main characters
Heroine has masturbated.
One of them is rich.

*FULL REVIEW ON MY BLOG*
https://doiwanttoreadthat.wordpress.c...
23 reviews
January 27, 2016
Hmmm. Ok I am just going to start rating and explaining why not give you details of the book.

First Lora Leigh writes very well, everything I've ever read is written well. The stories flow well.
This is a semi cruel hero type to me. Because while he says things to hurt her, in the end poor guy is trying to protect himself from future heartache. IDK He's a conundrum. Liked the chick; she spent a lot of time in her room in tears, but really with the length of the book, a little hard to convey her hurt without it so I regress.

My main reason for the only 3 star rating was the price of the book. I understand she is popular, she sells well. I also understand a lot goes into a book. Buuuutttt this one was way too short for its 7 dollar price tag. I will gladly pay that for a well written large novel. Heck ive paid 12 and 16 dollars from some of my fav authors. But this is a tad bit too much.
Profile Image for Christina Montminy.
2,164 reviews22 followers
October 24, 2015
was a good quick read, only 7 chapters. Lora Leigh put all she needed to into those 7 chapters though. Jase & Brenna having been living under the same roof for years since her mother married his father, but now that they are both gone his father has left his will to make sure that they are forced to spend more time together. Brenna is forced to spend 3 months under the same roof as Jase to get her portion of the ranch which she intends to turn over to Jase once she gets it. Jase is trying to not want her but is not getting anywhere with that & the fact that she's going to be there for 3 months isn't easy. Jase finally gives into his feelings for Brenna & confuses the heck out of her, one minute he's loving her & the next he's telling her that the ranch is no longer her home. Can Jase actually let loose the feelings he has for Brenna? Can Brenna make Jase see how much she cares for him?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews

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