The Only One (Only #3) by Magan Vernon

Jun 26, 2013 Patrycja rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I loved Megan Vernon The Only Exception, it was funny, sweet and adorable, but her second book, is even better! It's stunning story, that I'll definitely be rereading soon. This unputdownable read left me breathless and extremely satisfied. I really adored characters, which were perfected to almost every detail, and the fact that The Only One is not only a sweet romance but also touches another deep topic, that ever girl should be aware of, makes it even better.

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Melanie is perfect student and dau ...more

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Jul 02, 2013 Brenda Rothert rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The Only One will keep you up at night. Melanie is a character you root for from the very beginning. She's been overlooked, and is surprised when a sweet piece of man candy in a loincloth notices her. John and Mel's story is steamy, emotional and so real. This book is unique, as the story takes John and Melanie in a direction I've never read in New Adult. I highly recommend it as a fresh, engaging NA read.
* If you haven't read The Only Exception, start with that book, because this is a companion ...more

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Jul 12, 2013 Christina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I think readers will swoon over John Boy— he's an alpha male with a heart of gold. His protectiveness mixed with his unbridled passion for the heroine left me fanning myself page after page. ...more

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May 14, 2013 Kendall {Book Crazy} rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, arc

"Relationships are tough, but if they're real, then they're worth fighting for."

OMG! OMG! OMG! This is one of the most beautiful and emotional books I've ever read! The characters were so real and the plot unexpected! I fell completely in love with everything about it! I can guarantee that this book is definitely going to stick with me for a while! I didn't see the plot of this book coming at all which made me love it that little bit more! I love that the synopsis doesn't give you any clue about "Relationships are tough, but if they're real, then they're worth fighting for."

OMG! OMG! OMG! This is one of the most beautiful and emotional books I've ever read! The characters were so real and the plot unexpected! I fell completely in love with everything about it! I can guarantee that this book is definitely going to stick with me for a while! I didn't see the plot of this book coming at all which made me love it that little bit more! I love that the synopsis doesn't give you any clue about it, so that when you do start to read the story it does take you completely by surprise! The plot was so inspiring and so beautiful even though it did deal with such an emotional subject! I loved that the author made some bits of the subject really serious, but then made some bits quite sarcastic or in a bit of a jokey manner in a sense! To me, it showed that the main character was able to make light of a situation that would break others! The main character did sort of break, but by making a joke or being sarcastic it lightened her spirits and made her less afraid in a weird way! The plot just completely blow me away and it was written amazingly! The characters were also amazing! The main character was Melanie and I knew who she was as she makes appearances in the companion book to this one, The Only Exception, but this book was her book and was told from her point of view! I adored Melanie! She was such a real character and I connected brilliantly with her! My heart went out to Melanie in this book! She goes through something that I can only imagine going through and she has a hard time coming to terms with it! She loses her confidence and she thinks that she's broken when in fact she's an amazingly strong person! I connected brilliantly with Melanie because she was such a normal person and she went through something really hard, but was amazingly strong throughout it! John was the love interest of Melanie and he was so hot! I loved how supportive he was of Melanie and that he wouldn't take no for an answer from her! I would have loved to have read some more of this book from John's point of view as he was such an interesting character and it would have been interesting to see how he was handling what Melanie went through! I loved that Monica and Trey were back in this book! I loved them in their book, so I was really happy that they were in this book as well! I'm pretty sad that this book will probably be the last book in this series and that there won't be anymore companion books, but too be honest I'm so happy that the author decided to give Melanie a book to start with! I LOVE the cover for this book! It is so hot and it sort of reminds me of a particular scene in the book! Big thank you to Magan for an ARC of The Only One! ...more

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Aug 27, 2013 Jamie marked it as to-read · review of another edition

LOVE the sound of this one!!!

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Jun 26, 2013 Amy Logg rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: all-time-favourites, new-adult, contemporary-romance

REVIEW:
The story:
This story is one hell of an emotional and moving read. I went into this expecting Magan's signature humour & sarcasm that I've come to love, which it certainly did! Witty characters and sexual innuendos a plenty! But there is also a very serious and powerfully story being told here. I don't want to give away what the 'reveal' is because I think that was such an intensely emotional moment that you need to feel for yourself. I didn't see it coming at all and I was in as much ...more

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May 25, 2013 Melissa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-or-review-copies, indie-authors, 2013-reads, new-adult

"I want to be your knight in shining armor. To take away the pain. I've never felt like this before and whatever we have, I don't want to lose it" - John Boy

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

After reading The Only Exception, I was more than excited when Magan Vernon announced that a sequel was in the works. Then I heard John Boy was the main character...and I had a head scratch moment. Trey's fraternity brother? I mean come on...a guy named John Boy?

Yup, I've l ...more

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Oct 10, 2013 Anna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Initially the reason I wanted to read this book was because of the cover. I'd heard about this authors works and I'd been meaning to read The Only Exception for a while now but it was never something that I felt compelled to pick up. But then I saw this book. And then I read what is was about and just had to read it. But even though this book is a companion novel to The Only Exception and it's not necessary to read the first book, I had to. It's something I'm weird about and I can never start an Initially the reason I wanted to read this book was because of the cover. I'd heard about this authors works and I'd been meaning to read The Only Exception for a while now but it was never something that I felt compelled to pick up. But then I saw this book. And then I read what is was about and just had to read it. But even though this book is a companion novel to The Only Exception and it's not necessary to read the first book, I had to. It's something I'm weird about and I can never start any kind of series out of order. But to get to the point: I didn't really like The Only Exception. And that made me a bit nervous to read this one because I really wanted to like it. But I put my big girl pants on and started reading and...I loved it!

To be honest, I'd never really paid much attention to Melanie in the previous book so I didn't really know much about her or what to expect. Until lately, Melanie had her life put together. She worked hard, studied even harder and hardly had time for anything else which seems to be perfectly fine with her. But I think it's because she doesn't have much of a social life that it puts her to a bit of a disadvantage. She's naive; at times she reminded me of a middle school student, especially when she first kissed John. She's constantly over thinking everything, always nervous and can never seem to just relax. Some would call her uptight. But she has her reasons. I really, really liked Melanie's character. For some reason I just felt so connected to her and a bit protective; probably because of how innocent she seems.

Honestly, my first impression of John "John Boy"Walden was that he was a frat boy douche bag. It was so hard for me to not judge him because for the most part, you never really get a clear image of who he is. At least for me. I liked the little glimpses of a more deeper person but then he'd go right back to sexual innuendos and sexual banter. Don't get me wrong: I'm all for sexual banter but I have to feel like the hero isn't just using her as some sort of game. Eventually as the story goes on you can clearly see he has feelings over her and I loved how protective of her he became but a part of me was weary of him till the end. There were times when I honestly disliked him and it seemed like no matter what he did I just wouldn't give him a break. But I think it's because Melanie is such a great girl and deserves a guy who's going to treat her well; and I guess a part of me was worried John couldn't be that for her.

This book wasn't really angsty but for some reason it had drove me crazy. My one complaint about this book is that I wish we got more details. Especially about John. There were all these hints of there being this messed up past but you never get to know anything about him outside of college. Overall I'm really happy I finally gave this author a chance and I look forward to reading more from her.

*Received a copy of the book as part of the blog tour.
**Read more reviews at my blog Anna's Book Blog ...more

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Oct 28, 2013 Sheryl C. Nash rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-erotica, romance-contemporary, loved-it

This story touched me in so many ways, most importantly because i had/have gone through EXACTLY what Melanie went through... (view spoiler) Kudos to you Magan, for writing about an issue that is so relevant in today's society but also for managing t ...more

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Aug 14, 2013 Gabby rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: don-t-read-it-again, 2013, new-adult, sporty-blokes, college

Selfish female character. The entire book was only about the main female character: the only one problem that she had, cervix cancer, that at the end, wasn't so big. Really, really, really selfish.

She was in love with a guy that I didn't know anything further than he was an Alpha Mu, his tattoos and his major. WTF!!!!

Started really promising, but crashed all over!!! ...more

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Sep 27, 2013 Angelina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: high-school-college-romance, jerk-asshole-you-name-it

Sweet, Sexy and Great story.

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Oct 20, 2013 Chelsea (Starbucks & Books Obsession) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, blog-tour

*Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars*

John Boy and Melanie make a few appearances in The Only Exception, but never together and never significant enough to really get to know them. However, I liked both of them so I was eager to dive into their story and see how it all would unfold. I think I love them more than Trey and Monica and I am definitely in love with John Boy.

When Melanie meets John Boy, she is instantly attracted to him and finds his shameless flirting mesmerizing. John Boy is intrigued by Melani *Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars*

John Boy and Melanie make a few appearances in The Only Exception, but never together and never significant enough to really get to know them. However, I liked both of them so I was eager to dive into their story and see how it all would unfold. I think I love them more than Trey and Monica and I am definitely in love with John Boy.

When Melanie meets John Boy, she is instantly attracted to him and finds his shameless flirting mesmerizing. John Boy is intrigued by Melanie and because she is different from any girl he’s ever met. He wants to show her one amazing night and break down her walls a bit to see her wild side. What he doesn’t count on is the way she sees him like no one else does and when tragedy strikes Melanie, she never counted on John Boy being the friend she needs. As their attraction mounts, both of their walls start to break down old habits and insecurities threaten to ruin it all.

I liked Melanie. She is smart, hardworking and a bit reserved. She was badly hurt by her previous boyfriend and that makes her a bit guarded. She definitely tries super hard to fight her attraction to John Boy but the more time she spends with him, the harder it is. She sees a side of him that most people don’t and she definitely likes what she sees. However, I think she definitely plays it safe and she is never really honest with herself or John Boy about her feelings for him. This made me sad because it was so obvious how he felt about her but she never really gave it a chance to blossom.

Oh, John Boy. I am definitely lusting after him. He is definitely a charmer and he immediately takes interest in Melanie. At first, it’s just a physical thing for him and he likes the challenge of letting loose the wild side of Melanie, who is so uptight and put together. However, I felt like the more he got to know her, the more he wanted her to really know him. He definitely puts on a show for everyone and there is a lot more to him that what people think. He definitely has a reputation but I think he hates being that guy and he doesn’t want to be judged by it.

I really adored the relationship between Melanie and John Boy and the amazing friendship that they created. Clearly they are both attracted to one another from the beginning and they definitely want to get physical to try and get each other out of their system. However, the more they got to know each other and let down their defenses, the emotional element of their relationship over ruled the physical. Tragedy strikes Melanie and John Boy is there for her in a way that most guys wouldn’t be. Considering he barely knows her, I was blown away by the kindness and support he showed. It was obvious he was falling for her even though he didn’t always make the best decisions or let his actions show it. However, there were plenty of times that it was so obvious to me and I wanted to shake Melanie for holding back when she felt the same way about him.

It was really hard watching Melanie cope with everything she had going on. Her life is turned upside down and it makes her really insecure and unsure of herself. I could totally understand why she felt that way and it made me so sad to see it get in her way with John Boy. She let her doubts and these insecurities hold her back from getting what she really wanted and what he would so gladly give to her. I wanted to be annoyed by her pity party and the way she was always feeling sorry for herself, but I put myself in her shoes and I could totally understand why she would feel that way. She always doubted John Boy’s attraction to her and his interest and after everything she goes through, she feels even more broken and damaged. John Boy constantly showed his support and I felt like he made his feelings for her pretty clear. When she finally pushed him too far and let all of her fears and insecurities get in the way, I was so afraid that he would walk away for good. In the end, John Boy proved himself to Melanie and to me and he finally broke down Melanie’s defense for good. I absolutely loved the ending to this book and the epilogue was truly beautiful.

Overall, I really loved everything about The Only One. It had a unique backstory behind the plot that held me captive and the development of the characters was truly fantastic. I really felt connected to Melanie and John Boy and I felt all of their emotions with them. I was actually sad when it was over because I just wasn’t ready to say good bye to them. I am definitely a fan of Magan and I can’t wait to read more of her books. With the holiday season on upon us, I’m looking forward to her new Christmas novella, Off The Market ...more

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Jun 26, 2013 Aman rated it liked it · review of another edition

Reviewed @ Enticed by Books

     The Only One was yet another entertaining and highly addictive read by Magan Vernon. I didn't enjoy it as much as it's companion, The Only Exception, however I still think it makes a great romantic read for those slump days. Starting with something positive, I was a fan of John Boy. He appeared as a frat whose only job was to hook around with a bunch of girls or drink drink drink, but as cliched as it sounds, John Boy was much more than that. He flirted a lot and Reviewed @ Enticed by Books

     The Only One was yet another entertaining and highly addictive read by Magan Vernon. I didn't enjoy it as much as it's companion, The Only Exception, however I still think it makes a great romantic read for those slump days. Starting with something positive, I was a fan of John Boy. He appeared as a frat whose only job was to hook around with a bunch of girls or drink drink drink, but as cliched as it sounds, John Boy was much more than that. He flirted a lot and acted like a total jerk and a manwhore in the beginning (like every NA guy!), but the minute he met his "The One", he stopped everything else and only focused on her needs and pleasure. Now you see why I love him in the first place! No one else mattered to John Boy than Melanie and when she was faced with something horrific, he supported her at every stage and never left her side. He was indeed a keeper!

     Melanie Wilder is a studious, hard working girl and runs in a completely different circle than John Boy. The only link they have is Melanie's democrat best friend, Monica who is dating the conservative Trey Chapman, who happens to be a frat brother of John Boy. Needless to say that they haven't seen much of each other until the Halloween party where Melanie forms an infatuation towards John Boy, or should I say his chiseled body, because Melanie literally obsessed over it at every page. After a while it got old, but that's not my issue. After Melanie and John went on few unplanned dates, something drastic happened in her life and after that point, I started strongly disliking Melanie and her weird sense of reasoning. She turned into one of those girls who doubt over everything and constantly belittles themselves for no reason. To a certain point, I can understand her mindset and situation, but her inability to change after a period of time really made me not care about her anymore. Furthermore, after finishing the book, I still wasn't sure why John Boy liked Melanie so much. Throughout the story, besides the strong sexual attraction, I never felt the pure, passionate love between the couple like the one Monica and Trey experienced.

     Nevertheless, at the end of the day, I ended up having a great time reading this book. It did come with it flaws, but there were enough good moments to balance it out into an okay yet fun read. The Only One delivered what it promised and hey, that's all I can ask for. Fans of new adult and hot alpha males would enjoy this book a lot more than I did, even though I do consider myself in that category, sometimes things just don't work as well as you expect them to.

A Copy was provided by the author for an honest review (blog tour) (Thank You!) ...more

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Sep 20, 2013 Brianna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: new-adult, 2013-na-reading-challenge

*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.*

After reading The Only Exception and finding it different from many of the contemporary NA books in terms of characters, I was wondering how Magan would manage to make the sequel different when the synopsis seemed like a typical contemporary New Adult book. However, I needen't have worried. The Only One is a contemporary romance, but it deals with other issues pertinent to real life.

Melanie was an interesting character. I loved her Harry P *I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.*

After reading The Only Exception and finding it different from many of the contemporary NA books in terms of characters, I was wondering how Magan would manage to make the sequel different when the synopsis seemed like a typical contemporary New Adult book. However, I needen't have worried. The Only One is a contemporary romance, but it deals with other issues pertinent to real life.

Melanie was an interesting character. I loved her Harry Potter obsession, mostly because I can totally relate. Apart from that, she was a normal nineteen-year-old girl, learning how to be herself and not care what other people thought. She often gave herself pep talks, and I found that pretty hilarious. Since we see the story totally from her eyes(with the exception of the epilogue), it was very important that I had no issues liking her.

Her love interest John Boy was very wel-written. He was definitely more than a fraternity jock, and I really appreciated that. He helped Melanie learn to be herself, and was always there for her. I loved that he was sometimes brutally honest, and when they had misunderstandings, they didn't last very long. These two made a wonderful couple to read about, and the epilogue from his perspective was just great.

The side characters were interesting, too. We saw a little bit of Monica, and I have to say, I still really like her. She's so outspoken, how could you not? Plus, she was a wonderful best friend to Mellanie. Then, there was Val. I really liked Val. She seemed so outgoing and just…interesting. I do hope we learn more about her. Plus,s he had that no-nonsense attitude. I loved it.

The plot of this novel was done very well. At first, it seemed like it would just be another New Adult contemporary romance set at a college. However, it soon completely changed direction. Instead of just a love story set in college, it became a story about a girl trying to heal herself, and find love at the same time. It dealt with a very serious real life issue, and how Melanie reacted to it. Though I felt she was really self-pitying at times, there was always Val to fix it. Plus, I'm pretty sure that that's a normal thing to do when you find out you've got something serious wrong with you.

Overall, I really liked this book. It was more than it first appeared to be. It had romance, a great story that you don't usually see, and some likable characters. I read this book pretty quickly, and like I always say, that says something for how invested I was in it. Therefore, I highly recommend this book to any New Adult contemporary fan, and even those people who usually only read speculative New Adult. There's something for everyone in here, and I think everyone should read it if given the chance.
...more

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Sep 27, 2013 Sakura rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: new-adult, na-book-club-read-and-review

"Just because that loser, Robby, cheated on you and Dad was a jerk, doesn't mean that every guy is going to be like them."

Melanie is a normal girl whose main focus is work and school. She's had some difficult times in the past that have led her to becoming insecure. After she gets a phone call that changes her forever, that insecurity grows each day. It affects her relationships with people, including the muscled hottie, John Boy.

I struggled with liking John. I most certainly did not
"Just because that loser, Robby, cheated on you and Dad was a jerk, doesn't mean that every guy is going to be like them."

Melanie is a normal girl whose main focus is work and school. She's had some difficult times in the past that have led her to becoming insecure. After she gets a phone call that changes her forever, that insecurity grows each day. It affects her relationships with people, including the muscled hottie, John Boy.

I struggled with liking John. I most certainly did not like him at the start of the novel, but throughout the story he did a lot that made me love him. Then there were instances where he would act like a complete tool again. Later in the story when they find out about Mel's situation, well my apologies, John Boy. Let the swooning commence.

"I'm serious. Last night I saw a side of you that was completely different from the girl I'd been seeing in class for a week. The girl that always has her head buried in her notes and never misses a day of work even if she was up late the night before. It broke my heart to see you crumble. All I wanted was to take the pain away. I wished I could have. I might not be able to, but I'll do the best I can."

I did however like the issue that was dealt within this novel. I love it when a character has to deal with real-life situations, because so many people can relate to that. The book takes on a more realistic feel. Without giving away a crucial aspect of the book, let me just say that what Mel deals with was an eye opener for me. It made me aware that that kind of thing can happen to a female at any age.

Another part of this book that really stood out to me was the slow building relationship between Mel and John. Yes they do have incredible chemistry and lust right away, but they don't immediately fall in love. That kind of thing is rare in romance novels, and I feel as though it takes away a bit of the genuineness of the story. The tension and build up was a bit frustrating, but when they finally do come together, it's magical and downright sexy.

Overall, I just enjoyed the realness of the story and characters. It was an emotional read, but one I would recommend.

*An ecopy of this book was provided by the author for an honest review. This has not affected my review. ...more

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Aug 27, 2013 Amy rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-books, 4-stars

Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars!

The Only One follows the story of Melanie. She's hardworking and makes good grades. She never really takes time out for herself. Then one night, her best friend talks her into going to a frat party. That's the night that she meets John. Even though Melanie knows his history,she's drawn to him. The next day, she thinks that she will just be a distant memory for John, but John doesn't give up so easily.....What starts off as studying and innocent flirting, is suddenly prog Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars!

The Only One follows the story of Melanie. She's hardworking and makes good grades. She never really takes time out for herself. Then one night, her best friend talks her into going to a frat party. That's the night that she meets John. Even though Melanie knows his history,she's drawn to him. The next day, she thinks that she will just be a distant memory for John, but John doesn't give up so easily.....What starts off as studying and innocent flirting, is suddenly progressing into the possibility of something so much more. That is until one night when Melanie gets a phone call that will turn her world upside down. As Melanie struggles to deal with the cards that have been dealt to her, she gets closer to John and just hopes that he will be the one to make her forget that she is broken.......

The Only One is such a beautiful story of friendship and love. I loved the slow development of the relationship with John and Melanie. There was so much more to John than what people think and I loved how he didn't let Melanie push him away. And you can just feel the love that John has for Melanie. Its a really beautiful thing.

This story was a little heavy at times, but I think the subject matter was handled in a great and informative way. Melanie's situation felt very real and was very easy to understand what she was going through.

Monica was a great best friend. She always stuck up for Melanie and gave her wonderful advice, even if Melanie didn't want to hear it. And I loved how she set Melanie straight and wouldn't allow her to wallow in self pity and reminded her to live.

Overall I really enjoyed The Only One. I thought the story was very well written and kept me captivated the entire time. This is definitely a book worth checking out. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!

Below are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“It’s always been you and me, Red. Even before we were us. You've always had the control in this relationship. Some things may distract us, but I’ll always come back to you”

“I don’t want any other girl.” He shook his head and took a step closer, cupping my face in his hands. “I belong with you and you belong with me”

"If you really care about him and he cares about you, then you have to live with each other for all the dark and the light parts. Relationships are tough, but if they're real, then they are worth fighting for"

*****I received a copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review***** ...more

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May 16, 2013 MEReadALOT rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

We first meet John Boy in The Only Exception when he is introduced to us as Trey Chapman's Big Brother at their Fraternity Alpha Mu. In The Only Exception he appears to be your stereotypical Frat Boy; Only there for the Booze, Girls & Parties... He continues t0 give us this impression at the beginning of The Only One, being that it's a halloween party and he's only wearing a loin cloth(say what?!).

We were also introduced to Melanie in The Only Exception where she played a bigger part

We first meet John Boy in The Only Exception when he is introduced to us as Trey Chapman's Big Brother at their Fraternity Alpha Mu. In The Only Exception he appears to be your stereotypical Frat Boy; Only there for the Booze, Girls & Parties... He continues t0 give us this impression at the beginning of The Only One, being that it's a halloween party and he's only wearing a loin cloth(say what?!).

We were also introduced to Melanie in The Only Exception where she played a bigger part in that story than John Boy, so we already know her a little bit better than we do John when we get started with The Only One. Melanie is an honor roll student doing everything she can to make it through college, working and going to school full-time, this girl has no social life to speak of. Her good friend and Trey's girlfriend, Monica, has managed to talk her into going to the Alpha Mu Halloween party. At the party she somehow manages to catch John Boy's eye. It must have been that Hermione costume she was wearing, while the loin cloth that John Boy is wearing certainly caught her eye and all of our eyes (yum).

Monica is trying her best to keep John Boy and Melanie hooking up, but Melanie isn't have any of it.. In the middle of their hookup, Melanie receives a phone call that changes everything. This is where John Boy and Melanie show each other that there's more than meets the eye.

----

I really enjoyed this book. John Boy isn't your typical frat boy, though at first he seems like it. When Melanie gets some life altering news while with John, She falls apart. John comforts her while she deals with the news she's just received and after seeing the side of Mel where she just lets go, he realizes that he wants more than just one night with her. Melanie has to go through some serious crap and John is with her ever step of the way, even though she continuously tries to push him away. He was an amazing and supportive character and I don't know who I love more now: John Boy or Trey. Hmm...

I hope that we see some more from these characters in the future! :) ...more

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May 16, 2013 Erin Westlund rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

We first meet John Boy in The Only Exception when he is introduced to us as Trey Chapman's Big Brother at their Fraternity Alpha Mu. In The Only Exception he appears to be your stereotypical Frat Boy; Only there for the Booze, Girls & Parties... He continues t0 give us this impression at the beginning of The Only One, being that it's a halloween party and he's only wearing a loin cloth(say what?!).

We were also introduced to Melanie in The Only Exception where she played a bigger part

We first meet John Boy in The Only Exception when he is introduced to us as Trey Chapman's Big Brother at their Fraternity Alpha Mu. In The Only Exception he appears to be your stereotypical Frat Boy; Only there for the Booze, Girls & Parties... He continues t0 give us this impression at the beginning of The Only One, being that it's a halloween party and he's only wearing a loin cloth(say what?!).

We were also introduced to Melanie in The Only Exception where she played a bigger part in that story than John Boy, so we already know her a little bit better than we do John when we get started with The Only One. Melanie is an honor roll student doing everything she can to make it through college, working and going to school full-time, this girl has no social life to speak of. Her good friend and Trey's girlfriend, Monica, has managed to talk her into going to the Alpha Mu Halloween party. At the party she somehow manages to catch John Boy's eye. It must have been that Hermione costume she was wearing, while the loin cloth that John Boy is wearing certainly caught her eye and all of our eyes (yum).

Monica is trying her best to keep John Boy and Melanie hooking up, but Melanie isn't have any of it.. In the middle of their hookup, Melanie receives a phone call that changes everything. This is where John Boy and Melanie show each other that there's more than meets the eye.

----

I really enjoyed this book. John Boy isn't your typical frat boy, though at first he seems like it. When Melanie gets some life altering news while with John, She falls apart. John comforts her while she deals with the news she's just received and after seeing the side of Mel where she just lets go, he realizes that he wants more than just one night with her. Melanie has to go through some serious crap and John is with her ever step of the way, even though she continuously tries to push him away. He was an amazing and supportive character and I don't know who I love more now: John Boy or Trey. Hmm...

I hope that we see some more from these characters in the future! :) ...more

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Oct 10, 2013 Danielle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

5 wonderful written stars

Are you ready for a book to blow you away and not expect it? This is the book for you then! I read The Only Exception and loved it. I have to tell you the The Only One was even better (in my opinion) than The Only Exception ( and that is saying a lot!!). This book, you will not want to put down this book. Truth be told I had to put it down to go drive my daughter back and forth to dancing class. The whole time in the car all I could think about was what was gonna happen 5 wonderful written stars

Are you ready for a book to blow you away and not expect it? This is the book for you then! I read The Only Exception and loved it. I have to tell you the The Only One was even better (in my opinion) than The Only Exception ( and that is saying a lot!!). This book, you will not want to put down this book. Truth be told I had to put it down to go drive my daughter back and forth to dancing class. The whole time in the car all I could think about was what was gonna happen and how fast I could get back to reading it!

This book was an very emotional read. I was crying and invested right from the start. After reading The Only Exception, I was excepting something funny, sarcastic and cute. I never thought it was gonna be something serious and powerful. This books was powerful and thought provoking. I am not going to tell you what the storyline is. It is kinda what the whole book is about. I can honestly say I did not see it coming. The "secret" of the book is fanatic and I don't think I read anything with it before.

Melanie Wilder is a college student who is working her butt off. She has works at a coffee shop to put herself through school, pay for her apartment and whatever else she needs. Her co worker and friend is Monica from The Only One. Monica drags Melanie to a Halloween frat party where Monica's boyfriend is a brother. Melanie doesn't want to be there and doesn't think she fits in.

Within the first few pages of the book Melanie literally runs into John Boy. John is a hot fraternity guy who comes off as typical frat/jock who is wearing a Toga costume. Hot, hot, hot. John bumps into Melanie and spills her red drink all over her Harry Potter costume. If you think you know where this story is going, think again. The way that the author wrote this story, you will never knows what is going to happen next. This is not one of those sweet girl meets boy stories where the girl changes the man whore into a a sweet guy. Not this story. You know why? Cause John Boy is already a sweet guy. You just don't think it right away.

Again I don't want to give away too much about this book. It was too good to ruin it for others. It was just that good. Beyond good. Magan Vernon you ROCK!!

Book hangover, big time. Finished it 24 hrs ago and still thinking about it.
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Oct 25, 2013 Farrah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Sweet, steamy, and a wonderful New Adult read. The Only One was a fantastic romance. I loved it! The romance was sweet, the emotions were deep, and I enjoyed every bit of it.

Melanie is a deceptively strong heroine. She doesn't seem like it at first, since a quiet kind of person. But, when it comes down to it, she can handle anything life throws at her. And it throws her one hell of a curve ball. I really liked her. I thought she was a great character.

John was amazing. This guy is so adorably, ch Sweet, steamy, and a wonderful New Adult read. The Only One was a fantastic romance. I loved it! The romance was sweet, the emotions were deep, and I enjoyed every bit of it.

Melanie is a deceptively strong heroine. She doesn't seem like it at first, since a quiet kind of person. But, when it comes down to it, she can handle anything life throws at her. And it throws her one hell of a curve ball. I really liked her. I thought she was a great character.

John was amazing. This guy is so adorably, charmingly, unbelievably sweet! I just adored him. I loved how he was so determined to stand by Melanie when she needed him, even when she tried to push him away. Nothing was going to stop him from being there for her. There was one point in the beginning where I wanted to whack him upside the head for doing something so stupid. But, other than that, I thought he was perfect and lovable and a brilliant character.

The romance was both sweet and steamy. Their feelings for each other grew steadily and it was sweet to read. I loved how John was so intent on being there for Melanie. And, the chemistry between them was there from the moment they met. And, when all that sexual tension finally exploded, it was super hot. Also, it might just be the Potter nerd in me, but I loved how Harry Potter was a constant facet of their relationship. Potterhead soulmates :)

The plot was fast paced. I was hooked the entire way through. I really enjoyed the story and I thought the ending was perfect.

The Only One was a wonderful New Adult romance. It was sweet, steamy, and full of emotion. I totally loved it! Lovers of New Adult romance, this is a book you'll want to read.

*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

Quotes:
"Now let's go back to your place and bake shit and watch Harry Potter."
"Are you serious?" I raised an eyebrow.
He pulled me forward and I walked with him, hand in hand, through the tunnel to the parking garage.
"Serious as Hell, Red. You've been through enough shit today and nothing makes a day better than baked goods and Harry Potter."-John and Melanie
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Jun 26, 2013 Adriana rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I have read one other book by Magan Vernon. While I really liked The Only Exception, it does not compare to how much I loved The Only One.

My first impression of John Boy was: douche; my second: sexy douche. But then I started to get to know him better and saw a side of him that took me by surprise. He was there for Melanie while she got the dreaded call and he stood by her side through everything she went through. By the end of the book, I was totally in love with John Boy.

I liked Melanie. Sh ...more

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Jul 25, 2013 Moon Love rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Magan Vernon is on a roll! This book has characters we first saw in her previous book The Only Exception. This time we get to see Melanie, Monica's best friend, and the infamous "Johnboy" fall in love and overcome obstacles. Magan Vernon once again did a fantastic job with her characters. They're both so easy to like and relate to. Johnboy is definitely a guy any girl could fall for. He's hot, charming, considerate, and multi-faceted. I don't know what I liked about him more; the face that he co ...more

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Oct 18, 2013 Paula Phillips rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

As a big fan of New Adult books, I find myself reading alot of them and every now and again you can find a dud but more often than not you stumble across one that makes you go OMG this is awesome and hope to high heavens that there are more books by this author as you have found a new author to follow. For "The Only One" fell only just - in the middle as it was an awesome book and I will be buying more from this author , but the main character annoyed me just a tad and I was like ARGH - open you ...more

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Sep 19, 2013 Kristina Circelli rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I got to read an advanced copy of The Only One and, having discussed parts of the book with Vernon beforehand, I was excited going into it. The subject matter is one close to my heart so I could relate (unfortunately) to a lot, if not most, of what main character Melanie was going through. In that aspect the book was a tough read, as it brought back a lot of memories, but in another way, it was also cathartic. It was also easier to connect on an emotional level to Melanie and understand a lot of ...more

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May 14, 2013 Beverly rated it really liked it · review of another edition

when i started reading this book, I really don't know what to expect, we met melanie, monica's bestfriend and john boy is trey's big brother in the only exception. mel and john are total opposites, melanie is independent, hard working and strong woman, she's the type of girl who doesn't need a man in her life and her biggest problem is she's very closed off, she has trust issues because of what happen to her parents and what her first boyfriend did to her, on the other hand jonh boy is a manhwor ...more

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Oct 05, 2013 Chris rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5 stars

If you're interested in a quick read with a quick romance and small dosages of cute, funny, and hot moments, then look no further. You have stumbled upon the correct book!

Not only will you enjoy a simple, enjoyable story, but the book also emphasizes a bigger picture: (view spoiler) I respect any attempt by an author to shed light on larger issues in life to his/her readers, and I felt Vernon did a fine job.

This book does have its flaws. Some thi ...more

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Sep 30, 2013 Melissa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

****Arc Copy Review****
A great companion novel.This can be read as a single book.I was glad to get a chance to read this book.It was written well.Great story also.Such a real like issue.This book could actually save someone.It reminds us that our health is important & we all should be checked out.

Loved the characters in this book.John Boy (Jonathan) & Red (Melaine) were a good match.John boy is so under estimated.The sexy frat boy player but deep down a lovable smart man.Then there's uptight Mel ...more

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Sep 15, 2016 Becca rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I loved John Boy from the start. He was flirtatious and funny and super sweet. He had his eyes set on Melanie from the moment he met her. She was different from the girls who usually pursued him - if fact she didn't want anything to do with him.

Melanie has always been a girl who stuck to herself and her best friend. She's not a party girl but somehow she ends up at a frat Halloween Party and meets John Boy - this perfect Adonis of a man. And for some reason he's interested in her. It must be so ...more

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Jun 28, 2014 Lisa Gemmell rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Copy provided from Netgalley for honest review

Freaking hot, funny and just yummy. It will have you biting your nails.

I loved everything about this book, from start to finish. It had me intrigued and I wanted more. It has some emotional parts and a lot of chemistry.

Melanie is a book worm, and John Boy is a typical Frat boy. Put them together and fireworks explode. Melanie is one of those people that shows no fear and John Boy likes to have fun, and just hook up with random girls. Melanie isn't l ...more

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