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Always and Only You
The new emotional and unforgettable love story from Fiona Lucas, author of Never Forget You.
Erin is about to marry the love of her life. She and Simon have been together for eight years so it feels right that they’re finally tying the knot. It’s been stressful balancing the demands of friends and family – not to mention Simon’s difficult best man, Gil – but Erin couldn’t be happier.
Couldn’t be happier, that is, until she walks down the aisle and finds the wrong man waiting for her. But is the universe playing a cruel trick on Erin, or could it be that her perfect life isn’t quite what she imagined. . .?
A beautiful, deeply emotional story of love, secrets and second chances. Perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover and Lucy Score.
Readers LOVE Fiona ‘This story was unputdownable, and absolutely wrecked me… an incredibly moving and often poignant story with truly authentic characters and a perfect ending. Just exquisite.’ 5****
‘A powerful novel about love that just sinks into your heart and soul’ 5*****
‘Oh my, what a heart-wrenching read! I loved it!’ 5*****
‘Gripping, beautifully written and all-consuming. One of my favourite reads this year’ 5*****
‘An enthralling love story… The perfect novel in my opinion!’ 5*****
‘This was absolutely beautiful – I was completely blown away by the writing and the storyline’ 5*****
‘This book is so well written, I couldn’t put it down! So many emotions!!!!’ 5*****
‘Simply stunning…you won’t be able to put it down. Beautiful and yet also heartbreaking’ 5*****
’This book gives me Colleen Hoover crossed with Taylor Jenkins-Reid, in a British way’ 5*****
Erin is about to marry the love of her life. She and Simon have been together for eight years so it feels right that they’re finally tying the knot. It’s been stressful balancing the demands of friends and family – not to mention Simon’s difficult best man, Gil – but Erin couldn’t be happier.
Couldn’t be happier, that is, until she walks down the aisle and finds the wrong man waiting for her. But is the universe playing a cruel trick on Erin, or could it be that her perfect life isn’t quite what she imagined. . .?
A beautiful, deeply emotional story of love, secrets and second chances. Perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover and Lucy Score.
Readers LOVE Fiona ‘This story was unputdownable, and absolutely wrecked me… an incredibly moving and often poignant story with truly authentic characters and a perfect ending. Just exquisite.’ 5****
‘A powerful novel about love that just sinks into your heart and soul’ 5*****
‘Oh my, what a heart-wrenching read! I loved it!’ 5*****
‘Gripping, beautifully written and all-consuming. One of my favourite reads this year’ 5*****
‘An enthralling love story… The perfect novel in my opinion!’ 5*****
‘This was absolutely beautiful – I was completely blown away by the writing and the storyline’ 5*****
‘This book is so well written, I couldn’t put it down! So many emotions!!!!’ 5*****
‘Simply stunning…you won’t be able to put it down. Beautiful and yet also heartbreaking’ 5*****
’This book gives me Colleen Hoover crossed with Taylor Jenkins-Reid, in a British way’ 5*****
- GenresRomance
432 pages, Paperback
Published November 7, 2024
36 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
September 27, 2024
I didn't get very far into this book before I was confuuuuuuused AF.
It starts in the present day then immediately switches to 36 hours earlier. Then five years ago. Then present day. Then five years ago. And so on and so forth.
There's animosity between Erin and Gil, but it's boring, it's not the good kind of feud. And then she's marrying the best man and no one says anything. I'll admit, I have up at this point. I just couldn't keep track of what was happening or what was supposed to be happening and I didn't feel that it was written well enough for me to actually care.
Anyway, I'm assuming that Gil and Erin end up together and there's some great dramatic story about how he's always loved her but I just couldn't put myself through it.
It starts in the present day then immediately switches to 36 hours earlier. Then five years ago. Then present day. Then five years ago. And so on and so forth.
There's animosity between Erin and Gil, but it's boring, it's not the good kind of feud. And then she's marrying the best man and no one says anything. I'll admit, I have up at this point. I just couldn't keep track of what was happening or what was supposed to be happening and I didn't feel that it was written well enough for me to actually care.
Anyway, I'm assuming that Gil and Erin end up together and there's some great dramatic story about how he's always loved her but I just couldn't put myself through it.
March 29, 2025
A beautifully heartfelt, contemporary romance story, with a unique premise and unexpected twists.
Erin is about to marry the love of her life, after eight years of being together. Until she walks down the aisle and the wrong man is waiting for her. Is the universe playing a cruel trick on her?
This tender story explores secrets and second chances and is narrated beautifully by Sofia Engstrand.
Format: Audiobook from Borrowbox
Audio time:12 hours, 23 minutes
Erin is about to marry the love of her life, after eight years of being together. Until she walks down the aisle and the wrong man is waiting for her. Is the universe playing a cruel trick on her?
This tender story explores secrets and second chances and is narrated beautifully by Sofia Engstrand.
Format: Audiobook from Borrowbox
Audio time:12 hours, 23 minutes
November 6, 2024
Another fantastic read from Lucas, this is the ultimate enemies-to-lovers story and I couldn’t get enough of it. I loved how the writer creates a sense of magic as Erin enters a type of parallel universe and, whilst this is certainly a non-linear narrative, I couldn’t help but be absorbed by Erin’s story.
When we first meet Erin, she is on the cusp of getting married and clearly has organisation and planning down to the nth degree. Or, as some might say, she is quite a controlling bride, religiously following the mantra of getting a job done properly by doing it herself. Yet, the fly in her ointment is her fiancé’s best man, whom she is constantly at loggerheads with. If only he wasn’t involved in the wedding party, everything would be so much better.
The story also moves to five years previous where readers witness the start of Erin’s relationship with her soon-to-be fiancé, Simon. It is an unusual courtship as Erin’s job takes her around the world as a yacht stewardess; we see the text messages exchanged between the two, as well as revelations about a tragedy that involved Erin, Simon and the hateful best man, Gil.
Over time, it becomes obvious that Erin’s feelings are not clear cut. I could not help but share Erin’s panic when things do not go to plan and loved how ambiguous it was, with Lucas providing few answers about Erin’s strange experience. One thing is for certain, however, readers can see that Erin’s feelings are not as straightforward as she feels, leading to a relationship that involves three, not two people.
This is a very cosy love story that shows the protagonist really getting to know herself. It was interesting to observe how Erin changes over the story and I loved her interactions with both Simon and Gil, particularly during the flashback chapters. The fact that they are joined by a tragic historical past means that I don’t think they can ever escape one another – which is then proven in the present day narrative.
I really grew to care for Erin as the story progressed and I think this is based on her experiences. From sharing her panic and confusion to the desperation to return to “normal”, I think this added to the gripping nature of the story. I was invested in Erin’s happiness and was desperate to see her have a deserved happy ever after, rather than being a victim of deception. The plot development was very satisfying, especially because I love these enemy-to-lovers stories and I think the added magical element made the story even more immersive.
With thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When we first meet Erin, she is on the cusp of getting married and clearly has organisation and planning down to the nth degree. Or, as some might say, she is quite a controlling bride, religiously following the mantra of getting a job done properly by doing it herself. Yet, the fly in her ointment is her fiancé’s best man, whom she is constantly at loggerheads with. If only he wasn’t involved in the wedding party, everything would be so much better.
The story also moves to five years previous where readers witness the start of Erin’s relationship with her soon-to-be fiancé, Simon. It is an unusual courtship as Erin’s job takes her around the world as a yacht stewardess; we see the text messages exchanged between the two, as well as revelations about a tragedy that involved Erin, Simon and the hateful best man, Gil.
Over time, it becomes obvious that Erin’s feelings are not clear cut. I could not help but share Erin’s panic when things do not go to plan and loved how ambiguous it was, with Lucas providing few answers about Erin’s strange experience. One thing is for certain, however, readers can see that Erin’s feelings are not as straightforward as she feels, leading to a relationship that involves three, not two people.
This is a very cosy love story that shows the protagonist really getting to know herself. It was interesting to observe how Erin changes over the story and I loved her interactions with both Simon and Gil, particularly during the flashback chapters. The fact that they are joined by a tragic historical past means that I don’t think they can ever escape one another – which is then proven in the present day narrative.
I really grew to care for Erin as the story progressed and I think this is based on her experiences. From sharing her panic and confusion to the desperation to return to “normal”, I think this added to the gripping nature of the story. I was invested in Erin’s happiness and was desperate to see her have a deserved happy ever after, rather than being a victim of deception. The plot development was very satisfying, especially because I love these enemy-to-lovers stories and I think the added magical element made the story even more immersive.
With thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2025
I found it hard to get into this book with it changing from past to present all the time. But once I got the main storyline it all came together.
June 8, 2025
I took a punt on what I thought was a new author and paid for this one, only to realise she also writes under Fiona Harper !! I have read one by her before. That one had been full of mistakes so I hadn't bothered since. However, that was 2018 so I thought it would be better now.
I only got 16% in on this one and I have given up, though. It all comes across as way too farfetched for my liking. I enjoy one of these "Sliding Doors" type tales as much as the next person but the fact our heroine didn't appear to be making too much of a fuss about it and just went along with it just didn't ring at all true for me, and it just ended up getting on my nerves.
She also chose to go with American spellings which is always a bugbear of mine unless the story is based there. This one isn't.
Anyway, I won't be reading anymore by her unless her name changes again, of course !!
I only got 16% in on this one and I have given up, though. It all comes across as way too farfetched for my liking. I enjoy one of these "Sliding Doors" type tales as much as the next person but the fact our heroine didn't appear to be making too much of a fuss about it and just went along with it just didn't ring at all true for me, and it just ended up getting on my nerves.
She also chose to go with American spellings which is always a bugbear of mine unless the story is based there. This one isn't.
Anyway, I won't be reading anymore by her unless her name changes again, of course !!
April 17, 2025
I only started reading Fionas books because in lockdown, started following me on tiktok and I now feel like I know her. and the other 2 books I've read from her have been 3/4 star reads. but this book started with a thanks to booktok, and how she knows they like enemies to lovers, so here you go...
...only this was a misguided attempt at e-to-l imo. Erin is insufferable and moody and irrational, which is played off by what happens to her. it also starts very confusingly and works it's way back and it's just...odd. also, the way these 28 y/o speak is very...weird? like the whole 'hey, you.' for some reason made me cringe:(
...only this was a misguided attempt at e-to-l imo. Erin is insufferable and moody and irrational, which is played off by what happens to her. it also starts very confusingly and works it's way back and it's just...odd. also, the way these 28 y/o speak is very...weird? like the whole 'hey, you.' for some reason made me cringe:(
June 16, 2025
This book really surprised me, I went in with very little expectations and was hooked straightaway! The writing style and story line reminded me of Paige Toon books which I normally love so I think this book really suited my style of reading. The story was really different and booked me right from the beginning, there was the different time settings and sometimes it jumped between points of view between the chapters but I quickly got use to this. It was such an interesting few chapters to start the book with and I had no real clue where it was going to go but I really really loved it!
March 17, 2025
I always like Fiona Lucas although her books aren’t my usual style as tend to be quite heavy I like the twists and turns she give me. I enjoyed and we love a happy ending ❤️
August 4, 2025
Does Erin end up with Gill? Probably. Do I care? Not a jot. Pride and Prejudice has nothing to fear from this offering. Yawn.
March 27, 2025
Fully got hooked when reading, a book I couldn’t put down but then again I wasn’t mad at not being able to put it down!! Was an easy following book and I could happily re read. Didn’t expect things to go the way they did in the book but I guess here we are 😉
November 4, 2024
Erin and Simon are getting married.
Always and Only You was not what I was expecting. It has far greater depth and power than I anticipated and it actually took me quite a while to read because it felt intense and I needed to absorb and process the emotions underpinning the narrative.
I didn’t initially like Erin because she is incredibly controlling, in spite of her personality that always wants to please others. However, Fiona Lucas’s skilful writing ensured I quickly began to understand Erin’s complex nature so that I was drawn into her story and ended up desperate for her life to resolve itself positively. She develops throughout the story so that, whilst she learns to understand others like Simon, Gil and her mother, the person she most learns about is herself. As a result, I felt as if I’d been on her journey with her which made for a very satisfying aspect to the story.
As there is a relatively small cast of characters, with Erin at the centre, Always and Only You feels intimate and absorbing. I loathed Simon with a passion from the beginning for his showy personality, but you’ll need to read the book to see if my attitude was justified! Gil reminded me of Austen’s Mr Darcy, being taciturn and unapproachable, but, again, you’ll have to read Always and Only You to discover if he has similar redeeming features. Neither man is a simple person so that there’s a real sensation of authentic human beings in their presentation.
The plot is cleverly structured with some real surprises that add layers of interest. There are moments that take the reader aback, but the real strength in the story is the engaging exploration of various truths that runs beneath all the action. As a result, Always and Only You gets under the reader’s skin and has an emotional impact that is surprisingly affecting.
Other themes are equally mature and interesting. There’s a wonderful romantic aspect to melt even the hardest heart, but alongside it are deeper considerations. Grief and guilt, self-delusion and illness, family and friendship – all these elements find their place in a convincing, entertaining and mature narrative.
Always and Only You is certainly a love story, but it is so much more besides and actually very difficult to review without spoiling the read for others. I thought it was a fabulous story.
Always and Only You was not what I was expecting. It has far greater depth and power than I anticipated and it actually took me quite a while to read because it felt intense and I needed to absorb and process the emotions underpinning the narrative.
I didn’t initially like Erin because she is incredibly controlling, in spite of her personality that always wants to please others. However, Fiona Lucas’s skilful writing ensured I quickly began to understand Erin’s complex nature so that I was drawn into her story and ended up desperate for her life to resolve itself positively. She develops throughout the story so that, whilst she learns to understand others like Simon, Gil and her mother, the person she most learns about is herself. As a result, I felt as if I’d been on her journey with her which made for a very satisfying aspect to the story.
As there is a relatively small cast of characters, with Erin at the centre, Always and Only You feels intimate and absorbing. I loathed Simon with a passion from the beginning for his showy personality, but you’ll need to read the book to see if my attitude was justified! Gil reminded me of Austen’s Mr Darcy, being taciturn and unapproachable, but, again, you’ll have to read Always and Only You to discover if he has similar redeeming features. Neither man is a simple person so that there’s a real sensation of authentic human beings in their presentation.
The plot is cleverly structured with some real surprises that add layers of interest. There are moments that take the reader aback, but the real strength in the story is the engaging exploration of various truths that runs beneath all the action. As a result, Always and Only You gets under the reader’s skin and has an emotional impact that is surprisingly affecting.
Other themes are equally mature and interesting. There’s a wonderful romantic aspect to melt even the hardest heart, but alongside it are deeper considerations. Grief and guilt, self-delusion and illness, family and friendship – all these elements find their place in a convincing, entertaining and mature narrative.
Always and Only You is certainly a love story, but it is so much more besides and actually very difficult to review without spoiling the read for others. I thought it was a fabulous story.
December 14, 2024
"Why do we always feel we need to be something other than what we are?" - Always and Only You by Fiona Lucas
Dreamy, ethereal and just plain romantic, this is a story of a love that has been hidden beneath guilt, grief and lies. Yet it also shows how everything can take a turn to give you the best that you can ever ask for.
It is finally the day of Erin's wedding to Simon, the man of her dreams. As she walks up the aisle, she is excited to meet the eyes of her future husband - and is shocked to realise that she is not marrying Simon after all...
What ensues is confusion for Erin. Where is Simon, and why is everything turning out differently, and why is the wrong man waiting at the end of the aisle for her? Determined that this is all just a nightmare, Erin accepts that this all just a bad dream - at least until she learns how close it is to reality.
I loved Fiona Lucas' books ever since I read The Last Goodbye a couple of years ago. Just like her previous book, this one is just as engaging and heartwarming. You cannot help but feel for Erin, a capable woman who is always relied on by everyone, becomes vulnerable after her life takes an overwhelming turn so close to her wedding.
Of course, the story shines in its twists and turns as the truth about Erin's relationship with Simon slowly comes to the forefront. Yet the story brims with romance, and you cannot help but root for Erin to finally get her happy ending with the man who truly deserves her. What a truly beautiful and heartwarming story.
Dreamy, ethereal and just plain romantic, this is a story of a love that has been hidden beneath guilt, grief and lies. Yet it also shows how everything can take a turn to give you the best that you can ever ask for.
It is finally the day of Erin's wedding to Simon, the man of her dreams. As she walks up the aisle, she is excited to meet the eyes of her future husband - and is shocked to realise that she is not marrying Simon after all...
What ensues is confusion for Erin. Where is Simon, and why is everything turning out differently, and why is the wrong man waiting at the end of the aisle for her? Determined that this is all just a nightmare, Erin accepts that this all just a bad dream - at least until she learns how close it is to reality.
I loved Fiona Lucas' books ever since I read The Last Goodbye a couple of years ago. Just like her previous book, this one is just as engaging and heartwarming. You cannot help but feel for Erin, a capable woman who is always relied on by everyone, becomes vulnerable after her life takes an overwhelming turn so close to her wedding.
Of course, the story shines in its twists and turns as the truth about Erin's relationship with Simon slowly comes to the forefront. Yet the story brims with romance, and you cannot help but root for Erin to finally get her happy ending with the man who truly deserves her. What a truly beautiful and heartwarming story.
January 14, 2025
You have no idea how I want to rate this book higher but simply can’t. Let me start by saying I LOVED Fiona Lucas’s previous two books. Were easy 5 star reads, so to say I was excited for this book was an understatement. I was thrilled to read it! But boy did this book tank quick. I wanted to DNF it numerous times and truthfully the last 100 pages changed my opinion of this book from 2 stars to 3 stars. I did end up really loving the sea-side cottage mansion and Gil’s interactions with Erin, was super cute.
However, this was a SLOW burn which typically Fiona does but this took slow to a new level. Like they don’t get together or even realise love until the last 10 pages type slow burn.
The time jumping wasn’t confusing, just felt unnecessary and boring. I didn’t feel it added to the romance but took away from more time we could have gotten to explore the relationship.
I will say that I love the amnesia trope but dang the dream at the beginning was too long-winded, I genuinely thought Fiona opted to write a thriller book and I would have loved that more than the dream being her subconscious… it just could have been more or not been as long imo
Overall, I’m not mad but real disappointed I read this book. I had such high hopes of this being my new favourite 2025 read and instead it didn’t hit has hard as I know she would hoping it would. Oh well. Till next time ✌️
However, this was a SLOW burn which typically Fiona does but this took slow to a new level. Like they don’t get together or even realise love until the last 10 pages type slow burn.
The time jumping wasn’t confusing, just felt unnecessary and boring. I didn’t feel it added to the romance but took away from more time we could have gotten to explore the relationship.
I will say that I love the amnesia trope but dang the dream at the beginning was too long-winded, I genuinely thought Fiona opted to write a thriller book and I would have loved that more than the dream being her subconscious… it just could have been more or not been as long imo
Overall, I’m not mad but real disappointed I read this book. I had such high hopes of this being my new favourite 2025 read and instead it didn’t hit has hard as I know she would hoping it would. Oh well. Till next time ✌️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2024
Rating: 4.75/5⭐️
I am not generally a romance/contemporary romance fan when it comes to books as I end up bored but Always and Only You had an interesting synopsis and I though, well, now I need to see how did she ended up going down the aisle and when her groom turns around it’s his best mate - who she does not like at all. So here we are and let me tell you, I really enjoyed this book and I thought it was very different from any romance/contemporary romance I’ve read before! There is two plots happening at the same time - present day and 5 years ago - and although it was a little confusing in the beginning as soon as you get used to it, it starts making so much more sense and enriches the book.
I don’t want to give away too much information to not spoil it but I really enjoyed seeing Erin character grow and become more herself during the book and all the character relationships were very very interesting to follow. There’s also this particular theme in the book that I have never seen displayed in a book I’ve ever read before and I thought it was really well done!
Many thanks to the publisher for an early copy of this book! All opinions are my own 🫶🏻
I am not generally a romance/contemporary romance fan when it comes to books as I end up bored but Always and Only You had an interesting synopsis and I though, well, now I need to see how did she ended up going down the aisle and when her groom turns around it’s his best mate - who she does not like at all. So here we are and let me tell you, I really enjoyed this book and I thought it was very different from any romance/contemporary romance I’ve read before! There is two plots happening at the same time - present day and 5 years ago - and although it was a little confusing in the beginning as soon as you get used to it, it starts making so much more sense and enriches the book.
I don’t want to give away too much information to not spoil it but I really enjoyed seeing Erin character grow and become more herself during the book and all the character relationships were very very interesting to follow. There’s also this particular theme in the book that I have never seen displayed in a book I’ve ever read before and I thought it was really well done!
Many thanks to the publisher for an early copy of this book! All opinions are my own 🫶🏻
May 1, 2025
I have to admit that the idea of Erin waking up finding out she’s marrying a man that isn’t her fiancé had me intrigued, especially when he's her fiance's best friend, a man she can't stand. Things don't seem as they appear, as Erin tries to make sense of what it is going on around her. I was hooked from the first page and found not only a firm favourite romance of the year, but also a new author with an extensive back catalogue.
The romance between Erin and Gil is gloriously romantic and features a trope that I have only ever read about before in one other book: boyfriend’s best friend. The slow burn enemies-to-lovers was so delicious, as was how the twists and turns unfolded. The novel fluctuates between the ‘Present Day’, starting before Erin’s wedding, and 'Five Years Ago' where we are shown the text messages between Erin and Simon after a really devastating turn of events.
For me, a romance survives or dies on the strength of how well-written and romantic the love interest is. Gil is sweet, supportive, and very sexy. Also, Lucas has a skill at weaving all the different threads of this tale together to create a story that was addictive and beautiful.
The romance between Erin and Gil is gloriously romantic and features a trope that I have only ever read about before in one other book: boyfriend’s best friend. The slow burn enemies-to-lovers was so delicious, as was how the twists and turns unfolded. The novel fluctuates between the ‘Present Day’, starting before Erin’s wedding, and 'Five Years Ago' where we are shown the text messages between Erin and Simon after a really devastating turn of events.
For me, a romance survives or dies on the strength of how well-written and romantic the love interest is. Gil is sweet, supportive, and very sexy. Also, Lucas has a skill at weaving all the different threads of this tale together to create a story that was addictive and beautiful.
November 1, 2024
This is my first book my Fiona Lucas but it most definitely won't be my last.
To be honest, to start with I wasn't impressed and didn't think I would finish it. This has nothing to do with the story or the writing, it's just that the chapters jump back and forward in time and with my brain fog it can mean I struggle to remember what happened when and keep pace. I thank my lucky stars I persevered though, as by half way through I was totally hooked.
The story has 2 main characters Erin and Simon. The chapters jump between the present day, including their wedding day and 5 years before, when they first met. As I said, to start with I found this a little confusing but as you work your way through the chapters, everything links together and starts to make sense and by the end you understand why it's written the way it is.
I try to avoid spoilers in my reviews but 1 thing I will say, it doesn't have the ending I was expecting at all.
This book is definitely in my top 10 reads of 2024.
To be honest, to start with I wasn't impressed and didn't think I would finish it. This has nothing to do with the story or the writing, it's just that the chapters jump back and forward in time and with my brain fog it can mean I struggle to remember what happened when and keep pace. I thank my lucky stars I persevered though, as by half way through I was totally hooked.
The story has 2 main characters Erin and Simon. The chapters jump between the present day, including their wedding day and 5 years before, when they first met. As I said, to start with I found this a little confusing but as you work your way through the chapters, everything links together and starts to make sense and by the end you understand why it's written the way it is.
I try to avoid spoilers in my reviews but 1 thing I will say, it doesn't have the ending I was expecting at all.
This book is definitely in my top 10 reads of 2024.
November 3, 2024
Thank you Harper Collins and Fiona Lucas for gifting me this book to review.
A love story, but one love story you may not expect...
Erin is at her happiest time of her perfect life, ready to tie the knot with her fiancé Simon who she has been with for eight years. But on the day of her wedding, she walks down the aisle to find the wrong man waiting for her. At first Erin believes the universe is out to get her, but maybe it was the plan all along to show her life isn't as perfect as it seemed...
I was really excited to read Always and Only You, but as I got into I couldn't help but feel frustrated. As a love story, I was expecting a swooping MMC and romance to grip me but so far the book failed to do so. However, the more I read the more I discovered that perhaps this was a love story of Erin falling in love with her not so perfect self or life. And when I landed on that train of thought, I started to enjoy the book more. Because of this, I do recommend going into this with a perspective of it being women's fiction than romance (in my opinion). And I will say that there were some plot lines that I did not expect to find in a predictable romance.
A love story, but one love story you may not expect...
Erin is at her happiest time of her perfect life, ready to tie the knot with her fiancé Simon who she has been with for eight years. But on the day of her wedding, she walks down the aisle to find the wrong man waiting for her. At first Erin believes the universe is out to get her, but maybe it was the plan all along to show her life isn't as perfect as it seemed...
I was really excited to read Always and Only You, but as I got into I couldn't help but feel frustrated. As a love story, I was expecting a swooping MMC and romance to grip me but so far the book failed to do so. However, the more I read the more I discovered that perhaps this was a love story of Erin falling in love with her not so perfect self or life. And when I landed on that train of thought, I started to enjoy the book more. Because of this, I do recommend going into this with a perspective of it being women's fiction than romance (in my opinion). And I will say that there were some plot lines that I did not expect to find in a predictable romance.
August 3, 2025
2.75 ⭐️⭐️✨
From the first 50 pages of this book, I had worked out it was either going to be an amnesia plot or a brain trauma/coma plot line which kind of ruined the rest of the book. I was waiting to get out of the “dream state” and into real life.
The book flicks between present day and 5 years ago which in itself was a good idea but you do get bored of it, the whole plot and dream state by around page 100. I was on the verge of DNFing. Once Erin wakes up and realises she’s suffered a head trauma when she banged her head the night before her wedding, then the plot picked up a bit for me to want to continue.
Gil and Erin’s characters by the end were lovely but it took around 200 pages for me to start liking either of them (when Simon took Erin to Gils place in Devon so she could relax and recover, I knew we were in for a rekindling of the love she had in her dream. It was lovely to see her take her time and come to this conclusion which is why I rated it a 2.75 rather than a 2).
From the first 50 pages of this book, I had worked out it was either going to be an amnesia plot or a brain trauma/coma plot line which kind of ruined the rest of the book. I was waiting to get out of the “dream state” and into real life.
The book flicks between present day and 5 years ago which in itself was a good idea but you do get bored of it, the whole plot and dream state by around page 100. I was on the verge of DNFing. Once Erin wakes up and realises she’s suffered a head trauma when she banged her head the night before her wedding, then the plot picked up a bit for me to want to continue.
Gil and Erin’s characters by the end were lovely but it took around 200 pages for me to start liking either of them (when Simon took Erin to Gils place in Devon so she could relax and recover, I knew we were in for a rekindling of the love she had in her dream. It was lovely to see her take her time and come to this conclusion which is why I rated it a 2.75 rather than a 2).
October 25, 2024
The initial time jumps with this story does get confusing but definitely push forward because it all will come together near the middle. This story had me emotional, we first go into this story with a strange predicament where our main character Erin appears to be on her wedding day but the man at the end of the isle isn’t who’s she’s expecting. We have a large amount of twists and turns and an accident is then revealed later on as Erin wakes from a coma. I have enjoyed reading this story and watching Erin rediscover herself and recover after the accident. The story is told with great emotion and you can truly feel the love between characters. I am extremely happy with the ending of the story and what occurs with Erin.
July 3, 2025
✨️Audiobook review✨️ Always and Only You by Fiona Lucas
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a random pick, wasn't on my TBR, but needed a book for work. Not going to lie, this was confusing af!! 🥴
Within the first part of the book, like within chapters, I was utterly thrown as to what was going on, and who was with who.
I carried on, as I was intrigued where the story was going, turns out there was good reason for the confusion.
I can't tell you though, as it would give away the plot, but all I'll say is persevere if you can.
Pretty good story once you get into it though. I finished it quickly and totally changed my opinion on one character by the end.
Some good plot twists that you don't see coming is always a bonus in my opinion.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a random pick, wasn't on my TBR, but needed a book for work. Not going to lie, this was confusing af!! 🥴
Within the first part of the book, like within chapters, I was utterly thrown as to what was going on, and who was with who.
I carried on, as I was intrigued where the story was going, turns out there was good reason for the confusion.
I can't tell you though, as it would give away the plot, but all I'll say is persevere if you can.
Pretty good story once you get into it though. I finished it quickly and totally changed my opinion on one character by the end.
Some good plot twists that you don't see coming is always a bonus in my opinion.
October 16, 2024
What a lovely story that will make you believe in magical dreams again. This story is a scary one as we could all fall over, hit our head and get a form of amnesia, and that’s a scary story, but the author has done this so well, you care so deeply for Erin, as she struggles through her thoughts and her new reality. There is something about this story that will suck you in, you feel for Simon, as the story unfolds, but do you know its Gil who surprised me most, he has something special going on. But it was the place descriptions that got to me, they blew me away and swept me up so I could feel the fresh sea air on my skin. Get swept up in the story and find out if dreams do come true.
November 7, 2024
I was intrigued by the blurb for this and also unsure how Lucas would write the book so it made sense. Initially, I was frustrated by not knowing how the events had occurred but I persevered and I was rewarded with a tight plot that explains everything. The characters are wonderful as well, I really took to them and enjoyed getting to know them, learning about their relationships and seeing the development as the plot progresses.
There are a lot of feelings throughout this read and Lucas portrays them exquisitely and I just thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for an advance copy.
There are a lot of feelings throughout this read and Lucas portrays them exquisitely and I just thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for an advance copy.
January 1, 2025
Spoilers? Maybe? I dunno
I love these sort of books. Had me hooked from the moment of the first twist. It had heartbreaks and it had trauma, but it also had heartfelt giddy moments. And that’s what I loved.
The time stamps did make me confused to the point I had to go back and re-read a couple of pages and when it was one man instead of the other, got me confused but powering through the confusingness of it all, it all made sense and the plot twists were twisting and omg!
The times this book had me speechless, is unreal😂
Also, f*** you Simon😂
I love these sort of books. Had me hooked from the moment of the first twist. It had heartbreaks and it had trauma, but it also had heartfelt giddy moments. And that’s what I loved.
The time stamps did make me confused to the point I had to go back and re-read a couple of pages and when it was one man instead of the other, got me confused but powering through the confusingness of it all, it all made sense and the plot twists were twisting and omg!
The times this book had me speechless, is unreal😂
Also, f*** you Simon😂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2025
This is the first book I've read by Fiona Lucas. I wasn't sure at first, the time jumps confused me, and the whole wedding situation did. However, I kept with it because I enjoyed Erin's healing journey and discovery of herself. I liked it, it was a bit slow in parts, but overall an enjoyable read. There were moments I could cry for Erin, hear her frustration, her needs, her worries, and there were moments she had me laughing out loud.
January 27, 2025
I found this book tricky to get into. After finding out about Erin’s coma, it made it easier to work out the storyline but it was difficult to navigate at first, and I found the five year flashbacks hard to decode but I guess this was a choice from the author to make it as hard for the readers as it was for Erin to decode her situation. Once the book got to the middle and begun making more sense I feel it really accelerated and got a much more gripping storyline.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2025
Fiona Lucas never disappoints so I knew I would enjoy this one. I did find the before/after a little confusing in the middle but it definitely gets clarified and helps you appreciate the book/plot so much more. I rated this slightly lower than 4 just because I struggled to make myself pick it up at points, but did enjoy reading once I’d got into it, and I personally would’ve loved a little more on the ending.
Overall a great romance/second chance easy read book by a great author.
Overall a great romance/second chance easy read book by a great author.
June 21, 2025
3.5 Stars.
Kept me guessing, but a warning— you do have to stick with this book’s alternating timelines until the plot secrets are revealed. It can be focusing what timeframe is occurring at times. This kept me interested, and it was creatively done, but I didn’t adore the storyline or connect with it a ton.
Content Considerations: Some light use of British profanity, kissing and implied/mostly vague fade to black scenes.
Kept me guessing, but a warning— you do have to stick with this book’s alternating timelines until the plot secrets are revealed. It can be focusing what timeframe is occurring at times. This kept me interested, and it was creatively done, but I didn’t adore the storyline or connect with it a ton.
Content Considerations: Some light use of British profanity, kissing and implied/mostly vague fade to black scenes.
October 27, 2024
Erin is about to marry the love of her life Simon but when she reaches the top of the top aisle its best man/best friend Gil waiting for her. It’s a sliding doors kinda moment and the rest of the book goes between 5 years ago and the present. It’s a contemporary romance, journey of self discovery but I did find slow paced and I never really clicked with any of the characters.
December 9, 2024
At first reading the first few chapters, I wasn’t sure about the book. The time jumps confused me at first and I couldn’t get into it. However as it went on I became hooked and reading on u understand the significance of the random time jumps. Definitely a feel good book and I finished the book feeling happy and relieved at the ending. Definitely recommend !!!
December 21, 2024
Blown away by this book. Don’t be put off by the shifting timelines to start with, it doesn’t last long and you will be hooked. I guessed little parts of this book but for the most part it was unpredictable and so engaging. A few typos but still written so well. Absolutely love it. Never read this author before.
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