Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - One True Loves

I have only read one TJR book before this one and DnF'd another.

With all authors there are hit and misses and this one was somewhere in between as a cute contemporary romance to start of the new year.

(For reference I've read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and absolutely adored it. I DNF'd Daisy Jones and the Six. It wasn't quite my style.)

This book centres around Emma Blair who's husband goes missing on their one year anniversary from being married. She grieves, moves on and a few years later she is engaged to an old friend Sam who worked with her at her parents bookshop while in high school. Plot twist her husband is alive and comes home, now she has to choose between her fiancée and recently now not presumed dead husband Jesse (who was her high school sweetheart).

The formatting of the book jumped back to flashbacks to explain the way the mc's met and how they all came together. The dry humour and witty banter from the teenage years was fun and relatable and it didn't bore me. Into the early adult years Emma and Jesse's relationship felt glossed over and abruptly he was gone and boom we've set up a love triangle.

Skip over to the end because I'm too lazy to write a really long review the things that irked me the most were the fact that Emma was able to make her decision in just three days, Jesse accepted her decision in one conversation and the fact that Jesse's return felt unrealistic as he was on a deserted island for 3 years and showed no sign of PTSD apart from saying he didn't "feel right."

I'll come back and write a better review eventually. I am just spouting a summary at this point.

Overall this book was enjoyable. It's not something I'd jump to recommend to people at first look at my bookshelf but if you want a cutesy fast paced romance read this would be appropriate. It wasn't a TJR tear-jerker but I am willing to read more of her books because I am a sucker for contemporary romance.

Content Warnings

dlrosebyh's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

i am not a huge fan of love triangles, so i had low expectations going into this book. i’m surprised i actually liked it.

the characters are very lovable. i couldn’t imagine myself in emma’s situation when she had to pick between jesse and sam. which brings me into another point— i preferred the other love interest over the person she ended up with (i’m not telling who). although, i sort of saw who she’ll end up with, i was rooting for it to take a curveball.

tjr is honestly one of the best authors i’ve picked up this year. she never disappoints. btw, i love the taylor swift references.

Content Warnings

soobooksalot's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I feel like even Taylor Jenkins Reid's grocery lists would be beautifully written and engaging.
One True Loves is the fourth of her books I've read and was completely pulled in.
We meet Emma Blair while out for dinner with her fiancée Sam. She receives a phone call from an unknown number, and it's her husband, Jesse.
He went missing in a helicopter crash years earlier and was presumed dead.
What does it mean to truly love two people, those who represent different sides of the best of you?
As with all TJR books I've read, the characters are relatable, even in these most unnatural of circumstances.
This is an emotional read; depictions of grief, loss and utter despair are at the forefront.
Recommended!

Content Warnings

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