This was such a cute, fun read about a non-couple who are non-dating. They’re in a non-relationship to trick Hope’s mother but the chemistry between her and J.T. is anything but fake. There is very little relationship drama but a bit of mystery regarding a stalker.

J.T. was a great hero with his teasing ways, his intense desire and his dedication to family. Hope was a pretty great heroine as well. She struggled with her mom, had a history of really poor choices when it came to men, and wasn’t working the job of a lifetime. Together they were quirky, sexy, steamy, and perfect.

This had a nice pace that never got bogged down, terrific secondary characters both from previous books and hopefully future ones as well. The steam was melt your kindle hot and the mystery is completely cloaked and you will not be able to guess who the villain is.
Overall, a wonderful read that I immensely enjoyed!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley and Sourcebooks. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC from Netgalley.

Once again, Marie Harte does it. A most enjoyable read with JT & Hope (and the rest of the clan's!!). If you haven't read Ms Harte before, I highly recommend starting from the beginning to know the cast of characters. You don't have to, but the stories are so much better when you know how everyone is related (either by blood or marriage).

PS - Try and guess what JT stands for.... you'll never guess!! :D

As a lover of Marie Harte and her Donnigan/McCauley/Webster “ecosystem” I’ve been waiting for this book and I wasn’t disappointed. I suspected this paring awhile back and I loved the way it played out. There is something about a couple who has such a combustible chemistry that despite knowing it might be messy if they end things, they simply can’t stay away from one another. The Only Thing features two people both a bit gun shy about relationships for different reasons realizing that while their heads try to say no, their bodies and eventually their hearts are all in.

J.T. Webster is a gifted tattoo artist with his own business and loves his Dad, his crazy sister Del, and his cousin and aunts with all his heart. J.T. is brawny and he’s been known to throw down when he has to but as his hands are his livelihood he prefers to use his brain when he can even though most people assume he doesn’t have one. Ever since meeting Hope Donnigan at his sister’s wedding, he’s found it hard to not think and fantasize about her. J.T. knows his reputation as a lady’s man follows him wherever he goes, but when Hope asks him to be her pretend boyfriend to drive her mother up a wall; he has no qualms about telling her yes.

I loved this pairing and the fact that they had so much in common, more than either of them ever expected. J.T. seemed to be a calming force for Hope and he respected her brain as well as her beauty, but even more than that he loved her work ethic and her independence. Hope seemed to center J.T. and made him feel whole and happy, something he can’t remember ever really feeling before. They were good for one another and I loved watching them try and keep their hands to themselves and progressing more and more into a physical relationship that was smokin’ hot.

I absolutely loved seeing the characters from previous books and the ragtag group of artists at J.T.’s studio. They added humor, depth, and attitude to this story. There were a couple of things that kept me from giving this book five stars; Hope and her mother Laura had a difficult relationship and it honestly was the basis for Hope and J.T. getting together and I kept waiting for there to be some tiny bit of resolution between mother and daughter. It was such a dominate part of this story and I felt like it kind of got left flapping in the wind. Secondly while it was easy to see these two falling hard for one another even though they didn’t want to admit it and while they finally did, I would have like to see how they were faring a couple months down the road so I’m hoping we catch up with them in a future book. The ending was just a bit rushed for me and I needed more.

In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with a contemporary romance from Marie Harte and The Only Thing proves that; characters you want as friends, humor, fun, and hot sexy times her books are awesome!

Hope is determined to stay clear of love. No matchmaking mother or gorgeous face is going to throw her off course. She has a foolproof plan. So what happens when that foolproof plan starts to unravel her resolve and infiltrate her heart? A sexy guy, a tempting romance and a sassy heroine make for a savory entree. Marie Harte is the go to for all things spicy and her Donnigans series is a repeat offender. The Only Thing is IRRESISTIBLE!

With her latest release Ms. Harte has brought together the friends and families inhabiting some of her much-beloved series to have them all put in their two cents when it comes to the love lives of Hope Donnigan and J.T. Webster. What starts out under the guise of a lie soon becomes oh so much more, but with familial intervention and inner fears it’s a somewhat rocky road to HEA. Add in a bit of unnecessary drama courtesy of a scary secret admirer and readers will be left feeling a bit of whiplash but satisfied by all the action, sexiness, and banter.

Hope Donnigan is unlucky in love. As the lone daughter in her family she has been surrounded by loving and overprotective brothers and a judgmental mother who have added to her burden in finding true love. After two particularly awful relationships she’s sworn off men, but her mother’s criticism and meddling has her doing the unthinkable...creating a fake boyfriend (who’s the complete opposite of what her mother wants) in hopes of ending her mother’s matchmaking forever. As she describes her new “boyfriend” though he starts sounding a lot like the hot tattoo artist she recently met at a family function. This one lie changes everything for her and unexpectedly gives Hope exactly what she’s always longed for in a rocky and scorching journey to HEA. Hope’s a likable heroine. She’s strong-willed, down-to-earth, with a loyal heart. She’s not overly ambitious and isn’t consumed with finding a rich man to marry. She just wants to be happy. She’s an average gal who told it like it was. She has no filter when it comes to talking about sex and it often made me chuckle. She ultimately sees herself married with kids, but is tired of being hurt, and is in no rush despite her mother’s machinations. There’s a lot about Hope that’s easy to relate to and it had me rooting for her every step of the way.

J.T. Webster comes from a big family too, an outspoken and loving family. He’s a bit of a player, but he’s so charming and sexy that women are happy with whatever crumbs he’s willing to give them. Though there aren’t many women who’ve caught his attention...Hope definitely has him wanting her and happy to play her fake boyfriend. They’re a crackling couple from the very start and J.T.’s more than happy to jump into his role wholeheartedly. In scenes that were funny yet erotically-charged you could see him growing closer to her against his better judgment as he’s also had heartache in his life courtesy of his dad who’s twice widowed. It’s made him leery of opening his heart for fear the happiness he feels while being with Hope will be snatched away. When it comes to J.T.’s looks he’s one sexy beast! He’s big and burly and more than capable of flexing his muscles. Whereas Hope is blond with a sense of carefree to her, he’s got an aura of darkness and steadiness. He’s devoted to family and gentle with the kids. He’s charming with a talent for dirty talk too that made their scenes even hotter. I fell for him completely and am still drooling over him nightly in my dreams!

Hope and J.T. are a likable and entertaining couple. Their relationship was easy, minus the unnecessary crazy admirer, sweet and sexy with no angst. The honesty between them about what they want and who they are made them even more likable and had me rooting for them. Learning about each other to make their fake relationship more real was erotically-charged and their extended foreplay quickly evolved into so much more. Through their words and deeds it’s clear that they were a couple long before they admitted it to themselves. Surrounding this dynamic duo was a large cast of characters from previous books who all started to get jumbled after awhile. I forgot who was who and wished there hadn’t been so much stuffed into this story as it all became a distraction. Another thing that I never warmed up to was Hope’s mother. She meant well but her words and judgments were hurtful. She could tear Hope down with just a few words and I wanted to slug her whenever she came on the scene. The mystery surrounding Hope’s admirer was also unnecessary. Hope and J.T. had enough excitement going on just becoming a couple that the danger and suspense this brought was just another distraction. Hope and J.T. were utterly delightful all on their own, with rapid-fire banter full of sexy innuendos, and I became captivated by them in a story where watching them together was satisfaction enough. All the extras just got in the way of my enjoyment of Hope and J.T! Throughout this story readers will have a perpetual smile on their face, along with a few blushes, as you soak in their decadently delightful relationship while waiting to see where life takes these families and friends next.

Marie Harte is a new to me author, I have to say what a perfect way to be introduced to a new author!
The Only Thing is a story based upon a fake relationship, that in fact doesn't seem fake at all.

Hope Donnigan is a woman on the verge of insanity thanks to her control freak of a mother. Living a life in the shadow of someone else's objections is a difficult journey. After a series of hit and run relationships Hope is on a mission to live the single carefree life. That is why Hope has devised a plan to bring home a fake boyfriend who meets below her mom's standards. Little does Hope know, this plan is about to blow up right in her face.

J.T. Webster is the epitome of bad boy. He's tall, dark, and handsome with a players vibe and muscles for miles. But there is more to J.T. than what meets the eye. J.T. is a tattoo artist who also happens to own his own business. He's charming, charismatic, and an all around good man..but that's the side of him he only allows his close friends and family to see.

Hope Donnigan has been on J.T.'s mind since the moment he watched her bring her sleazy ex boyfriend to his knees. Now he'll do anything to spend just a moment's time with her, even if that means following along with her plan to get even with her mother.

Often times when I read a novel involving a fake relationship, it doesn't end well for me due to one simple fact, the content feels staged. I look for real situations in these types of novels and real connections between characters. I also love when an author shows similarities between the two characters, who are obviously so different from each other. Marie Harte nailed this trope!

I freaking adored Hope and J.T.!! These two are dynamic and even though this was technically a 'fake relationship' you could tell from the beginning these two had chemistry that was soon going to ignite! I loved how Hope and J.T.'s friendship evolved and grew into something much more.

Hope and J.T. are the perfect example of how opposites attract. These two are complete opposites, from their skin tone to their different personalities and ambitions. I loved watching the two opposites meld and form into one unique love story.

Not only is this novel full of romance, it also has a mysterious vibe when Hope finds she has a stalker. Which brings me to the only reason I had to drop a star on my rating. I loved the whole situation with the stalker. I loved the buildup but the big reveal was sadly a let down.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Only Thing by Marie Harte! I loved the steamy scenes and the emotional scenes. I loved the fact that even though this trope can be all about the drama, this novel didn't thrive on drama. J.T. and Hope are an epic match!

Being the only girl in the family, Hope Donnigan gets her fair share of over-protectiveness from her brothers and cousins. From her mother, she gets criticism on everything she does, every choice she makes especially when it comes to her love life (or current lack of love life). The truth is, Hope is happy with her life. She's happy at her job, and despite someday wanting to settle down and have kids, Hope is happy giving all that a rest after a string of horrendous boyfriends / dates. One thing Hope isn't happy about: her mother constantly putting her down. To get her off her back, and let's be honest to get back at her a little bit, Hope invents a boyfriend, the type of boyfriend she knows her mother would hate. To fill in the shoes of the fake boyfriend, Hope has one person in mind:

JT Webster isn't looking to change anything about his life. He owns / runs a successful tattoo shop, he's got a wonderful family and extended family. While he's never been into commitment, after seeing his father pretty much shut down after losing two wives, he's never lacking for dates either. But when Hope Donnigan approaches him with her idea, he can't seem to say no. While he's had his eye on Hope for months, he knows starting something with her could upset the McCauley / Webster / Donnigan balance that the family has going. He figures helping out a friend won't hurt matters. But as the charade slowly turns into real feelings between the two of them, they'll have to either decide to go all in, or step away.

I feel like this book does really well in show-casing the various intersections of Marie Harte's McCauley Brothers, Body Shop Bad Boys, and The Donnigans series / spin-off series. At times it's complicated to puzzle everyone together and how this person is related to that person by either blood or marriage. I like how, in this one at least, you get characters from all the series flowing in, out, and around, Hope and JT's story.

Typically, the "fake fiancee", or in this case fake boyfriend, trope is not one of my favorites. I just liked everything about Hope and JT. JT's easy-going attitude was fantastic. He didn't get too intense about his feelings for Hope one way or another. Same with Hope. Besides trying to pull one over on her mother, and the insecurities her mother's criticism's cause her, Hope is pretty chill and steady. She's intelligent and knows what she wants out of her life, and is happy, even if those same wants don't match up with what her mother wants for her. These are two people who's lives are pretty standard lives. They're not multi-millionaires. They're not down-on-their-luck. I liked the normalcy of it all. Plus, the chemistry between them was oh so hot! I do not remember things being quite so hot in the other books. I think that Hope and JT have the honor of being my favorite couple throughout this series. We'll see if everyone's cousin Rena (who I'm assuming will have her own book as a romance has been teased for a while now) can usurp them.

Because of the normalcy, Marie Harte throws in a subplot involving a mysterious admirer of Hope's whose tactics escalate to violence towards the end of the book. I went back and forth with this. There were times that I was pulled into who the person could be and their motivations, and then there were times I utterly forgot about it. Overall, I thought it was handled pretty plausibly. I'm just not sure if I think it should have been included in the first place at times. As though just the building of a relationship between JT and Hope and wanting to keep as much conflict out of the relationship as possible was cause to throw in an external conflict. I'm not sure.

Regardless, I enjoyed The Only Thing a lot. I'm not sure where things will go from here, if we'll get a standalone, or more in this series, or another spin-off, but any which way things end up, I can't wait to read more.

I love Marie Harte’s Donnigan and Macauley families but my new favorite must be J.T. Webster. Brother of Del, brother-in-law of Mike, son of Liam, J.T. is a tattooed badass with a artistic and gentlemanly soul.
”You’re a nice man.”

He pulled away from her, his expression horrified. “Nice?”


Hope is a bit of a mess. She loves her job, her family, and her life. But for some reason, she lets her mom’s nagging and criticism get to her and Hope ends up making an insulting pitch to new in-law J.T.: help me turn the tables on my mom by pretending to be my new boyfriend. Joke’s on Hope when J.T. ends up charming everyone in the Donnigan family, including Hope herself.

The man gave her orgasms, treated her like gold, and had taken a beating he still didn’t blame her for. His family and friends loved him, and he treated people like they mattered. Even ex-girlfriends like Trisha who were too pushy to know better. What wasn’t to love?


I admit I’m a little sick of stalker subplots that force our hero to be all protective of his little heroine, but this one worked for me. Hope kind of dragged J.T. around before finally realizing what an amazing guy he truly was. I loved that she truly felt bad about misjudging him and how shallow she had been.

Yes, she wanted to keep J.T. To marry him and live out her own happily ever after. But she knew better than most that the fantasy never lived up to the reality. And how fair was it to coerce the guy into being not only her fake boyfriend, but a real fiance? ... Guilt didn’t feel good, and neither did the notion she’d been really selfish with J.T.


Hope waking up and getting a clue while J.T. gives her patience and care was so sweet.

She gave him her trust, her body, her fucking smiles that lit up the room.


Of course, my favorite parts of Marie Harte’s books (Donnigans, Macauleys, Body Shop) are the prank wars and jokes. The family banter is a big reason I hope Marie Harter never runs out of family members to write about. In fact, I can hardly wait to read Rena’s story (Heller’s crush sounds epic).

4.5 stars

Note: I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Pretty decent read by Marie Harte, though not one of my favorites. Could have stood out a bit more, but overall a decent read.

The Only Thing is the third book in The Donnigans series by Marie Harte and is currently scheduled for release on May 1 2018. You do not need to have read the previous books to enjoy this read, but those that have enjoy the earlier books in this series, and the prior related series, will enjoy seeing characters they already know make appearances.

Hope Donnigan is finally getting her life together. She's working a job she likes, has some amazing friends, and is steering clear of Mr. Wrong. Now if only she could get her mother to understand that. Maybe a hot tattoo artist from the other side town is just the ticket to teach her mom a lesson. J.T. Webster fell for Hope months ago at his sister's wedding. So when she propositions him to be her fake boyfriend to get her mother off her back, he's all in. The only problem is J.T. had no idea their pretend relationship would be better than anything real he's ever had.

The Only Thing is the story of two adults afraid of love and getting hurt, but that have shared an attraction since the first time they met. They have been avoiding dealing with that attraction because of the level of connection between the families. If something went bad, it would be an epic disaster. However, in a frustrated moment Hope sets a plan in place that will bring them together, and start them in a relationship that never really feels as fake as they are pretending it to be. I enjoyed the slow evolution of both Hope and J.T.'s mindsets. I loved both characters, and how honest they were with themselves, even when they had trouble sharing those thoughts and feelings with each other. And as expected, the secondary characters and returning people from previous books added depth and humor to the story on several levels. The addition to the stalker, and the danger fit well for most of the story. I was not thrilled with the reveal of who was behind it, and it felt a little wrong and out of the blue for me. However, that was the only thing in the book I did not like, so it was still a wonderful read.

The Only Thing is yet another great contemporary romance novel. I did not love it quite as much as the others from Harte, but I still loved it and will be looking forward to continuing to read more and more from this author.

Rating: 4.5/5
She might have a job she likes, some great friends and finally got herself detangled from Mr. Wrong, but her mother couldn’t just see it. To get her mother off her back, Hope Donnigan staged a fake relationship with JT Webster. Maybe it would teach her mom not to meddle with her life.

JT Webster already has his eyes for Hope during her sister’s wedding. But Del insisted that he better not mess up the ecosystem between families by breaking Hope’s heart. So he settled seeing her and flirting with her during family dinners until he got the surprise of his life when she propositioned him. He was so wrong for her, but who in the world is he to say no?

Soon the pretend relationship turned out to be something else, will both be brave enough to finally admit its becoming real?

The Only Thing is fun, sweet, and sexy. The complete package, complete with some family drama that will melt hearts. I love it, and I enjoyed reading it. Thank goodness it’s a stand-alone. Now, I might just have to get the rest of the books in the series.

I have to preface this review with the fact that I have not read the first two in the series and after jumping right into this story I am still wishing that I would have read them first. That being said, I did like this book but up until about the last quarter of this book I just didn't connect/understand the relationship between the Donnigan/Webster families..and I feel like that disconnect impacted how I felt about this book.
I loved both J.T. and Hope but I was so lost when it came to their backstory. Overall, I was really happy they both got their HEA but I wished I knew more about their past and their families.

I've never read a couple that was so completely devoted to each other and yet so in denial that they were in a relationship. It was pretty funny how these two dated on their non-dates. And lets not forget to mention how hot they were. Holy cow did this author steam up the pages with these two!

I actually found J.T. and Hope to be an adorable couple and I never felt cheated with their denial to being in a relationship. They are an opposites attract kind of couple. J.T., the ladies man who does not see long term commitment in his future. Hope, the blonde bombshell who gives off a good girl vibe but attracts all the wrong men.

J.T. is described as a Dwayne Johnson look alike and let me tell you that was not a hardship to imagine. He has a bit of a bad boy vibe to him but you really can't find a better man. He may like the ladies but he isn't a playboy. He doesn't believe that long term relationships work but he knows how to enjoy the short term.

Hope wants the husband and 2.5 kids someday but all she seems to attract are the jerks. She's had enough and decides to take a hiatus on men. It takes her mom pushing her about dating a rich man that motivates her to approach J.T. to be in a fake relationship with her to get her mom off her back.

Thinking J.T. will be her mom's worst nightmare being the owner of a tattoo shop, she wanted to show her mom that good men doesn't only mean a rich doctor. J.T. jumps at the chance to spend anytime with Hope. He hasn't been able to get her off his mind since he met her.

I love how the author keeps intertwining the McCauleys and the Donnigans. I love this big group of people and enjoy reading about all of them. I'm looking forward to the next book! ARC provided by NetGalley.

Ah, Hope Donnigan. And J.T. Webster (That's short for ... read it and find out!). They've been dancing around each other for a while now. And then, they aren't. But wonderfully, you don't have to have read the earlier books to get it (I sure didn't.).

And the Donnigans! While Landon and Gavin don't show up too much, Hope's Mom is everywhere! After all, she is the whole reason Hope asks J.T. to be her "fake boyfriend". I can't say I have ever liked her, but she had her moments in The Only Thing. Plus, Hope is a lot like her mother, and I mean a lot.

I liked Hope for her differences though. She's not uber ambitious. She is happy with an "ordinary" life. She's sweet and kind, when she's not out-stubborning her mother. She clearly loves her family and she's really just the "girl next door". In short, in a lot of ways, Hope is normal.

J.T. Webster is an artist. That's the core of who he is and he has the sensitivity of an artist, but can fight with the best of them. After all, he is his father's son! He runs a tattoo place that does excellent work and brisk business. His crew seem like they could get books soon. He's a good guy and respects women (in a sweetly neanderthal way, sometimes). But, he's also definitely all man, and has a bit of a reputation, both with the women and with the law.

Hope and J.T.'s romance is pretty standard fare. Plot hook (pushing Mom's buttons) brings them together and then they realize they really do love each other but are afraid to admit it since it's all supposed to be fake. There really wasn't that much drama in the relationship itself. That said, this is an inter-racial relationship. Not that anyone cared or it really seemed to matter in any way beyond physical descriptions. I think someone might have looked askance at J.T. once? I was a little disappointed in that. It doesn't have to be an issue, but reality says someone might have said something or looked at them funny at some point or there might have been a DWB incident.

There were two subplots that woke this book up. First: Rena and Heller are kill-ing me! I just love them and I am so ready for their story. As in, seriously, give me this story now! I love hard hitting and taciturn Heller. And Rena is just too cool. Second: Hope stalker. It's an ever-present though quiet subplot that doesn't get the in-depth work it deserves. It was a great opportunity to deal with mental health issues and that opportunity just went whooshing by. I'm a little disappointed by that.

Definitely some missed opportunities in The Only Thing, but overall a good story that I enjoyed. I'm looking forward to more books in this world.

Hope asks JT to help her out by pretending to date her in hopes of having her mother believe that she found a guy who is a bad boy. While their relationship may have started out under false pretenses, their feelings for one another were real from the beginning. I have read several Marie Harte books, but this was my first book from this series and it can be read as a standalone. Great read. I look forward to more by this author.

I can't get enough of this author. I love how she integrates the characters from one book and series to another, along with great writing & character development she doesn't disappoint (ever).

Great story, I loved Hope and JT. This book had so many little bits go humor tucked into the story it made for such an easy and light read. The book just had it all, from Hope's family to JT's and then toss in a bit of mystery and presto! The perfect tidy plot with love and family. All the characters were perfect. I just really enjoyed reading this one.

**arc from NetGalley and Publisher for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

This is book 3 of The Donnigans, and can be read as a stand alone, but you'll probably want to get the others ;)

Sweet, sexy, full of action - all describe The Only Thing. The pace is fast so expect to not put it down!

This is JT Webster's story, he is Del's brother from the previous series, and is a BIG african american man who is sweet, a tattoo artist and he has the hots for Hope Donnigan whose aunt is dating JT's dad. So the two try and resist the other but they can't and I really loved watching them fall for the other while going very slowly because they don't want to hurt their families. Hope has him pretend to be her boyfriend, to drive her mother crazy and thats how she starts to get to know JT and I really loved these two together.

This is well written, has a great plot and I loved every single character.

Marie Harte has done it again in this wonderful story that joins the Webster and Donnigan families. This time there is more in common than just the McCauley’s. Fans of her other books will love this latest offering. It continues the stories of these families with all of the heart and soul we have come to expect from Ms. Harte.
J.T. Webster, tattoo artist and shop owner, has no problem finding women to date. He has a natural charm that draws women towards him. He has long said that he isn’t cut out for marriage or family especially after seeing his father go through two tough relationships. Unfortunately for J.T., he can’t get Hope Donnigan out of his mind. Since running into her at his sister’s wedding and then again a few weeks ago, she has figured prominently in all of his sex dreams. When she asks him to pretend to be her boyfriend to mess with her mom, he promptly agrees.
Hope Donnigan likes where she is in her life now. She isn’t happy with the flack that she is getting from her mother about not being in a relationship or having a job that is going to make her millions, but she has a plan to handle that. Sure it involves J.T. whom Hope finds undeniably attractive. She has a hard time remembering why she is on a dating hiatus when he is around. Fortunately, he is there for her when she begins to realize she might have a stalker.
Hope and J.T. have to figure out a way to blend their feelings for each other with a very complicated and close family. Adding in the stress of a stalker and the drama that comes with that as well as trying to keep a relationship casual makes for a compelling story. There is so much going on in this story and the sex scenes are hot as well.
I loved watching J.T. and Hope figure out what everyone around them saw. Watching them come to terms with who they are to each other and whether a relationship can work out made this story a lot of fun. It is a quick read that makes you want to finish it in one sitting. I can’t wait to see what Marie Harte has in store for these families next.