During the week of July 18-22, I did the One and Only read-alone. It was neat to see what others thought of the story as I read. Now, my thoughts for reading One and Only by Jenny Holiday. Overall, it was an all right read. I had a little trouble with the story, it wasn't the main characters fault, it was a the bride's fault. Oh my goodness, I wanted to beat the crap out of her, because she was so extreme. Bridezilla would be an understatement for her. Now if the story was solely on Cameron and Jane I would probably loved the story. When they were out doing stuff together and getting to know one another, it was a pretty good story. The times we had the bride pop in, "I was like, NOOOOOO!"



When the focus was solely on Cameron and Jane, I had a lot of fun. I mean Cameron was reckless, but you learn the reason why he was reckless. Everyone expected him to be a screw up, but Jane started to see through his facade. Jane got stuck with Cameron, playing the babysitter. As the story started to progress, Jane enjoyed her time with Cameron.



Like I said One and Only was a pretty enjoyable read, except when I wanted to throat punch the bride. I did love the time between Jane and Cameron. I'm curious on what's going to happen to the other bridesmaids. Anyway, for the most part it was a cute read.



Copy provided by Forever Romance via NetGalley

I liked that the four best friends were very different from each other in terms of personalities, lives, thoughts on love, etc. but at the same time, they loved and supported each other. As someone who has some AMAZING women in my life, I love seeing the bond and love that women share depicted in fiction (and to be honest, it usually isn't depicted enough). I really liked both Jane and Cameron, even if Cameron did wallow in self pity and self loathing a lot (but I know someone who thinks very similar to him so even when I wanted to yell at Cameron, I also totally got how his mind works like that). And their interactions with each other were HOT.

My ONLY quibble with this book was at the very end ( cant give too much away spoilers!)

One and Only by Jenny Holiday is book One in the Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series. This is the story of Jane Denning and Cameron MacKinnon.
Jane is doing her best to help her best friend with her wedding but her friend is turning into a bridezilla so when her friend asked her to take charge of the future groom's brother...she goes for it. It has to be a better job than what she is doing now...right? Nope, Cameron just got back from being
deployed and is looking to let loose. But he is having a hard time getting into trouble with 'Miss Strait Pants' keeping an eye on him. But he soon learning that making her unsettled is better than anything else he could do.
Loved their story! One you can't put down for sure!

I loveee this book.
Crazy bridezilla, sweet insta-love, roller coaster of emotions, Xena and Hercules, amazing strong characters, yes I love everything, all the sweetness and all the anger and frustrations.
This is the kind of book that has captivating story that makes me don't want to put it down.
It's a fun sweet easy to read romance packed with emotions.

As for characters. Loveeeee Jane and Cam, a sweet responsible nerd and a hot broken ex-military, I kinda hate Cam at first, he's so arrogant, so rude, but the more I read, I understand why he did what he did and I can't not love this strong broken man. I love this couple, they're making each other better, love how the love grow between them. This couple really put a big smile on my face, definitely one of my favorite couples.

If you love romance read packed with emotions, this one is a must.

*I voluntarily received a review copy of this book

This is a fun romcom set around a wedding. My first by this author and I enjoyed it a lot. I was not a big fan of all the wedding stuff because our traditions a different and it all seemed so over the top for me but ignoring that, it's was a great read. An opposites attract romance between the groom's stepbrother and one of the bridesmaids. Most of conflict was along the lines of him thinking he is not good enough for her, all the while his bad boy was just a misrepresentation, a false image hiding his true self.

I had one main issue with the book and that was a PTSD episode the hero had, and while I'm not an expert, it felt wrong to me and gave me pause. I loved the female friendship so much, liked the family dynamics as well, and the complexity of the characters which made them feel like real people. The story has the most epic grovel scene (absolutely necessary) and the loveliest ending.

Five and only stars! This book is a challenge to love.

Holy sweetness! One and Only by Jenny Holiday is the kind of book that I needed in order to break the book spell I had over the weekend. The funny and light writing enlightened my heart with the force of thousand fireflies! I spent the greatest time while reading this book. Each page was a refreshing breeze of sparkling love and sizzling attraction. My heart was warmed and bewitched by the beautiful romance story that Jenny Holiday created.

The pacing is fast and the plot is haunting and too addictive for its own good. This is a unique and wonderful book that pours love, discovering and redemption. The characters are extraordinary complex and wonderfully human. Jane and Cameron is a perfect match. They are two souls searching something meaningful in life. Their insecurities made them build walls to protect their heart. Both suffered disappointments that made them keep their emotions at bay.

One and Only is a challenge to love. The intensity is exquisite. It has the right amount of drama, funny moments and all-consuming and steamy moments. Jenny Holiday penned a story that sings to your heart and seduces it like a mermaid’s song. Her writing is clean and haunting. I can’t believe I haven’t read her books before. This was my first time reading her books and to be honest it won’t be the last time. Her writing has left a lovely mark in my heart and soul.

This book is not only about romance and weddings (well it is a lot). It is about exposing some of the strongest human feelings. What makes you soft and strong? What are your limits and fears? Could a person set you free of your own chains? There are many questions and few answers. Jane and Cameron’s story is a beautiful tale where love and trust find its way to smooth their lives. Who will think that babysitting will end in a deep romance between two different souls?

I really enjoyed that the heroine of this book is a strong and independent woman. Jane is in my favourite heroines list. She is determined and centred. I really find myself pretty identified with her. Being her best friend’s bridesmaid is getting the best of her. She is the clever one, the nerdy of the pack. She is full of contradictions: scared and brave. That is she. She accepted to babysitting the groom’s brother in order to save her best friend’s wedding. He is the bad boy who will melt her heart and will worship her body. Cameron will be her ruin and freedom. That sounded quite poetic, didn't it? He will shake her world in the best way possible.

Cameron is sexy AF! He is the type of book boyfriend I drool over. He is the bad boy whole package with a golden heart and a touch of fallen angel. Just the way I like my book boyfriends! He is a complex man, loyal, dedicated and hot possessiveness go through his veins. He is imperfectly perfect. His broken heart will beat again because of beautiful pixie. His Jane will smooth his fears. She will change him. The attraction and chemistry between them is deep and hard to be denied. Falling is the sweetest journey!

I absolutely recommend you this book. It is a must read no one should miss. It is a sweet, hilarious and powerful romance story that will warm your heart and soul.

What happens when your good friend goes all bridezilla, micromanaging every little detail of her upcoming nuptials? You get stuck on babysitter detail, making sure the groom's bad boy brother stays out of trouble and does nothing to upset the wedding plans. The one upside for Jane? She gets to avoid several of her bridesmaid duties in order to keep tabs on Cam.

The advance copy I read of this book is my first by this author and I absolutely loved it! Special thanks to the publisher for bringing it to my attention. This is such a great storyline, and Jane and Cam are the perfect heroine and hero! Jane is a little geeky, a lot intelligent and brilliantly witty with a boundless supply of wisdom and compassion. Even with Cam and his outrageous reputation foisted upon her, she takes the time to look a little deeper and see the real person. And Cam, what do I say about Cam? He easily won my heart, in spite of the shallow, crass persona he shows the world. Truthfully, he's a really good guy with a great big heart, but the way he magnifies his shortcomings makes him his own worst enemy.

Although this storyline is one that’s fairly typical for romance, the reading experience was anything but. It grabbed me quickly from the beginning and kept me engaged and entertained up until the last page. The characters were endearing with just enough quirkiness which made for a delightful, heartwarming and humorous read. I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author and the Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series!

*I reviewed this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.

I joined Forever Romance's read along for this book when I had heard nothing but great things about it from other bloggers so I was excited to sign up. I was told that it was written in third party which isnt my fave, but I went in with an open mind.

I was hooked right from the start! I enjoyed the banter between Cam and Jane and I even enjoyed all the side characters. Elise is a crazy one let me tell you. I couldnt survive being one of her bridesmaid's without wanting to strangle her every chance I got. This book was a light, fun, read packed with tons of adorable moments. Perfect for a day at the beach or paying pool side. Jumping into the next book (It Takes Two) right now.

What I love most about Jenny Holiday’s writing is the characters she creates—real, detailed and funny. In One and Only, Jane is the Xena- cosplaying, successful fantasy YA writer and Cameron is the just got out of the military, ex-black sheep of his family. Jane is asked to babysit Cameron when he arrives because he’s known to cause trouble, but she very quickly finds out he is a completely different person than he used to be. I can’t say enough how much I love a mature hero—no game playing, no miscommunications. Just a fantastic story about two people finding a connection—both at a moment in their lives when they need to shake the expectations of their pasts and move forward with their futures. Plus the sex is hot. What more can you want? I highly recommend this book.

What a fantastic way to start a new series from a new author to me!I loved One and Only!First of all it has one of my favorite tropes in books and secondly it was such a fun,lighthearted,funny and adorable read!

One and Only follows our fellow bridesmaid, Jane , who gets handed the responsibility of keeping the groom's younger brother out of trouble until the wedding is over. But Cameron has other plans and decides to have a little fun with Jane.

Jane and Cameron are complete opposites, it was so entertained and fun how these two managed to fit so perfect together.They have a great chemistry!

It was my first time reading this author and I like the writing style.If you are looking for a light read this is perfect!

What started out a bit slow, really picked up speed and heat as I kept reading! Absolutely loved this romance with all the sass and heat that I really enjoy in a romance. My only issue is the POV switches could be jarring, but I was able to get through it and enjoy the story. I've just started the second story and can't wait for book 3!

I loved the story as a whole, and I really did like Jane and Cameron. I liked the friends, and I liked the plot. Consent was great and very clear throughout this book.

But.

There were SO many issues with problematic stuff that came up again and again. It just got super painful to read at times.

I was a little shocked to see all the closeted lesbian jokes aimed towards Jane because she’s not dating anyone and loves Xena (the warrior princess), fetishizing gay men (bachelorette party went to a gay club and it was mentioned how horny all these straight women were afterwards), and an awful exchange between Jane and her friend Gia that total alienates aro readers. I knew the author wrote m/m, so this was really disappointing and would not make me want to read any queer books by this author.

Jane is a YA author, but it’s painfully obvious the author doesn’t read YA. YA is constantly called “children’s books” by the characters, and not in a good way. Also, I’m not sure there are any YA novels that take only two hours to read. Let’s not forget to mention that the only comparison to YA in this book is to The Hunger Games, like there’s no other YA book that exists???

Also. I’m 27, like Gia and Cameron. And yet. It’s constantly mentioned (okay, like twice) that they couldn’t possibly know who Xena is because they’re too young? I used to watch Xena when it aired on TV, so idk what was up with the condescending remarks.

There’s more stuff too. Like constantly framing that everyone is super body-positive, but it never comes across that way when the characters are always comparing size 12 Jane to size 2 Gia.

I do want to write an actual review, since this is just really all my initial thoughts, but yeah. There’s...a lot of issues.

***Thanks to Forever Romance for sharing this ARC with me on NetGalley***

What a sweet book. When I first started this book, I thought the H was a real jerk. I want sure I'd like this book. But I quickly changed my mind.

Cam has just been what we, in the States, would call dishonorably discharged. He is coming to Toronto for his brother's wedding. All his life, Cam feels that he has been the family screw-up. After a particularly devastating event, he decided to just roll with that, since that was what people think of him anyways. Now that he is home, he is at a loss as to what to do. All of his plans are gone. He also suffers from PTSD. Falling back on his "everyone thinks I'm a looser anyways", cover, he has a bucket list: get drunk, eat a steak and french fries, get laid...

Jane is a YA novelist. She has been hurt in a past relationship and has put up walls to protect herself. Her friends think of her as the responsible one. This makes Jane feel like a dull plain-Jane.

Jane's longtime friend is getting married. She had turned into somewhat of a bridezilla but her bridesmaids still love her. When the bride finds out that her husband-to-be's brother is coming for the wedding, she needs a bridesmaid to babysit him. Cam wasn't supposed to be back from his tour in time for the wedding but now, mysteriously, he is. She has heard stories about things Cam has done and wants to make sure he stays out of trouble. She asks Jane to help. After all, she is the responsible one.

When Jane show up at the airport to meet Cameron, he thinks of her as "muddy". Her hair is sort of muddy colored, her eyes are... He isn't very endearing. He tries his best to make Jane give up and leave him but Jane takes her assignment seriously. It isn't long before the two damaged souls find some common ground and a relationship grows. But the emotional damage is still with them.

The ending of this story is really sweet. I hope that there are other books to follow so that we can see more of these characters.

I received an arc from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this book. Plain Jane, author of an adventure series for kids, is happy living her life on the sidelines. She likes following the rules, playing it safe, and saves all her adventures for her book characters.

Cam, recently released from the army under questionable circumstances, just wants to get back into civilian life and figure out his next steps. When he shows up for his brother’s wedding to Elise, Jane’s best friend, Jane ends up as his pseudo babysitter, to make sure he doesn’t revert to his former reckless behavior. And when Cam and Jane meet, the result is pure magic.

I loved the characters, from Jane and Cam to the supporting characters, even Elise, who, despite being an enormous bridezilla, managed to really come through for her friend at the end. I loved the chemistry between Jane and Cam, how he would get annoyed about her trying to deny herself to fit into the dress and his honest and sincere and genuine insistence that she was perfect as is. I loved everything about this book. Can’t wait for the rest of the series.

This was my first time reading anything by this author and I’m happy to report it was a success!! I’ve been in a slump since my last read so this makes my bookworm heart so happy that the slump is finally over!

Jane is a bridesmaid in her friend, Elise wedding and she’s tasked with baby sitting the grooms younger “bad boy “brother, Cameron. Elise is afraid Cameron will get in trouble before the wedding and ruin her big day. So Jane being the good friend that she is volunteers to help. What she didn’t expect was to be taken by surprise when Cameron isn’t as bad as everyone made him about to be.

That’s what I loved so much about this book. Each character had hidden layers underneath and we discovered them while we read. Cameron was very misunderstood in this story and it annoyed me that people just jumped to wrong conclusions when it came to him and never really gave him a chance. I loved that Cameron was a reader as well.

Jane on the outside seemed liked she had it all together but she has been burned several times and is afraid to take risks. Throughout this story we see Jane come out of shell and it was fun to watch as I can see myself as Jane in many ways. I also liked that Jane attend Comic-Con as I attend those conventions as well.

Cameron and Jane were definitely a case of opposites attract and I love these kinds of stories! It was well written, fun, steamy and I enjoyed the friendship between the ladies and I can’t wait to read the next book!

Jane is know for sticking to the rules and Cameron, the grooms brother, is a known trouble maker. As a bridesmaid she was set with a important task: Make sure Cameron doesn't ruin the wedding. While she is keeping her eyes on Cameron they seem to find a connection and decide to explore at attraction but things get complicated as the wedding date draws near and whats going on between them seeing more real then they would've expected.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved this whole opposites attract kinda thing that was going on. I loved that Cameron was there to be when she needs when it comes to opening up and doing things that are outside her comfort zone. Meanwhile she was there to talk to him and get him to open up to things that were difficult. I loved seeing the connection between the two. I loved the storyline and this book was a pretty fun read I really enjoyed it. Can't wait to see whats in store in the next book for the other brides maids.

Favorite Quotes:

She was talking fast and ending declarative statements with question marks— sure signs she was stressed. Elise always sounded like an auctioneer on uppers when she was upset.

The words job list practically gave Jane hives. Elise had turned into a total bridezilla… But, oh, the job list. The job list was like the Hydra, a serpentine monster you could never get on top of. You crossed off a job, and two more sprouted to take its place.

He was having trouble imagining Jane as a girl. She seemed like the kind of person who had been born thirty years old.

Gia was gorgeous. Jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Jane was used to it— it was like she’d had exposure therapy or something— but when you were meeting Gia for the first time? Well, just hope you weren’t simultaneously operating any heavy machinery.

Gia started humming the wedding march but morphed it into the theme from Jaws as Elise approached the bar.

My Review:

I greatly enjoyed this humorous and sexy tale but it wasn’t all cotton candy and marshmallow fluff as the author skillfully wove in some insightful and thoughtful observations about the military, family drama, the cruelty of gossip, self-concept, anxiety, addictions, and PTSD. I adored her complicated and quirky characters with my favorite being the geeky yet staid and responsible Jane who was a devotee of cosplay, Comicon, and all things Xena. The storylines were adroitly paced, consistently engaging, pleasantly entertaining, and cleverly amusing with sizzling hot licks of sensuality between the two main characters. This was my first Jenny Holiday read, an experience I plan to habituate.

I've never taken part in a read-along before, but for a Jenny Holiday novel, I couldn't resist.

With the wedding season upon us, this is a perfect time to read One and Only. With a bridezilla and her band of bridesmaids, One and Only has a hilarious narrative but still has a depth which balances perfectly with the fun and frivolity.

Cameron MacKinnon, soon to be brother-in-law to Elise the bride, is a bad boy she doesn't want to spoil her wedding. On his arrival, Jane, a bridesmaid is given the job to babysit him; to keep him from causing trouble. However, he's someone who doesn't fit his reputation when the truths are revealed along with his feelings of love for the least expected woman.

Jane and her friends are going above and beyond the call of duty as bridesmaids to Elise. They are sacrificing a week of their time to ensure their friend has the wedding of her dreams. When they are told about the infamous brother of the groom, the group are horrified by the list of 'crimes' he's committed. Yet pragmatic Jane willingly accepts the challenge to watch him. After all its a respite and surely more fun than the numerous arts and crafts the bride has signed them up for...because Cameron can't really be such a problem, can he?

One of the overriding features of this novel is the closeness and unswerving support the four friends have for each other. The pact of sisterhood shines through as Jane, Wendy and Gia go along with Elise's crafty whims. The four women are very different and I love how Jane somehow managed to maintain her unique spirit and identity. It's refreshing and charming even if some of the group don't fully appreciate her individuality.

Cameron is definitely misunderstood and has carried the burden of his past for many years as he's tried to overcome problems on his part. I like that he owns his issues and finally acknowledges how it is possible for others to see the real 'him' if he allows them too. As a pair, he and Jane seem very different, but despite their individual issues, they somehow manage to help each other to overcome the problems that have hindered them to finally enable them to move forward on both a person and mutual front.

If you haven't discovered Jenny Holiday's novels before, this is a fabulous place to start. Well written, I appreciate the humour and the references incorporated into the narrative. Whether you are reading along with friends or down at the beach or pool, this is a perfect read for the wedding season.

***ebook received courtesy of Forever Publishing via NetGalley***

**I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher**

One and Only was my first Jenny Holiday book, but I can assure you it will not be my last! I highly enjoyed this fun, entertaining wedding romance.

Jane Denning is part of the "bride squad" for one of her best friends Elise, who has turned into somewhat of a bridezilla. Her DIY projects are off the charts and all of the bridesmaids are growing weary. Jane has always been known as the responsible friend and so when it comes time to divvy out the role of babysitter to the grooms "wild" brother, Jane jumps at the chance realizing this will be better than any arts and crafts project that the rest of the group will be working on.

Cameron MacKinnon has just returned from deployment overseas and it didn't end at all the way he expected it to. Not with the service and not with his girlfriend, or now ex-girlfriend, when he returned home and caught her with someone else. Getting home early meant he'd be able to attend his brother's wedding, but the plans he had for himself to get drunk, have sex and just enjoy himself are thwarted when Jane shows up at the airport to pick him up. Or as he quickly realizes to babysit him.

Jane and Cameron totally get off on the wrong foot. She's trying to make sure he doesn't do anything reckless and he wants to just live. What was great about these two characters is in the end they really balanced one another out and brought out the best qualities in each other. Cam made Jane be more adventurous and Jane made Cam realize that kindness abounds. When the sparks flew, they flew and it was a pleasure to witness. Together they ended up being one another's missing piece.

Another thing I really loved about this book was the friendships between the girls. They held each other up, encouraged one another and were there for one another when they needed it. It was empowering and I loved it. I can't wait to see what these bridesmaids get into next!

3.5 stars

This was an entertaining and cute wedding romance. Jenny Holiday is a new to me author and I'm glad I took a chance and read this book. The story revolves around responsible bridesmaid Jane and the groom's bad boy younger brother Cameron. Both have some heavy emotional baggage in their pasts, but together, they find peace and are able to be the best versions of themselves. Yes, there is instalust/love, but in this book it didn't bother me since I felt like Jane and Cameron were actually getting to know each other during that time. They had wonderful chemistry and I loved the build up and tension between them. There's a bit of push and pull as our characters struggle with what they feel and what they think is best (for better or for worse), but I thought the grand gesture at the end was really sweet and perfect for these two.

My favorite part about the book though was the friendship between all four women. Elise's bridezilla actions, Wendy's unwavering loyalty, and Gia's antics were hilarious and had me laughing out loud through much of the book! I loved that each had a distinct voice, but that together they all clicked so well and were so supportive of one another. I'm looking forward to reading Wendy's story next and catching up with everyone. Overall, this was a fun and easy summertime read!

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*