Cute at times, but I got annoyed easily with little things. The bride was a nightmare of epic proportions, no one gave Cameron any benefit, the military thing irked me a bit, and the author used imperial measurements when Canada is on the metric system.

I did enjoy the banter between them and that they did complement each other nicely. They were a cute couple and I'm looking forward to reading more books in the series.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything In Between

The Good
Jane and Cameron are the opposite of insta-love (like there’s not even an immediate attraction), and I loved seeing their perceptions of each other change as they get to know each other. There’s some tasty tropes, for sure (opposites attract, slightly older heroine/hero, wedding themed), but it goes beyond the basic tropes. At first glance, Cameron’s a screwup, Jane’s uptight, and they are not vibing. However, peeling back their layers, Jane and Cameron’s chemistry is potent, and I adored how Cam pushed Jane’s boundaries while still being protective, sweet and falling for her with every new adventure. The frank and honest discussion they have regarding toys and the truly pleasurable uses they can have between couples was refreshing and fun. I swear, when Cameron refers to Jane as being in goddess mode, I was all in and rooting for these two to make it to their own HFN/HEA. I throw in HFN because the timeline on this story is very short and this does end on a very realistic and solid path to a HEA, which suits these two characters perfectly.

The Bad(ish)
Cameron struggles to get out of his own way. You know that moment when things are going to go sideways? Man, Cam slayed me and yet I wanted to hug him and tell him it’ll be alright once he gets his head out of his booty. Ms. Holiday definitely gives a foundation for Cam’s low self esteem, and he’s had a lifetime of never really believing in himself and allowing misperceptions to slide without defending himself because of it. His character arc is well done, so that’s why I say only bad-ish, because it’s that last act dumbassery that made me crazy. This is a personal peeve of mine, when one part of a couple unilaterally makes decisions for the other. Makes sense, but doesn’t mean it doesn’t irk me.

Everything in Between
The female friendships are something that I love to see in a book, and there’s no real stereotypical female antagonist, so kudos to Ms. Holiday for that. I liked the tiny moments of jealousy by Cam and Jane, but it never went to caveman/woman levels. If Ms. Holiday were to explore this quad of friends a bit more (there’s a little tease of Wendy and Jane’s brother maybe?), I would not be mad. At all.

The Bottom Line 4 stars
I really, really enjoyed Jane and Cam’s romance, and I would recommend for fans of contemporary romances, who love the slightly older woman/younger man, opposites attract tropes. It was fun and I’d like to visit this ‘verse again.

**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**

when cameron mackinnon comes back into town in one and only, responsible plain-jane jane denning is on babysitting duty for her bridezilla friend's fiancé's troublemaking little brother. the problem is that cameron's reputation is kind of unearned. all the rumors and stories about him are just rumors and stories. and jane quickly finds that while cameron keeps encouraging her to take risks, spending time with him is fun and exhilarating and way better than any other bridesmaid's duties her friend can come up with.

the bond that grows between cameron and jane is sweet, and it's a true case of first impressions not being what they seem. i liked both characters, though a part of me wishes that cameron's first impression of jane hadn't been so dismissively detailed. basically a chubby woman with hair and eyes the color of wet mud. which isn't so flattering. and less so when you realize as a reader that you're the same clothing size as the main character and kind of feel bad about yourself for a second. i don't need my reading material to make me feel back about myself. and inevitably that's what these books with the "chubby" or "plus-sized" heroines always do, which is why i really don't enjoy them. unless the focus is not at all on the character's weight, which is rarely the case.

i get why authors try to make their main characters true to life and real. that's great. but here's the thing, i hate when these "real" characters or "chubby" or just plain "fat" characters have to deal with other characters or internal judgment. the thing is, jane wants to lose some pounds to be able to fit into the dress she ordered, but she doesn't actually go around feeling bad about herself. and that's great. it's just that as a reader i'm still thinking about the visual cameron gave us when he first met her, even though throughout the story he tries to make it better.

the other issue then, is that the cover model does not reflect who the character is supposed to be. jane is more comfortable in jeans and a nerdy t-shirt so the super girly, thin woman on the cover with reddish hair, doesn't fit the actual character description. so then the purpose of writing these "real" characters seems a bit lost, because you're still using traditional images of beauty to sell your product. and don't tell me the no one judges a book by its cover stuff, because then why wouldn't you put a woman who looked like the main character on the cover? honestly, i thought the cover was pretty, and it really was one of the reasons i was looking forward to reading the book. and then i was so struck by how it felt like false advertising.

anyway, i enjoyed jane and cameron's story. i just also had a lot of thoughts about the other stuff.

**the one and only will publish on february 27, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/grand central publishing (forever) in exchange for my honest review.

a sweet story that i didn't want to put down. loved it.

Jenny Holiday's ONE AND ONLY is one of those books that leaves you smiling at the end. It's full of elements that are delightful on their own, but combined make something full of hope and joy and laughter. And hot sex. That, too. Jane is a YA fantasy author who cosplays Xena at one point in the book. XENA. This line is what got me to pick up the book, but I stayed for a bunch of reasons.



The Wedding Hijinks and Female Friendships

I'll be honest, I usually hate Big Weddings in romance novels. I worked weddings for years as a banquet server and captain, so I've seen just about every way it can go wrong. This wasn't that, though. This is the first in the series, so Holiday has some work to do setting up the four friends at the center of it all. Wendy, Jane, and Gia are bridesmaids and Elise is the Pinterest-addicted Bride. I won't say she's a Bridezilla, since she's mostly nice through it all, but she is increasingly stressed out and channels her anxiety into a series of comedic craft projects that the bridesmaids have to help out with. One project, however, is "babysit the groom's brother." Jane, the responsible one, is tasked with the job.



Cameron

The groom's brother, Cameron, has a bad reputation. He's known for burning down a barn and getting a girl pregnant in high school. And that's all before he's dismissed from the army. Spoiler: there are good reasons for all of these stories and Cam is a really good guy. He's been trying to change his life for the better, but did spend some years living down to everyone's expectations of him. It's an interesting exploration of the assumptions we make and how they affect our relationships.

Cam has PTSD from two different events during his two tours, but it's handled with care and didn't feel like a plot device. Both of my brothers served in the US Marines, so I don't usually read military heroes for fear of fetishization. This wasn't that.



Jane

The biggest reason I stayed? Jane! She loves fantasy worlds, both writing them and playing in those written by others. She's practical and responsible, due in part to an alcoholic father who died when she was young. She's a little insecure, in the ways most of us are, but she's smart and kind and funny and awkward and I want her to be my best friend.



There's a lot to love in ONE AND ONLY, from exploring Toronto's landmarks to I-Don't-Have-A-Condom sexy creativity. The timeline of the book, starting just over a week before the wedding, gives a framework to the story that adds a little suspense and an expiration date you don't want to arrive. Jane and Cam are the sort of characters you can root for and I can't wait to see what Holiday does with the next two books!

Jane Denning is the responsible one in her friend group. It's probably the reason that she's been chosen to babysit the younger brother of her bridezilla friend's fiance. She's not thrilled by that assignment but at least it gets her out of the rest of her bridesmaid's duties.
Cameron MacKinnon is not surprised that his brother's fiancee wants to set Jane on him. He had a pretty wild reputation growing up. But it doesn't mean that he has to sit down and take it. Especially since his list of things to do after being dismissed from the army includes getting laid and Jane keeps preventing that from happening. So, maybe he should focus on her instead...
I liked the building of this relationship. Yes, there were some one dimensional aspects (especially with Cameron) but, overall, we got to know both Jane and Cameron pretty well. We got to see just enough of her friends that there might be more of them in later series (worker girl Wendy and super model Gia) but it wasn't overly heavy in trying to build them up.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out February 27

One and Only brings together two lonely hearts, one misunderstood former soldier and a staid, responsible writer as they navigate bridezilla wedding preparations while learning about each other and falling in love.
When I first started this story, I didn't like it very much for the first 5% or so. I didn't like some of the things being said about Cameron and I didn't like the way Cameron and Jane met. I particularly did not like what Cameron thought when he first met Jane and his attitude towards her. But that's the thing with Cameron. He's all bluster and bravado. And he's got a terrible reputation leftover from his youth. It made me angry the way people treated him and misunderstood him, and because Cameron didn't think very highly of himself, he didn't put any effort into defending himself. It made me want to yell at the people in the book for mistreating him and being so unfair towards him. Cameron is working towards improving himself and his life, and perhaps his reputation but being discharged from the military, suffering PTSD and not having any future prospects doesn't make things look good for him. Getting to know Cameron was a revelation. Underneath his bad boy persona, he's an upstanding and honorable man. Willing to take responsibility even when the mistake is not his, defending the weak and standing up for those being bullied. He's protective, caring, tender and considerate. But still a bit of a daredevil with a twinkle in his eye ready for mischief. I grew to love Cameron. He made me want to defend him and fight for him.
At first glance, Jane is the boring, responsible one, that is until you get to know her. Then you find out she's strong, courageous and caring. She believes in second chances and not making snap judgments. Jane needs to let loose and live a little, not be the timid, quiet one who stays out of trouble and Cameron is able to do that for her. He gives her a safe space to stretch her wings and soar, to shine as bright as she was meant to before hurt and rejection made her hide away. I'm glad when Jane finally decided to take a chance. That took guts on her part.
I loved the relationship and interaction between Jane and Cameron that developed. I didn't enjoy the whole bridezilla thing although the bonds between Jane and her three friends were solid and beautiful. I cringed a lot when Elise, the bride-to-be went into bridezilla mode and how everyone allowed her to be a little crazy about the wedding. Fortunately, Elisa was a likable bridezilla and came through swimmingly at the end when things got down to the crunch.
Even though I didn't like the way this story started, it finished strong. I enjoyed Ms Holiday's writing and I think I will read her other books in the series when they come out. I just hope there aren't too many more crazy bridezillas in the future books.

What a funny sweet romantic read! Heard many great things about this author and was impressed!!

I read a lot of historical romance - I love it. But when I want a quick, feel good HEA, I inevitably pick up something contemporary. So, yesterday night, after perusing my kindle and bypassing all the books I have on my review schedule, I discovered a new Jenny Holiday book just waiting to be read. I smiled,settled into a comfy spot on the couch, and went to bed much too late because I didn't want to stop reading. Ms. Holiday writes reliably good, sexy, smart novels - and lucky for us, she hits mostly high notes in One and Only, the first novel in the Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series.

Let me preface this review with a caveat: our heroine, Jane Denning, isn't a bridesmaid behaving badly. She's a friend and bridesmaid trying to help her bride - mostly. And the only person behaving badly is the increasingly stressed out bride, who goes a bit mental preparing for her big day. Jane and fellow bridesmaids (and besties) Gia and Wendy want to ensure Elise has the wedding of her dreams...but they're all counting the days until Elise and Jay say I Do. When Elise asks for a different kind of help (help that doesn't involve any DIY projects) Jane volunteers - never realizing her decision will change her life.

Cameron Mackinnon is back in Canada after a discharge from the military. He served two tours in the middle east - the last on the front lines against ISIS; shortly before his discharge, he was planning to go to university and join the officer corps. But he screwed things up - as usual - and after returning home and walking in on his girlfriend with another man, he's arrived early for his half-brothers upcoming wedding. Cam's lost faith in himself and his future...but he's determined to have some fun before he makes any decisions about what he should do next. On his immediate to-do list: a steak dinner, sex and...well, more sex. He isn't expecting a babysitter to greet him at the airport...

Jenny has a job to do: keep Jay's wild brother out of trouble until the wedding - and when she spots Cameron in the arrivals lounge, she follows him out of the airport and gets to work.

The story unfolds as Jenny attempts to 'babysit' Cameron, and Cameron, after sussing out her purpose and discovering he likes spending time with her, comes up with increasingly wild ways to challenge her. It's a delicious slow burn watching these two develop a friendship and then fall - hard - for each other. Cameron has a complicated backstory. He suffers from PTSD and struggles with self doubt. Life never seems to turn out the way he wants and he struggles to believe someone like Jenny could or should be with a man like him. A loser like him. Jenny has struggles of her own - a belief that she isn't good enough for someone to want long term, and a fear of embracing the unknown and taking risks. They're a terrific match-up and I loved that Ms. Holiday splits the 'saving' equally: Cam needs a Jenny in his corner - someone to protect and nurture who believes in him and supports him through thick and thin; Jenny needs Cam to love her and prove she's worthy of a partner who wants and needs her, and isn't afraid to challenge her to live her dreams. Sigh. They're great together and their chemistry - in bed, in conversation, in texts - is terrific.

One and Only is a great opposites attract romance - except these two aren't really opposites. Jane is a writer of YA fiction - she likes her job and her life and though she's been unlucky in love, she's happy. When Cameron first spots her at the airport his impression of her is brutal - muddy hair, muddy brown eyes, muddy...well, you see where I'm going with this. But not long afterwards, he's singing a much different tune. Jenny doesn't dwell on her appearance - much - though she's obsessed with dropping weight to fit into her bridesmaids dress. She's smart, interesting and initially, that's what draws Cameron in and keeps him coming back for more. Cam is your stereotypical black sheep hero: he's hot, built, big and tattooed up. But Jane falls for more than his good looks - he's kind, funny, and good...and Jenny believes in him. **He's a keeper**

I liked the secondary characters although we don't get to see very much of any of them. I'm looking forward to the rest of the bridesmaids stories...& I have a sneaky feeling Jenny's brother will join this group in short order...fingers crossed - he sounds like a great guy. Watch out Wendy!

One and Only was such a fun book. It had the typical plot, good girl with the reckless guy, but it felt anything but typical. It felt new and fresh. Jane and Cameron were anything but the stereotypes they were place in if you got to know them. And quite honestly they brought out the best in each other, kind of the ying to each others yang. They also had some of the best banter! They played off ea ch other nicely and were able to just be themselves when they were together without having to worry about the preconceived notions others had of them. All in all this was a fantastic start to a new series. I personally can’t wait to see what the next bridesmaid will be up to!

I was sent this book from the publisher. My ratings and reviews will be my own personal opinions and are in no way influenced by publishers or authors who may have sent me books to review.

A hot military man and a bad boy? Yes, please! Cam reminded me so much of some of my closest Marine friends back home. So, I loved him even more. He was an asshole, but sweet all at the same time. I love when characters banter back and forth, so of course I loved this between Cam and Jane.

I also loved how Cam fell in love for Jane for who she was. Jane was dealing with self esteem issues in regards to her weight. She is trying to lose weight for the upcoming wedding, and Cam keeps telling her she does not need to lose weight. He liked her for who she was. He helped her embrace that as well. I loved that.

I loved the friendship with the girls as well, and I am excited to see that this will be a series, so we can learn more about them as we go.

Overall, this was such a fun read. I loved it.

A fun read, with characters you can't help but fall in love with! Cameron was completely awesome and I loved him so much! Jane was a great heroine and her friendship with the other bridesmaid was awesome! A fun adventure of a book!

OK I’m going to sound totally shallow, but I wanted to pick up One and Only because that cover is just absolutely adorable. It’s such a sweet and romantic cover, and I knew I had to discover all the goodness that lay on the inside. I’m happy to say that One and Only was just as delightful on the inside, and was a book that entertained me all throughout.

I have a thing for romances that are set around weddings, and I was particularly excited for that element going into One and Only. Jane is a bridesmaid for one of her best friend’s wedding, and has a lot of responsibilities to handle as a result of the bride turning into a bit of a bridezilla. One of her responsibilities? Make sure the groom’s notorious womanizing brother doesn’t get into trouble! I really enjoyed Jane’s character. I think a lot of women will see themselves in her, especially when it comes to her self-esteem issues. She’s really entertaining to read about too, with her fiery personality. I really enjoyed getting to know her as the story progressed. I wasn’t sure what to make of Cameron, initially. He had that reputation around him, and there were times at the beginning of the book when he was quite mean to Jane, in my opinion. But he wound up growing on me. He is a military man who comes back to the country only discover that his girlfriend is cheating on him. So he’s a bit prickly and cold on the outside. Over the course of the book though, we get to see him open up thanks to Jane, and turn into a better person.

I thought the romance here was really sweet! You have two people who completely start off on the wrong foot, but who are forced to spend time together – this is one of my favorite tropes! – and in the process, find themselves falling for each other. Jane and Cameron together were fantastic. Not only were they charming and totally sexy together, but they are a couple that help each other grow. I especially loved all the scenes of Cameron nudging Jane into doing things she was too afraid to do! I also loved how Jane shows Cameron kindness and teaches him a thing or two. I thought they worked so well together as a couple! My only complaint would be that there were a few scenes that I found to be cheesy that I could have done without, but they honestly weren’t bad enough for me to not enjoy the book. Besides the romance, I enjoyed the empowering depiction of female friendships. I especially liked Wendy, Jane’s best friend who is getting her book next.

This first book in the Bridesmaid Behaving Badly series was a whole lot of fun! If you’re into swoony opposites attract romances, then One and Only is just the delightful book for you!

Another superb offering from Jenny Holiday!

It's no secret that I love Jenny Holiday's books (49th Floor Novels). So it's an auto-reflex to snatch this one up, especially when the hero and heroine promised to deliver sparks of the clashing kind. I'm happy to report that the author exceeds expectations and more. Jenny Holiday is a superb storyteller and she presents the romantic journey of Cam and Jane in a clear manner that is every bit as thrilling and fulfilling as her previous books. Not only do Cam and Jane develop as a couple, but their individual ARCs were fulfilled as well.

First up, you'll love Cameron McKinnon--he's adorable and sweet, vulnerable, honorable, thoughtful and all other adjectives that make him a wonderful hero you'll want to root for. Needless to say, he's gorgeous and also covered in tats. Jane was warned that he's the ultimate bad boy, and thus she was initially wary of him. Cam certainly didn't try to prove her wrong with his jerkish attitude toward her at the start. Yet, when we read things from Cam's point of view, we see how misunderstood he was, and how lonely and miserable he was inwardly. He thought of himself as a lost cause due to the shitty things he'd done in the past, and he'd been trying to reinvent himself when more shitty things happened to him. The author sure knows how to tug on the readers' heartstrings with this contrast of the bad-boy outer image and the lost-and-lonely-yet-fighting-to-be-worth-something inner person of Cameron McKinnon.

Jane herself is an amazing heroine--the way she wasn't judgmental despite warnings but related to Cam with an open mind, the way she took care of Cam, and best of all, the way she embraced new experiences despite her fears. Of course, Cam was beside her and gave her courage, but I think at the root of it is Jane having the courage to grow into the person she was meant to be. I think what I love best about these two main characters is their interaction with one another, how each prodded and encouraged and inspired the other to be the best person they can be. That, I believe, is how a relationship and love should operate.

I truly enjoyed the scenes where Jane and Cam got to know one another, and for me, the romantic feelings developed at a believable pace. And their chemistry! Bring on the ice cubes!!

Seriously, I didn't want this story to end. I want to read more of Cam and Jane. So I'm hoping we'll see more of them in the next two books in this series. (Please, please, please!) Jane's friends, especially bridezilla Elise, were a hoot. I love reading about the dynamics of their friendship and I also want more of them in the next books. Can't wait to read about Jane's best friend Wendy and Jane's brother Noah. And though we don't see Noah here, I love him already from what Jane tells us about him.

Unforgettable and adorable characters, sizzling chemistry, romantic and heartwarming romance all wrapped up in one pageturning story--what else are you waiting for? Pick this one up now!

Fun modern romance, really well-developed characters.

My review can be seen at RT Book Reviews

I loved, loved, loved this book! I devoured it as quickly as possible and am so disappointed that I have to wait until June for the next title in the series. I'm thrilled to have discovered Jenny Holiday.

4 stars
I liked this cute story about a bridesmaid and falling for the groom's brother. I liked this one. Cute and funny.

Never did a returning soldier think teasing and giving a goodie two shoes a Hard Time would be so much fun. He wanted to cut loose and this was not his idea of that....
BUT this woman was something else...
A story with good girl and bad boy perfect together