One of my favorite love story written y CD Reiss. Their is Romance, Emotions, thrill and love all wrapped in one in Only Ever You y CD Reiss.

I Highly Recommend all Readers to read this book now.

This book was alright in the sense that I wanted to like it but I felt like I HAD to finish it in order to feel like I accomplished something. The romance was okay but the chemistry just wasn't there between Rachel and Sebastian. Also, their families were annoying as hell.

This book had a lot of potential, but I had to DNF because it just wasn’t for me unfortunately. That said, I think others may enjoy it if you enjoy childhood neighbors to lovers and a marriage pact!

This will probably be the most venting review I’ve ever or will ever write but here goes..

I went into this book completely blind as I tend to do with romance books & when I realized that it was a best friends to lovers story.. well, in my mind I knew I should stop this book and “put it in the freezer (if you know this reference we should so be friends. Lol)” but I kept going. The leads, Sebastian and Rachel had been friends all throughout their childhood and teen years and as people tend to do they drifted apart in college. Rachel had been the bonafide hero to Sebastian’s nerdy self and he’d essentially had her on this pedestal.. so when they meet again when they’re both 30 (these two of course had made a pact as teenagers to marry each other at.. you guessed it 30 if they weren’t already in a relationship), Sebastian takes note that Rachel is not the strong, bully fighting woman he’d known more than a decade ago and takes issue with this. Describes her as “not being his type” because no one loves a weak damsel right? & guys. I was all set on loathing this man with all my being for thinking and saying this out loud to his work friend.

After all that Rachel had been through.. her mother’s cancer, a jerky ex boyfriend AND a job she wasn’t fulfilled in? Man. I was ready to be the one fighting in HER corner. Oh and their parents who went completely nutty trying to plan out a wedding for two people who really should have tossed out that marriage pact.

Naturally, because I’m a masochist I kept reading and the realization that came as I kept reading was why I immediately gave this book 5 stars through the tears I was not so successfully holding back. This book hit me and though, my story didn’t end like Rachel’s did.. that ending was cathartic & just everything I needed to read in this moment.

So! What happens with Sebastian and Rachel you ask? Do they go through with the marriage? Are the parents truly nutcases? Does the douchey ex boyfriend show up again? Does Rachel end up following her own dreams and leaving a sucky job? Oh. And is Paris simply always a good idea? Welp! Read this book and find out!

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was an enjoyable book.

I was okay with the story - sort of - till about 1/3 of the way into it and after spending time reading decided I did not want to continue after reading the end. Thank you for the opportunity to read your work. Have enjoyed and finished previous books published by your company and will hopefully do so again in the future. Well written and interesting but not my cup of tea....at least not today or yesterday. Again, Thank you... (DNF)

Their story is so swoony and captivating in its simplicity, I couldn't put it down. A silly childhood marriage contract blossoms into a real, unexpected love. It took no time at all to be genuinely swept away and invested in their emotional push pull. I shiver thinking about how much I loved this story. It's all about second chances and overlooked possibilities.

It's the sunny, sweet side of CD Reiss we too rarely see. The impeccably written, utterly delicious romantic escape full of hope and gentle surprises that we all need.

I was curious to read Only Ever You because I'm more used to CD Reiss's erotic romances rather than sweet contemporary romances. Sadly, I didn't love this as much as I wanted to. It was a bit boring and predictable. The heroine came off as pathetic and hero too judgmental. I didn't feel their chemistry or romance, which is so sad when CD Reiss usually nails those aspects in a romance. I liked the idea of two former school classmates who were friends reuniting but this was not executed well enough for me.

This book represents so many things. Sometimes talent doesn't take you where you want to go. Sometimes the real world wins out. Sometimes doing the right thing gets you in hot water. Sometimes you can turn your life around and get it all...or most of it. I loved this fake-engagement old friends story. It was slow burn and I liked that Sebastian wasn't your typical hero. I loved that it took having Sebastian back in her life for Rachel to find herself again. Their families were eccentric but loving, as were their friends. It was an enjoyable story.

This was not the typical CD Reiss book, which goes to show what a skilled writer she is, because I was completely drawn in by Sebastian and Rachel. Usually Reiss's book have a darker, edgier element, whereas "Only Ever You" shines in the normalcy of its characters. Sebastian was a skinny kid who was bullied and developed into a strong successful man once he found his element. Rachel was the tough best friend who stood up for him and lost some of that fortitude when adult life took some of her luster. When they reunite years later, the old love they had as friends is still there, but there's also more. Their parents are amazing and worthy characters in their own right, and their worries and issues come from very real and relatable issues. So I loved this book and Sebastian and Rachel and how good they were for each other.

I am a big fan of CD Reiss and always has been.
Her writing style always stands out and she always manages to get my attention from the very first page.

Only ever You tells the story of Sebastian and Rachel.
Two childhood best friends. Rachel has always been there for young Sebastian and fought willingly his battles. When they made a marriage contract , they never thought that one day their promises would turn into reality.

Sebastian stole the show for me - I was fascinated by the development of his character. He is successful, hot and has a big heart. However despite all his achievements, Rachel is the only person that really knows him... even a decade later

Rachel struggles , life has not been kind to her and the light at the end of the tunnel is a childhood friend ... Sebastian.

Their story was sweet and wonderful.

Light and easy romance. The story flowed easily. Finished in a day. The characters were easy to relate to and I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys a "boy next door" or friends to lovers romance.

Only Ever You wasn't the kind of story I associate with Ms. Reiss but at the same time, it was. There was the absence of those darker elements you typically get from Ms. Reiss but the raw honesty and angst were there. She also delivered loyalty, inspiration, and charm. Honestly though, I'm a sucker for second chance romances so Sebastian and Rachel's unique story was right up my alley.

This is my first book from this author and I didn't really know what to expect. I absolutely loved this book, from start to finish. It kept me on my toes and was very engaging. I loved the chemistry between Rachel and Sebastian. You could feel the connection they had through the pages. Between Sebastian's mom, Carol, his sister, Tiffany, and the rest of the supporting characters, I was thoroughly entertained. 100% would recommend this book. Great read.

***3 Stars***

The premise of the story intrigued me. The marriage pact. Two people who were once bff’s now strangers. I felt that this was a story I could totally get lost in. And things started off really well. I was invested in Sebastian and Rachel and things were good for a bit and then things went sideways for me. I still enjoyed their story, but I didn’t end up loving it as much as I’d hoped for in the end.

Rachel and Sebastian. I didn’t love them, but I didn’t dislike them either. I simply...liked them. Rachel I connected more with than Sebastian. The issues Rachel was battling were one’s I understood. I may have wanted to shake some sense into her many times, but her I got. Sebastian on the other hand. He’s a nice guy who has done well, but I needed him to be more...alpha...have more steel in him. Again, I got why he was the way he was, but all I kept thinking was that he needed to man up.

As for their journey to their HEA. It was sweet and awkward and had some great moments, but it was also frustrating as all get out. The lack of communication killed me on many fronts ~ not only with Rachel and Sebastian, but their families. One person actually asking a question and demanding an answer. One of them stepping up to the plate and being honest about their feelings...I mean it just got silly after awhile. What I will say, though, is that I did love the grand gesture and how everything worked out in the end.

I really wish I had loved this book more than I did, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me. This is one of those books where readers will love, hate or find themselves in the middle like me. Again the premise is a good one and the secondary cast of characters are all very well written, so I’d say give it a go...you may find that you love it.

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

Uh this was beyond cute, one of my faves that I’ve read in the last few weeks. Just a really sweet slow burn romance with really lovely main characters. Such a sweet story, I loved it!
I’ve put up my review on Instagram stories.

This was a bit of a meh book for me. I had a hard time connecting to the two main characters and some of the plot points and dialogue in this book didn't sit entirely right with me, either. It also took me quite a while to read this book which rarely happens with romance when it's engaging. I'm not opposed to giving CD Reiss another shot, though, because I did like the overall writing style!

3 - it pains me to do this - stars

I didn't hate this, and I didn't love it. I just simply liked it. I couldn't connect with these characters, and I had a hard time staying in the story. I'm thinking it was just me and my current mood. I had to really concentrate. I'd keep forgetting whose chapter I was reading, and I could never figure out who was "talking". I have absolutely loved C.D. Reiss' writing in the past, but everything that I previously read was darker and grittier, and more of my preference from her.

I adore this author and I love all her books, I truly do..and I fell in love with one of the characters, not much the other, but still I enjoyed the story! Some humour, lots of heart and a lesson in learning that life has it's ways, you can't control everything. I certainly love her writing and it's always a pleasure getting lost in her words.
Sebastian was the character I loved so much, he is def swoon worthy material.
I wish I loved Rachel just as much, but maybe that was the plan all along..who knows?!
Still I am happy I read this story as this author always has the best storylines.

Altough I've read other books by this author and enjoyed them, I really struggled with this one. In fact, I picked it up more than once to try to get through it. I finally did, but it was a chore, not an enjoyment. This was just me, however--plenty of other readers seemed to have enjoyed it, so give it a try for yourself. I know this author writes enjoyable stories, so you may really like it. I just couldn't connect with either of the main characters or find myself invested in how their story played out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.