Lenore loves everything involving art, but is struggling with what she should major in once she goes to NYU. Now her family has given her till the end of their luxury cruise vacation to pick something and stay with it. Her friend Tessa is sure she'll find a fairytale romance on her vacation, but Lenore isn't too sure until she meets Alex Lee whose parents become fast friends with her family. Now Lenore is stuck with Alex and his family for the rest of the trip all while she's struggling to figure out what her dream career will be.

When I first read the synopsis of this book it sounded like a cute and light hearted read and I was excited to read about the travel element. Unfortunately we didn't focus much on travelling and Lenore didn't get to the cruise ship until almost halfway through the book. I would've liked to see more of a focus on the sight seeing elements of the plot. In terms of characters, my favourite one would have to be Etta, Lenore's younger sister. She was very sweet and always had a fun fact or joke. I enjoyed seeing Lenore grow throughout the course of the book. Her struggle to chose what she wanted to do in school was very relatable. The romance was sweet but felt rushed at some parts, but overall I thought Alex and Lenore were cute together.

In the end this was a cute and easy read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was really cute! Lenore is a great character, and I love her perspective. But, Alex was a bit one-dimensional, and I didn't love the vagueness of Lenore's college decision. Overall, I didn't enjoy it as much as Happily Ever Afters, but it was still a good story.

I found this to be such a fun and easy read! Lenore is struggling to determine her future and figure out how to deal with a new love interest considering her last ones have not been very successful. It was refreshing to read a YA story in which neither the parents nor best friend caused the main conflict and were instead supportive of the main character. Yes, there were some issues in those departments however, they were dealt with by the characters talking to one another instead of having a big argument, which I really loved. I did find the story rushed a bit, and I had a bit of difficulty following along the timeline. The cruise the story takes place on seems to rush past, and I think I would have liked Lenore and Alex to go on a few more adventures together so we got that time with them, and had more interest in seeing them together. The large conflict that happened between them was a little bit predictable, and I wished there was a different sort of conflict than the miscommunication we received. I understand why it happened and how it connected to all the points made previously, but I think when Lenore and Alex had known each other for such a little time, it was a bit dramatic. Otherwise, I enjoyed the story, and although I had not read Happily Ever Afters before reading this one, I will be going back to read that story (Amazing job making this Lenore's story and making it easy to read without reading the first book!).

Going into this one I was so excited because Lenore was my favorite character in Happily Ever Afters and I can confirm that One True Loves did not disappoint. @elisembryant knows how to write ya 👏🏾 ⁣
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Continue reading for some random thoughts 🌀⁣
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• My face actually hurt from smiling so much ☺️⁣
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• Lenore is such a badass 🔥⁣
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• Alex Lee I love you and your ten year plan 🥰⁣
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• This made me want to take a cruise and explore the world 🛳⁣
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• I loved all the black excellence 🖤⁣
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• I loved how the author tackled dating outside of your face and the issues that sometimes come about. ⁣
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• I blushed so many times it was embarrassing 😂☺️⁣
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Overall I highly recommend picking this up if you’re looking for a sweet and special ya romance.. I promise it won’t disappoint.⁣
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And like always thank you to the author for writing happily ever afters for girls that look like me 🥺🤎

I really enjoyed the travel in this story. They’re on a cruise, stopping in places like Italy and Greece, and it’s a summer vacation so lots of sunny vibes 😎
I liked getting a crash course of Lenore at the beginning of the book. Getting to see her in her element with her besties and going to prom was very enlightening and made me like her pretty quick. She’s a very likable character.
Alex was pretty likable right off, too, even if Lenore was pissed at him 😂 He ends up really being what Lenore needs as she tries to choose a major and decide what she wants in life. I loved their friendship that developed into more.
This book made me want to go on a cruise. But not until covid is over with for sure. But it sounds so much fun, I’ve never been.

rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

a lovely and wholesome romance with a healthy dose of self discovery and coming of age. A delightful read!

So glad to see more from Elise Bryant. She is such a great voice in the YA community right now. This is funny and smart and an amazing book.

“From the author of Happily Ever Afters, comes the highly anticipated companion novel, One True Loves, another irresistible YA romantic comedy full of self-discovery, Black love, and a dreamy European cruise.”

Such a cute, feel-good YA with all the things I would expect in a YA. Travel, cute boys, broken hearts, family issues and trying to figure out what your future holds. This book mentioned Anna in the French Kiss at the beginning and I knew it would be good! I also couldn’t help but think of Kevin Jonas and his wife meeting on a cruise ship… I wonder how many other people have met their significant others on a cruise!

🥰really liked || 💗 low steam
🤟YA romance, Europe, POC & LGBTQIA+ rep
📚Anna and the French Kiss

I really enjoyed this book. I loved that it was a romance, but also about family love and authenticity to to yourself.

“Maybe I’ve found my person. My one true…well, whatever.”

After a disastrous prom whereby Lenore’s “date” ditches her for someone else (something that seems to be happening to Lenore a lot lately), Lenore is ready to embark on a European cruise with her family. When Lenore’s parents, who are described as “the embodiment of Black excellence”, discover that she is unsure about studying art history at NYU, they give her until the end of the cruise to finalise a decision. Influenced by her best friend Tessa, Lenore decides to look for a European summer romance and, when she spots a handsome boy at the Trevi Fountain, it seems like her wish may just come true…until she finds out that the handsome boy, Alex Lee, is a total jerk with an infuriating 10-year plan! Even worse, Alex and his family have been assigned to Lenore’s dining table and their families have decided that they will be doing all the excursions together. To add to the drama, Lenore’s older brother is keeping secrets like breaking up with his long-term boyfriend, sneaking out at night, and constantly typing on his phone. The more time Lenore is forced to spend with Alex, the more she starts to open-up and show her true self. But this isn’t one of Tessa’s romance novels and one true loves don’t happen in real life…right?

One True Loves is a contemporary young adult “enemies to lovers” romance novel that takes place at gorgeous destinations across Europe. One True Loves could probably be read as a standalone, but I think that it makes more sense if you’ve read the companion novel, Happily Ever Afters, as you will be more invested and interested in the characters). I found that Lenore’s experiences of self doubt and indecision were very relatable, and Lenore’s story perfectly encapsulated the often-challenging transition from high school to university or college. Furthermore, One True Loves would be great for those who are fans of contemporary young adult novels like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson, The Summer of Broken Rules by K. L. Walther, The Lucky List by Rachael Lippincott, and, of course, Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant.

This book deals with themes and topics such as love and heartbreak, identity and growing up, family and friendship, race, cultural expectations, mental health, education, travel, acceptance, and appearance versus reality. As Lenore puts it, the moral of this story is that, “if the path you take is different, well, it doesn’t make it wrong”. Furthermore, it’s okay to not have a plan, to still be figuring things out, to not be “the best” at something right away, and to make mistakes.

My favourite parts of Lenore’s story were the detailed descriptions of the beautiful destinations that Lenore’s family visited throughout the cruise. I also loved how Lenore had a similar personality as Alexis Rose from Schitt’s Creek as she is extremely stylish, sassy, and cool on the outside, but she is also secretly sensitive, insecure, and loving. Similarly, I loved how Alex allowed Lenore to feel comfortable enough to stop playing the part of “cool, calm, collected, and confident Lenore” and finally reveal her vulnerabilities and insecurities. Before Alex, Lenore had always kept these vulnerabilities and insecurities hidden, even from her family and best friends.

Some cons were that the book was slow to start and, in my opinion, wasn’t as engaging as Tessa’s love story in Happily Ever Afters, but as the cruise progresses, Lenore and Alex grow closer, and Lenore starts to uncover her brother’s secrets, it definitely becomes more interesting! It would have also been great to see an epilogue where we learn how Lenore’s story is progressing after the cruise.

Overall, I thought that One True Loves was a fun read full of travel and young love!

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC that allowed me to read this sweet, lovely, and kind book. I loved so much of this reading experience and I’m thankful that this was my first book in 2022!

Well, this was delightful!

I was excited that Elise wrote another book in this universe, and love that it centered on Lenore. I laughed out loud so much while reading this, and thought it hit a great balance of humor, heart and depth, with the perfect amount of swoon.

Elise’s writing is thoughtful and fun, and I would read another ten books in this world!

A huge thanks to Balzer + Bray and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

This is not your typical love story. Seventeen-year-old Lenore is on the brink... of romance, heartache, adulthood, one true love. Lenore has been beaten up by love, often being treated as a place holder until someone "better" comes along. She has even started to believe that she will never star as the leading lady in her own love story. As her family embarks on a European vacation, Lenore's best friend (and hopeless romantic) Tessa convinces her to cast her two coins in the Trevi Fountain so that she will fall in love.

When Lenore meets Alex, it seems that her romantic luck has finally changed, at least until he immediately attempts to fake-date her in an attempt to convince his ex (who is also on the cruise) that he is totally over her. Lenore is too smart and jaded to fall for this ploy. But, when her defenses are down, can she assume the best about Alex? On top of all of her romantic adventures, she's also struggling to determine her college major and career path at age 17 while maintaining the Black excellence that her parents expect from her.

If you're looking to jaunt around the world while staying firmly planted on your couch, this book is for you! I love that Elise Bryant has written a sequel to Happily Ever Afters, this time following Lenore. For readers that have not yet found their one true love, this book will provide hope while helping them to feel seen in the pages of a romance story. I also love reading stories of Black joy. I hope that Bryant will add even more books to this universe so that we can continue to check in with our favorite characters.

I absolutely loved Lenore in Happily Ever Afters so when I found out she was getting her own book, I was immediately all in.

In One True Loves, Lenore is spending her summer on a European cruise with her family. Having been absolutely put through the wringer by some atrocious boys at her school, she’s ready to just forget all about romance. Her best friend (and previous book’s main character), Tessa, will not hear a word of this and is convinced that a Happily Ever After is waiting for Lenore on this trip.

Coupled with her objection to romance is Lenore’s doubts about college. Set to attend NYU in the fall, she’s questioning her major and how much she actually wants to even go to New York. Upon finding out that she’s having doubts about a declared major, her parents tell her that by the end of the cruise, she needs to make up her mind.

Who better to help her with this than the boy she meets on the cruise!

I had a lot of fun with One True Loves. Lenore is such a different character from Tessa. There is an air of confidence that exudes from her, even when she’s feeling completely out of her element. Her banter with Alex, the boy she meets on the cruise, is top notch. There’s a rivalry that exists between them at first and then falls away to a friendship and then… well, you know.

There were incredibly good discussions in this book about Black experiences. Bryant handles them all with nuance and heart, her characters showing vulnerability and strength. There is a plot line about Lenore’s older brother and what he’s going through that absolutely broke my heart.

Overall, this was a great read and another strong book from Elise Bryant. I can’t wait for the third!

4 stars.

I was lucky enough to receive Happily Ever Afters as an ARC from NetGalley last year. When I was approved for One True Loves, I was THRILLED.
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Lenore Bennett is a girl of many talents. Fashion, photography, painting, and falling in love with the wrong guys. After graduation from her prestigious art school, Lenore sets sail on a European Cruise with her family. Lenore is battling much more than sea sickness, her parents gave her an ultimatum that she needs to make a final decision of what she wants to do with her life by the end of their 10 day cruise.
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Lenore’s best friend, Tessa, the lead in Happily Ever Afters, convinces her that this European cruise is the perfect time to fall in love with the perfect guy…. Cue Alex Lee’s entrance that leaves Lenore running from guys for good. But, 10 days is a long time to get to know each other when you’re continuously thrown together.
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What an incredible sequel! I was sad at first that we weren’t continuing the journey with Tessa, but Lenore is so easy to relate to and took us on an amazing journey of love and self growth. Who doesn’t want to read a romance that starts with a heartbreaking senior prom, takes us to make a wish at the Trevi fountain, and ends with Lenore falling in love and choosing herself for her future?
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I am not sure that I could see this book being used for curriculum but I could definitely recommend it to middle schoolers through high schoolers for a fun read! It was enjoyable as an adult too!

I received an e-arc of One True Loves by Elise Bryant from Harper Collins Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'd like to begin by saying that I enjoyed One True Loves much more than Happily Ever Afters. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the MC in Happily Ever Afters (the whole scheming to get with someone taken is not something I enjoy reading and those HP references were way too much in my opinion) - but in this companion novel, I really enjoyed the character of Lenore, who we had met in the first book as well. I found Lenore to be a character that was much more likeable and I think that many YA teen readers will also connect with her as she tries to figure out what her life after high school plans are while also balancing meeting her parents' high expectations. The romance between Lenore and Alex was actually very sweet. I love that for a second, you think that it's going to be a fake dating scenario, but Lenore quickly shoots that plan down. It felt like it was playfully making fun of all those romance tropes we love yet also playing right into it. And I absolutely love that this was set on an European cruise. Definitely summer vacation dreams with all the places that the characters in this novel travelled to on their trip. Elise Bryant is a YA contemporary romance novel writer that I will be looking forward to reading more of.

I really enjoyed this book by Elise Bryant. Her writing is so fun to read. I liked the chemistry between Lenore and Alex. I do think the end seemed abrupt. Otherwise, the whole storyline was believable and entertaining. Each character was likable, which is a nice positive.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the advanced e-ARC and opportunity to review this book. I enjoyed Happily Ever Afters, hence my interest in this title to begin with, but I really thought One True Loves kicked it up several notches. It's still overal a warm and cozy read, but it's impactful throughout, tackling important topics like mental health, family pressure, and more. I'm a big fan of Elise Bryant's writing style, and I flew through this read within the course of a day. (That's definitely not happening a lot lately with this attention span!)

First, I'm thrilled that this book follows Lenore's story, as she definitely didn't get enough attention in the first book. The cast of Happily Ever Afters is present enough that you remember the friendships and get visits from old favorites, but this story is 100% Lenore's journey - and as we get to know her, she's really in self-discovery mode.

Also, the romance and travel and gorgeous scenery in this book are fun, but this story is so much more about family and living up to high expectations. In addition to all the end-of-high-school challenges and choosing-a-major most teens face, Lenore is also trying to find her artistic passions, carve out a unique spot for herself as the middle child in a family of brilliant high-achieving kids, and also live up to the standards of career success and Black excellence her family has instilled in her. Throughout her journey (quite literally in her experiences and on her family cruise vacation) Lenore has a lot of great conversations about privilege, confidence, and what success means to her - all of which will stand out to and resonate with readers.

I loved everything about this book. My favorite thing that this book covers is the way that the author describes the pressure of living up to "black excellence:" you see it in Lenore's inner monologue of never being enough for her parents; Wally's anxiety. I was kind of triggered, honestly. Aside from that, the love story was adorable and I loved it too. Alex was a perfect love interest. 5 ⭐️

Happily Ever Afters was one of my favorite books this year, so when I got approved for this one from NetGalley I was totally freaking out 😍😂.

I loved this book so much. I loved Lenore, and her struggles with picking the one thing she loves to major in for college and do the rest of her life is something so many people can connect to. When you think about it, how are we at 18 supposed to know what we want to do for our entire life? College is so expensive, and you’re just supposed to figure everything out before you’ve even had a chance to be an adult.

It’s tough being the middle kid who takes a different path, when your parents/family have such high expectations.

I loved that Alex helps Lenore realize she can do whatever makes her happy and take the time to figure it all out. Their relationship is ADORABLE. That ending 😍😍🥺🥺.

I really loved so much about this book, the author did not disappoint with her second novel. And we get some snippets of Tessa and Sam from HEA. This book is YA, but there is so much here that even adults can connect with, I had so many feelings while reading 😂❤️.