Susan's Review of One & Only You by Cindy Kirk
Rachel Grabinski is no stranger to setbacks, but she never stays down for long. When she catches her boyfriend in bed with another woman, her sunny and optimistic nature is sorely tried. Jumping into another relationship is the last thing on her mind.
On the surface, successful, smooth-talking Dixon Carlyle is every woman’s dream man. But Dixon’s past holds secrets, ones that could derail the life he’s been building in Hazel Green. For years he’s kept his heart safe…but that was before Rachel’s sweet nature crept under his defenses.
It’s not the right time for love for two people with wounded hearts. And trust doesn’t come easy when you’ve been burned before. The safest thing for Rachel and Dixon would be to walk away now…
But what's the fun in playing it safe?
Dixon Carlyle runs into his sister’s friend Rachel Grabinski in the Palmer House Hotel lobby. Dixon realizes that something or someone has upset Rachel. He reaches out to Rachel and takes her out for an early dinner. Rachel finds Dixon easy to talk to and a good listener. She confides to Dixon that she came to the city to surprise her boyfriend; only she was the one surprised as he was in bed with another woman.
I loved the pairing of Rachel and Dixon—it’s a perfect opposites attract romance. Rachel’s back story showed that she had strength and patience; she raised her brothers and sisters after her parents died. She enjoys her job as the volunteer coordinator at the Hazel Green Food Bank-she believes in its mission. I adored Dixon in his sister Nell’s story; One Step Away. Dixon is a charming businessman-and he’s got secrets—big secrets.
Cindy Kirk does a fabulous job with the Marc-Rachel-Dixon triangle. Marc believes he can win Rachel back by lying and manipulating. This tactic has worked in the past and he presses forward to win her back. Rachel is sweet and way too trusting—I loved how her character developed in this novel. She became confident as her friendship with Dixon evolved. Dixon’s past is complicated and past actions may be catching up with him. I loved that he wanted to change-and be a better person when he fell in love with Rachel. Is he ready to confront his past actions and risk losing Rachel?
The conclusion to the novel has several unexpected twists. Nell’s conversation with Rachel was perfectly written—it hits all the high notes—and it resonates with Rachel. I loved that the author put a lot of obstacles in these characters path—she didn’t make it easy for them.
Rachel and Dixon’s story is emotional—it’s full of family history and complicated relationships. Their story is about building a relationship based on trust; and there is passion between this couple—all of the elements of a fabulous read!
Reviewed by Susan Gorman
ARC provided by the author
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for stopping by!