"Loneliness is amplified when everyone you know is busy talking to everyone but you."Adam is a twin. Aaron, a whole 22 minutes older, is as identical to Adam as he is different. The town knows they are twins but while Aaron is outgoing, social, athletic and a ladies’ man Adam is quiet, reserved, plays on the drum line and has only had a brief encounter with a girl. They even differ in size but still have that twin bond. The twins are twins. When the enigmatic Olivia shows up in an upstairs window of the Cartwright house across the street dancing, Adam is mesmerized. "I looked out my window for just a second and I saw her. My feet stopped. My whole body stopped. As if I were transfixed, I watched her as she danced. She looked so beautiful? Sexy? Without a doubt. But there was something else, something more important than all of that. She looked free." Adam, shy Adam gets a chance to spend some time with Olivia who needs a history tutor. It’s a good thing Adam rocks that subject. From their first “session” in Adam’s room we get to meet Olivia. She really is a free spirit. Someone who doesn’t hang on to the negative and wants to live in the present, not dwell on the past. Hence her need for a history tutor. Though the first few conversations between Adam and Olivia are awkward for him, he finds comfort being close to her. Adam starts to open up in ways he never has before. Things he always thought people would call him a geek, nerd for Olivia finds cool. That starts a change in Adam. Unfortunately for Adam, Aaron has taken an interest in Olivia as well. He can’t blame his brother for noticing her or wanting to be around her but he can resent him for wanting her the same way Adam does. While Adam is content to be friends with Olivia, just to be around her, Aaron is there for more. He will give his brother a chance to speak up but he won’t wait long. "Aaron was right. I was theory and he was fact. While I thought, he did. But with my brother knowing, he was going to force my hand. Either I was going to go after Olivia or he was." Olivia is such a complex character as most females are yet she draws you in with her complexity. She not only intrigues the twins with her mysterious ways she draws in the reader. There is no fluff here. No eye rolling, hair tossing or silly games to be played. Olivia is straight forward as they come. She shows genuine emotion, concern, empathy and joy. Olivia was me in so many ways it was downright creepy but also a moment for a fist pump! I won’t say how, I don’t do spoilers, but two major reasons had me a mess and so excited to be represented that way. I respect the author for that, she handled both issues so well. This book took me to the depths of my emotions. I don’t say that lightly. I swear this did not read like a traditional YA novel, it is with superb sophistication. This is not a book about a typical love triangle. This is real emotion with real people. The writing is just gorgeous. There is no filler in site. Just beautiful words strewn together in ways that reach into your soul, make you smile, make you cry, make you route for the underdog to get what they truly deserve and just flat out breaks your heart. There is so much I got from reading this book other than pure emotion and pleasure. My Only is a story about strength; strength in yourself to live, to lose to overcome and move on. The epilogue had me in a new rush of emotions that did not allow me sleep for another two hours. Did I mention how emotional this story is? I honestly do not think I can do this book justice with a review; I gave it a good try. My Only is a stellar read, I was blown away. It was suggested to me by a friend and I will be forever thankful to her for the suggestion. Every emotion I felt was well worth it. This is now a favorite and one I will shout from the rooftops for everyone to read."I’d never given much thought to the seasons. Some people could say which one they liked the best, and which one they liked the least. But not me. I’d ever really cared much. Until now." *Review copy courtesy of The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House and N.K. Smith. Thank You *
Sara
Jane! Get me off this crazy thing...called books!
"Loneliness is amplified when everyone you know is busy talking to everyone but you."Adam is a twin. Aaron, a whole 22 minutes older, is as identical to Adam as he is different. The town knows they are twins but while Aaron is outgoing, social, athletic and a ladies’ man Adam is quiet, reserved, plays on the drum line and has only had a brief encounter with a girl. They even differ in size but still have that twin bond. The twins are twins. When the enigmatic Olivia shows up in an upstairs window of the Cartwright house across the street dancing, Adam is mesmerized. "I looked out my window for just a second and I saw her. My feet stopped. My whole body stopped. As if I were transfixed, I watched her as she danced. She looked so beautiful? Sexy? Without a doubt. But there was something else, something more important than all of that. She looked free." Adam, shy Adam gets a chance to spend some time with Olivia who needs a history tutor. It’s a good thing Adam rocks that subject. From their first “session” in Adam’s room we get to meet Olivia. She really is a free spirit. Someone who doesn’t hang on to the negative and wants to live in the present, not dwell on the past. Hence her need for a history tutor. Though the first few conversations between Adam and Olivia are awkward for him, he finds comfort being close to her. Adam starts to open up in ways he never has before. Things he always thought people would call him a geek, nerd for Olivia finds cool. That starts a change in Adam. Unfortunately for Adam, Aaron has taken an interest in Olivia as well. He can’t blame his brother for noticing her or wanting to be around her but he can resent him for wanting her the same way Adam does. While Adam is content to be friends with Olivia, just to be around her, Aaron is there for more. He will give his brother a chance to speak up but he won’t wait long. "Aaron was right. I was theory and he was fact. While I thought, he did. But with my brother knowing, he was going to force my hand. Either I was going to go after Olivia or he was." Olivia is such a complex character as most females are yet she draws you in with her complexity. She not only intrigues the twins with her mysterious ways she draws in the reader. There is no fluff here. No eye rolling, hair tossing or silly games to be played. Olivia is straight forward as they come. She shows genuine emotion, concern, empathy and joy. Olivia was me in so many ways it was downright creepy but also a moment for a fist pump! I won’t say how, I don’t do spoilers, but two major reasons had me a mess and so excited to be represented that way. I respect the author for that, she handled both issues so well. This book took me to the depths of my emotions. I don’t say that lightly. I swear this did not read like a traditional YA novel, it is with superb sophistication. This is not a book about a typical love triangle. This is real emotion with real people. The writing is just gorgeous. There is no filler in site. Just beautiful words strewn together in ways that reach into your soul, make you smile, make you cry, make you route for the underdog to get what they truly deserve and just flat out breaks your heart. There is so much I got from reading this book other than pure emotion and pleasure. My Only is a story about strength; strength in yourself to live, to lose to overcome and move on. The epilogue had me in a new rush of emotions that did not allow me sleep for another two hours. Did I mention how emotional this story is? I honestly do not think I can do this book justice with a review; I gave it a good try. My Only is a stellar read, I was blown away. It was suggested to me by a friend and I will be forever thankful to her for the suggestion. Every emotion I felt was well worth it. This is now a favorite and one I will shout from the rooftops for everyone to read."I’d never given much thought to the seasons. Some people could say which one they liked the best, and which one they liked the least. But not me. I’d ever really cared much. Until now." *Review copy courtesy of The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House and N.K. Smith. Thank You *
