Only You

Denise Grover Swank

Jun 2016 · Sold by Forever

About this ebook

The New York Times bestselling author of the Wedding Pact and Rose Gardner series presents a heartwarming romantic comedy where after a string of disasters, two opposites have just sworn off love—only to have sparks fly when they move in next door to each other.

Romance isn't an option for Holly Greenwood. With her wedding planner career on the line she needs to stay focused, and that means pleasing her demanding boss, not getting distracted by her mind-alteringly hot neighbor . . .

Ex-Marine Kevin Vandemeer craves normalcy. Instead, he has a broken-down old house in need of a match and some gasoline, a meddling family, and the uncanny ability to attract the world's craziest women. At least that last one he can fix: he and his buddies have made a pact to swear off women, and this includes his sweetly sexy new neighbor.

After one hot night that looks a whole lot like a disaster in the light of day, Kevin and Holly are about to learn that true love doesn't play by the rules . . .

Ratings and reviews

Swank has created a fun and real romance with this novel that romance lovers from all walks of life will enjoy. I enjoyed the intricate world building that flowed naturally with the romantic yet meddling plot that Swank pens. The flow of her writing suits the characters perfectly, allowing the plot to flow naturally. It did have a bit of a comedy of errors feel at times which made the entire story even more fun. I’ll admit that I was expecting a bit of a formulaic tale based on the burb of this novel. But I was pleasantly surprised when it definitely blew me away. This was an original and at times comical tale that had me laughing and loving long with the characters. That said, it did take me a bit to get fully invested in this novel, but once all of the characters were on the same page, I couldn’t put it down. Swank has created main characters that I loved getting to know, and allows readers to get to know them within the context of their everyday lives. The interactions between the main characters were so blatantly real that I couldn’t help but envy them. I also couldn’t help but laugh when they finally realized their connection to one another. Talk about degrees of separation. There is actually a great deal of character development throughout this novel, and it doesn’t stop with the main characters. Kevin’s mom was so over the top throughout. She really stood out without overshadowing the main characters. This new to me author is one that I’ll definitely be watching for in the future. Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.

Only You, book one of Denise Grover Swank’s newest series, The Bachelor Brotherhood, is so darn sweet it might give you a toothache! Having read The Wedding Pact series, the books this spin-off series is based on, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I want to come right out and say that I DID NOT like Kevin Vandermeer’s character in the first trilogy. I thought he was overtly brute and all around unlikable. With that said, I fell head over heels for Kevin in Only You. Here you get to see that Kevin is just a normal guy. He’s retired from the Marines and in a transition period. Seeing the story from his point of you helps you (*me) realize he’s super protective of his little sister. I had more in common with him than expected, though the similarities are microscopic. He’s 33/34 years old just like me (both were stated in the story), and feeling that tug that I’m feeling now. Do I stay single? Play the field? Find someone and settle down with a family? It’s a weird time. You feel equally invincible and lost. At least I do. What comes into play is Megan, Kevin’s mischievous younger sister and the notorious bride-to-be from The Substitute. She finds him a money pit house next to a cute blonde. All of this you can read in the free chapters already posted online. From there the story is ADORABLE. Kevin and Holly (said neighbor) end up doing this kind of tip-toe tango around Kevin’s mother. Many familiar characters from The Wedding Pact series make an appearance in one way or another. One character you can’t get rid of is Knickers (Nicole Vandermeer - the Emily Gilmore of the family). She’s absolutely insufferable and seems to exist solely to torment those around her. I think she means well on some level, but sucks at conveying that meaning in a positive light. You can’t miss Gram when she’s on the page. She provides A LOT of comedic relief as usual! I would highly recommend this series for fans of romantic comedy and/or Denise’s writing. She’s got a peculiar way of writing a fun and happy story while still tugging on your heartstrings. I know I’m a greedy reader, but it ends without resolve with other character’s in both Kevin and Holly’s lives. I’m sure that will all be addressed in some form or another in the books to come. The only downfall I could find in this story is the very abrupt ending. I bestow a solid 4 stars on this sweet romcom! ****

Awww! The ending is definitely not the way I thought this would go. Career centered Holly strives to impress her boss. It's a losing battle but one she is desperate to not give up. If only Dragon lady had a heart. Whatever the cost, Holly needs to keep her job. She's supporting her Grandmother and it's not cheap. Losing focus isn't an option. Nor was it a possibility until he moved in next door. Gorgeous, tall, rippling muscles- serious eye candy (why doesn't my neighbor look like this)- and he sparks something inside Holly that was never there before. Whether it's chemistry or a long dry spell, Holly is afraid of it. She won't go there. Until she did. Now she's trying to undo it and well...one taste is never enough. It's a very cute story about a woman who is afraid to love and a man who's afraid of the crazies. After his exes, I'm surprised he hasn't considered becoming a monk. But this can't happen... They can't happen. This shouldn't happen... It can't... But what if they said yes to each other? Only You Only you can make the darkness bright Only you...

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Denise Grover Swank was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lived in the area until she was nineteen. Then she became a nomadic gypsy, living in five cities, four states, and ten houses over the course of ten years before she moved back to her roots. She speaks English and smattering of Spanish and Chinese, which she learned through an intensive Nick Jr. immersion period. Her hobbies include witty (in her own mind) Facebook comments and dancing in her kitchen with her children. (Quite badly if you believe her offspring.) Hidden talents include the gift of justification and the ability to drink massive amounts of caffeine and still fall asleep within two minutes. Her lack of the sense of smell allows her to perform many unspeakable tasks. She has six children and hasn't lost her sanity. Or so she leads you to believe.

You can find out more about Denise at www.denisegroverswank.com or email her at [e-mail].