I am unbelievably happy to be joining Viv Daniels (aka Diana Peterfreund) in her blog tour for One & Only, the first book in her New Adult series.
One & Only by Viv Daniels
The blurb as seen on
Goodreads:
Release Date: November 8, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
264 Pages
One night they can't forget...
Tess McMann lives her life according to the secrets she's sworn to keep: the father who won't acknowledge her, the sister who doesn't know she exists, and the mother who's content playing mistress to a prominent businessman. When she meets the distractingly cute Dylan Kingsley at a prestigious summer program and falls in love, Tess allows herself to imagine a life beyond these secrets. But when summer ends, so does their relationship -- Dylan heads off to Canton College while Tess enrolls at the state university.
One love they can't ignore...
Two years later, a scholarship brings Tess to Canton and back into Dylan's life. Their attraction is as strong as ever, but Dylan has a girlfriend…who also happens to be Tess's legitimate half-sister. Tess refuses to follow in her mother's footsteps, which leaves her only one choice: break the rules she’s always followed, or allow Dylan to slip away for a second time.
...And only one chance to get things right.
Tour-wide Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I also have a have my own giveaway to offer you: a One & Only swag back, courtesy of the lovely, Viv Daniels. Leave a comment below saying what you would do to be with the one you love!
Viv Daniels on the ONE & ONLY Dreamcast
I have no idea if One & Only might ever get made into a movie. But if it does, I think these might be some good cast members:
Tess McMann: Lyndsy Fonseca. I first met Fonseca as the teenaged daughter of “grown-up” Ted on HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. She’s aged out of that role with parts on Kick-Ass and Hot Tub Time Machine, but she’s still got that smart, serious, brunette bombshell thing going on. Tess is the kind of girl who knows she’s got it, but knows that’s not all she’s got, and I think Fonseca does, too.
Dylan Kingsley: Ian Harding. This PRETTY LITTLE LIARS hottie has the friendly face, the baby blues, and the floppy dark hair of my darling hero, Dylan. Can’t you just see him in a lab coat? Rowr! (Will also take a ten years younger Brendan Hines.)
Hannah Swift: Dianna Agron. The GLEE and I AM NUMBER FOUR star is a blonde beauty with heart. I think she could play the spoiled, sweet, sexy side of Hannah with aplomb. On Glee, you couldn’t help but root for Quinn, even when you wanted to hate her.
Steven Swift: Aaron Eckhart is still a little young for the part (he’s not yet fifty, and Swift is 55) but I love everything this actor has ever done, from Possession to Thank You For Not Smoking to The Dark Knight. I can’t wait to see him in the upcoming I, Frankenstein. He’s got a truly magnetic quality that I think Tess and Hannah’s Dad must have to get away with the stuff he does! If he turns it down, I’ll take Mark Harmon, even though, technically, he’s a little old for the role. :-)
Ellen McMann: Ali Landry. This stunning TV and film actress is very much similar to who I picture as Tess’s gorgeous, young bohemian mother. Charisma Carpenter might be another good option. Ellen is only a few years older than me.
Sylvia Warren: Emma Stone. This part as Tess’s best friend is almost certainly “too small” for the A-List Spiderman and The Help star, but it’s certainly who I picture for the no nonsense redhead. She's got the badass, sultry voice, too! (And given that Sylvia is getting her own book down the line, we might have to play it like that to talk her into taking it (sort of how Rowling told Alan Rickman exactly how important Snape is).
I have to confess that I was hesitant about starting One & Only because I have had so much trouble with New Adult novels. In fact, this may be the first one that I've actually given a full five stars to. Needless to say, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Viv Daniels' NA debut. It was phenomenal, and the only thing that I'm disappointed about is the fact that the book ever ended!
Secrets are a part of Tess McMann's daily life. She's part of her father's other family, the illegitimate one, the family he doesn't dare to recognize in public. All her life, she's lived as her father's secret, under the heavy weight of his thumb. When she has the opportunity to attend the school of her dreams on a scholarship, she jumps at the chance--though her father had forbidden her from going as his legitimate daughter attends the same school. What she doesn't expect when she finally gets to Canton College is to run into her first love, Dylan Kingsley, and more than that, she doesn't expect Dylan's girlfriend to be her sister. With the undeniable attraction that neither can ignore, Tess has to decide if Dylan is worth changing the way she was taught to live, or losing him and her chance at happiness to please those around her.
There are so many things I could say about One & Only, but I feel like I wouldn't do the book justice. Most novels in the NA age group follow the same setup: totally "broken" characters, repetitive plot points, and a large focus on sex. This book goes against the grain with of the "norm" and I love it all the more for that. Tess and Dylan definitely have their struggles to overcome within themselves and in the physical world, but they are unique issues--ones that I, personally, have never read about before. The direction the author took with the story was utterly fascinating, and had me reading from start to finish in mere hours. This isn't a short book, but it is so captivating that the reader won't be able to put it down. There is just something about it (the realness of the characters, the beautiful prose, the unique and believable plot?) that sucks in your attention and holds onto you even after you turn the last page. It's been weeks since I first finished this book, and still every time I think about it, my heart sighs a happy sigh.
I adore the characters. They are so true to life. Never before have I felt so connected to a main character as I felt with Tess. Tess is smart. She's bright. She has so much going for her, and the way she grows as the story develops was absolutely amazing to read. The love between her and Dylan was so loud that from the moment they are introduced, I needed them to be together--no matter the cost. Daniels writes a wonderful chemistry between the two that had me feeling all the feelz. I even liked the minor characters, and the fact that the book showed that no one is perfect, but everyone is redeemable. Each of the characters, both minor and major, had obvious and understandable reasons for acting the way they did. Some books just throw in drama that is out-of-character and completely unrealistic, but this is not a book that had that problem. Everything about this was legitimate (besides Tess… Ba-dum-dum-chhhh--I know; that was tasteless of me).
As I read over this, I realize how fangirl-y and inelegant this review sounds, but I am just a mess over this book. One & Only honestly is one of the best things I've ever read, a real hidden gem that I hope everyone gets the chance to discover. If you aren't are sold on New Adult just yet, or even if you are, One & Only is the book for you. It's original, it's wonderful and it's one of my favorite books ever. It's not often that I purchase a physical copy of a novel after already owning an e-copy, but this I just couldn't resist! I just want to read it over and over and over again. Viv Daniels has made a life time fan of me, and I cannot wait for the next installment of this series, about Hannah, Tess's sister.
I received an e-copy of this novel from the author for my honest opinion and review.
And big, humongous thanks to Viv for allowing me to participate in the tour!
Release date: November 25, 2013
