BLOG TOUR: Only One Woman - Christina Jones & Jane Risdon

Two women, one love story. June 1968. Renza falls head over heels for heartthrob guitarist Scott. But after a romantic summer together they are torn apart when Renza’s family moves away. December 1968. On the night she believes to be her last, Stella meets Scott at a local dance. He’s the most beautiful boy she’s ever seen and if this one night is all they have, she’ll take it. As the final colourful year of the sixties dawns, the question is: can there be only one woman for Scott?

What did I think?

Well, before reading Only One Woman I thought almost 500 pages for chicklit was FAR too long, but in this case it was definitely not long enough!  Oh, how I wanted to continue the story of Renza, Stella and Scott, even though I had already read 500 pages of their story;  I was left begging and thirsty for more!

I admit to feeling a little bit daunted that this book was so huge on my kindle, but once I started it I really didn't want it to end.  The story of Renza falling in love with guitarist, Scott, was so sweet and heartrending that I fell in love with the couple myself.  So when Renza moved to Germany and Stella came on the scene to threaten the perfect life we had built for Renza and Scott, I felt my heckles rise and I SO wanted to hate her, but I didn't.  I felt like Scott; how could I love two women when only one can ever win?

This was SO very cleverly written in the form of diary entries.  We are introduced to teenager, Renza, falling in love for the first time with band-member Scott.  She is so sweet and innocent, but when she moves to Germany it isn't long before Scott's roving eye finds another target.  Don't get me wrong, Scott isn't looking to replace Renza but there's something so very special about Stella, which is why I couldn't hate her!  I really defy anyone to pin their colours to any one mast - Renza and Stella are both so very special and, through the marvellous writing of Christina Jones and Jane Risdon, we get to know them as if they are part of ourselves.

I absolutely adore the sixties vibe that was so cleverly woven throughout this book.  I found myself humming the tunes that were mentioned and felt as if I had been transported to the colourful sixties era.  The insecurities of new love were laid out in full view via diary entries from Renza and Stella, and I felt as if I was there reading the pages over their shoulder.  Oh, how I longed for one or the other to conquer Scott's heart but, at the same time, I didn't want the other to lose.  I don't think I can ever successfully describe the conflict going on in my head as I raced through this epic swinging sixties novel.  When there are two people you love and one of them has to lose, how on earth can you choose?

What a glorious technicolour ride this was: Only One Woman manages to make the reader fall in love with two women and I really felt as if I should be able to choose between them, but I simply couldn't!  I honestly believe that every reader will want both women to get their man, so to which mast will you pin your colours?  Renza or Stella?  YOU DECIDE!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon


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The Truth about Ellen - Sarah Louise Smith

This is the type of story we've all dreamed of - it's a piece of perfect escapism for any girl who's ever dreamed about meeting her idol...and let's face it, we all have.

Ellen was a big Four Ape fan in her youth, so it's a dream come true when she runs into lead singer, Jasper Ryan, when she's 21.  Jasper is staying in a hotel, waiting for a flight to go and visit his dying Father.  Ellen manages to get stuck in a lift with Jasper and he invites her into his penthouse suite...but things don't go quite as you'd expect.  I totally expected Ellen to jump straight into bed with Jasper but instead she listens to him reminiscing about his Dad.  Jasper asks Ellen for her number so they can be friends and perhaps go on a date sometime.  Ellen isn't surprised later when he doesn't call.

Several years later, Ellen has to go on a course for work, so she decides to book into a hotel and make a trip of it.  She can't believe her luck when she finds that she is staying in the same hotel as Four Ape guitarist, Tom Green.  Ellen and Tom hit it off straight away but she doesn't tell him that she is a big Four Ape fan - well, she'll never see Tom again after this weekend, will she?  Wrong!!  Tom completely falls for Ellen and before you know it, he's asking her to move in with him - she can't tell him she was a big Four Ape fan now!

Then disaster strike for Ellen, but the most amazing thing happens for a Four Ape fan - the band decide to reform which brings Ellen face to face with Jasper again.  That's ok, he'll never remember her - he didn't call her, he'll have slept with hundreds of women since then.  Oh but he does remember her...leaving Ellen in a quandary.  Does she stay with kind dependable Tom or take a chance on unreliable heartthrob Jasper?

I really enjoyed this.  Ellen is a likeable character - as someone who managed to spill a fried egg sandwich down her top at work, I immediately felt an affinity for her when she made a mess eating a chocolate egg.  Yeah, you're not really going to find two band members falling for the same fan but Sarah Louise Smith has clearly had fun putting every girl's dream into words, whether you're a Take That fan (I'm not) or have another idol who made your heart race as a teenager (and perhaps still does).

I received this e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Available for Kindle at Amazon