I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
"The One"
by
Lora Leigh
contemporary romance that was published by Moderne on June 29, 2011 and has 65 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Styx's Storm, Moving Violations, Cops and Cowboys, B.O.B.'s Fall, Manaconda, A Wish a Kiss a Dream, "Dragon Prime", Primal, Live Wire, Navarro's Promise, Forbidden Pleasure, Beyond the Dark, Black Jack, Tempting the Beast, Dangerous Pleasure, Maverick, Man Within, Midnight Sins, Wild Card, Tied with a Bow, Lawe's Justice, Legally Hot, Deadly Sins, Stygian's Honor, Surrender to Fire, Nauti Temptress, Submission & Seduction, Wicked Sacrifice, Secret Sins, Nautier and Wilder, Shameless Embraces, Wicked Pleasure, Only Pleasure, Guilty Pleasure, Wicked Lies, Twin Passions, Nauti Enchantress, Shattered Legacy, Intense Pleasure, Knight Stalker, Enthralled, Secret Pleasure, Rule Breaker, Nauti Angel, Nauti Seductress, Wake a Sleeping Tiger, Collision Point, Cross Breed, One Tough Cowboy, Hot for the Holidays, Dawn's Awakening, "Night Hawk"
A standalone short story that you shouldn’t bother with.
My Take
This story makes no sense. The only character who acts in a straightforward manner is the stepfather. Thank god for him. Brenna prefers to suffer in silence and accepts anything thrust at her — the girl has no pride or self-respect. And, dang, she’s stupid. Jase also prefers to suffer for fear that he might suffer, and he makes others suffer as well. Then there’s Miriam. Her character is so two-faced, but I don’t think she knows it.
How useful that Leigh uses third person point-of-view so we know how each of them…sob…suffers. Although it doesn’t help explain to me why it’s better to definitely suffer than to take a chance that you may suffer later?
If one person owns 40% of something, doesn’t that mean it’s 40% theirs?
The Story
Bren has been in love with Jase for thirteen years…and has never acted on it. Because…sob…he must hate her. Now Poppa has thrown a curve ball from beyond the grave…and…sob…she’ll have to suffer some more so that her beloved Jase can inherit it all…sob…
I know. I don’t usually let my annoyance carry me away this badly…
The Characters
Brenna Laine is an orphan going for a college degree in veterinary medicine. In New York City. Poppa Jason, a.k.a., Jason Samuels IV, is her loving stepfather, who had married her mother, Lillian, fourteen years ago.
Jase Samuels is Poppa’s gorgeous player of a son. Miriam Dallas is a war widow who was hired as Jase’s assistant. Gina had been Poppa’s first wife. The Arrow S is a ranch that has been in the Samuels family for generations. Josie is the cook; Carol is the housekeeper.
Ron Harold is a corporate CEO with a hanger and landing strip near his lake house, which is close to the Arrow S. Noah is the grumpy pilot. Stacey is Brenna’s best friend, and James Mayer is Stacey’s jerky uncle.
The Cover and Title
The cover is simple with its white background. A gradated blue banner crosses the top with the publisher’s imprint in white. The main attraction is Jase’s naked upper body in profile with his too-muscled bicep flexed, as he glances out at us through the angle of his bent arm. The title is below his bicep in a black-to-red gradation with an info blurb in a smaller black, beneath which is the author’s name writ large in black.
The title is who they are, “The One”.
