Only Love (One and Only)

By: Melanie Harlow

Narrated by: Rock Engle, Felicity Munroe

A gorgeous former Marine with a tortured soul.

The beautiful, compassionate therapist living next door.

A meddlesome grandma determined to get them together.

I was expecting a proposal on my birthday, and I got dumped instead.

How could I have been so clueless?

Grams knew exactly how to distract me.

The “cute boy next door” who’s been helping her with yard work clearly needs a little therapy. Who better to call than her newly single therapist granddaughter?

She even fakes dementia to get me to visit, and now that I’m here she’s doing everything in her power to throw us together.

Not that I’m complaining. Ryan is the sexiest man I’ve ever met - I mean the full package, from the chiseled jaw to the massive shoulders to the rippling abs. (And yes, his package is full, and he knows exactly how to deliver it.) He makes me want to get out of my head and follow my heart. He makes me want to take chances I never thought I’d take.

He also makes me want to take my clothes off. A lot.

But he’s moody and challenging - one minute he’s an open book, and the next he’s completely closed off. He holds me like he’ll never let go, but insists he wants to be alone.

Some wounds are so deep, only love can heal them.

How can I convince him to let me try?

©2018 MH Publishing LLC (P)2018 MH Publishing LLC

Not my favorite

I've read most of this authors work, and this one was very cheesy. The sex scene sounded like animals rutting on one another, that's via audible and is my first really bad experience with it. The story dragged out forever it seemed.

Love Grams!!

I loved this book! Such a fun and heart warming story that gives you all the feels and Grams is the BEST! She makes this story!!
Narration is very good.

Love Grams!!!

Only Love by Melanie Harlow is such a funny listen. I love how cunning and devious Grams is in this book. Never mess with her plans. Ryan and Stella had no chance once she set her sights on them with her matchmaking scheme. I loved the banter in this book, and thought the imagery was perfect. Both narrators impressed me with how they brought the characters to life.

No one is safe from devious Grams!

OMG...I floved this book! Grams is a riot...she’s a sneaky little matchmaker...who believes that everything tastes better with booze! Grams is playing matchmaker to her eldest granddaughter, Stella, and her neighbor, retired Marine Ryan. It’s a rocky, but oh so humorous road to love. Fantastic narration team...Especially Grams’ character. Definitely a MUST re-read/listen!

"Cute Boy Next Door"

Only Love (One and Only) is a playful romantic read with hilarious shenanigans.
Told in multi-pov between Ryan, Stella, & Granny .
Ryan's hardships a former marine are unfolded in a way that we get to know him morer as time goes on and we get a better understanding of why he is the way he is. Stella is described as "plain jane", vanilla, & lacks sexiness according to herself. I loved Stella's inner monologue and her relationships with her sisters and grandmother. Grams is my absolute favourite character with her theatricality matchmaking skills. Charming, divine, hilarious, & sweet are just some of her best characteristics. Its was fun catching up with Stella's sisters. A perfect epilogue to have everything go-round and draws this series to an end.

Narrators Felicity Munroe and Rock Engle personify the character's with so much raw emotion and depth. Pace and tone was smoothly flowing through. Engle's portrayed a perfect balance between Ryan's conflicting emotions. Munroe's protray of Stella's transformation & growth as a character was exceptional. I absolutely loved granny's voice and the way Munroe portrayed her characteristics.

Ryan & Stella

What a sweet story of a damaged soul, a woman who thought she wouldn't find love, with a broken intimacy problem from rejection and a meddling Gram. Love, understanding, acceptance and apple pie helped heal their hearts. The heat, and steam that ignited between them was fan worthy. Loved the narrators on this one.

Passionate, Romantic and Emotional!

I absolutely loved this story! It was funny, sexy, heartbreaking and heartwarming. We met Stella in the first book, where she was defending her safe, and sexless relationship with Buzz (Walter). I knew Stella's story would be awesome and it definitely did not disappoint! Stella was reeling after Walter broke up with her on her birthday. When her Grandmother convinces Stella that she is sick and needs her help, Stella races to be with her. Little did she know that her Gram's had plans for her and the sexy, ex-marine living next door. Ryan is a tortured, wounded warrior who has closed himself off after his tragic tour in Afghanistan. Stella has played it safe her whole life, afraid to break the rules. They both are so much alike, and they are exactly what they both need, to help each other heal. Add in a 90 year old granny, who doesn't have time waste, who is shamelessly meddling in their lives, they never stood a chance! There were so many hilarious moments that made me laugh out loud. The poignant moments were so heartfelt and authentic and added a depth that kept me turning the pages. I was so moved by the way Harlow addressed the heartbreaking struggles of veterans with empathy and honesty. She expertly weaves a story that makes you feel so many emotions and makes you beg for more. This story is the perfect blend of humor, heartbreak, charm, and steam. It had me laughing and crying and everything in between.
Narrators Rock Engle, and Felicity Munroe are superb storytellers! They embodied these characters perfectly, bringing them to life so clearly. Engle's expressive voice was so poignant and exhilarating, he portrayed Ryan's conflicting emotions between broken, solitary soldier to passionate friend and lover who wanted to live again, so convincingly. He really had my heart racing with those many emotions, as well as with the sex scenes that had the perfect tone and balance of heat, excitement, and passion. I also loved his different voices for Max and Grams, they were brilliant! Munroe played the buttoned up Stella beautifully. Her transformation from timid lover to confident and sexy seductress was outstanding. I also loved her voice for Grams, and the way she portrayed her kind, loving, and frisky nature and her clandestine meddling.
This beautiful story is the perfect conclusion to the One and Only series and both narrators added an extra element of excellence to this already outstanding story!

Love You As You Are

I have been waiting for Stella's story since meeting her in Only You and I was not disappointed! This story had so much heart and emotion. Though this is book 3 in the One and Only series, it can be enjoyed as a stand alone.

Ryan and Stella were broken and in so much pain when they first met. I loved seeing these two slowly come together and heal the other. Yes, there are some missteps and a good amount of push and pull, but you can just feel the connection between them from the start. Once Ryan's emotional baggage is revealed, it's easier to understand why he reacted and responded the way that he did. The best thing about Ryan and Stella was that they each accepted and loved the other exactly as they were. They knew there would be hard times, but they allowed the other to be exactly who they were without judgment or criticism. The epilogue was the perfect way to bring everything full circle and I couldn't have been happier as this series draws to a close.

Grams was such a fun addition to the story and was the perfect balance to the heavier moments in the story. All of her meddling brought a smile to my face and I'm pretty sure I need Gram's recipes for apple pie and meatloaf! ;) Catching up with Emme and Maren was awesome as well, and though this book didn't have as much sisterly banter, I loved seeing how their happily ever afters have progressed. Mack definitely caught my attention in the story and I was so happy to see that it will be his story next to start off Melanie's new series!

Rock Engle and Felicity Munroe both give amazing performances in Only Love. I absolutely loved how Munroe voiced Grams! I was also really impressed by the amount of enthusiasm and emotion that Engle was able to express in his narration as Ryan. He was the perfect amount of heartfelt and sexy. I did have a little trouble sometimes differentiating all the different voices/characters, but overall, I really enjoyed this narrating team and audiobook.

Overall: 4 stars
Performance: 4 stars
Story: 4.5 stars

Great Story!

This is the third book in the One and Only Series. Ryan and Stella's story is really sweet, and sexy. Their happy ending is perfect. I love them both. The secondary characters are also beautiful! Grams is so funny! I like Stella's sisters, Emme and Maren, and their wonderful relationship. Rock Engle, and Felicity Munroe did an amazing narration. I received this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily written this review.

Matchmaker Grandmother

What a sweet story of love, acceptance and a grandmothers matchmaking antics. Once I started listening I couldn’t stop. This third installment of the one and only series brings family together with a peek at characters from other series. Melanie Harlow has done it again with Rock Engle and Felicity Monroe bringing the characters to life with their voices. Enjoy!