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One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid Book Review

Reason for Reading This Book:

I have read quite a few books by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Some have been big hits for me and others have not. My intent while visiting a local used book store was to get a few more of her books that I have not read. Unlucky for me I was only able to get a copy of The Seven Husband’s of Evenly Hugo, which I didn’t have a copy of yet but have read and liked. The next weekend I was a fall festival and one of the booths was a book seller. I picked up a Colleen Hoover book for my twin sister and One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid for myself. I read the summary of the book and it piqued my interest. I only read books I buy when I am on a long waitlist at the library. I am also selective of the books I buy both for ebooks and physical. While on a waitlist for two books I read One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid  I should also mention I have not seen anything about this book anywhere so I had no idea if it was liked or not.

Content of This Book:

Emma Blair married her high school sweetheart, moved to her dream state, and was working a job she loved. On her first wedding anniversary her life changed for the worse. Her husband goes missing, and is eventually pronounced dead, while on a work trip to Alaska. Emma has finally picked up the pieces of her life and is loving life again when her ‘dead’ husband is recused and back in her life. Emma struggles to accept his return as she feels like she is with a ghost because she had already grieved the husband she lost and the life they had together. Emma now has to navigate her relationship with her fiancé Sam and husband Jesse. Will she go back to her old life and Jesse or will she move forward with Sam and the new life she has built for herself?

What I Liked About This Book:

The plot switched between a few different timeframes. One was her childhood and adolescence. The other was her years in college and their first year of marriage. The third timeframe was the period between Jesse's disappearance and his rescue. The last timeframe was the ‘current day’ or time after Jesse returned. With so many different timeframes the reader is bound to prefer some over the others, this was true for me. I found myself becoming disinterested when reading a timeframe that I was not particularly interested in. On the other hand when it was a timeframe I liked in the plot I was fully in it and enjoyed reading that part. For a book where the narrator is deciding between which guy she wants, the author did make a good case for each relationship, but in my opinion there was only one right answer from the start. One thing that I found really relatable was Emma's love of her job at the book store. As someone who is in a job and work environment that I love, I was really appreciated this being included in the book because it was refreshing and made a strong case for which relationship I rooted for. Another aspect of this book that was not only relatable but enjoyable to read, was the maturity and shift in relationships. I specifically enjoyed and related to Emma's relationship with her sister and how it changed over the years depending on where they were each at in their lives. Overall the book was enjoyable but also forgettable.

What I Disliked About This Book:

One of my favorite parts of all the books I have read by Taylor Jenkins Reid is the inclusion of fame, glamor, and a luxurious lifestyle. This book had none of that, which was a letdown. Overall I found the length of the book to be unnecessary. I feel as though the time for Emma to make her decision was unnecessarily drawn out. The decision did not come until the very very end and then the author quickly wrapped up and gave a small update following the decision. As mentioned above, I knew who I wanted her to end up with so getting to the decision was brutal and made me annoyed with some of the other plot points. Something that I was itching to learn more about was Jesse's experience during his disappearance. His refusal to discuss it really irritated me and when he finally did share I was not fully satisfied. I wish Emma would have pushed him sooner and for more details.

Would I Recommend This Book?

When it comes to the books I have read by Taylor Jenkins Reid this is not even close to one of my favorites. As one of her books I would not recommend it and as a book recommendation in general, I would also not recommend it. Overall this book was quite forgettable and the author has published better books. I now see why I have not seen this book circulating around social media. I recommend reading my reviews of other Taylor Jenkins Reid books and choosing one of those books to read instead.

 

Check out my book reviews for 2023!!

Horse by Geraldine Brooks  
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
Hester by Laurie Pico Albanese
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Environmental and Sustainability Book Reviews 2022
Self-Improvement Book Reviews 2022
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
Not All Diamonds and Rosé by Dave Quinn
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham 
Girls With Bright Futures by Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman
Run, Rose, Run by James Patterson and Dolly Parton
The Summer Series by Jenny Han
A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Dugard
The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives by Brian Moylan
Verity by Colleen Hoover
All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Our Country Friends by Gary Shteyngart 
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Majesty: American Royals 2 by Kathrine McGree
Every Last Secret by A.R. Torre

Check out my book reviews for 2021!!

2021 Book Rankings

Beach Read By Emily Henry
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Educated by Tara Westover
The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig 
The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins 
We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins 
We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Klara and the Sun 
The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner
American Duchess by Karen Harper 
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
Girl With No Job by Claudia Oshry
Down the Habit Hole by Holly Madison Book Review
My Story by Elizabeth Smart
Layla by Colleen Hoover

Check out my book reviews for 2020!!

Check out my book reviews for 2019!!

Check out my book reviews from 2018!!


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