4.5 stars!

This book was almost flawless! Even the imperfection has more to do with me than the story. I just found it hard to believe that someone like Jessica would be so afraid to share what had happened to her. I mean she was a smart woman and a doctor, so her rationale didn't ring true for me. Other than that, the only issue was what brought Jessica to Hartwell seemed so important in the beginning, but not so much until the very end. I felt like it lost it's impact that way.

I could not put this book down! I loved how swoony Cooper was. I mean he's a small town hero, and just amazing! Together there was something a little magical about Jessica and Cooper. I loved the way they were with each other. I loved how Cooper didn't give upon Jessica, even when she kept throwing up wall after wall.

I loved Hartwell and all the people in it, except for a select few. I'm hoping the next book in the series is about Tremaine and Bailey! It felt like the pages they were on sizzled a little extra.

This book! This book was SO amazing! I hate comparing books to other books or authors, but when I started this one it reminded me so much of a Nicholas Sparks novel. The spontaneity, the letters, the indecision… and then the small town. All components of a great Sparks novel. The more I got into the story, the more I couldn’t put it down.

Dr. Jessica Huntington works as a doctor at a woman’s prison. When she finds old letters in a book she feels like she owes it to the writer to deliver the unsent letters. She uses her vacation to visit this small town and immediately makes friends. She even has caught the attention of a very hot, very single, bar owner.


***

I love books that deal with fate and happenstance. When reading it’s almost magical to watch the love and affection between the characters. The intense connection that you can feel grow with every page was very evident in THE ONE REAL THING.

Samantha Young’s writing left me intoxicated and dying for more. Jessica and Cooper’s story and the build up kept me turning pages as quickly as I could.

One thing that really stuck out for me in this story was the community. Everyone had each other’s back… and they were all so close and connected. I love that aspect of small towns. I can’t wait to read the next book and fall back into love with this beautiful community.

I really enjoy other books by Samantha Young, but The One Real Thing just didn't quite do it for me. I liked this small town and the people who had businesses on the boardwalk. The small town feel was great and part of the story was very enjoyable. I just didn't care for Jessica at all. She was a very bland character and I did not see the attraction Cooper had for her. Their relationship did nothing for me even though I really loved Cooper. He was a great character. I really want to read Bailey's story now because she was more interesting than Jessica.

Jessica works at a women’s prison. While there one day she discovers letters hidden in one of the books from the library. They are letters that were written in 1976 but were never sent. When she reads them she is struck by the love that the writer – a now deceased inmate – poured into them. Since they are addressed to a man named George Beckwith she decides to travel to Hartwell, Delaware since her vacation plans went belly up.

From the moment that Jessica arrives in Hartwell she feels at peace. She’s had some serious issues to deal with in her life and they’ve directed her decisions for years. After spending time in Hartwell and getting to know the wonderful people there she decides it’s time to stop letting her past decide her future. One of the decisions she makes is letting love in – and she does that with Cooper Lawson.

Cooper was born and raised in Hartwell and his family has owned a pub on Hart’s Boardwalk for many, many years. When he runs into Jessica during a rain storm he’s instantly attracted to her. He makes it a point to get to know her and despite her hesitation at first, she finally caves into him. She’s not sure what she’s getting herself into as she’s never opened up emotionally but she knows it’s right.

There are, of course, the villains in town who want to take over the boardwalk but the owners of the shops on the boardwalk work together to thwart their plans by working together.

This was an easy book to read. By that I mean that there wasn’t a great deal of angst and the characters were very easy to get into. I really liked Jessica. She was just a tired out woman who had been holding herself back emotionally because of something that happened in her childhood. On top of that the “event” caused her parents to treat her like a pariah and so she was very alone in the world. She had her best friend who lived thousands of miles away but that was it. When she got to Hartwell I loved how the townspeople just took her in. They were friendly and open and made her feel at home. The part where the past was revealed was very hard to read but it was such an important part of who Jessica was and it was done well – I just had to power through.

Cooper was one hot hero, let me tell you! He had been hurt by his now ex-wife who slept with his best friend – so he lost both in the end. He knew from almost minute one that Jessica was the woman for him but he held himself back to try and figure out his feelings. Once he decided to go for it he was all in and I loved that. His best friend showed up a couple of times in the book and I think there’s definitely more explanation there (about why he slept with Cooper’s wife) that will be revealed in future books (I hope!).

The part that had to do with George Beckwith when Jessica finally gets to meet him and give him the letters was incredibly sweet. I loved George and his acceptance of Jessica and what she was revealing to him. It made me cry – but in a good way.

Overall I really liked the book and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more in this series in the future.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Jessica has a rather interesting profession as a doctor in a prison. A job that takes a lot of compassion and patience, which Jessica has both of. She is, however, hiding a secret that has her struggling with parts of her life. She stumbles upon a set of love letters written to a man in a small town called Hartwell. When she realizes that the author of the letters passed away before she was able to send these letters to her lover, Jessica decides to take a trip to Hartwell herself in search of this man to deliver these letters to their rightful owner.

Cooper is your typical broken adorable man, owner of a local bar, who's broken and loved by every woman in the small town. (Yes, a bit cliche, but it didn't bother me too much.) Cooper is moving on after his ex cheated on him, yet when he meets Jessica there's an instant attraction that has him interested in getting to know her better.

<blockquote class="book-quote">“It’s never too late to change the road that you’re on.” </blockquote>

Jessica and Cooper, despite their attraction being instant, took their sweet time building their bond and starting a relationship together. I love this type of drawn-out romance where the anticipation is part of the fun. I was eager to see what would come of these two and how their relationship would work, if at all.

I had a bit of an issue with the back and forth between the two points of view in this book. Jessica's POV was first person, while Cooper's was third person. While I LOVE dual points of view, the switch between first and third is something that I find to be quite irritating. (This is just a personal pet peeve of mine, so don't let it factor into your opinion of this book if you don't mind that kind of thing. For me, it was just a bit irritating to get used to.)

My favorite thing about this book was honestly the secondary characters. I absolutely adored Bailey, the owner of a Bed and Breakfast that Jessica meets upon her arrival at Hartwell. I'm so excited for her book next!! I loved quite a few of the other characters as well, and I was surprised by how thoroughly Samantha Young was able to introduce us to this huge cast of characters without it feeling like overkill. I understand completely that writing the first book in a series like this must have quite a bit involved. It's not only Jessica and Cooper that we're introduced to, but an entire cast, plus a new location. I have a feeling that the additional books in this series will be even more awesome since they will be able to focus a bit more on certain characters.

Small town romances often turn out to be my absolute favorites. I love reading about quaint little towns where everyone knows everyone's business. It's so entertaining! I actually grew up in a rather small town myself (nothing quite AS small as Hartwell though) and I love finding these settings in romances. Samantha Young went a wonderful way with this one too creating a setting and group of characters and we're instantly love. I'm definitely excited to see where this series goes from here!

I have to admit that I was really excited to start this book. I have enjoyed everything I have read from Samantha Young, and it has been awhile since I have read anything from her. The One Real Thing kicks off her new Hart's Boardwalk series, so I couldn't wait to see what she had in store for us. But I have to say that while I liked this one I didn't love it. I did enjoy this world she is setting up though, and I am interested to read more in the series down the line.

Jessica Huntington is a doctor that works at a correctional facility. She doesn't get emotionally attached as she prefers to avoid it after being betrayed in the past. But when she comes across some letters in the prison library, she sets out to visit Hartwell and deliver the letters to the intended recipient. There she meets local bar owner, Cooper Lawson. Cooper has also been betrayed in the past and has been focused on his family and his pub. But both Cooper and Jessica find themselves drawn to one another. While Cooper is determined to explore their connection, Jessica is determined to remain as detached as possible. But can Cooper show her that what they could have together is real and worth taking a chance on?

Part of my problem here was the characters. While I really liked Cooper, I struggled with Jessica. She was annoying to me much of the time and I never felt like I could connect with her. I was rooting for these two to get together, but I struggled with their connection if I am honest. I think a lot of that had to do with Jessica, as Cooper was great. I just never felt invested in her or their relationship like I should have.

The other big issue I had here besides the characters was some of the story itself. It felt like something was missing and much of the time I was a bit bored. There wasn't a lot to captivate me and make me want to read this story. There didn't seem to be a lot of depth, despite the potential for it with their pasts, and I just was disappointed that we didn't get to dig any deeper with these two. Communication was an issue here, and I felt that played a huge part in the lack of depth here. It just got frustrating as the story continued and I think that these two needed to talk more about things in order for me to have felt any connection forming between these two. Without that, the bond they were supposed to be forming fell pretty flat. As I said though, I did like the setup of the town and some of the characters that were introduced here and I would be interested in getting to know them better. I just struggled with this one, and wanted more.

The One Real Thing starts off with an intriguing story–a tragic story of unrequited love that Jessica discovers in some old letters hidden in a library book at the Women’s Correctional Facility where she is a doctor. On impulse, she decides to take her vacation in the hometown of the now deceased author of the letters, with the intention of taking the letters to their original intended recipient. I wanted a little more of this story, and was disappointed that it was all but abandoned once Jessica arrived in Hartwell.

There are so many characters that inhabit Hart’s Boardwalk. Most are interesting, engaging, funny, loyal, hard working, friendly, and charming–a few are a little more mysterious than others. I did enjoy all the characters, even the villains. There’s so much about them I need to know (why, Jack, why?). Much like her impulsive decision to travel to Hartwell, Jessica continues to impulsively make big life decisions and jump to conclusions, but she’s still a very likeable character. The various relationships move at warp speed, but the book moves slowly. In fact, the story really started to drag. Ms. Young does an excellent job conveying emotions of the characters; the chemistry between Cooper and Jessica was apparent from the very start. The storyline involving Cooper’s ex-wife worked at the beginning, and was useful for certain plot purposes, however, it continued on far too long. I could have lived with all of these minor issues, and really enjoyed this book, if not for the major conflict. The surrounding melodrama and hysteria didn’t work for me, at all. I found myself rolling my eyes so hard, not something I’ve ever done while reading one of Ms. Young’s books in the past. I found that entire plot thread unbelievable, overwrought, and frankly, ridiculous.

Having read and loved Ms. Young’s On Dublin Street series, I know she can, and will, do much better than this.

I loved Jessica and Cooper’s story but I'm even more excited about what's to come in the Hart’s Boardwalk series because this was just so full of all these awesome details making me want more and more. I'm excited to see where it all will go. I am in love with this amazing cast of characters and this wonderful town. :-)

Right off the bat I knew I was in for an emotional ride and I was right. This story had such a wonderful build as all of these incredible details and layers were introduced. I loved all the characters, they’re were all so intriguing. Everyone seems to have secrets and how it was presented just makes me want to know about all of them. So I am super excited for what’s to come.

Cooper and Jessica had quite a courtship. She held things so very close to her chest, so closed off and scarred from things in her past. Watching her open up to Cooper and let her guard down was phenomenal. I thought the build to that moment was incredible. Coop was so wonderfully sweet and sexy. I loved how caring he was, how well he could read Jessica and how he was really there for her. They have some ups and downs but getting to that HEA was awesome. Cooper and Jessica had such an easy connection with fantastic chemistry and heat. It made me root for them right from the very beginning.

I thought the writing was excellent, I loved the storyline, loved the imagery of Hartwell and the boardwalk. I love the details and descriptions. The characters seem so real, genuine and caring with flaws and imperfections. I also love the bad guy element that was happening and how it was incorporated. I love a good bad guy so I thought the conflict that was added was really great. I love what brought Jessica to Hartwell in the first place and how that comes around again. By the end I was doing my best not to cry. I honestly love how it all played out and it was presented.

I thought this was a smart, emotional romance full of so much heart. Loved it!

Many of you are aware of Samantha Young through her On Dublin Street series. Though I'm still working my way through them it was a no-brainer that I'd have to check out her new endeavor. Set in a small town where everywhere you turn is a friendly face ready with a warm greeting, The One Real Thing has a different vibe to it that made me wishing I could visit it myself.

Jessica is a hardworking doctor at a women's prison where she stands out among her peers because of her generous compassion towards all the inmates. She has this inherent belief that no one is truly bad, they just happen to do bad things. At the prison, she discovers a series of hidden letters within a book written by a former inmate. These letters and the tragic story that is relayed through them, have an unexpected effect on Jessica, ultimately inspiring her to find the intended recipient. Before she can back out of it, she makes Hartwell her getaway destination so she can deliver those letters and get some R&R. Away from her stressful job, Jessica finds solace in the calm and friendly seaside town. It's not until she runs in to Cooper that she understands what has been amiss. Jessica and Cooper are older and jaded having been through their fair share of disappointment. She has spent most of her life trying to "fix things" as a doctor and hide away behind her career, while he has always been the one taking care of things. Pursuing a relationship is a big gamble for both of them since they both come with baggage.

There's more to Jessica's story than meets the eye and it's a sad one that's held her back emotionally. In a way, it takes a village to help Cooper and Jessica find their way to each other. It's a close-knit community of people who look out for one another. I like how Young has set potential storylines in TORT through some of the other characters in town, one of them being quiet bookstore owner, Emery. I admired how Jessica's slow connection to the elusive young woman was played out. There's definitely something in her backstory that I hope gets explored in a future book. This particular storyline also showcased Jessica's amazing patience and empathetic nature which made her my personal hero. The only character I didn't take to immediately was Bailey, one of Cooper's friends and the owner of the bed and breakfast where Jessica stays. The two of them become instant friends which is great, it's just that her personality came on a bit too strong for me. Regardless, I was relieved that Jessica was experiencing a beautiful companionship. As for the man of the hour, Cooper ... yeah, he's gorgeous, he's resourceful, he's a no-nonsense kind of guy but the BEST thing about him is that he was not once intimidated by Jessica's credentials. That kind of a man is a keeper! And the two of them make one hot couple! As for the rest of the locals, they're lovely and welcoming - I was starting to feel like Hartwell was home myself!

The One Real Thing will bring on all the feels. At first the synopsis sounds like it has all the makings of a Lifetime movie but I think it surpasses that initial impression. I thought that the hidden letters would take center stage in the story but they're only the catalyst that gives Jessica that push to snap out of her solitude. It's always fun to read about a community that not only charms its way into your heart but also heals what's been hurting for so long. I think everyone comes to a point where they question what they're doing, if they're happy, if it's worth it. Jessica and Cooper are no different so it's a delight to watch them dance around each other until they get their acts together. Sure, The One Real Thing is a lovely romance but it's also an ode to finding yourself in all the chaos.

A new Samantha Young family to fall in love with.

In this new series by the ever talented Samantha Young we meet Jessica a Doctor who works in a women’s prison. She is very much self-sufficient, doesn’t want a committed relationship, nor does she crave one. But after finding some long lost love letters that were never delivered she just feels in her heart that she just can’t let these letters be undelivered.

I think the letters opened something in Jessica’s heart that had long been dormant. While she decided that these letters must be delivered she finds herself in a small quaint town of Hartwell.

Cooper Lawson is a bar owner with an ex-wife who just doesn’t get the hint that it is over. The sparks fly when he first sees and give Jessica shelter from a rainy night.

The sparks fly right away between Cooper and Jessica. More for Cooper than Jessica. Her heart is closed vessel, but the people in this town are determined to open it up for her. The characters in this series are both a delight and mysterious. I can’t wait to find out more about everyone in Hartwell.

I think the only down side I had in this book were the love letters. I would have loved to learn more about the two people these letters were about. Even though we know the outcome of these two long lost lovers I still would love to read a short story about them. That’s how much of an impact these love letters had on me as the reader. I went in wanting to know more about Sarah and George.

There was also a similarity between Jessica and Jocelyn for On Dublin Street. But we all know how that turned out. So if I am going by the similarity between these two characters can only mean One Real Thing. This is going to be a fantastic series!