An awful book. Couldn’t finish it
Poorly written and rubbish story
Hated it. I wouldn’t recommend reading it. A total disappointment

Ashley Farley is a favorite of mine, however, this time she surpasses any expectations I might have had about this book. Only One Life is one of the best books I've ever read. I love how Farley writes about relationships - the challenges and the satisfaction that they can bring. This book starts in the present day with Julia, who is the estranged daughter of Max and Iris. She was kicked out of her home because she had chosen to marry a man her dad, Max felt was not good enough for her. The story jumps back a number of years to when Iris was a young woman who had been raised by a disagreeable aunt since she was 8 years old because her parents died. Iris met Max while working in a department store. Max came from a wealthy, prominent family, and his family felt Iris was quite beneath him, so they eloped. The story evolves through many challenging circumstances this family faces including dysfunction, secrets, illness as well as forgiveness. This is an absolute must read that you will not want to put down.

A very good book on love, loss and family drama. I was definitely rooting for the main character in the story and glad it turned out the way I had hoped. It goes to show sometimes family are the root of all evil. Read this book in about a day! Highly recommend. Well done Ashley Farley! Thank you netgalley for letting me give an honest review of this book.

I read this book this afternoon because it just captured me and I had to keep reading. Julia, fell in love and became pregnant when she was in college. Her father disowned her and forced her mother to do so too. As I read the book, I kept thinking you really don't know what goes on behind closed doors. Ashley Farley opened the doors and let us inside to see what does go on. Julia had many miscarriages before being able to carry a baby to term. The night that she went into labor there was a bad storm and a tree fell on their car. Her husband Jack didn't make it. Without Jack's income, their home was foreclosed and she was forced to eventually go back to her parent's house. Her father didn't want her and her son there but her mother stood up to him. After she moved back in she learned a lot about her family. There is what you think from the outside looking in and then there is what is really going on when the doors are open and the light is shed on it. It was an amazing book.