What can I say: I like nerds. So of course I wanted to read about Sebastian, being the nerdy boy who was bullied and about Rachel, the feisty neighborhood girl, who stood up for him. And it was a sweet read. Sebastian cleared up pretty well, and became a successful business man. Rachel however, didn't get to realize her perfect planning of moving up the career ladder, finding a husband and getting 2.5 kids.
Partly, because she put her life on hold to take care of her mother, when she got breast cancer. But now, when the big 3-0 is approaching, she runs into Sebastian again. And he reminders her of the marriage pact they made fourteen years ago: when both were still single at thirty, they would marry each other. And although Seb and Rachel are not really planning to follow up on that contract, their families seem to think they will. Rachel certainly isn't planning on it, until she discovers that her mother's cancer has likely returned. Placing her mother's happiness above hers, she asks Sebastian to go through with the wedding. And while Sebastian had always had a crush on Rachel, that is no hard decision.
But when the date is closing in: can they keep up the charade? Or were their parents right? And should they marry regardless? When exes turn up and the parents start acting strange: what will happen next? Find out for yourself in this wonderful read of CD Reiss. Four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

A fun, easy read!

The flow of Only Ever You was perfection. I absolutely ADORE Sebastian and Rachel.
I was close to giving it 3-stars because of a few things I found to be a *bit* stretched, but at the end of the day I really loved this story and had a difficult time putting it down!

I think Seb was my favorite character of them all. Nerd turned hunk, with the nerd still very vibrant and present still, after so many years.

Rachel was a tad rough at parts, but I think she needed to be. She wasn't happy with her life and she had to figure things out. Something I love about stories is when you can see the characters grow and turn into their best selves, I was happy reading Rachel's transformation.

Sure, a few parts I had a hard time adding up the sense in my head, but when I really thought about it and questioned who these characters are and their obvious, and not so obvious intentions were, you can really see why things ended up the way they did.

Honestly, I was sad when the story ended, but also very settled and happy with the conclusion.

When I read the blurb for this book, I immediately thought I was going to love it. However, I struggled to get through it and it ended up being quite a miss for me. Even though I love many of the tropes included, I had a hard time connecting with the story and both the main characters. I found the dialogue choppy and very hard to follow. I often couldn't figure out who was talking even after re-reading whole passages. This was my first CD Reiss title so maybe this author just isn't for me.

I just love a good friends to lovers romance that is full of heart and that is just what this is. I love the concept of this story too, keeping to that friends/lovers trope so well. Rachel and Sebastian are such good characters and their chemistry is undeniable. I love me a sexy nerd! I loved watching their friendship morph into so much more. There is a really good cast of supporting characters in this book which only adds to the story. I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to the publisher/Netgalley for this ARC.

I adore C.D. Reiss, but Only Ever You was a bit of a miss for me. I had a hard time following the story, specifically who the characters were, and connecting with the leads and their romance. I normally feel EVERYTHING with Reiss, but I didn't with this story.

I love a good second chance romance but honestly, Only Ever You fell short for me. I just could not connect with the characters, their love seemed one-sided and the entire story felt disjointed to me. I love CD Reiss and her stories but this one just didn’t do it for me.

Only Ever You is a sweet, charming romance. I love the characters, Rachel & Sebastian, and how the story is told from both of their perspectives. It was my first time reading anything by CD Reiss, and I am extremely impressed! I highly recommend!

So, this was actually my first CD Reiss book. I can say that it wont be my last. I have had several books of hers sifting on my TBR that are about to be devoured. Yep. Love this book so much!!!

**3.75 Stars**

I have not read a CD Reiss book in a while and admittedly her books are a bit hit or miss for me, so going into this I wasnt quite sure what to expect, but I thought the blurb was very interesting and it sounded like something I would love.

The book started off very promising and I loved the strong friendship Sebastian and Rachel had and the fierce protectiveness she showed over Sebastian. I even loved the quirky side characters in the book who added som funny moments throughout the book. When Rachel and Sebastian meet up again as adults after not having seen each other, and their families are pushing for them to get married, things get a little tricky. I think the had good chemistry but some of their interactions were juvenile and frustrated me at times. In addition, although I found some of the parts of the book about Rachel's job interesting, I think a lot of it wasn't essential to the story and maybe took away from it.

I think the premise of the story was interesting, but I think it could have maybe played out somewhat differently to where it would have flowed a little better. I like that the story had a HEA, but this left me wanting a little more.

When Rachel and Sebastian were young they made a deal with one another, if neither of them had found their happily ever after by age thirty then they would create one together... starting with a walk down the aisle. Well now they have both hit thirty, with no marriage or blissful future in sight. And now their family has caught wind of their little deal, so they are dealing with incessant urging from them to consider it. But they can't possibly go through with a deal they made as children... or can they?

Only Ever You was my first experience with Ms. Reiss's work and I have to say it impressed on many fronts, what a charming first read! The story line was a very inventive take on the friends to lovers premise, and proved to be quite entertaining and good on the heart. There was a smoldering and intense chemistry brewing between Rachel and Sebastian that helped keep things consistently hot and steamy. And their meddling families not only brought drama to the pages, but also bits of humor too... gotta love families! If you like light-hearted romances that'll tug on the heartstrings, and bring a few blushes, then I highly suggest you give Only Ever You a chance, you won't be disappointed with what you find between it's pages!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, via NetGalley, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

I just finished and let me tell you... this story pulls at alllllll the heartstrings without being unnecessarily angsty. Also, it's beautiful and a little sexy and has lots of chemistry. It's also a favorite trope of mine: friends to lovers.

The friendship and chemistry between Sebastian and Rachel is nearly unbreakable. I say nearly because of insecurities along the way. The way Sebastian carried a torch for Rachel as long as he did just made my heart melt. 

An important plot point, which I refuse to reveal to avoid spoilers, is something I don't think I've ever read. 

I loved the characters. There were moments where I wanted to push Rachel into doing more and feeling more secure, but it had to happen at a certain pace. Sebastian, though, total heartthrob. Sounds cliché, but he's smart, and kind, and sensitive, and thoughtful. All without seeming emasculated. Plus, I have a thing for nerdy guys.

The major supporting characters were great too. You can see how the family members contribute to the H/h's personalities. 

Definitely a great summer read with heart!

Sweet romantic story. The parents are humorous and Sebastian is the nerd kid turned hunk of love. Rachel was a tad annoying at times and the book seemed to run around the bush a couple of unnecessary times. It did drag.

Very out of the norm for CD and you may just tire of it, but the ending is sweet.

Received a copy from the publisher for a honest review

Having just left the world of Drazen in Pretty Scars, I was ready for whatever C.D. Reiss was creating and while Only Ever You is not anything like the insanity of the Drazens it was equally as compelling and hard to put down: I only stopped reading to sleep and inhaled this novel in a matter of hours.



Only Ever You is a stand out, for me, because it seems rooted in characters and a plot that feels realistic. Rachel and Sebastion are, with a few exceptions, just like you and me. They're weak in some areas, stronger in others, and just so failingly human and I'm here for it. I love everything about their romance--from their teenage contract, their meeting years later, and their falling in love with a raw honesty about who they are and where they are in their lives--it's pitch perfect. Throw in their parents, a sister, and friends who provided humor and sage advice and I found myself smiling and nodding a lot.



I've yet to come across anything from C.D. Reiss that doesn't hold my attention. I appreciate that she can create a completely messed up world like the Drazens and then write something more down to earth like Only Ever You. Fans of her work will find many of the trademarks that are distinctly hers--succinct exposition, good dialogue, steamy sex scenes, and a well paced plot--and I bet they'll be as enamored as this new novel as I am.

description

I loved Reiss's Songs of Submission series. And I mean I L-O-V-E-D it. It's been a while since I read it but I remember being completely engrossed in the story, the writing, the characters.
Which is why I'm pretty baffled right now. And I'm finding it hard to believe that this book was supposed to be written by the same author.
It felt incredibly unpolished, the writing was disjointed and strangely paced, the dialogues were confusing - just like many other reviewers, I often didn't even know who was speaking.
And while there really wasn't anything wrong with the characters (in another book, I might've even enjoyed them), they didn't manage to make up for the rather lackluster plot or the above mentioned writing flaws. I just didn't care that much about them or their love story.

I was ecstatic when I got the approval for this ARC. I'm a huge sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope, and C.D. Reiss had a big hand in introducing me to the romance genre all those years ago.
I don't know, maybe I'm being unfair, maybe my expectations were just too freaking high to live up to. And maybe I'll reconsider my rating once I'm over my disappointment.
For now, however... 2 stars, sorry.

2.5 stars
Loved the premise, loved the beginning of the book. Then, it slowly got repetitive. I thought I was going to love this book! A wedding contract?? How adorable. But there was a few flags for me. And I didn't love some aspects of it.

I had a hard time putting this book down. Two friends make a contract to get married at 30 if both are single. Get ready to read their wild ride to marriage and possible love. This book has lots of feels the good and the sad. Rachel goes through some hard times but Sebastian keeps her head up. There are lots of moments between Rachel and Sebastian that will melt your heart. I loved the journey these two took as a couple and each on their own. This was a great read.

CD Reiss is a very versatile writer. I sometimes forget that she can do romantic fluffy as well as she does heart stopping angst.

Only Ever You is the romantic fluffy version of CD. Sebastian Barton is the grandpa cardigan wearing dweeb. But he isn’t the same bullied little dweeb he was in school. Now he’s hot, rich grandpa cardigan wearing but dweeb no more.

His childhood protector and bully slayer was Rachel Rendell. Grown up a Rachel has had it tough. Life didn’t quite go they way she planned it but the planets are aligned and her future is going to change.

This book is a hodgepodge of tropes. Childhood sweethearts, yes. Second chance romance, a little. Pretend fiancée/fiancé, yes. It was an enjoyable read with a few surprises along the way and some plot lines you might, if you’ve read the CD Reiss back catalogue, recognise.

I fear I am in the throes of an epic book slump.

This is yet another book that looks like it should work for me. The cover is gorgeous. The blurb seems right up my alley. And I've loved CD Reiss books in the past.

But it didn't work. I felt completely disconnected from the story. I felt like Sebastian could be the exact kind of charming nerd that I find so irresistible, but unfortunately I couldn't attach myself to his story enough to really invest or care. And I didn't really care for Rachel at all which made it hard to really root for them together. I wanted my heart to flutter and my pulse to race, but...I was mostly kind of bored.

There was a lot going on here and I felt like it convoluted what could have been a light, sweet story. Ultimately, I didn't have the patience to trudge through it all and it was a DNF for me at 30%.

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet, sexy romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

Sebastien and Rachel were neighbors and best friends growing up. She had hollywood dreams and he was the nerd and many times she defended him against bullies. 15 years go by and now he is very wealthy and she is in a deadend career that went nowhere.

They meet at their parents at age 30 and their parents bring up their childhood pact that they would marry if both were single at 30. But they havent seen each other in 15 years so S tries to get to know R. This story was really about how much we change from teens to adults and how liffe can really get you down and build you up.

It was a wonderfully told story and I loved exploring this theme and getting to know the characters. I have not read this author before but I was very impressed with the writing and story and characters.