The One Place and The One Girl: By Laurel Ulen Curtis
Add to Goodreads Buy Nook/Kindle/PB
Natalie Dalton is a beautiful, witty, charismatic twenty-seven year old with an ugly past and one weakness-the people she loves. She’s been waiting for a way out of the dark cloud that’s suffocating her for a year when the perfect opportunity comes.
She finds herself settling in a small town based on a feeling of rightness, and as she learns about the people around her they start to fill the holes she didn’t know there were in her heart.
Tucker Cody is a quick-witted, playful, and hard-loving twenty-nine year old, but for the past 5 years he’s set that all aside and focused on work as a way to escape. Abandoned by his whole family in one way or another, he’s kept people at a distance ever since. Until one girl.
Will they find a way to heal each other and move on from their pasts?
Or will their pasts find a way to hold onto them?
The One Place is the first book in The One Series.
An opportunity presents itself and Talie finds herself getting away and ending up in a small town. She starts to find friendly faces and one that gets a reaction from her right away.
Tucker is a hot alpha male with a tragic past, but a huge heart. He is sarcastic, but straight forward. He has a no nonsense way about him. He does not say much, but what he does say means something. He is charismatic, sweet, protective, generous, and helps take care of many people in the town. He is such a strong male character. I adored how he spoke and how he just said what he thought.
Talie and Tucker start verbally sparring right away. Talie starts to find her way in this small town, but is clueless at first to what effect she has on Tucker.
"So you really like me, huh?"
His face was a mask of disbelief. "Jesus.. You're slow sometimes."
"...But I haven't ever brought a woman to my house and cooked for her. And I haven't ever kissed a woman the way I kiss you. I imagine that when we get to the f**kin', that won't be the same either."
"You just don't know me yet. But you will, Babe. You're gonna know me better than anyone."
I loved seeing them slowly communicate their feelings and start to act on their intense chemistry. They have a strong connection, passion and need for each other both physically and emotionally. Tucker is very patient in some areas, but fast moving in others. I loved their sparring. He was a great combination of bossy and loving.
"Thought we went over this. We aren't dating. This is it."
"Nobody like you. Best I ever had in every f**ckin' way possible."
They make a great couple in all the ways that count, but there are shadows lurking. This couple had a lot to deal with from their pasts and had to try to learn to let go in order to face a future. But what happens when the past comes back to haunt you just when you are trying to forget it? The ending leaves you wanting more and you will want to go straight to The One Girl!
"But I promise you, Talie. Whatever it is, I'm gonna stick by you. And if whatever it is catches up to you, I'm gonna protect you from it,. And if it turns out that way, I'll protect both of you."
"But you just met me."
"Maybe, But I feel like you've been mine all my life."
I was thinking maybe I felt the same way.
"...I realized I was happy. Unbelievably so. I was happiest in any one of three places. In Joplin, Tennessee, on Tuck's farm, or safely nestled in Tuck's arms. Luckily for me, they were all in one place, safely cocooned inside one another like my very own matryoshka doll."
This book was told in Talie's POV. I really enjoyed the town of Joplin and the residents there. You can feel the connection between the people of the town and Tucker and Talie. The characters were well developed and the plot has twists and connections.
Thanks to Laurel Ulen Curtis for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Warning: The One Girl is the second book in The One Series, and picks up where the story of The One Place left off. If you have not read The One Place, the following description may contain SPOILERS.
Warning, #2: This book contains explicit language and sexual content.
Tucker Cody has just been dealt a surprising blow. His fiance, his love, his future--his Talie--has a twisted connection to his past.
When faced with the same man who’s responsible for the loss of his entire family, will he be able to protect his new one? Or will danger come from other directions?
All of the answers come down to one thing. One girl.
This book starts right where book one left off. But this book is in Tucker's POV(Have I already mentioned that I LOVE Tucker?!) This book not only explores more of Talie and Tucker's relationship, but also deals with people from their past that now add complications to it.
"Couldn't be happier that you ended up here with me, Babe. I just mean that that's either one hell of a coincidence or fate has one hell of a sick sense of humor."
We also get to meet Talie's sister Kayla who is really funny and provides comic relief. And more with their friends Ruthie and Jace. I have to say again that I love the people of Joplin and would be happy to live there.
But this book has drama, suspense, and action mixed in with the romance. They are all on alert trying to make sure the past does not ruin their future. I do not want to give away any spoilers, but there are twists, surprises, and intermingling connections that tie the story together. And Tucker and Talie try their best to weather the storms together. I love how strong and determined Tucker is even if he is bossy and uses curse words multiple times in every sentence. He gets to me every time he says "Babe." And Talie is a strong, capable, and loving woman. And she is sassy and funny too.
"I gotta tell you , Babe. Meant to be according to some higher power or not, it's meant to be to me. You were the girl I had been waiting for. You were The One. And you still f**kin' are."
"Listen, Babe. I'll make this simple for you so that there's no confusion. If you try to take off, I'll just chase you down. If you try to push me away, I'll pull you back. I'll do whatever the f**k I gotta do to keep you close to me for as long as I f**kin' can. Not ever lettin' you go....Not ever."
I enjoyed this series. They are easy to read and not very long, but the characters and storyline still felt interesting and complete. And epilogues always make me happy!
The author is working on a standalone book focusing on a character Coleman Cade that we met briefly in this book.
Thanks to Laurel Ulen Curtis for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Laurel Ulen Curtis is a 26 year old mother of one. She lives with her husband and son (and cat and two fish!) in New Jersey, but grew up all over the United States. She graduated from Rutgers University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology, and puts that to almost no use other than forecasting for her friends! She has a passion for her family, laughing, and reading and writing Romance novels.
0 comments