One True Loves was the fourth novel written by New York Times bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid. Released in 2016, it was the last of her earlier works, before the hugely successful Daisy Jones and The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
Taylor Jenkins Reid is up there are one of my favourite authors of general fiction and romance novels.
I already knew from reading the blurb that this was a book that was going to make me cry. I love the way Taylor Jenkins Reid writes about human emotion and the premise immediately appealed to me.
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Plot
In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart Jesse. Deeply in love, the couple get far away from their home town in Massachusetts. They build a life together based on their mutual love of travel and adventure.
However on their first wedding anniversary, tragedy strikes. Jesse is on a helicopter across the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.
Emma, in need of comfort and security, quits her job as a travel writer and moves back home with her parents. Years later, when Emma is in her thirties, she meets an old friend, Sam. Finally feeling ready to move forward with her life, Emma falls in love with Sam and the two get engaged.
As Sam and Emma are preparing for their wedding, Sam receives a phone call and hears a voice she never thought she’d hear again. Jesse is alive.
Jesse has been trying all these years to come home to Emma and now he’s back he wants them to pick up where they left off.
Emma now has both a husband and a fiancé. With an impossible decision to make, Emma has to decide who really is her one true love.
One True Loves Book Review
I was right. This book made me feel ALL the emotions! It was such a compelling read and I believe nobody writes human emotion like Taylor Jenkins Reid.
As always the characters were relatable and felt really authentic. Neither man was perfect but I could see how and why Emma fell in love with them both.
Though it was such an impossible decision for Emma, I did have my own personal preference over who she would choose. For me the ending, though bittersweet, was a perfect one.
For such a heart-breaking read, it also manages to be really uplifting. I always find Taylor Jenkins Reid tackles subjects such as grief with such tenderness and empathy.
Overall, it’s safe to say I loved One True Loves. I’d say it’s my favourite of all of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s early works. It was such a compelling read and I do enjoy a book that can make me cry!
What To Read Next
If you enjoyed One True Loves I’d definitely suggest reading more Taylor Jenkins Reid books. I have a complete list of Taylor Jenkins Reid books in order if you’re interested in finding out more.
I’d personally recommend some of her earlier works, such as Forever Interrupted and After I Do.
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