3.3 Stars

One Liner: Enjoyable but has some loose ends

 It has been five years since Eve broke up and walked away from Foster. While she does what she loves as a trauma nurse, her love life is standstill. Seeing Foster in the ER brings up the unresolved past and her emotions to the surface. 

Foster, too, has missed Eve though he kept his distance from her. When a bike stunt goes terribly wrong and lands him in her hospital, Foster hopes to tell Eve what he wanted to tell her for a long time. 

When the situation puts them together, can Eve and Foster resolve the past and find a way forward? 

The story comes in Eve and Foster’s first-person POVs. 

The premise is rather sweet, and I hoped for a heartwarming story. It is a nice book, no doubt there. However, it doesn’t reach its full potential. 

Eve and Foster are well-written. Since we get both POVs, we see their feelings for each other, their fears, their vulnerability, etc. I like that we never have to doubt Foster’s love for Eve. It is steady and unwavering from start to finish. Eve’s feelings are clear too though she is a bit more tentative and wary of commitment (the second time). 

The flashbacks of the past are short yet detailed. Those they are not linear, it is easy to put the pieces together. What started as an insta-love ends up convincing by the end. However, I wish we had more scenes (at least 2 more) from the past. 

Foster injuries make this a slow burn with no spice (not even in the past). I admit it’s a little disappointing but fine. The banter is childish and silly but fun too. I laughed and rolled my eyes at their flirting. It fits the character arcs. 

I also like the medical and nursing part of the plot. The author’s professional experience blends the details into the storyline seamlessly. (This isn’t my field, I don’t know if something is incorrect) 

The premise calls for extra depth to the narrative and some tears. However, the story doesn’t dig deep. Quite a few leads have been provided but have gone nowhere. Sustaining those would have made it better (the memory lapse part, the video, the annoying friend & sis, the lack of official documents which Eve didn’t seem to wonder about until the end, Eve’s other exes, etc.). 

That said, the MCs do have good conversations and don’t try to hide their feelings (or confusion). Even if they messed up in the past, they try to fix things by being open about their current situation. 

I tend to like the best friends more in this genre but I couldn’t really like Kait and Jess. Gen, Phil, and Matt are much better. I was glad when Eve stood her ground and set boundaries. 

Don’t go into the book for the tropes, though. The forced proximity part is okay but the one-bed thing is not even an issue in a way. Read it as a clean second-chance romance (not really smoldering in there). It’s got a steady pace, so you can finish it in a couple of hours. 

To summarize, Still The One is a good read about lovers finding their way back to each other after a painful separation. It could have been a lot better but should work if you want something light yet touching. 

The author’s note throws a light on some of the whys, but I wish the editors worked a little more on the inconsistencies to iron out the wrinkles. 

Thank you, Rachel’s Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley