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The One & Only

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'The One & Only' by Emily Giffin is a unique story that delves into complex relationships, particularly focusing on Shea Rigsby, a girl deeply devoted to football. The plot revolves around Shea's journey of self-discovery, her love for the game, and her unexpected feelings for Coach, while also exploring themes of familial conflict and domestic abuse. Despite the unconventional storyline, readers found themselves captivated by Giffin's writing style, which skillfully weaves together different elements to create a compelling narrative that keeps them engaged till the very end.

Characters:

Characters are drawn with depth, particularly Shea, who embodies a relatable struggle with insecurity, while supporting roles add richness to the narrative.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style blends romantic comedy with poignant emotional depth, but some readers feel it fails to address serious themes adequately.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around Shea and her struggles to reconcile her passion for football with her complicated relationships, especially with Coach Carr.

Setting:

Set against a backdrop of college football, the setting profoundly influences the story and character dynamics.

Pacing:

Initially slow, the pacing improves after early chapters, maintaining reader engagement, though some feel it lacks consistency.
I should have been thinking about God. Or the meaning of life. Or simply grieving the fact that my best friend was now motherless and my own mother without her best friend. Instead, I found myself gaz...

Notes:

The book evokes strong emotions, making readers laugh and cry.
Emily Giffin has an ability to create relatable and well-developed characters.
The lead character, Shea, struggles with her emotions and desires.
The complexity of Shea's relationship with her father figure, Coach Carr, is a central theme.
Supporting characters like Lucy and Shea's Dad are more than just stereotypes.
Some readers were confused by the sports terminology but still enjoyed the story.
The relationship dynamics in the book spark strong opinions, with some finding it uncomfortable.
The ending leaves some questions unanswered, contributing to mixed feelings about the conclusion.
Readers appreciate Giffin's growth as a writer since her first novel, 'Something Borrowed'.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of domestic abuse, potentially inappropriate relationships, and the handling of grief and loss.

Has Romance?

The romance is a central theme, deeply woven into the character's journey and emotional struggles.

From The Publisher:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY POPSUGAR

Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader's Circle for author chats and more.

Emily Giffin, the beloved author of such novels as Something Borrowed and Where We Belong, returns with an extraordinary story of love and loyalty-and an unconventional heroine struggling to reconcile both.

Thirty-three-year-old Shea Rigsby has spent her entire life in Walker, Texas-a small college town that lives and dies by football, a passion she unabashedly shares. Raised alongside her best friend, Lucy, the daughter of Walker's legendary head coach, Clive Carr, Shea was too devoted to her hometown team to leave. Instead she stayed in Walker for college, even taking a job in the university athletic department after graduation, where she has remained for more than a decade.

But when an unexpected tragedy strikes the tight-knit Walker community, Shea's comfortable world is upended, and she begins to wonder if the life she's chosen is really enough for her. As she finally gives up her safety net to set out on an unexpected path, Shea discovers unsettling truths about the people and things she has always trusted most-and is forced to confront her deepest desires, fears, and secrets.

Thoughtful, funny, and brilliantly observed, The One & Only is a luminous novel about finding your passion, following your heart, and, most of all, believing in something bigger than yourself . . . the one and only thing that truly makes life worth living.

Praise for The One & Only

"A page turner."-Southern Living

"The One & Only is one to read."-Associated Press

"Giffin scores again by bringing her discerning understanding of matters of the heart."-Family Circle

"A poignant story about growing up and growing into your own skin."-BookPage

"Touching."-New York Daily News

"Deep, beautifully written . . . [Emily Giffin's] latest focuses on a forbidden love of sorts, but in a new setting: a fictional small college town in Texas."-Marie Claire

"Each and every page of this story is entertaining. . . . Giffin is a talented writer who always comes up with a plot that is just a bit different than anything others are writing about. . . . Find a shady spot; get a cool drink, and just luxuriate in the joy of a book well written."-The Huffington Post

"Brace yourself for a tearjerker: A tale of friendship and loyalty in a small, football-crazed Texas town shows how quickly things can change when tragedy challenges all that the characters hold dear . . . [A] page-turner."-InStyle

"[Giffin's] protagonists . . . live full, interesting lives outside the purely personal realm-no more so than Shea Rigsby, the funny, flawed, but sympathetic central character in the The One & Only."-The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"In bestseller Giffin's much-anticipated latest, a young woman's life is upended when tragedy strikes the football-obsessed Texas town she's always called home."-People

"To fill your Friday Night Lights void: A tale of die-hard love in a diehard Texas football town from the bestselling author of Something Borrowed."-Cosmopolitan

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About the Author:

Emily Giffin is the author of nine internationally bestselling novels: Something Borrowed, Something Blue, Baby Proof, Love the One You're With, Heart of the Matter, Where We Belong, The One & Only, First Comes Love, and All We Ever Wanted. A graduate…

 
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