Saturday, May 14, 2016

Review: My One and Only (Ardent Springs #3) by Terri Osburn



Book Blurb:

As far as Dr. Haleigh Rae Mitchner is concerned, Cooper Ridgeway is more suited to a superhero cape than mechanic’s overalls. It’s just like Ardent Springs’s most upstanding resident to rescue a pregnant, homeless teenager and bring her to Haleigh’s delivery room. When they team up to help the new mother and baby, Haleigh is determined not to cross the line with Cooper. Not only is he her best friend’s brother, he’s a guy who deserves more than Haleigh’s checkered past could ever offer.
At first glance, Haleigh is no longer the girl Cooper pined for in school. The sleek, professional OB-GYN seems more out of reach than ever for this small-town mechanic. But the more time he spends with the complicated woman, the more he wants her. Who better than Cooper to prove to her that nothing is beyond fixing? Especially in Ardent Springs, a town that’s tailor-made for second chances.
My Review:
In My One and Only by Terri Osburn, Haleigh is back in her hometown of Ardent Springs.  With a lot of past and present issues weighing on her, the last thing she's looking for is a relationship.  Especially with her best friends twin brother.  But a homeless young mother in her delivery room ends up bringing Cooper and Haleigh into each other's orbits again.  Cooper has always been interested in Haleigh, but she's given him nothing to indicate she felt the same way.  As they spend more time in each others company however, the mutual attraction becomes obvious.  Haleigh is convinced she'll never be enough for Cooper, but Cooper gets the feeling he'll never meet Haleigh's standards.  Slowly they become closer, but Haleigh's issues, secrecy and past have a strong hold on her and soon despite her best efforts, she's hurting Cooper anyway.  Will they be over before they really start?  Or can Haleigh have her second chance in Ardent Springs?
I felt a lot of conflict at times while reading My One and Only.  I really liked Cooper.  He has a big heart, thinks of others, is successful and has been happy in his life even if he hasn't found a woman to settle down with.  He really just comes across as a great guy, has lots of friends, and doesn't judge.  I found Haleigh very difficult to like and connect with.  She has a lot of guilt from the past, is insecure, and has a strong need for her mother's approval despite having always felt nothing but disdain from the woman.  This really affects her way of being in all areas of her life.  Her actions contradict a lot of what she says, especially to Cooper.  Part of me really just wanted him to let her go.  But like in real life, there are people you don't always like or connect with, and this helped the characters feel real.  They, especially Haleigh, were definitely not perfect (ok, Cooper was probably close!).  I liked that they had a history together, and it helped with the development of their relationship as adults.
There are a lot of sub plots within My One and Only involving the secondary characters, from the young homeless new mother and the mystery she shows up with, and family dynamics involving not only Haleigh and her mother, but between both main characters and Cooper's sister.  This added more believability to the plot to see these other areas of their lives.  The secondary characters are all different and important to different parts of the story.
Part of Terri Osburn's Ardent Springs series, My One and Only can be read as a stand alone.
3/5 stars
Purchase from Amazon.com

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