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The One #2
Still the One
This story isn’t about a second chance, it’s about working through the hard stuff, so a second chance isn’t needed in the first place.
When her estranged sister is injured in an accident, Cate Herrera’s well-crafted life is turned upside down as she rushes to her side. Despite knowing she wouldn’t want to see her if she wasn’t in a coma. Only then does Cate find out that not only does she have nieces and a nephew, but she is the only thing standing between them and foster care.
Everything happens so quickly Cate says yes to taking them in before she talks it over with her girlfriend. Telling herself that it was just for a week or so, and Hilary would understand, its family. Even if they had agreed years before that they didn’t want kids, but did this really break that agreement?
Hilary Mathews has no love for Cate’s sister and can’t understand why her girlfriend would agree to take in her kids, even for a minute. After all, it will only lead to heartache and pain when her sister wakes up just as homophobic as before the accident. Only this time she will take the kids Cate is rapidly falling in love with away from her.
Before Hilary can get her head around kids in the house, she is offered a job opportunity that she longs to take. Especially since it involves a move across the country that will bring them closer to her own family. But now with the kids around, Cate isn’t interested in leaving. Can Hilary give up an opportunity that might never happen again?
Suddenly, their perfect life is in turmoil. Each is pulled by each wanting to be closer to their families. Making staying together seem impossible. Is it time to move on without the woman you love?
Don't miss seeing how Cate and Hilary meet and fall in love in Finding the One, a prequel novella.
When her estranged sister is injured in an accident, Cate Herrera’s well-crafted life is turned upside down as she rushes to her side. Despite knowing she wouldn’t want to see her if she wasn’t in a coma. Only then does Cate find out that not only does she have nieces and a nephew, but she is the only thing standing between them and foster care.
Everything happens so quickly Cate says yes to taking them in before she talks it over with her girlfriend. Telling herself that it was just for a week or so, and Hilary would understand, its family. Even if they had agreed years before that they didn’t want kids, but did this really break that agreement?
Hilary Mathews has no love for Cate’s sister and can’t understand why her girlfriend would agree to take in her kids, even for a minute. After all, it will only lead to heartache and pain when her sister wakes up just as homophobic as before the accident. Only this time she will take the kids Cate is rapidly falling in love with away from her.
Before Hilary can get her head around kids in the house, she is offered a job opportunity that she longs to take. Especially since it involves a move across the country that will bring them closer to her own family. But now with the kids around, Cate isn’t interested in leaving. Can Hilary give up an opportunity that might never happen again?
Suddenly, their perfect life is in turmoil. Each is pulled by each wanting to be closer to their families. Making staying together seem impossible. Is it time to move on without the woman you love?
Don't miss seeing how Cate and Hilary meet and fall in love in Finding the One, a prequel novella.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2022
49 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 3, 2022
It was difficult to read along and watch the lack of open and honest conversations about past and present as well as their most private fears almost destroying Cate and Hilaries happiness and future, but then that was what had drawn me in in the synopsis.
This is a really well written tale about what is essential in a relationship. Any of those, family, friendship, work and love are always a work in progress, the amount of work and energy each participant puts in determining the duration and the outcome.
Other than other works I read before, basically the first 80% are a continuously getting worse black moment, the last 20% a breath of fresh air and relief for me as a reader. But those 20% were well worth the eye rolling despair I had to fight to not put this book down and not finish it.
The two main characters reminded me of a book by Paul Watzlawik: The Situation is Hopeless But Not Serious: The Pursuit of Unhappiness, this tale could be one of the prime examples in his book.
This is a really well written tale about what is essential in a relationship. Any of those, family, friendship, work and love are always a work in progress, the amount of work and energy each participant puts in determining the duration and the outcome.
Other than other works I read before, basically the first 80% are a continuously getting worse black moment, the last 20% a breath of fresh air and relief for me as a reader. But those 20% were well worth the eye rolling despair I had to fight to not put this book down and not finish it.
The two main characters reminded me of a book by Paul Watzlawik: The Situation is Hopeless But Not Serious: The Pursuit of Unhappiness, this tale could be one of the prime examples in his book.
January 10, 2026
Honest Communication is Key
Hillary and Cate had been together for seven years before there was a crisis big enough to push them to the brink that would either blow up their world or cause them to finally see that they needed more than good sex and love that they actually needed to honestly communicate with each other.
For the most part over the first half of the book Cate shoots down everything Hillary dreams of for them or herself: marriage, children, vacations, moving to live closer to her family because they love them and aren't hateful and mean to them like Cate's family is, even Hillary having to quit playing on a softball team. And while Cate lies repeatedly and is in constant fear of Hillary leaving no matter her reassurances, Hillary goes along with whatever Cate says she wants or doesn't want because she doesn't want to live without Cate.
When crisis and major decisions hit suddenly communications crumble and their relationship reels with false assumptions about the other while each grasps for a life preserver that will mean they're still wanted only to be met with hesitancy that falsely reeks of rejection.
I kept wanting to climb into the pages of this book and shake some sense into both Cate and Hilary before they lost everything and destroyed each other breaking their own hearts and other's hearts as well. However the author pulls it out in an amazing way as she takes us on a tremendous rollercoaster of a journey that you don't want to miss.
Hillary and Cate had been together for seven years before there was a crisis big enough to push them to the brink that would either blow up their world or cause them to finally see that they needed more than good sex and love that they actually needed to honestly communicate with each other.
For the most part over the first half of the book Cate shoots down everything Hillary dreams of for them or herself: marriage, children, vacations, moving to live closer to her family because they love them and aren't hateful and mean to them like Cate's family is, even Hillary having to quit playing on a softball team. And while Cate lies repeatedly and is in constant fear of Hillary leaving no matter her reassurances, Hillary goes along with whatever Cate says she wants or doesn't want because she doesn't want to live without Cate.
When crisis and major decisions hit suddenly communications crumble and their relationship reels with false assumptions about the other while each grasps for a life preserver that will mean they're still wanted only to be met with hesitancy that falsely reeks of rejection.
I kept wanting to climb into the pages of this book and shake some sense into both Cate and Hilary before they lost everything and destroyed each other breaking their own hearts and other's hearts as well. However the author pulls it out in an amazing way as she takes us on a tremendous rollercoaster of a journey that you don't want to miss.
June 2, 2022
Interesting but frustrating
Still The One is a story where the last 30% made up for a lot, but still wasn’t enough. Cate and Hilary are still together 7 years after that first novel. However, their 7 years together has apparently been spent only in the bedroom, because the two have never had a single conversation with one another. Assumptions, ignorance, and general selfishness makes the first half of the book difficult, as key elements of a working relationship are completely ignored by both MC’s.
I like both characters, but their oversights and relationship were difficult to read about. In particular Hilary’s self centeredness was a bit unbelievable.
Overall decent, but not the best.
Still The One is a story where the last 30% made up for a lot, but still wasn’t enough. Cate and Hilary are still together 7 years after that first novel. However, their 7 years together has apparently been spent only in the bedroom, because the two have never had a single conversation with one another. Assumptions, ignorance, and general selfishness makes the first half of the book difficult, as key elements of a working relationship are completely ignored by both MC’s.
I like both characters, but their oversights and relationship were difficult to read about. In particular Hilary’s self centeredness was a bit unbelievable.
Overall decent, but not the best.
November 10, 2022
a great read
I really enjoyed this character driven book. The twists were not impossible and the women were full of flaws. They were realistic representing so many people you probably know. The family drama of the Herrera sisters was totally believable and the friend Cate and Hilary built their lives around were hit and miss. It was a good read and the writing was awesome.
I really enjoyed this character driven book. The twists were not impossible and the women were full of flaws. They were realistic representing so many people you probably know. The family drama of the Herrera sisters was totally believable and the friend Cate and Hilary built their lives around were hit and miss. It was a good read and the writing was awesome.
September 29, 2023
A lot to take in
This is a story about a couple who lived together for seven years, and never really knew each other. It’s about lack of communication. It’s about not trusting the other one with your hopes and dreams. And it almost fell apart on them until a tragedy occurred. And that was almost the end of them as well.
If you like stories, where one of the characters doesn’t tell the other how they really feel, this is the story for you. If you like stories where that same character gets mad at the other one because they care, this is the story for you. If you like stories where the wrong person has to apologize all the time for doing nothing wrong just to keep the peace, this is the story for you. If you like stories were in overbearing parent tells you you’re wrong when you have every right to feel the way you do, this is the story for you.
But, I think that is exactly what the author intended when she wrote the story. I didn’t care for it much, but it was very well written, and I’m not going to take that away from her which is why I am still giving it four stars. Whether or not you read it, it’s up to you.
This is a story about a couple who lived together for seven years, and never really knew each other. It’s about lack of communication. It’s about not trusting the other one with your hopes and dreams. And it almost fell apart on them until a tragedy occurred. And that was almost the end of them as well.
If you like stories, where one of the characters doesn’t tell the other how they really feel, this is the story for you. If you like stories where that same character gets mad at the other one because they care, this is the story for you. If you like stories where the wrong person has to apologize all the time for doing nothing wrong just to keep the peace, this is the story for you. If you like stories were in overbearing parent tells you you’re wrong when you have every right to feel the way you do, this is the story for you.
But, I think that is exactly what the author intended when she wrote the story. I didn’t care for it much, but it was very well written, and I’m not going to take that away from her which is why I am still giving it four stars. Whether or not you read it, it’s up to you.
July 19, 2025
I honestly don’t know why people have raved over this, I understand the whole concept but I have never read a book where the focus was on poor communication, giving up hope on your partner and thus giving up and most importantly they are not right for each other. Red flags all over the place! Good idea poorly applied the story was long, frustrating and honestly unbelievable.
August 17, 2022
Great book
You will laugh, hope and cry while reading this. I couldn't put it down once I started. No spoilers but I hope we eventually get to read Lauren's story.
You will laugh, hope and cry while reading this. I couldn't put it down once I started. No spoilers but I hope we eventually get to read Lauren's story.
October 21, 2022
Loved it.
April 16, 2023
New found author Love her books. The book pulls you and you don't want to put it down.
December 28, 2022
Kudos to the author, this was compelling and i did read it all. Though i did start speedreading a bit to try to get past the unhappiness i had with both of the MCs actions. I am not really sure how many stars to give it, not quite 4*. I didn't really understand how those two could be together for so long, when they can't talk to each other.
The ending was the best part of it, finally. Maybe the journey was worth it. Not quite sure about that, though.
The ending was the best part of it, finally. Maybe the journey was worth it. Not quite sure about that, though.
March 21, 2024
Ugh, this one was almost a DNF for me. While I enjoyed Finding the One, this one left me wondering WTH happened. The characters were almost completely infantile and unrelatable. After being in a relationship for 7 years, they were so completely clueless to each other. Who in their right minds treats a partner, especially a long-term partner, with such complete disregard? I was disappointed with this one.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews