The Only Thing

4.5 Stars The Only Thing, is the third title in The Donnigan's series, and features Hope Donnigan and JT Webster. I've read quite a few of Marie's previous titles including several from The McCauley Brothers series, Body Shop Bad Boys and The Donnigans and as such I was quite familiar with this pair and eager for their story. Hope is sweet, kind and stubborn, endearing and relate-able. She loves her family, despite her mother's need to push, ridicule and nag her at every turn. She has a tendency to attract the wrong men. Although she wants the white picket fence, kids, the whole nine yards, she's quite happy with her life as it is. In order to distract her mother from her constant need to set Hope up with a suitable man, she invents a fake boyfriend and in steps JT to save the day. JT likes women and he's not afraid to admit it but he's not a player. He's intelligent, artistic and successful as a tattoo artist. Although he doesn't see commitment in his future, he's inexplicably drawn to Hope. I loved the banter that this pair share it's fun, flirtatious, witty and full of humor. This pair are in complete denial of their true feelings for each other. Their chemistry and connection is intense and packed full of heat and steam! The sub-plot of a stalker added an extra element of intrigue and suspense to this title and I had no idea who the perpetrator was going to be until it was revealed. I will be eagerly looking forward to Marie's next release, and hope that Heller and Rena will get their story at some point in the future, as I adore this pair and can't wait to see more of them.

THE ONLY THING is the third instalment in Marie Harte’s contemporary, adult THE DONNIGANS erotic, romance series focusing on the Donnigan family. This is tattoo artist JT Webster, and PA Hope Donnigan’s story line. THE DONNIGANS is a spin off from Marie Harte’s THE MCCAULEY BROTHERS and BODY SHOP BAD BOYS series. You do not have to have read the previous series to follow the spin off. The Donnigan and The McCauley siblings are cousins. The reader was first introduced to Hope in A Sure Thing (Book 1). Told from several third person points of view including JT and Hope THE ONLY THING follows the friends to lovers/ fake boyfriend relationship between tattoo artist JT Webster, and PA Hope Donnigan. Hope’s mother is driving her mad so to stop the accusations, condescending attitude, and numerous arranged dates with men she doesn’t know Hope tells her perfectionist mother that she has a boyfriend-a tattooed, hellion she knows will drive her mother over the edge. Enter tattoo artist JT Webster, the man who stars in all of Hope’s fantasies and dreams, and the man with whom our heroine will fall in love. What ensues is the building romance between Hope and JT, and the ongoing threats against JT and any man who feigns interest in our story line heroine. Hope’s string of less than stellar boyfriends finds our heroine taking a break from dating but JT Webster continues to star in all of her fantasies and dreams never realizing that JT himself, is struggling with his attraction to Hope. But things go from good to bad when a number of anonymous gifts and flowers escalates into threats against our story line hero, threats that land JT on the receiving end of physical violence. The relationship between Hope and JT is one of immediate attraction, an attraction that began, months before, at Delilah Webster (JT’s sister) and Mike McCauley’s wedding. The fake boyfriend and girlfriend relationship quickly evolves into something more but something that Hope and JT continue to deny. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text. There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including brothers and sisters: Gavin, Theo and Landon Donnigan; Dee Webster-McCauley, and JT’s father Liam Webster, and a varied assortment of cousins from both THE MCCAULEY BROTHERS and BODY SHOP BAD BOYS series. The world building continues to focus on the Donnigan family including the fractured and struggling relationship between mother (Linda) and daughter (Hope). THE ONLY THING is a sexy, sassy and seductive story line. The premise is energetic and engaging; the characters are fun, flirty and colorful; the romance is seductive, edgy and provocative. My only complaint is the identity of who was behind the stalking of our story line heroine, and the threats to anyone who stood in the way-I was totally perplexed; the character came ‘out of left field. An odd connection to the overall story; a bit of a ‘red-herring’ thrown in with an earlier mention.

This was such a cute, fun read about a non-couple who are non-dating. They’re in a non-relationship to trick Hope’s mother but the chemistry between her and J.T. is anything but fake. There is very little relationship drama but a bit of mystery regarding a stalker. J.T. was a great hero with his teasing ways, his intense desire and his dedication to family. Hope was a pretty great heroine as well. She struggled with her mom, had a history of really poor choices when it came to men, and wasn’t working the job of a lifetime. Together they were quirky, sexy, steamy, and perfect. This had a nice pace that never got bogged down, terrific secondary characters both from previous books and hopefully future ones as well. The steam was melt your kindle hot and the mystery is completely cloaked and you will not be able to guess who the villain is. Overall, a wonderful read that I immensely enjoyed!