The One & Only

I've read a few of Emily Griffin's fun, chick-lit novels and enjoyed them, so this looked like just the thing to keep me company on a long flight. The story is about Shea, a girl who grew up in a small Texas town with a solid college football team. Her entire life is consumed with the team; she works for the athletic department, her best friend's father is the coach, and she is dating a guy who once played for the team. But when her best friend's mother dies, a woman she's known since infancy, she finds she needs to stretch herself. She takes a job writing for the sports section of a newspaper and even a new boyfriend -- a hot NFL player. Things are looking up, but despite her shiny new life, there's a man she can't get her mind off of. show more

And this is the beginning of what didn't work in this book. That guy is her best friend's father. A man she's looked up to as a father figure and known since she was a baby. It wasn't the age difference, but the near incest that tainted the relationship, not to mention the power disparity; Shea has worshipped the coach her entire life. So there was a significant ick factor that didn't work in what was intended as a light, entertaining read. The relationship was deeply troublesome throughout the book and had he not been "Coach," I suspect she would have been calling him Mr Carr even when they made out.

But that's not my big issue with this book, it's that Griffin used domestic violence as a convenient plot point. She is cheating on her boyfriend, but that's fine, because later he turns out to be a little bit grabby, jealous and almost-rapey. This is a serious thing. Not something to be added to allow Shea to remain a sympathetic character, even as she cheats and lies to the people around her. Griffin pulls her punches and has the boyfriend turn out to be a bad guy so that Shea doesn't have to be. Then, when his usefulness has ended, Griffin has the bad boyfriend fade away, leaving behind only a few grateful texts in which he apologizes and seeks treatment. Abusive, controlling guys don't politely bow out when a woman breaks up with them. Even when the woman acts all empowered. Making domestic violence an exciting, but temporary episode does a disservice to the women who have to deal with this. Just don't do this. show less

"You might like this," she said, "it's all about American football." Well, actually it is a bit of chick-lit romance located in a College football milieu. It's an easy read and Giffin writes more than competently, but the story unfolds rather like it was written to filmed. Girl meets boy, then another boy, things fall apart, girl survives crisis and ends up with the right guy. Maybe.
It's light writing and that does not lack virtue, but I found her characterisation of the two main male characters, especially the younger one (no spoiler) less authentic. The seriousness of the sub-plot of violence against women sits uneasily in the story.

I've read several other reviews of this book - both good and bad - and I have to say that whether or not you agree with Shea (the main character) in her feelings and actions, you have to hand it to [a:Emily Giffin|13370|Emily Giffin|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1396480928p2/13370.jpg] for showing us the path that led to those feelings and actions.

I didn't agree with everything that happened in Shea's life, but the author explained why Shea was on that path and she did it convincingly. There weren't holes in the story, or a sudden plot line shift, it happened gradually over time and the reader is there for the journey.

If it were me, I would've chosen Ryan. I think his career in professional sports and his family background contributed show more to his violent tendencies, but I don't think he was broken. I get a little perturbed at times when issues such as these are portrayed as so black/white in novels. I think love and passion exacerbate our actions in the heat of the moment--not an excuse, but not a clear-cut reason to send him to the curb, either. show less

Giffin, Emily. The One & Only. 12 CDs. unabridged. 15 hrs. Books on Tape. 2014. ISBN 9780804127585.

Shea Rigsby has been in a rut her entire life she just doesn't realize it. Born and raised in Walker, Texas Shea's whole life has revolved around football. After graduating from college she stayed behind in her hometown to work for the college athletic department, not even considering any other options. It also didn't help that her best friend's father is the legendary Walker football coach and close personal friend. When tragedy strikes the Walker community Shea finds herself closely examining her future. Is this what she truly wants out of life? At Coach's insistence she starts to branch out of her safety net and see what awaits her. show more Shea is forced to confront her fears, see the truth in others, and follow her heart. Shea's story starts fast and compelling but slowly peetered out to it's inevitable conclusion. Along the way were several cringe worthy moments and awkward scenarios. Narrator, Sofia Willingham saved this story from being too bogged down in football and awkwardness, and her cool narration kept the story engaging. For fans of chick lit and Emily Giffin. - Erin Cataldi, Johnson Co. Public Library, Franklin IN show less

Although I am not a sports fan, I did enjoy reading this novel. I have known people who are obsessed with a sport or a celebrity and are satisfied with being on the fringe of the super stars. It is a quick, easy read, the characters are well-defined. It would be great to take on vacation, which is what I did. My thanks to the author and The Reading Room for a complimentary copy.

Football has never been my thing. When I was in college and my boyfriend had a Super Bowl party, I took a book with me and read through most of the game. I don't have a team I root for, not college nor NFL. I understand the game, I just don't care about it despite living with a husband (the same one to whose party I took a book) and two sons who love watching it every night that it's on tv. I suspect that I'm not terribly unusual in not caring about it, especially for a woman. The main character in Emily Giffin's newest novel though, is not like me. She lives and breathes football.

Shea Rigsby is in her thirties. She's a talented writer but she's settled for a job in the athletic department of her university rather than pursuing a job show more she'd love because it keeps her close to her beloved Walker Broncos. Shea grew up revering Walker football and everything associated with it, like most everyone else in her small Texas town. She never had any urge to leave Walker, growing up there and then going to college there as well. But when her best friend's mother dies young, Shea finds herself taking stock of her life and safe choices she's made. She sees that she has been taking the easy and comfortable route in both her love life and her work life and that this is no longer good enough because it can't make her as happy as she deserves to be. So Shea chooses to move forward instead of continuing to coast, breaking up with her boyfriend and reaching out for a sports reporting job, leaving the cocoon of the university. As she makes these big decisions, she is supported by her best friend Lucy's father, Coach Carr, the popular and winning head coach of the Walker team, a man with whom she has had a special bond her entire life.

Shea has always had a bit of a crush on Coach Carr and she is happy to check up on him after his wife dies. When she starts feeling more for Coach than she should, she tries to pull back and distract herself by dating a big NFL star and former Walker player. But her obsession with football and her loyalty to and interest in her team keep throwing her into Coach's orbit, making it hard for her to deny her growing feelings.

The novel is filled with football jargon and information; after all, football is akin to religion in Texas. While football permeates every aspect of the novel, the main plot line is what will happen with Shea's growing awareness of and interest in Coach. The fact that she calls her best friend's father hot and that she is attracted to him makes for a definite ick factor and I was skeeved out by her falling for a man who was not only old enough to be her father but in many ways actually was her surrogate father, giving any potential relationship a slightly incestuous feel. But my discomfort with the developing situation did keep me turning the pages in hopes that I would be wrong in the end. There are other less well developed threads here, an abusive boyfriend, NCAA violations, and Shea's own family dysfunction, but they are handled lightly and pale beside the main plot. If you need something quick to read beside the pool this summer and you have at least a passing interest in football or college sports, this could be the book for you. show less

Emily Giffin's long-awaited seventh novel is FINALLY here. The One & Only explores love in all its forms: loving the wrong person, loving the right person, loving your job, loving your family, loving your friends, and learning to love yourself.

Let me just preface this review by saying that I love Emily Giffin and I whole-heartedly agree with this review about Emily:

“A modern day Jane Austen.” — Cincinnati Enquirer.

I loved her books before she was popular and I frequently recommend them to my friends. Her books are charming, well-written, and easy to sink into. I'd even say that her books are cathartic! Better yet, she's actually talented; she doesn't need to write sex to sell books. She creates chick-lit with some real substance, show more filled with relatable, memorable characters and masterfully writing the moments that make us ache, and smile, and laugh.

But sadly, The Only & Only did not stand up to her other books. Not even close. And it wasn't just that it's about a woman who falls in love with a man who is twenty years older... who is also her best friend's father... and a man who JUST lost his wife. It's because Shea is a painful protagonist to deal with. She's weak-willed, foolish, selfish, and a bad friend. She doesn't seem to know what she wants for herself in life, and she's never willing to think about the future in much detail. I found myself reading desperately through the book, hoping she wouldn't end up falling for her friend's father.

When her best friend FINALLY finds out and gives her an ultimatum, I was happily relieved. But know that all the uncomfortable reading you do, through the drama and chaos resulting from the relationship, is all for nothing. In the end, Lucy's deep, moral (and RATIONAL) beliefs actually meant nothing at all. Lucy very suddenly gives her friend her blessing, cuing the happily-ever-after for the reader. Ugh.

Emily's stories are so powerful BECAUSE of the realistic qualitiy to her books, specifically her characters. She is really good at writing about love, loss, and everything in between. But the relationship between Coach Carr and Shea doesn't feel real anymore than it feels right. A REAL happy ending (and a redeemable one at that) would have had Shea end up alone and starting fresh, dealing with her own personal issues and figure out how to love herself. THAT'S a happy ending!

I'm heartbroken to give such a low rating to one of my favourite authors. Emily Giffin is extraordinary and I'm looking forward to an eighth book from this talented author. But this story about a small-town girl with Daddy issues is something I'd like to forget.

2.5 Stars show less