The One & Only

A Novel

By: Emily Giffin

Narrated by: Sofia Willingham

Length: 14 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

In her eagerly awaited new novel, beloved New York Times best-selling author Emily Giffin 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.

©2014 Emily Giffin (P)2014 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Giffin's writing is true, smart, and heartfelt." ( Entertainment Weekly)

"A dependably down-to-earth, girl-friendly storyteller." ( The New York Times)

"When it comes to writing stories that resonate with real women, best-selling author Emily Giffin has hit her stride." ( San Francisco Chronicle)

If you love college football, read this book

Any additional comments?

I really love college football, so I enjoyed every minute of this book. I can see women who dislike sports not buying in to the story line.

a great book club pick

Any additional comments?

I just loved this book cover to cover. Giffin has a way to pull the reader in and to create connections to the characters and story that are nearly instant. I was so interested in this read that I stayed up late and was so eager to get back to reading that I was sneaking off and reading any chance I could get. There is so much to love within the pages: great characters, football, hometowns, love, moving on, tough choices and friendship. This is one of those reads that you want others to read too, so you can talk about it! I just loved this book and think it is a GREAT summer read and book club choice!!! 4.5 stars

Fun Listen!

If you could sum up The One & Only in three words, what would they be?

Football, Fun, and Surprise

Any additional comments?

Another hit by Emily Giffin. This was a fun listen with a few twists thrown in. If you like her other novels, you will like this as well.

too much football

This book was hard to finish. The narration was quite boring and there was so.much.football. I guess it's my fault because I've read other books by this author and loved them, so I didn't do much research into this book before getting it. If you're a sports fan you may like it more than me.

I said. She said. He said.

Not a fan of the accent, or the repetitive use of "I said, She said, He said." Was too noticeable.

great book!

wonderful book Emily is a gifted writer, always making me want to listen to the next chapter. Sofia did a great job narrating the book as well.

Loved it!

I read some not so great reviews about this book but I absolutely loved it and couldn't wait to be commuting each day so I could listen to more of it!

Fun Summer Story!

If you could sum up The One & Only in three words, what would they be?

I loved this book! I could not stop listening. I was completely fascinated with the characters and kept finding myself daydreaming about them. Absolutely a fantastic story!!!

Any additional comments?

Next to Something Borrowed…this is probably my favorite book that she has written.

Not your run-of-the-mill chick lit

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Depends on the friend! I really enjoyed it, but can see how it might not be for everyone. If, for some reason, you can't stand the idea of a love connection between a 33-year-old woman and a 55-year-old man, then it's not for you!

Would you listen to another book narrated by Sofia Willingham?

Not intentionally. Her narration was a little lackluster. And she mispronounced the author's name!

Any additional comments?

The author touches on some complex issues, without getting too heavy. Overall, I felt it was thought-provoking and romantic. I found the love story to be believable and not, er, creepy as others have said! While it didn't follow the traditional formulaic themes of chick lit, and is a divergence from Giffin's previous work, it still has a satisfying ending and is a worthwhile listen.

strangely enjoyable.

loved it. sad about the ending. a little long in the tooth about football. The narrator was a lite one note.