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)

Great book!

Good read whether you're a college football fan or not. Movie? ;)
Love all of Emily's books.
Can't wait for the next.

Good story - narrator's accent is annoying at times

I love all of Emily Giffin's books however I found this one to be quite different than the others. I am not a football fan so that part of the story was of little interest to me.

Amazing!

Broken hearted when it ended because I wanted more of these characters. Love love love the author!

Beware - Annoying sounds

If the sound of lips smacking or chewing drives you nuts, find another audiobook. I don’t know if it was the reader or poor editing, but I could not concentrate on the story for the constant mouth sounds that should have been edited out. Every smack and click of her tongue took me out of the story and drove my misophonia wild.

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.