Only Rivals

Only You, Book 1

By: Charity Ferrell

Narrated by: Samantha Cook, Connor Crais

Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

The first boy I ever hated was Jax Bridges.

The first man I loved was his best friend.

My plan was to meet a boy, fall in love, and live happily ever after.

That ended when my boyfriend died and left me half of his business.

Now, his best friend and I are business partners.

There’s just one problem: We hate each other.

Jax and I have been rivals since childhood.

He wants me out of the business, but it’s all I have left.

The more time we spend together, the more we question if we were ever rivals at all.

Will my last love be his best friend?

Or will we destroy each other?

©2022 Charity Ferrell (P)2022 Charity Ferrell

5 stars

omg I loved these Enemies to Lovers though with these two enemies, rivals are more spot on as they were competitive childhood friends to enemies, especially when her fiance dies and he puts the blame of his death on her. When they find out that she has been named as part owner of the business these two will be butting heads and fighting the attraction that was always there no matter how much they may want to deny it.

Holy emotions!!!

This is such a beautiful story!!

Only Rivals is book #1 in the Only You series and is narrated by Samantha Cook and Connor Crais.

This was my 1st time listening to Samantha and Conor and it won't be my last! They were perfect as Jax and Amelia! This is such an emotion filled book, and they portrayed each one in such an amazing way. You will feel right along with them.

And the story!! Charity broke my heart, then mended it back together!!

Amelia is heartbroken and is grieving her fiancee that passed away. She also has to deal with Jax, his best friend and business partner constantly tearing her down.

When Amelia is left her fiancees part of the business, Jax is very angry. They have to be business partners when they can barely be in the same room together.

There is so much history between them, they grew up together and feelings started changing. When Jax introduces Amelia to Chris, they fall in love, instead of Jax having her.

This is an emotional read, and you will need tissues on hand, but its so worth it! Another amazing read from Charity!

Beautifully tragic story with an HEA

Charity broke my heart and then pieced it back together. The narrators did a wonderful job at bring the emotional roller coaster to life. Thier voices really helped envelope you in this beautifully tragic story.

They are enemies with a second chance at love. Jax was so mean yet selfless. His reasons don't make it okay but understandable. Amelia is hurting and traumatized. They both are hurting from the suicide of his best friend/her fiance. Through all their turmoil what they find is utterly beautiful and strong. I loved the ending. It took me a few hours a day of listening until the last three. Then I was up until 1 A.M.
I am looking forward to more of Bluebeach and the families that are intertwined.
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.

The Narration is Perfectly Done!!

Jax is so amazing and so broody, but man does he love hard! He may just have jumped to the top spot of favorites by Charity.

Amelia is such a wonderful character and you can feel her emotions through the pages...

I loved this book so much, I read it in one sitting. I could not put it down.
This story is heartbreaking and beautiful! I love it being the second generation from her previous series.

I love seeing past characters in a different light. This world that Charity created is one of my favorites!

Please read the trigger warning.

Had me intrigued

I enjoyed listening to this story. It captured me at the beginning and I couldn't wait to listen to more. I recommend listening or reading this book. You will not regret it. I am looking forward to listening to the entire series.

All the feels!!

Holy cow this story nearly wrecked me! Jax and Amelia’s relationship is loaded with angst, guilt, missed opportunities and a simmering attraction neither one can fight even though they can’t stand each other. There are so many layers to this story, so much heartache to overcome before Jax and Amelia can find their way to the love they might have had if fate hadn’t intervened. I don’t want to say too much and risk giving anything away, but if you love an enemies/rivals-to-lovers, second chance romance, then you’ll love this!

Connor Crais and Samantha Cook were brilliant delivering the full spectrum of raw emotions these characters go through in their narrations of Jax and Amelia.

This was my first Charity Ferrell story, but I will be keeping my eyes out for more from her!

Go on this journey.

I was not expecting this book to hit me in the heart like it did. I knew it was enemies to lovers. But I don’t know that I knew it would be a bestfriends girl second chance romance.

It really makes you question what you would give up or do for the people that you love. Or what is going through someone’s mind. Mental health is a silent enemy. We never know when it will explode.

These two characters were both so damaged and hurt that it took awhile to find their happy. To speak their truth. But in doing so you heal together. And fall in love again.

I really enjoyed this journey. Connor and Samantha were both so exceptional in this. I felt every moment. Have I told anyone how much I love Connor, bc I really really do.

First but not last - love it!!

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝔽𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕝 - 𝕆𝕟𝕝𝕪 ℝ𝕚𝕧𝕒𝕝𝕤 (𝕆𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝟙)
ℕ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕠𝕣: 𝕊𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕒 ℂ𝕠𝕠𝕜, ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕣 ℂ𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕤

This is the first book by the author that I tried, I realized that this is a spin-off series for a series called: Blue Beech. I'm totally going to fill in the gaps because the writer left me with a taste of more.

The name of the book is what attracted me to try it, only rivals, I am a sucker of enemies to lovers books.
Amelia Malone lost the love of her life broken and sorrowed, trying to live another day in her new reality.

Then she receives a call from the lawyer of her late fiancé, regarding the will he left. There she meets her fiancé's best friend.
her rival since childhood, Jax, The one who hates her guts and blames her for the death of his friend.
Laughter of fate, because Christopher decided to bequeath his share of the business to Emilia and there is no other way but to work side by side until the end of the 90 days, where they will decide whether to continue or separate forces.

One of the most emotional books I've ever listened to, one minute I laughed the next I started to cry. It was a mix of joy and happiness with sorrow and grief. This author have so much talent!
Can't believe I only acknowledge her now.

Millie and Jax’s bare emotions and true crushed my heart, Chris's letters made me cry, I felt that each episode peeled off another layer of the truth, even if it hurt it was such a strengthening and empowering process, with all the crying I still highly recommend the book!

ℙ𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕋𝕎 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 :
Emotional situations, Mental disorders, disorder/mental health, Suicide.

WARNING: This story deals with sensitive issues and mental illness and may not be suitable for everyone.
grief, drugs/alcohol, mentions of child abuse.

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀:
friends to enemies to lovers
Co-Workers/Business Partners ❤‍🔥
Dead fiancées best friend 🖤
Small town 🏡
Flash Backs from the past 🥺💔
Slow Burn ❤‍🔥

Emotional and Steamy Rollercoaster Ride

Only Rivals was actually my first book by Charity Farrell and I was immediately sucked into this emotional and angsty story of two childhood rivals who secretly always wanted to be more, but life and others got in the way. Amelia and Jax both were crushed when Chris, Amelia’s finance and Jax’s best friend, died. When Chris leaves his half of his business with Jax to Amelia, they are forced to work together and confront their past.

Amelia and Jax’s story was so heartbreaking. I felt the pain of both of them but especially Jax. He denied his feelings for so long to help his friend and it broke my heart. Their behavior started out so juvenile as a way to mask the pain they were both living with, but they finally realized that they need to face some truths about themselves in order to move forward. I loved watching their relationship grow and evolve.

Narrated by Connor Crais and Samantha Cook, the audiobook was engrossing. Both narrators fully embraced all the emotion and heart of the characters and brought the story to life perfectly. I was so involved in the story thanks to their performances.

Full of so much betrayal, heat, second chances, love and heart, Only Rivals was a stunning and emotional roller coaster ride.

Obsessed

Amelia and Jax have grown grown up knowing each other and as their friends and family say, have always been “rivals”. As teens Jax unintentionally introduces his best friend Chris to Amelia and they fall in love. Jax gives up his girl to see his best friend happy.

Fast forward to tragedy that Amelia and Jax both face around the loss of Chris as well as learning to work together. Chris and Jax co-own a brewery together and Chris leave his half to Amelia. It’s evident to everyone around these two the chemistry they have and that they have always pined for each other.

Holy angst! There is so much pent up between Amelia and Jax. Your heart is torn for them. They are just in this incredibly heartbreaking situation but really the best for each other in helping cope. Their connection goes back and I love we get those flashes into who they were then and what made them who they are now.

I didn’t want to put this book down. The dynamic of their story and their relationship kept me drawn in and needing all the answers and needing to see them happy together.

This book was just as good the second time around on audio. I loved the narrators. This story is one I will keep recommending.