“Maybe I’ve found my person. My one true…well, whatever.”
After a disastrous prom whereby Lenore’s “date” ditches her for someone else (something that seems to be happening to Lenore a lot lately), Lenore is ready to embark on a European cruise with her family. When Lenore’s parents, who are described as “the embodiment of Black excellence”, discover that she is unsure about studying art history at NYU, they give her until the end of the cruise to finalise a decision. Influenced by her best friend Tessa, Lenore decides to look for a European summer romance and, when she spots a handsome boy at the Trevi Fountain, it seems like her wish may just come true…until she finds out that the handsome boy, Alex Lee, is a total jerk with an infuriating 10-year plan! Even worse, Alex and his family have been assigned to Lenore’s dining table and their families have decided that they will be doing all the excursions together. To add to the drama, Lenore’s older brother is keeping secrets like breaking up with his long-term boyfriend, sneaking out at night, and constantly typing on his phone. The more time Lenore is forced to spend with Alex, the more she starts to open-up and show her true self. But this isn’t one of Tessa’s romance novels and one true loves don’t happen in real life…right?
One True Loves is a contemporary young adult “enemies to lovers” romance novel that takes place at gorgeous destinations across Europe. One True Loves could probably be read as a standalone, but I think that it makes more sense if you’ve read the companion novel, Happily Ever Afters, as you will be more invested and interested in the characters). I found that Lenore’s experiences of self doubt and indecision were very relatable, and Lenore’s story perfectly encapsulated the often-challenging transition from high school to university or college. Furthermore, One True Loves would be great for those who are fans of contemporary young adult novels like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson, The Summer of Broken Rules by K. L. Walther, The Lucky List by Rachael Lippincott, and, of course, Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant.
This book deals with themes and topics such as love and heartbreak, identity and growing up, family and friendship, race, cultural expectations, mental health, education, travel, acceptance, and appearance versus reality. As Lenore puts it, the moral of this story is that, “if the path you take is different, well, it doesn’t make it wrong”. Furthermore, it’s okay to not have a plan, to still be figuring things out, to not be “the best” at something right away, and to make mistakes.
My favourite parts of Lenore’s story were the detailed descriptions of the beautiful destinations that Lenore’s family visited throughout the cruise. I also loved how Lenore had a similar personality as Alexis Rose from Schitt’s Creek as she is extremely stylish, sassy, and cool on the outside, but she is also secretly sensitive, insecure, and loving. Similarly, I loved how Alex allowed Lenore to feel comfortable enough to stop playing the part of “cool, calm, collected, and confident Lenore” and finally reveal her vulnerabilities and insecurities. Before Alex, Lenore had always kept these vulnerabilities and insecurities hidden, even from her family and best friends.
Some cons were that the book was slow to start and, in my opinion, wasn’t as engaging as Tessa’s love story in Happily Ever Afters, but as the cruise progresses, Lenore and Alex grow closer, and Lenore starts to uncover her brother’s secrets, it definitely becomes more interesting! It would have also been great to see an epilogue where we learn how Lenore’s story is progressing after the cruise.
Overall, I thought that One True Loves was a fun read full of travel and young love!
One True Loves is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of January 4th 2022.
Will you be picking up One True Loves? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
From the author of Happily Ever Afters, comes the highly anticipated companion novel, One True Loves, another irresistible YA romantic comedy full of self-discovery, Black love, and a dreamy European cruise.
Lenore Bennett has always been a force. A star artist and style icon at her high school, she’s a master in the subtle art of not giving a . . . well, you know what. But now that graduation is here, she’s a little less sure.
She’s heading to NYU in the fall with a scarlet U (for “undeclared”) written across her chest. Her parents always remind her that Black kids don’t have the luxury of figuring it out as they go—they have to be 110 percent prepared. But it’s a lot of pressure to be her ancestors’ wildest dreams when Lenore’s not even sure what her dreams are yet.
When her family embarks on a post-graduation Mediterranean cruise, her friend Tessa is sure Lenore’s in for a whirlwind romance. But Lenore knows that doesn’t happen in real life. At least not to girls like her.
Then she meets Alex Lee. After their parents bond over the Cupid Shuffle, she ends up stuck with him for the remainder of the cruise. He’s a hopeless romantic and a golden boy with a ten-year plan. In short, he’s irritating as hell.
But as they get to know each other during the picturesque stops across Europe, he may be able to help her find something else she’s been looking for, even if she doesn’t want to admit it to herself: love.
I was skeptical until you compared Lenore to Alexis.