Review by Naomi Keeling -- One Way or Another
Posted: 22 Dec 2019, 11:56
[Following is a volunteer review of "One Way or Another" by Mary J. Williams.]
One Way or Another is the first book in a series of four books but is able to be enjoyed as a standalone read. Andi, Calder, Bryce, and Destry are the famous four Benedict sisters. With every girl having a different father, the sisters are close through shared hardship and circumstance. Each sister is wealthy in their own right but work hard to make their way in the world. Calder Benedict is the second born sister who owns a non-profitable business worth billions of dollars. Although successful in business, Calder is unsuccessful in dating. At the end of yet another failed date, Calder meets Adam Stone. This mysterious person is the opposite of the men Calder dates. Intrigued and unable to stop thinking about him, Calder wants to know more. When they meet again, the connection is undeniable. But with upbringings vastly different, the two must find out if their feelings for one another can survive the tests thrown their way. Calder either has to let go of her past hurt and trust Adam or forget him for good.
One Way or Another is a romance and is best suited for adults. The book is an enjoyable, easy read.
From the start of the book and to the end, the characters are intriguing. I really liked this aspect of the book. In the first chapter, the reader meets the Benedict sisters. Each sister has very distinct personalities from one another, which are highlighted later in the book. As more of these characters' traits reveal themselves, it is evident that Mary J. Williams has focused on character development through the book. For example, Calder is very adept at dealing with sexism. This skill is a result of the male expectations in her life. Expectations her father and male business associates make known. Which is that women should not concern themselves with running businesses. They should also not be earning big money. The author also uses life experiences to develop Adams' character. For example, Adam is very protective and can be intimidating. This trait is an effect of something that happened to his mother in the past. So now Adam feels the need to protect the women in his life, even if they don't need it. The fact that the author has included this level of character development is impressive because it makes the characters a lot more relatable. It also gives the characters more depth and is applied to all the characters, not just a few.
The two themes in the book are primarily family and trust. These work well individually and together. The family theme is repetitive throughout the book by focusing on the Benedict sisters. These four sisters have relied on each other when growing up. Their mother was absent, so they raised each other. By doing so, their bond strengthened to a point where they depend on one another to help them make the right decisions. The second theme is trust. The focus of this theme rests heavily on Calder. In that, she struggles to trust Adam when they meet. The story tells the tale of how Calder learns to let go of her distrustful disposition. At least towards Adam.
The language through the book is consistently good. There are no errors to note, and this suggests the book was professionally proofread and edited. The pace of the plot works well and contains enough subplots to keep the story interesting. This and the engaging dialogue captures the reader's attention and holds it for the duration of the book.
I rate this book a 4 out of 4 because the plot and characters are developed well and add a relatability to the reading experience. Readers can understand the characters easier because their circumstances are everyday occurrences. Added to this is the high standard of grammar and punctuation. The consistent use of this makes the book easy to read. Further, there was not any aspect of the book that I disliked. This book is very enjoyable to read.
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One Way or Another
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
One Way or Another is the first book in a series of four books but is able to be enjoyed as a standalone read. Andi, Calder, Bryce, and Destry are the famous four Benedict sisters. With every girl having a different father, the sisters are close through shared hardship and circumstance. Each sister is wealthy in their own right but work hard to make their way in the world. Calder Benedict is the second born sister who owns a non-profitable business worth billions of dollars. Although successful in business, Calder is unsuccessful in dating. At the end of yet another failed date, Calder meets Adam Stone. This mysterious person is the opposite of the men Calder dates. Intrigued and unable to stop thinking about him, Calder wants to know more. When they meet again, the connection is undeniable. But with upbringings vastly different, the two must find out if their feelings for one another can survive the tests thrown their way. Calder either has to let go of her past hurt and trust Adam or forget him for good.
One Way or Another is a romance and is best suited for adults. The book is an enjoyable, easy read.
From the start of the book and to the end, the characters are intriguing. I really liked this aspect of the book. In the first chapter, the reader meets the Benedict sisters. Each sister has very distinct personalities from one another, which are highlighted later in the book. As more of these characters' traits reveal themselves, it is evident that Mary J. Williams has focused on character development through the book. For example, Calder is very adept at dealing with sexism. This skill is a result of the male expectations in her life. Expectations her father and male business associates make known. Which is that women should not concern themselves with running businesses. They should also not be earning big money. The author also uses life experiences to develop Adams' character. For example, Adam is very protective and can be intimidating. This trait is an effect of something that happened to his mother in the past. So now Adam feels the need to protect the women in his life, even if they don't need it. The fact that the author has included this level of character development is impressive because it makes the characters a lot more relatable. It also gives the characters more depth and is applied to all the characters, not just a few.
The two themes in the book are primarily family and trust. These work well individually and together. The family theme is repetitive throughout the book by focusing on the Benedict sisters. These four sisters have relied on each other when growing up. Their mother was absent, so they raised each other. By doing so, their bond strengthened to a point where they depend on one another to help them make the right decisions. The second theme is trust. The focus of this theme rests heavily on Calder. In that, she struggles to trust Adam when they meet. The story tells the tale of how Calder learns to let go of her distrustful disposition. At least towards Adam.
The language through the book is consistently good. There are no errors to note, and this suggests the book was professionally proofread and edited. The pace of the plot works well and contains enough subplots to keep the story interesting. This and the engaging dialogue captures the reader's attention and holds it for the duration of the book.
I rate this book a 4 out of 4 because the plot and characters are developed well and add a relatability to the reading experience. Readers can understand the characters easier because their circumstances are everyday occurrences. Added to this is the high standard of grammar and punctuation. The consistent use of this makes the book easy to read. Further, there was not any aspect of the book that I disliked. This book is very enjoyable to read.
******
One Way or Another
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon