Review by Ariel Lynn -- One Way or Another

[Ariel Lynn]

[Following is a volunteer review of "One Way or Another" by Mary J. Williams.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Rich. Beautiful. Powerful. Calder Benedict, along with the three other Benedict sisters, seems to have it all. However, all four sisters, including the twins, have different fathers, none of which are really involved with their daughters' lives. They grew up watching their mother fall in and out of love and having concerns only for herself. Naturally, due to this and a few of their own crummy boyfriends along the way, the sisters are left slightly cynical towards love. Then, unexpectedly, Calder meets Adam.

Adam came from humble beginnings and after leaving the Navy he started his own business. He and Calder are instantly drawn to each other although neither of them is looking for anything serious. Without realizing it, they both begin to lower their walls. Adam learns of Calder's neglectful childhood and she learns of the demons he tries so hard to bury. Together they must try to overcome their doubts while dealing with outside factors positioned to tear them apart. Their story brings forth the question, while some bonds are unbreakable, are some started already inherently broken?

One Way Or Another by Mary J Williams was truly a refreshing read. The characters were personable and relatable which speaks volumes to Williams's writing style. Too often, characters like Calder feel stuffy and pompous which was not the case with this book. She develops Adam and Calder's relationship slow enough to feel authentic and fast enough to keep the heat sizzling. The character development was also very well developed for our two main characters and I am left believing we will see the same development continue for all the sisters in their own respective books.

One of my favorite aspects of this story was the way the relationships were handled. Although Calder and Adam felt a connection immediately, the author allowed time for that relationship to warm up before coming to a boil. I also very much enjoyed the relationship between the Benedict sisters and cannot wait to read their stories as well. There were plenty of twists and turns in this story, most of which were so well hidden I didn't see them until they came to fruition and I was left with my jaw hanging open.

I have very little negative to say about One Way Or Another. The only thing I disliked was the prologue, not because it was poorly written but because it felt unnecessary and I would have preferred to get right to the story. While it was cute to see the girls briefly as children and see their bond already developed, I think that could have been fit into a flashback or Calder telling Adam about it. I do feel I should mention, however, that this opinion could change if the prologues carry through the series and continue their own mini subplot from when the girls were children, as I feel that would add a certain uniqueness to the series.

I noticed a few minor errors, none of which interfered with my reading. The ending was perfect. Although this first book outlines Calder's story, the cliffhanger reminds us that this isn't just her story, but the Benedict sisters' story and sets the tone for the much larger background plot that I assume will carry through the series. I rate One Way Or Another by Mary J Williams 4 out of 4 stars. There was a handful of adult content, none of which was presented in a graphic way, along with humor, a bit of mystery and a lot of family strength. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance.

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One Way or Another
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