Review by SomeoneInTheWorld -- One Way or Another
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Review by SomeoneInTheWorld -- One Way or Another
[Following is a volunteer review of "One Way or Another" by Mary J. Williams.]
Andi, Bryce, Calder, and Destry are well known as the Benedict sisters. The Benedict sisters are a legend. Their beauty, success, and lifestyle are the envy of many people. However, all that glitters is not gold. Born to an extremely self-centered mother and to four different fathers who couldn't care less about them, their childhood was shaded by parental neglect. Growing up wasn't any easier. Their faith in humanity was scarred by people who pretended to care about them but only wanted their money. After experiencing so many disappointments and witnessing the dysfunctional relationships of their parents, they lost their hope for a "happily ever after". Life taught them to be wary of people and especially careful when choosing potential lovers. Their philosophy of life is "assume the worst, never get hurt". However, even in their worst dreams they had never imagined they would have to be careful in their own house. This is exactly what happens when their mother's new lover enters their lives. This time they are closer than ever to lose everything. However, there is one thing that no one can take from them: their sisterhood. They have an unbreakable bond, and together they are invincible.
Each of the sisters is a fascinating character in her own right and has a unique story to tell. "One Way or Another", written by Mary J. Williams, is the opening shot of the Sisters Quartet series. Each book in the series focuses on one of the sisters and tells her journey of finding love and herself. This book revolves around Calder.
Calder is a woman with a heart of gold and an iron will. When she has a goal in her mind, nothing can break her. Her goal is to "help as many people as humanly possible". This passion motivates her to start a charity organization named "Erica's Angels". At the beginning, no one took her seriously. She was considered no more than a "rich girl with too much time on her hands". People treated her with arrogance and contempt, but that didn't weaken her. On the contrary, it made her stronger. Every raised eyebrow, every arrogant smile, and every doubting gaze was wiped out from the patronizing faces. She built a multi billionaire empire from scratch. She had to work hard to earn her place, but not everyone knows that. Many people assume that she received everything on a silver platter because she was born into wealth. Adam stone is one of these people, and he will soon find out his mistake.
Adam is a business man who built himself from nothing. He has a very poor opinion of snobbish people who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth, and that's what he assumes Calder to be. Consequently, he is not very nice to her when they first meet. He leaves an impression of a cold and arrogant man, and Calder is happy that she will never have to see him again. However, they keep running into each other in unpredicted places and soon discover how wrong their quick judgement was. Adam finds out that Calder is not the spoiled rich party girl he thought her to be. Instead, he discovers the most interesting, kind-hearted, and down to earth person he ever met – the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Calder discovers a kind and reliable man who will always be there for his friends and protect his loved ones – a man who could be not only her lover but also her friend.
The relationship between Calder and Adam is beautifully narrated. I was moved by how they grew together both as individuals and as a couple. This is the first time for Calder that someone wants her for herself and not for her money or for anything else. This sets her free in lots of ways. She learns that she can have, and deserves to have, a happily ever after. She learns to put her guard down and uncovers many sides in her personality that were hidden before. One of the greatest moments in her character development is when she shows her vulnerable side for the first time. This happens after a tense meeting with her father. During the book, her father tries to manipulate her and take advantage of her a lot. When she doesn't do what he wants, he scorns her in order to undermine her confidence and self-esteem. Calder, in response, just ignores him and moves on with her life. She even loughs with her sisters about his attitude. I admired her for not letting his words get to her, yet I wondered how can she be so immune. My question was answered when she went to Adam. She opened up to him completely and poured out all the self-doubts and insecurities that her father made her feel. This is a huge character development for her, because this the first time in the book where she shows vulnerability. Adam, too, opens up to Calder. She is the first woman ever to see his house, to hear his family's painful story, and to meet his mother and friends. You can see by these examples that he had never made a room in his life for anyone, but he does it for Calder. He shares with her what he had never shared with anyone before, and eventually he even decides to share his whole life with her. This is definitely a dramatic transformation to go through. Together with their personal growth, their relationship grows too. They become closer, their bond deepens, and their love strengthens. This is a beautiful relationship that supports their personal growth as well as their shared one.
Another beautiful and supportive relationship in the book is the one of the sisters. The author's choice to give it a big role in the book turns out to be brilliant. It adds a lot of depth and uniqueness to the story. The sisters' bond is incredible. They are the stable rock in each other's lives. They always stick together and are there for each other no matter what. They even have a special room where they share their thoughts, hopes, worries, and joys. They created a safe space for themselves to rest from the outside world and then return to it in an empowered state of mind. This space they created does not depend on place or time, only on their very presence. One of the sisters' dialogs puts it very well:
"I used to think magic lived in here."
"what changed your mind?"
"when I realized the four of us make the magic, not the room."
Magic is a fine choice of word. When I thought how to describe the sisters' bond, I initially thought of words such as "strong" or "unbreakable", but I felt like they were not enough. When I recalled these lines, I understood why: The bond between the sisters is more than strong or unbreakable, it's magical. You can feel it even if you have never experienced something like that yourself. Thanks to the authors' excellent writing, we can take part in this magic.
The sisters are very relatable and likeable characters. Each one of them is unique and interesting in her own way. They are so well developed that they feel real. In fact, this is true about all the characters in the book. The credibility of the characters in this novel is amazing. All of them are extremely well depicted and feel like real people. you can literally hear their dialogues in your head. You get to know them really well, like most of them, and detest some others. The author built a very convincing novel that pulls you right into it from the very first page.
This novel carries a message of hope for many people. Calder, like all her sisters, was a victim of parental neglect and witnessed all the dysfunctional relationships that her parents created with each other and with other people. This makes her doubt her ability to build a healthy relationship and to succeed where her parents failed. However, she discovers that just because she had never seen a healthy relationship, it doesn't mean she can't have one. She creates a very loving and supportive relationship with Adam. She also has a very close relationship with her sisters, and here is a good place to mention that it could have turned out differently. They were born with enough reasons to hate each other or at least not to be so close. However, they chose not to let their parents' mistakes define them and form an astonishing bond together. Calder also shows that it's never too late to remove unhealthy relationships out of your life, but you will have to read the book to know more about it. What I can tell you is this: Sometimes we think that our life is so hopeless that only magic can save us, but we know it doesn't exist. Well, here is the thing: love is the magic, and it has no boundaries. It isn't restricted by blood or by your life story or by anything else. Whatever life you had before, you deserve to have love in your life.
To conclude, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. There was nothing I disliked about the book. This was a beautiful love story with a lot of depth in it. The book was well edited; I found no errors at all. I think it will be enjoyable to anyone who likes reading love stories. The book also might appeal to people who are not fans of romance but like stories in which the family plays a big role. The book is not suitable for children due to its adult content.
******
One Way or Another
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Andi, Bryce, Calder, and Destry are well known as the Benedict sisters. The Benedict sisters are a legend. Their beauty, success, and lifestyle are the envy of many people. However, all that glitters is not gold. Born to an extremely self-centered mother and to four different fathers who couldn't care less about them, their childhood was shaded by parental neglect. Growing up wasn't any easier. Their faith in humanity was scarred by people who pretended to care about them but only wanted their money. After experiencing so many disappointments and witnessing the dysfunctional relationships of their parents, they lost their hope for a "happily ever after". Life taught them to be wary of people and especially careful when choosing potential lovers. Their philosophy of life is "assume the worst, never get hurt". However, even in their worst dreams they had never imagined they would have to be careful in their own house. This is exactly what happens when their mother's new lover enters their lives. This time they are closer than ever to lose everything. However, there is one thing that no one can take from them: their sisterhood. They have an unbreakable bond, and together they are invincible.
Each of the sisters is a fascinating character in her own right and has a unique story to tell. "One Way or Another", written by Mary J. Williams, is the opening shot of the Sisters Quartet series. Each book in the series focuses on one of the sisters and tells her journey of finding love and herself. This book revolves around Calder.
Calder is a woman with a heart of gold and an iron will. When she has a goal in her mind, nothing can break her. Her goal is to "help as many people as humanly possible". This passion motivates her to start a charity organization named "Erica's Angels". At the beginning, no one took her seriously. She was considered no more than a "rich girl with too much time on her hands". People treated her with arrogance and contempt, but that didn't weaken her. On the contrary, it made her stronger. Every raised eyebrow, every arrogant smile, and every doubting gaze was wiped out from the patronizing faces. She built a multi billionaire empire from scratch. She had to work hard to earn her place, but not everyone knows that. Many people assume that she received everything on a silver platter because she was born into wealth. Adam stone is one of these people, and he will soon find out his mistake.
Adam is a business man who built himself from nothing. He has a very poor opinion of snobbish people who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth, and that's what he assumes Calder to be. Consequently, he is not very nice to her when they first meet. He leaves an impression of a cold and arrogant man, and Calder is happy that she will never have to see him again. However, they keep running into each other in unpredicted places and soon discover how wrong their quick judgement was. Adam finds out that Calder is not the spoiled rich party girl he thought her to be. Instead, he discovers the most interesting, kind-hearted, and down to earth person he ever met – the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Calder discovers a kind and reliable man who will always be there for his friends and protect his loved ones – a man who could be not only her lover but also her friend.
The relationship between Calder and Adam is beautifully narrated. I was moved by how they grew together both as individuals and as a couple. This is the first time for Calder that someone wants her for herself and not for her money or for anything else. This sets her free in lots of ways. She learns that she can have, and deserves to have, a happily ever after. She learns to put her guard down and uncovers many sides in her personality that were hidden before. One of the greatest moments in her character development is when she shows her vulnerable side for the first time. This happens after a tense meeting with her father. During the book, her father tries to manipulate her and take advantage of her a lot. When she doesn't do what he wants, he scorns her in order to undermine her confidence and self-esteem. Calder, in response, just ignores him and moves on with her life. She even loughs with her sisters about his attitude. I admired her for not letting his words get to her, yet I wondered how can she be so immune. My question was answered when she went to Adam. She opened up to him completely and poured out all the self-doubts and insecurities that her father made her feel. This is a huge character development for her, because this the first time in the book where she shows vulnerability. Adam, too, opens up to Calder. She is the first woman ever to see his house, to hear his family's painful story, and to meet his mother and friends. You can see by these examples that he had never made a room in his life for anyone, but he does it for Calder. He shares with her what he had never shared with anyone before, and eventually he even decides to share his whole life with her. This is definitely a dramatic transformation to go through. Together with their personal growth, their relationship grows too. They become closer, their bond deepens, and their love strengthens. This is a beautiful relationship that supports their personal growth as well as their shared one.
Another beautiful and supportive relationship in the book is the one of the sisters. The author's choice to give it a big role in the book turns out to be brilliant. It adds a lot of depth and uniqueness to the story. The sisters' bond is incredible. They are the stable rock in each other's lives. They always stick together and are there for each other no matter what. They even have a special room where they share their thoughts, hopes, worries, and joys. They created a safe space for themselves to rest from the outside world and then return to it in an empowered state of mind. This space they created does not depend on place or time, only on their very presence. One of the sisters' dialogs puts it very well:
"I used to think magic lived in here."
"what changed your mind?"
"when I realized the four of us make the magic, not the room."
Magic is a fine choice of word. When I thought how to describe the sisters' bond, I initially thought of words such as "strong" or "unbreakable", but I felt like they were not enough. When I recalled these lines, I understood why: The bond between the sisters is more than strong or unbreakable, it's magical. You can feel it even if you have never experienced something like that yourself. Thanks to the authors' excellent writing, we can take part in this magic.
The sisters are very relatable and likeable characters. Each one of them is unique and interesting in her own way. They are so well developed that they feel real. In fact, this is true about all the characters in the book. The credibility of the characters in this novel is amazing. All of them are extremely well depicted and feel like real people. you can literally hear their dialogues in your head. You get to know them really well, like most of them, and detest some others. The author built a very convincing novel that pulls you right into it from the very first page.
This novel carries a message of hope for many people. Calder, like all her sisters, was a victim of parental neglect and witnessed all the dysfunctional relationships that her parents created with each other and with other people. This makes her doubt her ability to build a healthy relationship and to succeed where her parents failed. However, she discovers that just because she had never seen a healthy relationship, it doesn't mean she can't have one. She creates a very loving and supportive relationship with Adam. She also has a very close relationship with her sisters, and here is a good place to mention that it could have turned out differently. They were born with enough reasons to hate each other or at least not to be so close. However, they chose not to let their parents' mistakes define them and form an astonishing bond together. Calder also shows that it's never too late to remove unhealthy relationships out of your life, but you will have to read the book to know more about it. What I can tell you is this: Sometimes we think that our life is so hopeless that only magic can save us, but we know it doesn't exist. Well, here is the thing: love is the magic, and it has no boundaries. It isn't restricted by blood or by your life story or by anything else. Whatever life you had before, you deserve to have love in your life.
To conclude, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. There was nothing I disliked about the book. This was a beautiful love story with a lot of depth in it. The book was well edited; I found no errors at all. I think it will be enjoyable to anyone who likes reading love stories. The book also might appeal to people who are not fans of romance but like stories in which the family plays a big role. The book is not suitable for children due to its adult content.
******
One Way or Another
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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Ekta Swarnkar
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I think the story is fascinating. I particularly liked their parent's stories. Appreciation for the review!
You live your dreams in the characters of the books you read. 
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Adina Lutinger
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I find the story fascinating too. Thank you so much for your comment!Ekta Swarnkar wrote: ↑24 Nov 2019, 20:51 I think the story is fascinating. I particularly liked their parent's stories. Appreciation for the review!
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kdstrack
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I really like the way you describe Calder. People tend make assumptions about other people without really getting to know them. Your description of the sisters' bond is also heartwarming. Thanks for the beautiful review!
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Adina Lutinger
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I'm really glad you liked my descriptions, thank you so much for your beautiful comment!
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Niv123
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Recently read this book and I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who loved it! Great job on the description!
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Adina Lutinger
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Yes, you are definitely not the only one(: And thank you very much for the complimment and for your kind comment, I'm really glad you liked my descriptions. By the way, it's a coincidence that your latest review is about Geraldine, I read it too recently and it was my first review on the website. Anyway, thanks again for your kind comnent!Nivi Gideon wrote: ↑25 Nov 2019, 08:56 Recently read this book and I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who loved it! Great job on the description!
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spencermack
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Your review is extremely thorough and precise. I love that you dive deep into the content of the book. Like many children who witness dysfunctional relationships finding themselves, in a good one can be difficult. Thanks for the amazing review!
Spencer Mack
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Adina Lutinger
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I'm so glad you liked my review. This book made me realize how difficult it must be to create, and believe you can create, a healthy relatioship after never seeing one. Thank you so much for your kind comment!spencermack wrote: ↑25 Nov 2019, 09:45 Your review is extremely thorough and precise. I love that you dive deep into the content of the book. Like many children who witness dysfunctional relationships finding themselves, in a good one can be difficult. Thanks for the amazing review!
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Mbrooks2518
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While this isn't the type of book that I enjoy reading, it seems like a great one for people that like romance or stories that focus on family relationships. Great review!
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Adina Lutinger
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Yes, it definitely is. Thank you so much for stopping by and reading although it's not your type of books, and thank you so much for your comment!Mbrooks2518 wrote: ↑25 Nov 2019, 11:51 While this isn't the type of book that I enjoy reading, it seems like a great one for people that like romance or stories that focus on family relationships. Great review!
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tristenb
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This sound like more than a simple romance novel. It talks about a lot of important issues, like family neglect. I look forward to reading this book. Thanks for the review!
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Adina Lutinger
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Yes, it's true. One of the things I really appriciate about this book is that in addition to the well developed love story, it touches many important issues and has a lot of deapth in it. I'm sure you will enjoy this book. Thank you so much for your comment!
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Manang Muyang
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They say one needs only two things to be happy: something to do and someone to love. Calder seems to have found both. I only wonder about why she used the name "Erica" for her charity.
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Adina Lutinger
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Yes, she definitely found both. And that's a good question, I wondered about it too. Thank you very much for reading and commenting!Miriam Molina wrote: ↑25 Nov 2019, 18:33 They say one needs only two things to be happy: something to do and someone to love. Calder seems to have found both. I only wonder about why she used the name "Erica" for her charity.
