Review by Mounce574 -- One Way or Another

[Stephanie Runyon]

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

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

I approached One Way or Another: A Friends to Lovers Contemporary Romance; The Sisters Quartet, with the thought that it would be a run of the mill romance novel. Fortunately, Mary J. Williams made it much more than I could imagine.

Amazon's description doesn't give this book the justice it deserves. Williams opens with a prologue that gives the back story and luxury upbringing of the main protagonist, Calder Benedict, and her relationship with her sisters. At a young age, the girls adopted a "one for all, all for one" motto where they relied on each other due to their dysfunctional mother and multiple fathers' lack of parenting skills. All weighted decisions included the input of every sister and instilled in the reader how close Benedict sisters were. A majority of the story is from Calder's point of view but the family presence is frequent.

After such an in-depth back story of the girls, I expected the main male protagonist, Adam Stone, would not be as financially secure as the Benedict family, from how he is introduced in the story. Just like Calder, I believed he was a bouncer for a nightclub until he showed up as a painter in her home even though that was not his occupation either. Williams made Adam a mystery except for when he interacted with characters other than Calder. The brief glimpses into Adam's thoughts gave way to my perception of "still waters run deep." He came across outwardly as cool and calm, but inside he had insecurities and impulses like everyone else. Calder and Adam's personalities complimented each other with both being forthcoming on their sexual attraction, and their confidence increased when together.

I am very pleased to say that this book is well-edited, as I did not find any errors. The only thing I was disappointed in was how the storyline flowed slowly as it unfolded. For example, a crucial event affecting the quartet involved a "new lover" of their mother's. Ingo Hunter was a major antagonist, whose influence on the family was not presented until the epilogue. The unexpected twist did open the door for the series to continue.

I really enjoyed that Williams was able to include drama that was realistic and a romance that wasn't just all sex scene mush. Every character's development of distinct personality traits implies there is more being built upon in future books. I appreciate the series isn't focusing upon the love life of only two characters, but that it could involve another family member's perception of events.

I am rating this book a 4 out of 4 stars. I did find some profanity and sexual scenes to be inappropriate for young readers. I would suggest this book to anybody that enjoys suspenseful romance with the ability to see a character's thoughts as important factors in the story. Personally, I like being able to understand why Calder and Adam conducted their outside actions by being "in their mind."

******
One Way or Another
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[InStoree]

One way or another, I'll try to find some time for this book . It seems quite a relaxing and enjoyable read. Loved your review, Stephanie! Thank you!

[Nisha Ward]

Ooh. I do love a good romance that comes with a twist, though I would appreciate it more if it had a neater ending. That being said, it's nice to see that Calder has a match in Adam and what that means for the story.

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

A well-developed, realistic romance is much harder to find than it seems! As you say, a lot of them are "just all sex scene mush" or cliches.
The relationships between the sisters must add a deeper and very enriching level to the story.
Thank you for your honest review!

[Ronel_Steyn]

I think most avid readers enjoy a good romance novel despite preferring another genre. Your review is thorough and informative. Thank you!

[Ogoskino]

I love romance stories with a bit of a twist just like this book promises. Great review