Review: Always the One

Always the One by C.C. Monroe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Always the One is CC Monroe's debut novel. It's well written and kept me engaged until the very last paragraph. The characters are realistic and lovable, I could easily connect with them.
I love a new author that completely blows me away with their writing, and that is what happened here.

Trey & Shay's story begins in childhood, he's her brothers friend but soon becomes her best friend and often savior. If something goes wrong in her life, if someone upsets her, Trey is there.
As Shay and her best female friend graduate, they along with Trey and her brother are moving to Seattle to start their lives and hopefully get their careers off the ground.

Trey is thrilled to have his best friend along side him at this crucial time in his life, the thing is he wants more than to be her friend. Trey has been in love with Shayla for years, not that he realized it considering he has serious commitment issues and isn't quite sure he knows how to love a woman with his whole heart.

Shayla has loved Trey for just as long, both afraid to admit it. So she's focused on school and the career she wants instead of dating. Meanwhile Trey has a constant string of one night stands but no relationships.

Until friends become lovers.
Trey knows he'll have to be the man Shay needs, he'll have to be able to love her with everything he is and trust her. He has major issues with trust and women going back to childhood, but Shayla means the world to him and he's determined to get it right.
He messes up along the way but Shayla sees him, the real him. She sees his faults and still loves him unconditionally, even when he's driving her insane and making her question whether or not she can handle the Alpha in him.

Shay is strong, which I adore, whiny heroines drive me nuts! She knows what she wants and is willing to fight for it. Whether it be business or personal, she's willing to put in the work.
And Trey is work. The man is broken in some ways, he has issues that she's not sure he can overcome but time and again she's willing to help him, to give him the benefit of the doubt and love him through it.

When tragedy strikes both are shaken to the core, the end of this book left me yelling at the author. It does end on a cliffhanger so be prepared!

The secondary characters in this story are great. Their story is almost as engaging as Trey & Shala's, they are fighting their own battle and dragging their friends into it quite often!
I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in this series.


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