The One and Only, by contemporary-fiction superstar Emily Giffin (Where We Belong), isn't short on surprises. Though it revolves around football, it touches on domestic violence and features a rather duplicitous woman who is secretly in love with her best friend Lucy's much-older dad. Giffin isn't a stranger to imperfect heroines, but the nature of the unfolding May-December romance is a solid departure for one of the reigning queens of chick lit.
Protagonist Shea, a young woman in her early 30s, is crazy about two things: football and her best friend's father, a dead ringer for George Clooney. He's married to Shea's mother's best friend; the family connections run deep. Shea fondly remembers playing on the floor of Coach Carr's office as a child and then, in another passage, dreams of making out with him. Her obsession with Coach Carr remains unrequited until his wife passes away, at which time all bets are off.
Giffin raises some uncomfortable questions about propriety, adulthood and what any of us would be willing to accept or forgive in the name of love. Unfortunately, she doesn't thoroughly explore her intriguing secondary plotline that involves an abusive boyfriend. Altogether this is serious stuff, clearly illustrating Giffin's evolution from "Will she get the guy?" scenarios to more thought-provoking themes. Regardless of the shift, The One & Only should resonate with longtime fans and newcomers alike, as Giffin's sharp writing is as wonderfully descriptive and refreshingly modern as ever. --Natalie Papailiou, author of blog MILF: Mother I'd Like to Friend