Blog Tour: My Only by N.S. Smith

My Only is a bittersweet coming of age story about two high school students that fall in love. It’s an amazing story that will make you question how you’re living your life and how you will continue to live your life. Will you live it or will it pass you by?

When I first started reading this I was only partially into it. YA is not my favorite genre but there are a few YA stories that stick out in my mind and worth reading. This is definitely one of them! Then about ¼ of the way through the story I really got into it and was able to lose myself in the characters and their stories. I really paid attention to what they were telling me and what was important about their individual stories.

Adam is a twin. His identical twin brother, Aaron is everything Adam is not. Aaron is a jock, popular and gets the girls. Adam is a nerdy, not into sports and has trouble talking to girls. Adam has always felt like he lives in Aaron’s shadow. Then Olivia moves in across the street. Olivia is a free spirit who lives life to the fullest.

Adam and Olivia become friends and Adam desperately wants to be more than friends. Unfortunately Aaron likes Olivia too. When Adam takes too long to ask Olivia out, Aaron steps in does it first. Once again, Adam is in Aaron’s shadow.

Over time, Aaron and Olivia break up. Adam and Olivia become friends again, but will they ever be more than that?

As the story went on, it became apparent that all is not what it seems with Olivia. Something’s wrong. Will Adam and Olivia survive what haunts Olivia?

I figured out about halfway through what was going to happen with Olivia. I was heartbroken and I thought I was prepared for it. Even though I knew what was coming, I still wasn’t prepared. I cried. Hard. Like a baby! It took me forever to get through the last 8 pages of the book because I was crying so hard. No matter how hard the lesson Olivia teaches Adam, it’s an important one. A difficult one. One we must all learn.

People come into your path for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do with that person.

~ unknown author

Olivia taught Adam and Aaron that life must lived. We can’t just watch is pass us by. Not only did she teach this to Adam and Aaron, she reminded me of this very important fact of life.

It’s been many years since I was in High School and all that High School entails. But it provides us with valuable life lessons that we carry forward. I was excited and intrigued by what became of Adam. He really blossomed as a person and learned to not stay in the shadows. I realize that this story is the story of Olivia and Adam, but Aaron was integral to the story as well. I was a bit disappointed we didn’t get more of Aaron’s story. I think his was just as important. It was obvious in the story that Aaron has his own demons and problems. Being the popular jock is not always easy. We never did find out exactly what Aaron’s problems were. Maybe we’ll get his story at a later date?

This is a powerful story with valuable lessons for many and reminders for others!

Author Bio:

Based in the American Midwest, N.K. Smith is a Technical Writer for a Fortune 100 company. The author of the Old Wounds Series, she is a mother of two who finds the time to write very early in the morning when the rest of the world is still fast asleep.
An avid lover of history, art, music, books, and people, she is interested in telling stories that speak to the human condition