If Only is A.J. Pine's debut novel and also the first book in her If Only series. While I absolutely loved the blurb of this book, I had some things that I didn't like when it came to the actual story. I thought that this book got off to a great start, and I was instantly drawn in. Unfortunately though this one ended up not being everything that I had hoped for, despite having some really great moments. I think that A.J. Pine definitely shows promise though, and I am curious about where this series will go. I liked the characters, so I will continue the series to see what happens from here.
Headed for a year abroad in Aberdeen, Scotland, Jordan Brooks meets two guys on the train from London. While Griffin is sweet and sexy, Jordan suspects that he might be a player. He could also be the perfect guy to help Jordan live in the moment as her best friend from home has told her she needs to learn to do. But Jordan can't get Noah off her mind, or the steamy kiss they shared in the loo on the train. Though Jordan is drawn to Noah, she quickly finds out that he has a girlfriend. Instead of sitting around and pining for Noah, Jordan decides to have some fun and Griffin is the one to help her do that. But the more she is around Noah, the harder it is for her to deny her true feelings.
I was frustrated with Jordan and Noah here. I really liked Griffin though, and I thought that he was a great guy. He was honest and open with Jordan from the very start, and I thought that he was a great friend for her. I have to say that while there was a bit of attraction there, I only ever saw those two as friends. It was very clear from the start who her feelings were for and what connection she had romantically. Noah and Jordan were connected from their very first meeting, and I really felt these two belonged together. It was clear that they had a lot in common and the chemistry between them was very strong. But they had a lot of issues and it got so old after awhile. Just when it looked as though these two were finally on the right track, they immediately reverted back and had to start all over. I hated the fact that they each handled the situation so poorly, and I was extremely mad at both of them.
Besides the frustration with Noah and Jordan, I have to say that some of the wordings got a bit old here as well. I was so sick of the whole "loo" thing, and after the first couple of times it just got annoying. I also thought it was a bit odd just how much Jordan seemed to constantly have to use the bathroom. I mean this girl was constantly having to go, and it just seemed so weird. I also really wish that we had been given Noah's POV in this book. He really made me angry with how he jumped to conclusions and how things took a turn for the worst when he and Jordan were finally making progress, and I really feel like his thoughts and feelings would have been beneficial. I wanted to know where his head was at and I was disappointed to only get Jordan's side of things here. As much as I liked Jordan and Noah together, I really didn't like how things went for them. They were each to blame at times, but the whole thing just got to be exhausting and I was glad when I finally reached the end. The immaturity and age of these characters really showed here, and if you aren't a fan of NA characters and how they sometimes act I would definitely steer clear of this one. I think that there are some really great moments here though, and if you like the NA genre and can put up with some age related issues this book is worth giving a shot.
**ARC Provided by Publisher**
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