Title: The One & Only
Author: Emily Giffin
Sub Box: PopSugar Must Have, June 2014 [the box with the Turkish towel I covet so]
I noticed several more book sub boxes popping up, as well as the inclusion of books in regular boxes. So, I thought it would be fun to start a mini book club.
Get out the boxed wine, cheese, and crackers, readers! Maybe even the pitchforks??
This month is a book that I kept seeing over on the MSA swap page, and decided to check out on audiobook from Overdrive [if you haven’t used Overdrive, get a library card and see if your library offers this amazing free service!]. I actually had not realized how long ago this was in a box, but perhaps you’ve read it or are using it to level a table. If so, dust it off and join the conversation!
Where to begin? This book was super slow-paced and dry, and I felt incredibly uncomfortable during most of it. I usually listen to audiobooks with British readers at about 1.25x speed, but this one I wanted to finish ASAP and used 2x for the first time. We’ll look at what the book was about, Sub Bella and I will talk about our reactions [and try not to spoil it for you, but please move to the end if you don’t want any sort of spoiler], then look at our upcoming book options!
Synopsis
The main character, Shea Rigsby is a football enthusiast fanatic. Like, my football obsessed boyfriend cannot hold a candle to this woman who is a sports writer and recalls who won [or should have won] the Heismann trophy going back decades. Her obsession with football was sooo incredibly boring.
sidenote: I am sorry, McBoyfriend [if you ever read this], but I do not like football. It moves way too fast for my sloth-esque mind, and it has too many rules. Plus, why is this sport named after the activity only one teammate, the kicker, does? Shouldn’t it be called Throwball or Tackleball? or perhaps even Bumslap? I usually get caught up in noticing how many guys have crazy long hair or wondering why there are so many people just lurking about on the sidelines.
As for Shea, she’s in her 30s and single, but runs into an old college friend, who happens to be like some sexy hot quarterback with abs for days. They start dating, and sexy times ensue. However, this is where some of the extreme uncomfortableness comes in. Shea likes this footballer. But. She’s O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D with her BFF’s dad. He’s a college football coach, and basically her second dad [which is how I’ve always viewed my sister’s BFF’s dad].
Reactions
I sat down with Sub Bella [read: I emailed her], and posed some questions to our resident photographer. I used/modified the book talk questions right from Giffin’s own site.
If you haven’t read the book, perhaps skip down a ways. We don’t want to ruin it for you!
SB and I both were unsure of this book. She had read other novels from this author, and I was new to Giffin. The feelings that Shea develops are uncomfortable because of the almost father-daughter relationship she had with Coach growing up.
Have you ever fallen in love with someone your family or friends did not approve of?
Sub Bella: Yes! I was young, stupid and thought I knew better than anyone else. I understood him best. He needed me. The more people told me they did not approve, the more I was determined to prove them wrong. Finally, one day I realized what a mess everything was and left.
Onderria: One of the first guys I dated was 10 years older, and one of the last guys before my current boyfriend was 15 years older. My family did not approve at all, but both were intelligent, funny men who, if I went back, would still date them because I learned quite a bit from both.
Were you surprised by the relationship that develops between Coach Carr and Shea? Did you root for them to end up together?
SB: I suspected it because it is a novel! Something had to happen besides football and sex. I had a hard time rooting for them because of Lucy, Shea’s best friend. I remember how it felt like when my dad started dating a couple of years after my mom passed away. I understood intellectually, but felt betrayed emotionally. How would Lucy feel? Was it worth it to jeopardize their friendship over a man that is important in their lives?
It took me time to adjust to them being together. It seemed wrong in the beginning. Shea had an idealized version of Coach Carr. It wasn’t until she realized he was human and accepted it, that I could start to root for them. At that point, it became a love story between equals, instead of an unbalanced relationship.
O: Wow, well put! I was thinking about this situation from Lucy’s point of view, and how if I was her I would feel incredibly betrayed and upset. I don’t think I could look at Shea the same for a long long time.
How do you view Ryan? Do you think he, or people generally, can change?
SB: Ryan is dangerous. He may want to change, but I don’t see it happening. He doesn’t have to change. No one is going to force it. There are stories about football players with domestic violence arrests, rapes, and more. It’s part of the culture, in my opinion, because of what is expected on the playing field. I think it is wrong. I also don’t see anything changing either.
Ryan might have changed if things were handled differently in the beginning. He would have suffered a consequence that changed his life path. By not allowing that to happen, it creates this environment where he knows he will be protected because of his football playing ability. The whole Ryan part of the storyline made me angry because you can see the results with his first marriage and then his treatment of Shea.
O: I think athletes, celebrities, and people with money get away with a lot because they know they can. If Shea or the other girls don’t speak up, then what’s to keep Ryan from continuing down the same path?
Another major theme in the book is the idea of following your passion. When is it good policy to base major life decisions around your passions?
SB: Great question! This is something I’ve been thinking about because I am in my mid-forties with my oldest heading to college in 2017. I still have my adorable 7 year old to keep me company for many years! I put off decisions involving my passions as a single mom because it was not the best decision for me and T (16 yo). Now I am in a different place in my life with two boys and a husband. I don’t regret the decisions that I made because it was in the best interest for us.
Yet I still yearn for those passions. I think it is easiest to follow your passions and make those decisions when you are only responsible for yourself. It can also be the hardest time to do it because of the lack of resources and support. Once others are involved in your life, it needs to be something that everyone can be behind because of the effect it has in their lives.
This does not mean to ignore your passions. There are ways to bring your passions into your life through hobbies, volunteering, teaching, or as a side income. Don’t ignore them especially if you are in a rut. That may be the time to make changes and follow through on your passions.
O: I think employment should be based off your passions. If you don’t love or at least enjoy your work, then aren’t you wasting your life? I didn’t love working with children, so I changed my story. I might be adding to my debt by doing grad school, but at least I found a career that is interesting and combines a lot of things I enjoy!
Also, I want Sub Bella as my life advisor. I couldn’t tell if I was tearing up last night while I read her email in bed, or if it was because my ROC night cream had leaked into my eye again [feel the burn!].
Verdict
My Review: 1.2 stars for writing style
While this book really was not my sports analogy, I think it is something people deal with: inappropriate crushes and relationships. So, while I did not approve, I think there are definitely people out there who will relate and appreciate this book. Also, I did like the writing style of the book, and would be interested in reading some of Guffin’s other works.
What did you think? Did you read it? Do you want to read it?
Do/did you have any inappropriate crushes? I basically had a crush on every male teacher in high school, and then at 25 ended up dating a teacher/coworker who was 15 years older than me… so… there you go. Childhood fantasy accomplished.
Aaaand cat picture…
Next
Congrats! You made it =) Is your wine all gone yet? Well, go get some more because next Sub Bella and I are going to review Mindy Kaling’s new book, “Why Not Me?”, which was in Popsugar and Birchbox. Look for it late November, and email us with your input! Then perhaps the Judy Blume book from this past summer. However, if you have a book you got in a box and you want us to review it, let us know!
If you have any questions, comments, or other input, send a comment addressed to Onderria.
I love this series idea! I’m such a slow reader, but I love hearing about books, buying books, and getting book subs! My to-read pile runneth over.
Haven’t we all had inappropriate crushes? It’s like a right of passage! My most favorite was one I didn’t (wouldn’t) do anything about. I had a college professor who was a H-O-T-T-I-E. Sadly, he was married. Every class there was a mad dash of girls trying to get a seat at the front of the class. He asked me to stay after class once so he can get an extra copy of one of my papers. 😉
Also, FOOTBALL FOREVER!!!!!!!!!
Artemis, my to-read list on Goodreads is like 250 deep! Any good books for you lately?? I just started in on the third Bridget Jones, Mad About the Boy, and so far I like it more than the first two combined. I actually did not like the books and loved the movies [I may have them memorized… I may have also cried and watched them every time one of my crushes did not pan out].
I’m usually way behind reading what is currently out. Currently I’m reading “All The Light We Cannot See”, which won the Pulitzer last year. It is very good though sad. My favorite recent read though is The Martian, which I absolutely loved. It was way way way better than the movie. I was so disappointed in the movie and don’t understand the great reviews presumably from people that read the book.
I’ll be skipping this one.
Though, a couple months ago, I read the Loot Crate February 2015 book: Ready Player One. And I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
That does sound interesting, sdbear! I put it on my list =)
Me too!
I did not like this book. The ending especially bugged me. The characters were not likeable. And the ending was not realistic.