One Woman Only by Dee S. Knight 💕 New Release Spotlight, Behind the Scenes & EXCLUSIVE Gift Card Giveaway 💕 (Contemporary Romance)

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As far as anyone knows, Jonah Goodman has spent his adult life doing a little of this and a little of that. Everyone thinks he’s good at many things but a master at none. It isn't that he doesn't have the brains or even the heart to be a master. He doesn't have the commitment. He's not like his brother Daniel, so focused on his goal that he blocks out everything else, or his other triplet brother, Mark, to whom focus is unthinkingly part of his genius. Whether his lack of follow through stems from fear or self-doubt, no one but Jonah knows. But it all started his senior year of high school, when he took the virginity of his girl, Kelly Shepherd. He immediately broke up with her and went so far as to drop out of school and move away. Since then, he’s found his place as a simple—but excellent—mechanic, well-known in the world of NASCAR. Now, he's about to meet up with Kelly again in a most interesting venue—his parents' wedding.

Kelly Shepherd has always liked Mr. and Mrs. Goodman. They were the town characters—she a former stripper who had triplets out of wedlock, and he an affable thief who did his time and then came home to be sheltered in the open arms of their small town. Kelly's parents, rich factory owners and employers of most of the town, would never be so loved and appreciated as the Goodmans. Nor would they love each other as the Goodmans did. Or show such open affection for their children. Jonah's parents were one of the reasons Kelly was so happy to start dating him in their senior year. Then she handed over her V-card and everything went to hell. She never even knew why. Now, after a disastrous marriage, a necessary divorce, and a career choice that still disappoints her parents, Kelly is finally returning home to see the couple she most admires marry each other after more than thirty-six years of "living in sin." Her mother's words, not hers. She thinks the one thing spoiling the thought of the weekend is the chance she might see the only man to break her heart. No, not her worthless husband. Jonah Goodman. But there's more, much more ahead.

The Good Man Series

The books of the Good Man series came about through a collaboration between Vanessa Hart and me, years ago. We started with twins, Daniel and Jonah Goodman. I wrote Daniel’s story (what became Only a Good Man Will Do) and she wrote the story for Jonah, an extraordinary mechanic who did work for some of the best drivers on the NASCAR circuit. Well, other work intervened and we eventually dropped the idea of the duo book. With Nessie’s permission, I recently picked up Daniel’s and Jonah's stories and made a few changes. First, Daniel and Jonah are now triplets, not twins. Their third brother, Mark, is a bona fide genius, though his street smarts don’t quite measure up to his book smarts—especially when it comes to women. Focused mechanic Jonah has become carefree and wild as the wind, as he tends to go from job to job, lending his magical touch to world-class drivers but not settling in with any team permanently.

In One Woman Only, Jonah is headed home to Lucky Strike, North Carolina to attend his parents' wedding. Yes, after nearly 40 years of "living in sin," his parents have decided to tie the knot. There will be lots going on--it's Thanksgiving weekend, his brother Daniel, who eloped the previous week will be there with his new bride and her son as well as a passel of people he brought down from New Hampshire, his parents' nuptuals are being broadcast on national TV, and, oh yeah, his former girlfriend, Kelly Shepherd, will also be in town and at the wedding. He hasn't seen her since senior year of high school, when he humiliated himself and her in the backseat of his car the night of homecoming. Will the old chemistry mix things up, or will Kelly shut Jonah down? Half of him can't wait to find out and the other half wants to skip everything and stay home in South Carolina! Poor Jonah!

And poor Kelly. At least Jonah is coming home to a house where love is center place. In Kelly's home, her mother gives her air kisses and her father ignores her--unless there's something he wants. Kelly discovers her first night home that her father has something in mind for his daughter. When she was younger, he told her that girls had no place in the corporate world. Her brother was heir apparent to the family embroidery business. Suddenly, though, her father wants to retire and her brother has run off to find himself. Now her father wants Kelly to give up everthing to come home and run the business. What is she to do? Leave her job and her life behind to accommodate her parents? She did that once to disastrous results. There's only one person she trusts enough to give her straight advice. Too bad she swore off Jonah Goodman eighteen years before.

In all three books about the Goodman brothers, I hope you will agree with me that the key to winning a woman’s heart is in being a truly good man.

"May I have this dance?"

Kelly turned at the sound of Jonah's voice behind her. Dinner had ended. All three of the boys had given best man speeches and Eve had even given a very creditable matron of honor speech, considering she had only known Marilyn and Caleb a short time. Lots of toasts had been raised and finally the live band had struck up the music. Caleb led his bride onto the floor for a foxtrot—a dance more than half of the guests had no idea how to do, including her.

Facing Jonah she sighed inwardly at how scrumptious he looked. Sure, his face was pretty much displayed on his brothers' heads, too, but there was something different about Jonah. His nose was just a little crooked from when Bobby Hendricks had broken it in ninth grade and his eyes held an especially bright sparkle in his eyes when he smiled. Maybe… Well, she didn't know what caused the difference between Jonah and his brothers. Whatever it was, she had never been fooled by the so-called identical nature of the identical triplets. She'd wanted to be his girl since elementary school. Thought she would be in high school. And then forced every last thought of him from her mind from senior year on.

Until now.

"I don't know how to foxtrot."

He shrugged. "Who does except those over fifty?" He glanced at his folks, still alone on the dancefloor, although a few couples were wandering out to join them now. "We can pretend."

She mentally compared standing on the sidelines alone now that Mama Rio left the party, or being held in Jonah's arms. Smiling, Kelly held out her hands. "Just don't step on my toes, Jonah Goodman, or there'll be hell to pay."

"Yes, ma'am." Together they walked onto the dancefloor. He took her right hand in his left and placed his right hand on her waist. Fortunately for them, the music changed to a slow tempo. Kelly laid her head on Jonah's shoulder, and he tugged her closer as they swayed to the music.

"This is nice," he murmured.

"Yes it is," she replied. So very nice. He smelled good. Beneath the light citrus fragrance of his aftershave was a slight whiff of pure man with maybe a twinge of motor oil or something so Jonah it brought tears to her eyes.

He rubbed a path up to her shoulder blades and gave a squeeze. "You fit me perfectly, Kelly."

"I do?"

"You sure do. I think our hearts can feel each other beat."

Kelly chuckled. "Smooth talker. Face to face like this our hearts are on opposite sides."

"Hey! I'm trying to be romantic here."

She sighed. "Keep on. It's appreciated."

"You smell…good."

She felt his smile. Raising her head she gave him a mock glare. "Watch it with those pregnant pauses, buster."

He used his hand to press her head back to his shoulder. "You do smell good, though. This isn't the same perfume you wore in high school. That was—"

"Lilac," they said at the same time. Once more she raised her head to look at him. "How did you remember that?"

"I remember much more than you might think." He turned her and moved her closer to the door onto the patio. "Each spring when lilacs are in bloom memories come flooding back. Does that surprise you?"

"More like shocks me," she said, grinning. And then she laid her head on his shoulder once more, finding she liked it more and more there in his arms. She stepped slightly closer and his arm tightened about her.

"Well, after a while I thought lilac seemed too girlish. I like the vintage scents, so in college I wore Wind Song. Then Shalimar was the scent Brad liked me to wear." She felt Jonah stiffen when she mentioned her ex, and really she didn't blame him. "But when I grew up enough finally to take charge of my own life, I started wearing Chanel No 5. A complex fragrance for what I hope is a complex woman."

"It suits you. Complex and beautiful." He kissed her temple. "Want to step outside for a minute?"

"Sure. It is a little warm in here."

On the patio, they could hear the sounds of the people from the television networks packing up equipment, chatting and laughing. Stars shone brightly in the clear night sky. Wood smoke from someone's fireplace wafted through the air and static electricity fairly crackled in the crispness of the autumn air.

"This is my favorite time of year," Kelly said. "The heat of summer is gone and winter nights curled up with a hot drink and blazing fire are ahead."

"Not me. I'm a summer boy all the way."

"A hothead you mean?" she teased.

"Oh, I'm hot all right." He waggled his brows at her. Kelly laughed.

"I do seem to remember that about you."

"You used to be pretty hot yourself. Still are." He leaned in. His eyes flicked down to her lips. Kelly sucked in a breath. She should stop him, she really should.

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Daniel Goodman is a man on a mission. For years he has striven for perfection, fighting for the pinnacle achievement in his world of academia, Headmaster of Westover Academy. Westover, established before the American Revolution, is still one of the most prestigious schools in the country. They accept only boys whose parents fit a certain mold and only those teachers who hold to a stringent set of mores, on and off campus. Jonah considers his brother a prig. Daniel sees himself as doing his best to serve his students. How much better can he serve them as headmaster? That is what he seeks to find out.

Suddenly, into his cut and dried, strictly black and white life of moral and upright behavior, comes Eve Star, formerly one of Europe's foremost exotic dancers. Her life is anything but cut and dried, black and white. Bad enough that she's enrolled her son in Westover Academy under false pretenses. More, she runs the town's most disreputable bar. Worst, much to Daniel's dismay, he finds himself drawn to her like a kid to chocolate. Nothing good can come of this attraction. Or can it? fplaceHe is after all, a good man.

An incredibly well-written story!

This is one of those books that just flowed. I honestly wasn't sure if I would like it when I first started reading, but I was steadily pulled through the book like a building crescendo and then BAM! Daniel's big realization about Eve hit and everything changed from there and it was SO awesome!

Daniel certainly had a tough decision to make, follow his head or follow his heart, and I enjoyed reading how he rationalized and hashed out what the next step in his life should be. He had plenty of doubt, and I felt that made him a realistic character.

I admired Eve's dedication to her son. She was willing to do whatever it took to make sure he was taken care of, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness. She fully accepted that, and Dee did an excellent job writing Eve's emotions as she prepared herself to make a life-changing decision. (No spoilers!!!)

I haven't read Dee's books before, but holy smokes is there some heat in here! Given that the setting is primarily in a boarding school, I wasn't expecting much in the heat department, but boy, was I wrong!

I learned of Daniel's two other brothers, and I hope they get their own stories too! I will DEFINITELY be reading them!!!

(I was given a copy of this book in consideration of my honest thoughts)

A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex. Writing was so much fun Dee decided to keep at it. That's how she spends her days. Her nights? Well, she's lucky that her dream man, childhood sweetheart, and long-time hubby are all the same guy, and nights are their secret. For romance ranging from sweet to historical, contemporary to paranormal and more join Dee on Nomad Authors. Contact Dee at dsknight@deesknight.com.