One Night: Promised (The One Night Trilogy Book 1)

I reviewed this at MustReadBooksOrDie with my friend Shelley! Shel: I finished this book earlier this morning and I've been successfully procrastinating on writing this review because I'm not really sure what to say. WHY? Well, first, it's the first book in a trilogy and I've not read the other two books yet so I can't give you any idea about what to prepare you for as far as the series goes. Second, I hate to be all spoilery. Third, I am still thinking about it..putting all the pieces together and trying to predict what's going to happen next and I'm happy to say that I won't have to wait long because the other two books are out! Court: They are...thank goodness....BUT...This book is equal parts as infuriating and invigorating as This Man. I loved that series with all of my wee little heart, and I was nervous as all (edit) to read this one...because, Hello Jesse Ward. (Case in Point)...THEN I remembered, that all of their back and forth shenanigans made me love them in the end, so I was counting on JEM to do that here. Well, she did. Lots of OMGs, and OMFs later...I survived the end of this book. Shel: Somethings to know: Shel: It's not fast paced; Jodi Ellen Malpas unravels this story at a steady pace. This didn't bother me in the least. I appreciated that she didn't rush things along; the pacing made the story feel more real-ish, albeit frustrating when all you want to know is what this is all building up to. Court: I must admit, it almost bothered me, but with Shel's encouragement I stuck it out...and was not disappointed that it took a little bit longer than I was hoping to really get to the nitty gritty and hook me. I mean, I was hooked, but I wasn't hooked...and then I was hooked. (You see my progression there, yeah?) Shel: Speaking of frustrating, M was so incredibly frustrating and infuriating. His arrogance and his quirks and his ARROGANCE...did I mention arrogance, made me want to slap someone? And Livy frustrated the heck out of me too because when she wasn't running, she was swooning over M and all I really wanted to do was tie her to a chair and not let her continue in the madness of this thing with M. Since I had absolutely no say so in how all of this went down, I settled in for the craziness and tried to hang in there. Shel: That expression pretty much stuck with me until the end of the novel. Court: But (edit), a man with a British accent who can rock a suit...I might be inclined to put up with his shizz a lot more than normal. But then add of his psychological quirks...and we have a ridiculously well written, engaging, feel good, but sometimes oh so WHAT THE (edit) story. I cannot wait to read the next book! Shel: As I continue into book 2, I'm interested in how the prologue of book 1 will fit in with the rest of this story. I'm also interested in William and her mother and, of course, M. Court: Which is when the OMFs started, because OMF. OMF. The end. OMG. How could she DO THIS TO ME! But, I bet she enjoyed it, hahahaha. Shel: ..and Gregory and Nan better be prominently featured...Court: Yes. Those two. Are. The. Freaking. Bomb. Especially the grandmother. I die just thinking about her! She is a riot! Shel: I'm enjoying this series; stay tuned for our thoughts on books 2 and 3. Until then...happy reading. Court: Happy reading!

This book was a trip and I totally enjoyed it! I think it hit all my buttons emotion wise: sweet and swooney, sexy, intense, and heartbreaking. I really liked Livy, a great foundation was laid for her from the start and I was pulled in. The details learned throughout were heartbreaking but they formed who she is. She was so contained in her own bubble and then she meets M. You see her getting stronger and stronger during the story, and I kept liking her more and more. M. This man is a crazy mystery of sexiness, sternness, and a stare that could melt. All the little details that emerged, how JEM described him, I could totally picture this intense man in my head. I kept asking myself so many questions, the main ones being, who in the heck is he? Why so secretive? There were hints of who he was and what he did and I was pretty sure I had it figured out half way through the story. I loved his moments of vulnerability, his challenging ways, and his quirks. I did like him a lot but he was a master at avoiding questions, sometimes I found that frustrating. I thought it was fantastic how Livy worked certain things out and challenged him. I really enjoyed all the secondary characters and thought they played into the story nicely. Livy's nan was just fantastic. I want to hug this woman. She added the perfect amount of fun and entertainment to a story that contained drama and tension. The ending had me on the edge of my seat, it was very intense. Livy finding out who M was and then their last encounter pretty much had me holding my breath. I love how right at the end, things from the prologue come back into play leaving us with a cliffhanger. Yes, cliffhanger. I expected it since it's book 1 in a trilogy. I am very much looking forward to the next book, One Night: Desired. I thought the pacing was good, there was a nice, slow build throughout the story. There was a section in the last half where the back and forth of their relationship dragged a bit for me. I liked the sexy times, nice and hot but not overly done. Overall I was totally into the story and absolutely enjoyed to. The right mix of drama, sexiness, and intensity.

6 STARS!!!! This book HOOKED me from the first page until the very end. The author has given me another great love with M, and the story to me was every bit as gripping and gut-wrenching as Jesse and Ava’s story. I was SO excited to read an early copy of this book!! One Night: Promised is a 6-star read for me and it is NOT to be missed. Livy is a very relatable woman, a bit of an underachiever but working hard to put her past dysfunctional family life behind her. She leads a rather quiet and sad life. At first, she resists the mysterious stranger who visits her coffee shop, but M is nothing if not persistent and she finds herself accepting his very risky proposition – spend just one glorious night together. “I know a bad thing when I see it, and standing behind me is a man who could crush my logic.” M is HOT and if you think this is a standard romance story, you are WRONG. M is nuanced, damaged, and yes, ultimately very lovable and Livy falls hard. This book has a TON of twists and heart-stopping turns so this review will be spoiler-free. The story is filled with fantastic, memorable characters including a wonderful supporting cast of friends and the amazing, funny and incorrigible Nan, Livy’s grandmother. Livy has blocked off her emotions for a very long time but she cannot resist M’s no-strings-attached proposition. He makes her feel alive, BUT she does push back at certain points in the story which I found to be very believable and true to her character. M has many, many faults, and he turns out to be a very flawed, very human character. I fell in love with him immediately. “I’ve always tried to keep my life simple, but now I’m craving a complication – a tall, dark-haired, mysterious complication.” I absolutely LOVED the gentlemanly, “formal” side of M. It fit in perfectly with his personality. This book has a slow build to it but you will be generously rewarded by sticking to the story. The author thrilled me to my very soul by the end of the book. M to me is a actually a very loving person, wrapped up in a stunningly handsome, rather cold exterior. He makes makes a real effort to be close to Livy, to treasure her and care for her in his own way. “Beautiful things should be savored, Livy, not rushed.” Overall, One Night: Promised is one of my top reads of the year so far. I absolutely cannot wait for November!! “Each and every moment will be etched on that beautiful mind of yours forever. Every kiss. Every touch. Every word.”

When I first heard about this book, I was beyond excited!!! Then I read a teaser to the first chapter and I swear I was counting down the days till August 5th!! Jodi Ellen Malpas has done it again!! She has created a story that has completely captivated me and she's created a book boyfriend that has gone straight to my top ten list!! I specifically took a vacation day so that I could just sit on my couch and read this from start to finish with minimal interruptions! I FREAKING LOVED THIS STORY!!!!!! I'm sitting here still just completely consumed by my thoughts over what I just finished reading last night. All I want to do is go back and start from the beginning and read it all over again! From the moment M. walks into the cafe Livy works at, and orders his Americano, I was intrigued. He is completely delicious and Livy is a nervous wreck under his piercing gaze. Then he goes and leaves her a little note on a napkin and I'm already developing a crush of my own on him!! Fate lends a hand by having the two end up at a Fund Raising Gala. M is there as a guest and Livy is working as a server for her manager's catering company. The minute the two see each other, the attraction is sizzling. Livy has a little mishap and there ends up being this pretty hot scene between the two in the ladies room. M is captivated with Livy. He can't seem to stay away. Livy has led a very dull and uneventful life for the past seven years. She lives with her NAN and the only time she ever really leaves the house is to go to work or hang out with her friend, Gregory. Something about her mother's sordid past, has her refraining from having relationships with men and she also avoids drinking any alcohol. I thought I had figured out what her issue was but later on, come to find out I was COMPLETELY WRONG! Now M comes into her life and she's willing to come out of her shell and be a bit adventurous. He's propositioned her. At first he offers her one night of unbelievable sexual pleasure but soon it turns into 24 hours! But this is all he can offer because as he states he is "emotionally unavailable". She's hesitant at first because she knows that he has already affected her and if she were to go through with this, she'll likely end up with a crushed heart! Livy tries to walk away but her attraction to M is growing and when they end up running into each other a few times, she can no longer deny that this is going to happen between them. The sex was UNBELIEVABLY HOT! M promised an AMAZING experience and he DELIVERED!! Or shall I say Jodi did! I already knew that the Sex was going to be OUT OF THIS WORLD HOT because the lady knows how to write good sex!! M never rushes anything with Livy. Every moment must be "savoured"!! I loved his "Thing" that he needed from her! M is the PERFECT man!! He's a gifted lover, AND he loves to cuddle!! He also seems to have OCD and a thing against riding in elevators. His little quirks are what make him more human and even more lovable. But there is definitely something that he is hiding and it has to do with whatever business he is in. There is plenty of angst due to the push and pull nature of M. One minute he's cold and closed off and the next he shows Livy his tender and affectionate side. She was constantly in turmoil. Not knowing if she was just one of his conquests or if he was truly starting to develop the same feelings for her that she had for him. But he will come to realize that 24 hours will never be enough for them and that he has fallen so hard for her that he feels he needs her to be able to breathe. I was fully captivated by this crazy and powerful connection that was growing between M and Livy. But I was also very tense because I knew their love was going to be tested and that it would probably tie me up in knots!! Something has to come into play that will tear these two apart, because this is a trilogy and Jodi knows how to bring on the gut wrenching angst. I'm totally devastated by the ending!! Some of us predicted what M's secret was. I stayed in denial. I refused to even consider what everyone was predicting. Now I feel like curling up into a ball and crying my eyes out because "One Night Denied" wont be out till November 11th!! And that title??!!! Oh we are in for some more gut wrenching Angst!!! I need this book BAD!!!!! I can't say enough about just how much I loved this one and I highly recommend it!!

Where do I begin? One Night Promised is going to be a hard book for me to review. I had some serious problems with it - so many that I very nearly DNF'd it several times. But, I kept hearing that the last 15% made all the BS worth it, so I wanted to hold on until then. In the end, I was glad I did, because all those other reviewers were right. Livy has led a very sheltered life for the past seven years. She lives with her grandmother, has no real ambitions beyond learning to work the cappuccino machine at the coffee shop in which she works, and only hangs out with her mostly gay BFF. And then Miller happens. He walks into the coffee shop, insults her, and then completely turns her world upside down. But, both Livy and Miller have some pretty heavy secrets to work around, and by the time they figure them out, it could wreck them. My first mistake was entering into this book thinking it would be a repeat of Jodi Ellen Malpas' This Man series, which I loved. I knew that One Night Promised also took place in England, also included an alpha male and also included secrets on his part, just like in the This Man series. Right away, however, I realized that having those preconceived notions gave me one strike before even cracking the spine. The differences between the This Man series and the One Night series were apparent right away. The first difference I noticed was in our female MC. Livy was no Ava - not by a mile. Livy was very nearly ridiculous. She has sheltered herself so severely over the past seven years of her life, that even completely benign and innocent altercations with anyone other than those she's familiar with cause her to react in over-the-top and unbelievable ways. For instance, at a waitress job early in the book, when she is handed a $50 tip from a rich guy, she's so opposed and uncomfortable with it, she throws it in the garbage. THROWS A $50 BILL IN THE FREAKING TRASH. Who does that? Livy lives with her meddling, but sweet, grandmother, and is loathe to leave her. She never knew her dad, and her mom took off years before. Livy went through some wild lifestyle stuff when she was 17, and after coming to her senses, kind of swung to the other end of the spectrum. The other thing about Livy that bothered me a lot was that it seemed like she had very little self-control or self-respect when it came to Miller. He wasn't always nice to her, but because he made her lady bits tingle every time she locked eyes with him, she continued to pant after him. I swear, she lost her mind every time they were in the same room. It was infuriating. I just wanted her to woman up, tell Miller to shove it and make HIM come crawling back to her instead of the other way around. Oh yes - Miller. He was no Jesse Ward. Yes, Miller was controlling and alpha and manly. What he was NOT was charismatic and charming, which are absolutely essential characteristics when dealing with a control freak. Without the endearing qualities, the guy just seems like an ass - which was pretty much Miller most of the time. As a character, he was flat and stiff. There was no depth to him. The only thing that drove me onward was his secrets. It was apparent immediately that he had them, and I hate feeling out of the loop, so I was determined to figure them out. He wasn't very forthcoming with them, even after Livy spilled all of her darkest and deepest skeletons. It made me wonder what was so bad that he was so afraid of the full disclosure. The reader doesn't find out until around 85% what Miller's big secret is, and it really is a doozy. Honestly, I feel kind of stupid that I didn't see it coming, because after it's revealed, I remembered all the signs earlier that pointed to it. The revelation of the big secret ended up going hand-in-hand with a crazy cliffhanger. The two things put together accomplished what I had previously thought impossible. As soon as I was done, I downloaded the second book in the series, One Night Denied, from NetGalley. I actually started reading it right away. Surprising, I know. But, what can I say? Over the course of this entire book, Livy's and Miller's relationship became way more interesting than the characters did on their own. It was hot and angsty and drama-filled, which are all good bookish things. Stay tuned for more on the second book in this series.

Review for One Night Promised by Jodi Ellen Malpas I am a little late to jump on the One Night band-wagon … selfishly I didn’t want to give up Jesse. Jodi Ellen Malpas completely ruined me with Central Jesse Cloud Nine. Now that all three books in the One Night series are available — I decided it was time. Here I sit just moments after finishing the book and I’m in shock, I think? I’m really not quite sure what I am. It was about 20% into the book before I really started to lose myself in the story. I don’t think it was because the first part was any less good than the other 80% of the book … I honestly think it was me trying to compare it to This Man… maybe even a bit of FSoG. Once I got out of that funk I was completely enamored. I’m going to do this review a bit differently starting with the secondary characters. First we have Nan, which I love dearly. She’s the exact opposite of a frail old grandmother and every bit of the feisty, spry type of lady that I hope to one day become. And dear George … he’s completely smitten and Nan completely runs him through the wringer. They are probably my favorite secondary characters I’ve read in a long while. Then we have the friends Gregory, a very attractive 80% gay man, his devotion to Livy was obvious and the support he gave her unflappable. Even if he was persistent, nosey, and sometimes brash. Sylvie is the kind of character I love to hate. I’m not sure if she supported as much as she aggravated, but we all have that one friend. Livy … I’m not even sure where I should start with this one. Miller is mostly the same. They are nothing and everything. Livy is closed off, insecure, and basically just moving through the motions. Everything she does is to ward of the past. To prevent it from repeating, but Miller holds the keys to unlocking her secrets. “This beautiful, pure girl has fallen in love with the big bad wolf.” Miller is secretive. He’s eccentric, wealthy, sexy as sin, and determined to worship Livy. The push and pull between the two is overwhelming. There were times when I actually wanted him to just leave her alone. Just let her live her life and be happy. Then he would sweep me off my feet with his gentle worship and perfect words. “I want to surrender myself to you completely, Livy. I want to be yours. You are my perfect.” So many secrets, so many twists to their story, and they all tumble into an explosive end that is obviously just the beginning. Now I’m completely grateful that I waited because now I don’t have to wait to read book two since it’s already on my Kindle waiting for me to finish this blasted review. It’s obvious that Malpas has grown in her writing style. This Man was great, loved it, still love it. One of the few series I have reread, but this book is perfection. The flow of the story and the development of the characters and their relationships are all spot on. One Night Promised is a well-crafted roller coaster ride that will leave you on the cusp of derailing more than once … a FIVE PLUS star read with FOUR wet panties for smut factor and maybe half a box of tissues for the heartache too. Certified Mommy’s a Book Whore must read now. Review by the Head Whore.

I can't really go into much about the characters back ground because everything us revealed so slowly that it may spoil it for you, it was kind if a slow build up to things. There was a lot I liked about this book. Olivia had some good moments and I love her grandma! Olivia could be sweet and funny. Her back ground was interesting and explained some if her actions (but not all) I liked her interactions with her co-workers and with her best friend Greggory. Miller has a lot of mystery surrounding his good looking OCD self. The OCD was written in well and I liked how Olivia handled that. There was good chemistry between them too. Did I say how much I loved her Grandma? The writing flowed nicely and left you wanting more. What I did not like ....Olivia bordered on annoying and whiny for me. I felt that she ran away all the time when one little or big thing upset her and she tended to be a bit snippy when cornered. I hate when people can't just have normal conversations, stop for a second and ask questions....she does not have to be a doormat where Miller is concerned and should make him work for his trust when he is so secretive, but she came off immature at times especially with Miller. Why do we think when guys are so secretive it ends well....you just knew every time he was not honest or avoided giving her information a temper tantrum by Olivia was sure to follow. Also if he was suppose to be worshipping her sexually...what happened the first night they were together? He just went straight at it, no foreplay at all ....then seemed to do what he should have done before after...especially since it had been 7 years for her...just saying:-) There is a lot to unfold in the next book, there will be two more, and I wish we did not have to wait until November! Note to Authors, if you are going to do a series it would be nice if they came out once a month. When you have to wait three months, and you read as much as I do, having to try to remember everything from the previous book it hard! Maybe put a short rundown of events in the front of the book to help jog your memory. I did not like this quite as much as "This Man" series.

Love this author & she certainly doesn't disappoint in this new series! I have to admit it starts soft & slow & gradually builds to an "oh crap!" moment. It left me with a terrible book hangover that's for sure. Livy is a 24 year old introvert living with her grandma & working as a barista. Miller comes in for coffee & his beauty stuns her stupid. They meet again at a party - Livy working drinks for the caterer while Miller is a guest with a woman on his arm. Miller offers her 24 hours of pleasure, nothing more. He asks how long its been for her, if he can take her rough or if he has to break her in. :) Yes we have an alpha male!! Miller is intense but also intimate with Livy, she says he is disguised as a gentleman, a good actor. She hit the nail on the head with that assessment. Miller gives her the ever-allusive orgasm & now Livy's emotions are all a mess. But Miller is also in a tailspin - he is obsessive/compulsive & nothing with Livy is in its perfect place. Miller says he wants only a physical relationship but keeps asking Livy personal questions, all while he is out on "business" with this chick as his date & her hands all over him. Livy is beautiful with long wavy blonde hair but she is out of her league with Miller. She has a brutally painful past with her mother's debauchery, a lifestyle Livy couldn't understand. And Livy is used to her jeans & Converse. But Miller can't help but admit, they are powerless to stop the chemistry that happens between them, even when Miller makes her feel cheap & worthless. Some unbelievable lines this book! Livy: I should never have given you more of me. Miller: Probably not. Miller: No man will make you feel the way I do. Livy: Used? Livy describes it as Miller filling up her heart & then draining it empty - such beautifully sad words! Livy is so afraid of becoming her mother, and she is even more frightened of Miller's ability to give her up for his "job". To defend Miller a bit, he doesn't know what to do with the emotional turmoil that Livy creates in him. He has this desire to take care of her & make Livy his own. He now has a "thing" - the desire to hug Livy & let her take his worries & pain away. No one does a cliffhanger like Malpas, be prepared for a major book hangover & to have your heart ripped to shreds in the most wonderful way!

Livro maravilhoso, e entregue antes do previsto. Comprarei sempre que puder pela Amazon. ❤️

I really loved the 'this man' trilogy from JEM and was looking forward to her new work. She captured me with the story of Livy and M. I can't wait for the next book. It's a must read if you love the genre!

Another cracker of a story by jodi wouldn't exspect anything less then amazing when it comes to her writing well done

No me gusta criticar libros, y menos de esta autora.. He leído y releído la trilogía This Man disfrutándola como pocos libros. Quizá por eso esperaba tanto de esta nueva trilogía., pero en mi opinión, no tiene nada que ver..... Ni la trama principal, más enrevesada y fea, ni los personales regular definidos, más vulgares, ni el desarrollo del argumento....se hace pesado, sólo al final mejora, pero muy al final.... Habrá que ver como sigue, pero de momento, una decepción ....

Also mir waren beide Charaktere gleich total sympatisch, auch wenn man im 1. Teil noch nicht wirklich viel über Miller erfährt, aber der 1. tiefe Eindruck reichte mir, um von der Story gefangen genommen zu werden! Die This Man Reihe mochte ich auch, obwohl mir Miller bisher besser gefällt, mit Jesse bin ich nicht so richtig warm geworden...Werde mir auf alle Fälle die beiden anderen Bücher auch noch kaufen, der Cliffhanger am Ende des 1. Teils war fies...