The One You Love by Paul Pilkington (#1 in the Emma Holden series) // Review

"Days before their wedding, Emma Holden's fiance has gone missing. Not only has Dan disappeared without a trace, his brother is found beaten and left for dead. Suspicion for the attempted murder falls on Dan - but Emma refuses to believe his guilt. When crime scene photos get splashed across the pages of the London tabloids, Emma knows that someone is following her. Watching her. It is an old, familiar feeling. A long hidden family secret seems to unite Emma's troubled past with her dangerous present. As time runs out, Emma's trust in her family, her friends and Dan, faces an ultimate test."

The One You Love began as an e-book, but sold so successfully (even hitting the number one spot) that it has since been published in paperback this year by Hodder and Stoughton, who were kind enough to send me a copy as part of Goodreads First Reads. I am not contractually required, nor have I been asked, to write a review, but it feels good to repay them in some way and I can assure you that my opinions in this post are 100% honest.

The drama begins almost instantaneously in this book; there's certainly no dilly-dallying! Whilst this can be great for some readers, I thought the fact that Dan's disappearance was introduced so quickly made the storyline a bit less conceivable. Maybe this is personal - I just felt that I needed maybe a few more pages to fall into the story and connect with the characters. Of course, it's great for people who like a story to start right away. Reading further on, there isn't a dull moment. The book is written in third person, which I seem to be able to tolerate more now than I did when I was younger. Emma is the main character, of course, and is usually present within each chapter, but there are some chapters dedicated to other characters and their suspicious behaviour. Sometimes, you don't even know who the person is yet - so the bigger picture is hard to piece together at first, but it all comes together well in the end.

One thing I liked about The One You Love is that Pilkington reveals important information evenly throughout the book, which is why I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who commutes regularly, maybe by train. Even if your journey only lasts twenty minutes, you'll definitely get to a part where you learn something new, or more evidence comes to light. I was definitely inclined to finish the book quickly and I probably would have finished in one sitting if I didn't have things to get on with. Instead, it took me two sittings, and I definitely enjoyed the read. You can tell the storyline has been well thought out. There are so many layers to it that, by the end, you realise you had no chance of ever realising it went so deep - and you'll be kicking yourself when you finally realise who the kidnapper is!

Rating: 3 stars

Perfect for travelling!

A big thank you goes to Hodder and Stoughton! And to my readers, you can find me on Goodreads here: www.goodreads.com/meaghanbethany.