by Bobbilynn (link)
Genre het, drama/angst, romance
Pairings Isaac/Nikki, Taylor/Natalie, Zac/OFC
Length prologue and 25 chapters
Status Unfinished
A confusing prologue followed by exposition to bring the reader up to speed usually doesn’t work, but for Bobbilynn and One More Time it does. Rather than take us through the tedium of Zac’s friends with benefits relationship with Alana, she begins the story right at the end–or is it?–when Zac tells Alana he’s marrying someone else.
Of course it isn’t the end, or there wouldn’t be a story here at all. While Zac and Alana do go in circles a lot, neither one quite believing that the other loves them or understanding the choices they’ve made, it’s all pretty believable. The two events that bring Zac and Alana back together are a little too fast and a little too dramatic, but still fairly affecting.
Likewise, the end of Zac’s engagement is a bit abrupt, but overall not the massive blow-up I was expecting. This was, apparently, the original ending of the story, but Bobbilynn chose to continue it to tie up all the loose ends. Unfortunately, she only managed to create more of them, throwing more fairly needless drama at the couple before abandoning the story. Still, One More Time has a great premise and an intriguing set of characters–all of the little details Bobbilynn throws in about their pasts just make me want to know more. I can be content in knowing that she did intend a happy ending for Alana and Zac, two stubborn but perfect for each other characters who make this story worth reading even in spite of some strange authorial choices.
Review by Bethany (website)