Pop Tarts Book Club: "Love Only Once" Chapters 6-12

Welcome back to Pop Tarts Book Club! We're reading "Love Only Once" by Johanna Lindsey. Remember, since this is a book club, there will be lots of spoilers. Also, remember that we would love to hear what you want us to read! And don't be afraid to join in the conversation!

Summary of Chapters 6-12: The Drama Starts

So, when we last left Regina Ashton and Nicholas Eden, Nicholas had accidentally kidnapped Reggie instead of kidnapping his (ex)lover, Selena Eddington. After Nicholas realizes his mistake and the pair do a little making out, Chapter 6 opens with Nicholas dropping Reggie off at her uncle Anthony's house ... but not before they flirt and kiss again, of course! Reggie also warns Nicholas, though, that Tony has a dreadful temper and will not like the fact that his niece was kidnapped by a notorious rogue. And, of course, Reggie is correct - when she returns, Tony's worry quickly turns to rage. Reggie talks him down, convincing him that there was no harm done.

Unfortunately for Reggie, though, there WAS harm done - to her reputation. Selena let it slip, and now everyone thinks Reggie is ruined, since she spent time alone with Nicholas. Tony, of course, wants to duel with Nicholas, but Reggie convinces him to try to convince Nicholas to marry her, despite his extreme reluctance to marry. Reggie's uncles, Tony and Edward, and Nicholas' grandmother and aunt try to convince him of that, but Nicholas thinks Reggie deserves better. It's not because of his reputation, though - it's because he is secretly a bastard. The woman who raised him was not really his mother, and he is ashamed. However, Edward convinces him to marry Reggie by holding a piece of land he wants over his head.

We soon find out, though, that Nicholas doesn't really intend to marry Reggie. He is going to try to convince her to break off the engagement ... but not without doing the things that everybody thinks they already did. Nicholas doesn't want Reggie as his wife, but he sure does want her as his lover. However, Reggie says that they're stuck with each other, especially after they spend time together in public as an engaged couple ... though Nicholas doesn't think that's the case.

Jen's Thoughts

Things are getting interesting! Nicholas is a character I really understand. He is ashamed of his parentage, which makes his roguishness and reluctance to marry more understandable. He also thinks Reggie is super hot and wants to have hot, hot sex with her. He definitely seems like your basic horny guy until you find out how ashamed he is of being a bastard. I suspect that Reggie - and most of her family - wouldn't give a crap if he told her right now. Nicholas is still his father's heir, and Reggie's cousin Derek (who is Nicholas' friend) is a bastard and nobody seems to care. However, if he keeps it from them, it's going to cause problems later.

Reggie is slightly more complicated to me. I understand why she wants to marry Nicholas - it clears up a lot of problems. She doesn't have to worry about her reputation anymore and she doesn't have to fight with her uncles over who to marry. It's really quite logical. However, she's also clearly attracted to him. My biggest question is whether she is going to insist that they wait until they're married before they do anything other than make out (which they've already been doing). If she doesn't wait, it's going to be easier for Nicholas to drop her, since he is really wanting to love her and leave her. But I don't know that she'll be able to resist his charms!

I am also wondering what will happen with Selena Eddington. I think she is going to complicate matters for Nicholas and Reggie. She is hurt and angry that Nicholas didn't want her anymore, and she's even more ticked that she pushed Nicholas and Reggie together into marriage. I predict that she is going to be a fly in the ointment of the budding love between Nicholas and Reggie.

Kel's Thoughts

So, I have slightly cheated and now a fairly decent plot point that is coming up because I just read Gentle Rouge, the third book in the series. I also know all the reactions Reggie's family has to Nicholas, even after they have been married (not a spoiler because Romance Novel...duh!). However, I shall try to keep that from clouding how I'm reading this book.

 After initially finding Nicholas fairly distasteful, I find that I now rather like him. He may be a rogue and a rake, but he definitely has some legit reason for being so, being a secret bastard. Though I definitely agree with Jen that Reggie's family will definitely not care about that. The Malory's have quite a few bastards in the family and treat them no different. What I can't figure out is why Tony hates Nicholas so much. I mean, obviously he is pissed that he has essentially ruined Reggie, who all the uncles are over protective of. But Tony seems to go above and beyond in his hatred.

My problem with this section that we read is Reggie. I don't get her exactly. I understand that she wants to just get married so it is over with and Nicholas has ruined her. But she is really all about this marriage. She seems really young to me...younger than her 19 years. She just seems to have gotten the idea of marriage and run with it instead of analyzing why that might not be the best plan of action. I still like her because she is fine with Nicholas being against their marriage, which is rather unique. But I just don't really understand her motivation for jumping into life with Nicholas.

I definitely agree that Selena will be a problem all the way through. She accidentally has thrown Nicholas and Reggie together and is now going to be a pain about it. I'm guessing that she will use some of the other Malory boys to try to pull the two back apart.