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Bachelor #3
The One Real Regret
Max Wainwright's life has been filled with difficult choices, dating back to his rough upbringing in England, a life he left long ago. But as tough as some of those choices have been, he has never regretted making a single one of them – with the exception of the one he made several years ago during a business trip to Seattle. Walking away from the only woman he's ever really cared about continues to be the biggest regret of his life – the only regret.
Jill Parrish was young, naïve, and impressionable when she first met and fell head over heels in love with the handsome, enigmatic Max Wainwright. She innocently believed their passionate affair would last forever, and that she had met the love of her life. But when he left her without a backwards glance, her heart and spirit were irrevocably broken, and she feared she would never be whole again.
When Max and Jill meet again by chance, she's finally managed to move on, and is even contemplating an engagement to another man. Will Max find a way to overcome his deep-seated emotional issues and finally claim the only woman he's ever loved? Or will he risk losing Jill forever, and regretting it for the rest of his life?
Jill Parrish was young, naïve, and impressionable when she first met and fell head over heels in love with the handsome, enigmatic Max Wainwright. She innocently believed their passionate affair would last forever, and that she had met the love of her life. But when he left her without a backwards glance, her heart and spirit were irrevocably broken, and she feared she would never be whole again.
When Max and Jill meet again by chance, she's finally managed to move on, and is even contemplating an engagement to another man. Will Max find a way to overcome his deep-seated emotional issues and finally claim the only woman he's ever loved? Or will he risk losing Jill forever, and regretting it for the rest of his life?
377 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 11, 2019
7 people are currently reading
680 people want to read
About the author
Janet Nissenson
17 books810 followersJanet is a lifelong resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, and currently resides on the northern California coast with her husband Steve and Golden Retriever Max. She worked for more than two decades in the financial services industry before turning her focus to producing running events. She is a former long-distance runner, current avid yoga practitioner, is addicted to Pinterest, likes to travel and read. She has been writing for more than three decades but Serendipity is her first official published work. There will be a total of six full-length books in the Inevitable series, plus one novella. Up next is the release of book one in the new Splendor trilogy!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 20, 2019
I received this book in exchange for a review:
I'd give this 100 stars!
As the 3rd and final book in the Bachelor series, this one had different feels than the first 2, but in good ways.
Max is the proper Brit of the trio, but he had his own skeletons that still haunt him to this day... skeletons he hasn't even shared with his 2 best friends who are more like brothers to him. These skeletons have been the reason he doesn't do relationships... until he meets Jill while doing consultant work for her company...
Jill is this young woman who was raised very strictly by her grandmother only because she didn't want her to turn out like her mother. So when her grandmother passed away, she did what anyone who had a strict upbringing would do, she rebelled and moved to the opposite side of the country, wore normal clothes, changed her hair and wore makeup... shes never been further than 1st base with a man so when she meets Max, shes wanting to go all the way and he's willing to help her.
They had an agreement that when he finished his job at her company, he would go home and they would go on with their lives... but is that what they really want?
Such a great finish for this series!
I'd give this 100 stars!
As the 3rd and final book in the Bachelor series, this one had different feels than the first 2, but in good ways.
Max is the proper Brit of the trio, but he had his own skeletons that still haunt him to this day... skeletons he hasn't even shared with his 2 best friends who are more like brothers to him. These skeletons have been the reason he doesn't do relationships... until he meets Jill while doing consultant work for her company...
Jill is this young woman who was raised very strictly by her grandmother only because she didn't want her to turn out like her mother. So when her grandmother passed away, she did what anyone who had a strict upbringing would do, she rebelled and moved to the opposite side of the country, wore normal clothes, changed her hair and wore makeup... shes never been further than 1st base with a man so when she meets Max, shes wanting to go all the way and he's willing to help her.
They had an agreement that when he finished his job at her company, he would go home and they would go on with their lives... but is that what they really want?
Such a great finish for this series!
June 14, 2019
Initial Thoughts
Max you're killing me!!!! If you ever thought you wanted a book boyfriend Max is the one I would choose ;)
Full Review
Where do I even begin....I guess I should say HANDS OFF, MAX IS MINE! If there was ever a book boyfriend to be had I would want Max. The One Real Regret takes us on a journey of love, loss, regret, and second chances.
Jill and Max met when he was thirty-six and she was a twenty-two year old college student who was working part-time at a company Max was called in to consult on. The attraction was instant and overwhelming for each of them. But Max was in Seattle just for a few weeks while working on this consulting project. They agreed to a temporary fling but neither could prevent feelings from becoming involved.
Fast forward four years and Max and Jill met under similar circumstances at a different company but things are definitely not the same. YES the chemistry is still there but now there is hurt and betrayal as well. Can Jill find it in her heart to forgive Max? Will Max come clean about his past and give in to accepting the love that he thinks he doesn't deserve?
I must admit that I was furious at time with Max but I totally understood where he was coming from after learning about his past. Did I agree with him? NO and that is why I was furious! The author did a wonderful job with taking us on the journey of not only Max and Jill in the current day but we get to see exactly what happened with them four years prior when they first met. We were also gifted with the insight of Max and Jill's upbringing which shaped each of them.
I have truly enjoyed each of the stories in the Bachelor Series and I had been waiting for Max's since the very beginning and now I'm torn, I'm thrilled to have read it and loved it, but, it also means the series/trilogy has come to an end, and I can honestly say I am going to miss each of these men and the fabulous women that have stolen their hearts.
The One Real Regret is an easy book to recommend to lovers of contemporary romance. This can easily be read as a standalone but I would suggest reading the trilogy in order that way you get to meet Jordan and Finn and have the buildup to Max's story the way it was meant to be, I promise you will not be disappointed. Happy Reading!!!
**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books**
You can see this and other Reviews I have written along with various cover reveals, excerpts, and giveaways here Nadine's Obsessed with Books
Max you're killing me!!!! If you ever thought you wanted a book boyfriend Max is the one I would choose ;)
Full Review
Where do I even begin....I guess I should say HANDS OFF, MAX IS MINE! If there was ever a book boyfriend to be had I would want Max. The One Real Regret takes us on a journey of love, loss, regret, and second chances.
Jill and Max met when he was thirty-six and she was a twenty-two year old college student who was working part-time at a company Max was called in to consult on. The attraction was instant and overwhelming for each of them. But Max was in Seattle just for a few weeks while working on this consulting project. They agreed to a temporary fling but neither could prevent feelings from becoming involved.
Fast forward four years and Max and Jill met under similar circumstances at a different company but things are definitely not the same. YES the chemistry is still there but now there is hurt and betrayal as well. Can Jill find it in her heart to forgive Max? Will Max come clean about his past and give in to accepting the love that he thinks he doesn't deserve?
I must admit that I was furious at time with Max but I totally understood where he was coming from after learning about his past. Did I agree with him? NO and that is why I was furious! The author did a wonderful job with taking us on the journey of not only Max and Jill in the current day but we get to see exactly what happened with them four years prior when they first met. We were also gifted with the insight of Max and Jill's upbringing which shaped each of them.
I have truly enjoyed each of the stories in the Bachelor Series and I had been waiting for Max's since the very beginning and now I'm torn, I'm thrilled to have read it and loved it, but, it also means the series/trilogy has come to an end, and I can honestly say I am going to miss each of these men and the fabulous women that have stolen their hearts.
The One Real Regret is an easy book to recommend to lovers of contemporary romance. This can easily be read as a standalone but I would suggest reading the trilogy in order that way you get to meet Jordan and Finn and have the buildup to Max's story the way it was meant to be, I promise you will not be disappointed. Happy Reading!!!
**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books**
You can see this and other Reviews I have written along with various cover reveals, excerpts, and giveaways here Nadine's Obsessed with BooksMay 25, 2019
I absolutely loved this book! The One Real Regret is about an older, serious, Brittish man and a young, sheltered, Southern woman. The author has a way of developing the story and characters to its fullist. Once I started reading I was not able to put it down. Characters from the first 2 books also made an appearance. Loved it!!!❤
June 9, 2019
Reviewed for She’s a Lip Biter Blog
Maxwell Wainwright has had me intrigued since the first book of this trilogy, knowing he recreated himself but not all of the details plus his seemingly tragic past love story is absorbing.
Jill Parrish is the twenty-six year old chief financial officer of an up and coming business who was once in a relationship with Max however that ended poorly. Max, is now forty, a fashion plate and good looking specimen of a man. They are both stunned, to say the least, to see just who they’ll be working closely with for the next couple of weeks as Max consults for the firm, a possible explosive situation in the making.
The One Real Regret is told in different time frames; Max and Jill’s childhood, when Max and Jill meet for the first time in Seattle and now, after meeting up again in San Francisco. Both give their points of view throughout the story however Jill reminisces mostly about their first encounter. Through these we gain an opportunity to understand both characters at a deeper level.
I instantly liked Jill and could easily relate to her character. Likewise I liked Max too but he’s the type of character that you need to warm up to I feel, as well now understand how much pressure he puts on himself. However there were a few times I really wanted to give him a solid shake or kick in the behind! Jill’s housemates are fun characters too and when she is retelling that part of the story in her mind they livened things up with their fun attitude towards life in general and their encouragement of Jill to explore more things.
It is wonderful visiting with familiar characters too; Jordan and Aubrey, Finn and Delilah are still such a breathe of fresh air to read about. The camaraderie between these friends is heartwarming. It’s also fabulous reading more about their stories too.
A slightly darker, more intense story and brilliantly composed.
Maxwell Wainwright has had me intrigued since the first book of this trilogy, knowing he recreated himself but not all of the details plus his seemingly tragic past love story is absorbing.
Jill Parrish is the twenty-six year old chief financial officer of an up and coming business who was once in a relationship with Max however that ended poorly. Max, is now forty, a fashion plate and good looking specimen of a man. They are both stunned, to say the least, to see just who they’ll be working closely with for the next couple of weeks as Max consults for the firm, a possible explosive situation in the making.
The One Real Regret is told in different time frames; Max and Jill’s childhood, when Max and Jill meet for the first time in Seattle and now, after meeting up again in San Francisco. Both give their points of view throughout the story however Jill reminisces mostly about their first encounter. Through these we gain an opportunity to understand both characters at a deeper level.
I instantly liked Jill and could easily relate to her character. Likewise I liked Max too but he’s the type of character that you need to warm up to I feel, as well now understand how much pressure he puts on himself. However there were a few times I really wanted to give him a solid shake or kick in the behind! Jill’s housemates are fun characters too and when she is retelling that part of the story in her mind they livened things up with their fun attitude towards life in general and their encouragement of Jill to explore more things.
It is wonderful visiting with familiar characters too; Jordan and Aubrey, Finn and Delilah are still such a breathe of fresh air to read about. The camaraderie between these friends is heartwarming. It’s also fabulous reading more about their stories too.
A slightly darker, more intense story and brilliantly composed.
June 9, 2019
One Real Regret by Janet Nissenson is book Three in the Bachelor Series. This is the story of Jill Parrish and Max Wainwright. I have loved the previous books, but feel if you wish to do so you could make this a standalone book.
Max and Jill meet a few years ago when he is a consultant for the company that Jill works for. Both are attracted to the other and go into an agreement to be together during the time that he is work with the company. Jill is young, innocent at the time growing her wings of adulthood and the broken chains of a very conservative grandmother who has pasted. Max is running from his past on his way to making his own way in the world never feeling like he deserves much happiness. But when his business is complete he leaves Jill which he later always seems to regret. Jill thought that Max was the one for her but he left her and didn't look back. Now some years later she is a successful business women who ends up meeting Max again when he once again is helping the company she is working for. Is this their second chance at Love?
Loved this series, this author and their story.
Max and Jill meet a few years ago when he is a consultant for the company that Jill works for. Both are attracted to the other and go into an agreement to be together during the time that he is work with the company. Jill is young, innocent at the time growing her wings of adulthood and the broken chains of a very conservative grandmother who has pasted. Max is running from his past on his way to making his own way in the world never feeling like he deserves much happiness. But when his business is complete he leaves Jill which he later always seems to regret. Jill thought that Max was the one for her but he left her and didn't look back. Now some years later she is a successful business women who ends up meeting Max again when he once again is helping the company she is working for. Is this their second chance at Love?
Loved this series, this author and their story.
June 9, 2019
This is book 3 and the final book in The Bachelor Series and I was sad to see it end but what a way to end the series, this author certainly saved the best for last !!!
The One Real Regret is Max and Jill’s story, he is the older serious Brit and she is the younger sheltered sometimes innocent Southern woman...........
Max has kept his skeletons hidden well even his best 2 friends don’t know what he is hiding and those skeletons mean he will never get involved in a relationship.........
Jill was raised by her very strict grandmother and when she passed away she moved across the country and rebelled against everything she thought was right in her upbringing, she ditched her clothes for the latest fashion and changed her hair and then she met Max........
Max and Jill were never meant to be forever he was only teaching her how to be a modern woman but fate and love often work in mysterious ways.
I loved this book , I loved the characters, I loved the story and I loved how this book made me feel, the characters have depth and sizzling chemistry but it’s the secrets that kept me turning the pages I needed to know if the past would always dictate the future for the swoon worthy Brit I was falling for, I needed to know if this adorable couple got the HEA they both deserved. This book captivated me and there was no putting down until I had read the last page so please make sure you have the time before you start this must read book.
The One Real Regret is Max and Jill’s story, he is the older serious Brit and she is the younger sheltered sometimes innocent Southern woman...........
Max has kept his skeletons hidden well even his best 2 friends don’t know what he is hiding and those skeletons mean he will never get involved in a relationship.........
Jill was raised by her very strict grandmother and when she passed away she moved across the country and rebelled against everything she thought was right in her upbringing, she ditched her clothes for the latest fashion and changed her hair and then she met Max........
Max and Jill were never meant to be forever he was only teaching her how to be a modern woman but fate and love often work in mysterious ways.
I loved this book , I loved the characters, I loved the story and I loved how this book made me feel, the characters have depth and sizzling chemistry but it’s the secrets that kept me turning the pages I needed to know if the past would always dictate the future for the swoon worthy Brit I was falling for, I needed to know if this adorable couple got the HEA they both deserved. This book captivated me and there was no putting down until I had read the last page so please make sure you have the time before you start this must read book.
June 14, 2019
Of all the books in the Bachelor trilogy, The One Real Regret was definitely the one I was anticipating the most and it did not disappoint! We always knew that the mysterious, formal Max was hiding some sort of secrets from his past, and they are finally revealed to us in the book. Not quite what I expected, but they certainly explain a lot about why Max is the way he is, and as a reader you can feel both sympathy and admiration for all that he overcame to get to where he is today.
Jill I had no idea what to expect, but she was a really amazing heroine for me! I loved the fact that she was such a sweetheart, but that she was also a strong, self-made woman. I don’t understand why in order to be considered strong a heroine also has to be something of a bitch, or have a huge chip on her shoulder. Jill was nothing like that, and was really easy to like and admire for the difficulties she had to overcome in her own life.
When Max and Jill meet for the first time, the attraction is instantaneous and mutual, though Max fights his feelings at first, not feeling worthy of a woman like Jill.
He'd known there was something special about her, something rare and unique and wonderful from the first time they had met, and he had immediately craved that rare something all for himself - no matter how selfish that might make him. Because he knew he wasn't the right man for her, could never be the right man for any woman, given his past and the darkness he knew still existed inside his soul.
But eventually he does give into his attraction, and they have a mad affair for a short while, until he decides that he can’t subject her to his darkness and breaks things off despite her protests. Neither one ever really gets over the other, though Jill eventually starts dating someone else, and their relationship is starting to get serious right around the time Max re-enters her life.
The story is told in both past and present times, delving into both Jill’s and Max’s backgrounds so the reader can see how their past lives have shaped them into the people they are in the present. The writing, especially the character development, are without compare, and I just wish other authors would take as much care as this one does in fleshing out their stories and making their characters come alive for the reader.
The supporting cast of characters is also great, especially Jill’s two college roommates who are hilarious and look out for her even after they graduate. We get to re-visit with the characters from the first two books, too – Jordan and Aubrey, Finn and Delilah – and the closing chapters of the book are about
In all, a perfect book to kick off my summer vacation though I’m a little sad that this trilogy is over. Looking forward to whatever this author offers us next!
Jill I had no idea what to expect, but she was a really amazing heroine for me! I loved the fact that she was such a sweetheart, but that she was also a strong, self-made woman. I don’t understand why in order to be considered strong a heroine also has to be something of a bitch, or have a huge chip on her shoulder. Jill was nothing like that, and was really easy to like and admire for the difficulties she had to overcome in her own life.
When Max and Jill meet for the first time, the attraction is instantaneous and mutual, though Max fights his feelings at first, not feeling worthy of a woman like Jill.
He'd known there was something special about her, something rare and unique and wonderful from the first time they had met, and he had immediately craved that rare something all for himself - no matter how selfish that might make him. Because he knew he wasn't the right man for her, could never be the right man for any woman, given his past and the darkness he knew still existed inside his soul.
But eventually he does give into his attraction, and they have a mad affair for a short while, until he decides that he can’t subject her to his darkness and breaks things off despite her protests. Neither one ever really gets over the other, though Jill eventually starts dating someone else, and their relationship is starting to get serious right around the time Max re-enters her life.
The story is told in both past and present times, delving into both Jill’s and Max’s backgrounds so the reader can see how their past lives have shaped them into the people they are in the present. The writing, especially the character development, are without compare, and I just wish other authors would take as much care as this one does in fleshing out their stories and making their characters come alive for the reader.
The supporting cast of characters is also great, especially Jill’s two college roommates who are hilarious and look out for her even after they graduate. We get to re-visit with the characters from the first two books, too – Jordan and Aubrey, Finn and Delilah – and the closing chapters of the book are about
In all, a perfect book to kick off my summer vacation though I’m a little sad that this trilogy is over. Looking forward to whatever this author offers us next!
June 10, 2019
Amount of sex 3 / 5
How explicit is the sex scenes 3.5 / 5
Story 4.5 / 5
Overall: 4.5 / 5
The Bachelor series tells the story of three best friends (Jordon, Finn, and Max) and each book can be read as a standalone romance. The One Real Regret is the third and final book, and it reveals Max’s story. I’ve been looking forward to it for some time now since Max was a bit of a mystery to me. I just knew he was going to have a great story, and let me tell you, it was amazing! If you are like me and enjoy knowing the backstories, I suggest you start with the first book, The Girl of His Dreams, which is Jordon’s story. Just know that it’s a suggestion.
The One Real Regret tells the story of Max Wainwright and Jill Parrish. It begins with Max being contracted to analyze a software company’s financial records. They were hoping to expand, so they asked Max to investigate. On his first day, he heads into the board room and surprisingly sees Jill, the only girl he’s ever cared about and sadly walked away from four years ago.
The story flashes back and forth between the past and the present time. We learn about Max and Jill’s childhood, as well as how they first met. I was immediately pulled into this captivated story from the very beginning. I just loved it, it was a fabulous ending to the series
A definite add to your TBR list!!
Voluntarily Reviewed a Gifted Copy
How explicit is the sex scenes 3.5 / 5
Story 4.5 / 5
Overall: 4.5 / 5
The Bachelor series tells the story of three best friends (Jordon, Finn, and Max) and each book can be read as a standalone romance. The One Real Regret is the third and final book, and it reveals Max’s story. I’ve been looking forward to it for some time now since Max was a bit of a mystery to me. I just knew he was going to have a great story, and let me tell you, it was amazing! If you are like me and enjoy knowing the backstories, I suggest you start with the first book, The Girl of His Dreams, which is Jordon’s story. Just know that it’s a suggestion.
The One Real Regret tells the story of Max Wainwright and Jill Parrish. It begins with Max being contracted to analyze a software company’s financial records. They were hoping to expand, so they asked Max to investigate. On his first day, he heads into the board room and surprisingly sees Jill, the only girl he’s ever cared about and sadly walked away from four years ago.
The story flashes back and forth between the past and the present time. We learn about Max and Jill’s childhood, as well as how they first met. I was immediately pulled into this captivated story from the very beginning. I just loved it, it was a fabulous ending to the series
A definite add to your TBR list!!
Voluntarily Reviewed a Gifted Copy
June 10, 2019
The One Real Regret
By Janet Nissensen
5 stars
Reviewed on behalf of 3 Degrees of Fiction Book Blog
I really, really enjoyed this book! I haven’t read any of the others in the series but I have read book by this author previously and what I like about her is how wonderfully developed her characters are. They have this real feel about them and I find that I instantly like them. The whole story was just beautifully written and I honestly didn’t want it to end - it flowed well and the pace was perfect.
I really liked Max and getting to know his story. He was a really nice and genuine character. I had this feeling as soon as he met Jill that there was something between them even if that wasn’t their intention at the start.
I liked Jill; I thought that she was a great female lead! I really felt for her with regards to her upbringing and can completely understand her wanting to ‘rebel’ slightly as soon as she got her freedom. Like Max she was a wonderful character to read about and I really enjoyed seeing her character grow over the story.
This book has definitely made me want to read the first two books in the series now! I 100% recommend it – I absolutely loved it!
By Janet Nissensen
5 stars
Reviewed on behalf of 3 Degrees of Fiction Book Blog
I really, really enjoyed this book! I haven’t read any of the others in the series but I have read book by this author previously and what I like about her is how wonderfully developed her characters are. They have this real feel about them and I find that I instantly like them. The whole story was just beautifully written and I honestly didn’t want it to end - it flowed well and the pace was perfect.
I really liked Max and getting to know his story. He was a really nice and genuine character. I had this feeling as soon as he met Jill that there was something between them even if that wasn’t their intention at the start.
I liked Jill; I thought that she was a great female lead! I really felt for her with regards to her upbringing and can completely understand her wanting to ‘rebel’ slightly as soon as she got her freedom. Like Max she was a wonderful character to read about and I really enjoyed seeing her character grow over the story.
This book has definitely made me want to read the first two books in the series now! I 100% recommend it – I absolutely loved it!
June 11, 2019
This is the third and final story in this Bachelor series from Janet. This time the focus is on Max. Not unlike his best friends, Finn and Jordan, Max never planned to marry and settle down until meeting one girl four years ago changed everything for him. He has given his friends plenty of grief about how whipped they became when they met their loves but now he is feeling completely out of his depth and needs their help.
Lets’ wind back the clock a little bit though… Max’s back story about his upbringing would shock most people who know him now. He has had to work hard for everything he has. He has overcome so much and is now a very successful highly respected financial consultant. This is how he first met Jill. She was in her last year of college, working part time at a company that Max was doing a financial assessment on. Straight away Jill captured his attention. She was beautiful, smart and there was just something between them he was keen to explore.
Jill grew up living with her grandmother and it would be fair to say that she lived a very sheltered life. Once she was free to make her own choices, she enjoyed spreading her wings and discovering all the things she missed out on growing up. When she first meets Max she is completely smitten with the handsome and much older man. Even though he makes it clear to Jill that anything between them won’t go any further than the few weeks he is in town, she still jumps at the chance to have a fling with him. Fling is probably not the right word, more like a sexual awakening. They share an intensely sexual relationship like neither of them has experienced before. However, despite Max warning Jill, she completely opens her heart to Max only to have him wipe his feet on it as he walked out the door.
Four years later they come face to face again, in a professional capacity once again. Jill is even more beautiful than he remembers and Max is filled with regret about the way he treated her that last time they were together. In fact, if he could wind back the clock he would never have ended things the way he did, it has been his biggest regret in life. Is it too late for them now or is he just destined to be a bachelor?
This was a great conclusion to this series. I’ve really enjoyed being a part of this group of people as they all seek their happy ever after.
Lets’ wind back the clock a little bit though… Max’s back story about his upbringing would shock most people who know him now. He has had to work hard for everything he has. He has overcome so much and is now a very successful highly respected financial consultant. This is how he first met Jill. She was in her last year of college, working part time at a company that Max was doing a financial assessment on. Straight away Jill captured his attention. She was beautiful, smart and there was just something between them he was keen to explore.
Jill grew up living with her grandmother and it would be fair to say that she lived a very sheltered life. Once she was free to make her own choices, she enjoyed spreading her wings and discovering all the things she missed out on growing up. When she first meets Max she is completely smitten with the handsome and much older man. Even though he makes it clear to Jill that anything between them won’t go any further than the few weeks he is in town, she still jumps at the chance to have a fling with him. Fling is probably not the right word, more like a sexual awakening. They share an intensely sexual relationship like neither of them has experienced before. However, despite Max warning Jill, she completely opens her heart to Max only to have him wipe his feet on it as he walked out the door.
Four years later they come face to face again, in a professional capacity once again. Jill is even more beautiful than he remembers and Max is filled with regret about the way he treated her that last time they were together. In fact, if he could wind back the clock he would never have ended things the way he did, it has been his biggest regret in life. Is it too late for them now or is he just destined to be a bachelor?
This was a great conclusion to this series. I’ve really enjoyed being a part of this group of people as they all seek their happy ever after.
June 12, 2019
Maxwell Wainwright has had me intrigued since the first book of this trilogy, knowing he recreated himself but not all of the details plus his seemingly tragic past love story is absorbing.
Jill Parrish is the twenty-six-year-old chief financial officer of an up and coming business who was once in a relationship with Max however that ended poorly. Max, is now forty, a fashion plate and a good looking specimen of a man. They are both stunned, to say the least, to see just who they’ll be working closely with for the next couple of weeks as Max consults for the firm, a possibly explosive situation in the making.
The One Real Regret is told in different time frames; Max and Jill’s childhood, when Max and Jill meet for the first time in Seattle and now, after meeting up again in San Francisco. Both give their points of view throughout the story however Jill reminisces mostly about their first encounter. Through these we gain an opportunity to understand both characters at a deeper level.
I instantly liked Jill and could easily relate to her character. Likewise, I liked Max too but he’s the type of character that you need to warm up to I feel, as well now understand how much pressure he puts on himself. However, there were a few times I really wanted to give him a solid shake or kick in the behind! Jill’s housemates are fun characters too and when she is retelling that part of the story in her mind they livened things up with their fun attitude towards life in general and their encouragement of Jill to explore more things.
It is wonderful visiting with familiar characters too; Jordan and Aubrey, Finn and Delilah are still such a breath of fresh air to read about. The camaraderie between these friends is heartwarming. It’s also fabulous reading more about their stories too.
A slightly darker, more intense story and brilliantly composed.
Jill Parrish is the twenty-six-year-old chief financial officer of an up and coming business who was once in a relationship with Max however that ended poorly. Max, is now forty, a fashion plate and a good looking specimen of a man. They are both stunned, to say the least, to see just who they’ll be working closely with for the next couple of weeks as Max consults for the firm, a possibly explosive situation in the making.
The One Real Regret is told in different time frames; Max and Jill’s childhood, when Max and Jill meet for the first time in Seattle and now, after meeting up again in San Francisco. Both give their points of view throughout the story however Jill reminisces mostly about their first encounter. Through these we gain an opportunity to understand both characters at a deeper level.
I instantly liked Jill and could easily relate to her character. Likewise, I liked Max too but he’s the type of character that you need to warm up to I feel, as well now understand how much pressure he puts on himself. However, there were a few times I really wanted to give him a solid shake or kick in the behind! Jill’s housemates are fun characters too and when she is retelling that part of the story in her mind they livened things up with their fun attitude towards life in general and their encouragement of Jill to explore more things.
It is wonderful visiting with familiar characters too; Jordan and Aubrey, Finn and Delilah are still such a breath of fresh air to read about. The camaraderie between these friends is heartwarming. It’s also fabulous reading more about their stories too.
A slightly darker, more intense story and brilliantly composed.
June 13, 2019
I love Janet Nissenson's Bachelor series and I have been waiting patiently for Max's story and I am so happy its finally here. Ms Nissenson's introduction of Max in the first 2 books was done with an air of mystery that helped build the anticipation for The One Real Regret and Max and Jill's fantastic story.
Max Wainwright is not always what it seems. He has done a great job projecting a put together persona to his friends - what they don't know is that Max's life has been difficult dating back to his childhood in England. Things he doesn't share but had affected his life in more ways than he thinks. When he meets Jill he sees what his life could be but Max knows he can't have so he doesn't what he thinks is the right thing and walks away. Breaking both his and Jill's heart. Now years later she is back in his life and Max needs to make a decision - does he finally learn to trust his friends and Jill with the truth or does he continue to live a life of loneliness.
I first have to say I love Ms. Nissenson's writing style - the story is told in the third person which is a refreshing change and can be very difficult to pull off. The great thing is that she does flawlessly depicting both Max and Jill's POV clearly. Told with both flashbacks and current day we get a clear picture of who both Max and Jill are and the choices they make leading up to being reunited. We also get to see Finn and Jordan again which I love - it was nice to revisit them again.
All in all, this is my favorite book in the Bachelor series and it was a great way to end a fantastic series.
Max Wainwright is not always what it seems. He has done a great job projecting a put together persona to his friends - what they don't know is that Max's life has been difficult dating back to his childhood in England. Things he doesn't share but had affected his life in more ways than he thinks. When he meets Jill he sees what his life could be but Max knows he can't have so he doesn't what he thinks is the right thing and walks away. Breaking both his and Jill's heart. Now years later she is back in his life and Max needs to make a decision - does he finally learn to trust his friends and Jill with the truth or does he continue to live a life of loneliness.
I first have to say I love Ms. Nissenson's writing style - the story is told in the third person which is a refreshing change and can be very difficult to pull off. The great thing is that she does flawlessly depicting both Max and Jill's POV clearly. Told with both flashbacks and current day we get a clear picture of who both Max and Jill are and the choices they make leading up to being reunited. We also get to see Finn and Jordan again which I love - it was nice to revisit them again.
All in all, this is my favorite book in the Bachelor series and it was a great way to end a fantastic series.
June 12, 2019
OMG I loved Max's story!!!! Here's the thing (and my favourite thing) about a book by this author,it lacks NOTHING!!!! You get the full back story on the main characters without it being too much, then she develops them into just amazing people that you fall in love with. Add to that, the reappearance of characters from the other books in this series and it's a recipe for an AMAZING book in my humble opinion. I cannot recommend this book, series and any other book by this author enough. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book for an honest review.
June 11, 2019
Janet Nissenson is a new to me author, and she's now on my radar for the future after reading The One Real Regret, so I'm definitely going to read the previous books in the Bachelor series. This is Max Wainwright's story, and it's not exactly a walk in the park, but he really doesn't have anyone to blame for his adult path but himself. However, his childhood did play a big part of it, as he wasn't raised well since his mother liked drugs & bad men better than taking care of him, but there comes a time that you have to man up. It was through her mistakes that he got a break and/or the curse in life that had him carrying demons around, you'll have to be the judge of that. As an adult, he didn't do relationships because of those past demons, and it was also a driving force for his success as well, but he never saw Jill Parrish coming. Somehow, she got past those walls in the time they spent together, but even still, he forced himself to walk away in a very cold way, breaking her heart completely, and even his. They never got over each other, and as fate would have it, they came face to face again years later, when he was hired to come into the company she worked for, so they were forced to face the past. Unfortunately for him, she was contemplating marrying another man, so would he be able to face his demons in order to finally claim the only woman he ever loved? Yeah, he really screwed the pooch when he walked away, and he even had ample opportunity to rectify that after some time had passed, but he kept making douchey decisions, though I won't tell you how. He wouldn't even let his best friends in, although they knew something was going on with him, but he just suffered by himself, and it was by all of his own choices that I couldn't feel sorry for him. Hell, I'm not sure that I would have ever forgiven him, once he realized how badly he messed up because he had plenty of time to fix it. So, did Jill actually forgive him, and/or give him a second chance?! You'll have to one click this baby to find out! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
June 12, 2019
Seeing Max again years after he broke her heart is not what Jill was expecting for her work day. And it's definitely not something she wants, not something she ever wanted. But, at least she's over him, right?
Max had good (he thinks) reasons for so coldly walking away from Jill all those years ago, though. Reasons he's never told a living soul about. But perhaps, if he can open up his heart and bare his soul, Jill would give him the second chance he now realizes he wants. The question is, is he capable of doing that? Not only that, but does he deserve a second chance?
I'm of two minds about The One Real Regret. On one hand, I liked Jill and Max and and their close friendships with their respective friends. I felt there was a decent amount of character growth, which is always appreciated. On the other hand, there was A FREAKIN LOT of in their own heads dialogue, too much for my tastes. It made the pace drag and I started skimming to be honest, which is never a good sign. But, the fact that Max and Jill are great characters, genuinely likable with lots of depth, made up for the too much inner dialogue and draggy pace, so 4 stars seems fair.
ARC via Buoni Amici Press for an honest review.
Full review ---> Live Through Books Blog.
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June 15, 2019
My favorite book of the trilogy! I had really been looking forward to Max's story and was so excited to finally read about the mystery man. Max might even rival Ian as my favorite book boyfriend from this author's books! At the very least he comes in a close second. Great, great book!
June 10, 2019
I have to say, the one thing I adored about this story is the character developement. Plus the fact that the author gives us a raw and powerful story, you have a brilliant book that I found I could not put down. I devoured every word and honestly, I regret not reading this author sooner! I rarely enjoy the back and forth between past and present, but Nissenson does it with perfection. You really get the feel of how things went down with Max and Jill then how it all played out for the two in the long run. Their connection was deep and so was their passion for each other. The story flowed amazingly and I enjoyed it a lot. I went back and read the first two books as well! Definitely a book to pick up!
June 15, 2019
What a beautiful conclusion to what's been a very enjoyable trilogy! While the first two books in the trilogy were more along the lines of a romcom, book three was a more emotional, at times angst driven read for me. I loved reading about Max's and Jill's respective backgrounds, so different and yet similar in other ways, and it helped give the reader some insight as to why Max in particular acted the way he did. He was definitely on the pig-headed side at times, and I wanted to shake him and yell not to act like a dummy and let a good thing like Jill get away. Jill was probably one of my favorite heroines of any book I've ever read, so likeable and relateable, and also a strong, independent woman. Their story was touching and passionate and you could feel from the first time they met that there was something really special between them.
So sorry to see this series end, but I do think the author saved the best for the last, and this is one book I will definitely re-read!
So sorry to see this series end, but I do think the author saved the best for the last, and this is one book I will definitely re-read!
June 11, 2019
A very enjoyable romantic story!!
After experiencing a tragic childhood Max is granted the opportunity to reinvent himself. His new chance at life is one he takes seriously. He works diligently at his schooling and quickly becomes a successful mastermind salvaging failing companies. While working at one such company he meets the young and beautifully innocent Jill Parrish.
“He’d known there was something special about her, something rare and unique and wonderful from the first time they had met, and he had immediately craved that rare something all for himself. “
Selfishly he spends all available time with her knowing that at the end he would force himself to walk away. Max may have reinvented himself, but that doesn’t mean underneath he isn’t still the ugly soul with the horrific past. He doesn’t want his dark past to taint her innocence. He walks away because he loves her, afraid his violence would resurface and hurt the one thing that brought him joy.
So he leaves, both of them suffering greatly from that decision.
“With a broken heart that had never fully healed, even after more than four years”
So what happens when they meet again four years later? When they are forced to work together? Will their love resurface or is the damage done too great?
The eloquent descriptive writing style adds to the romantic ambiance. The plot was intriguing with likable characters. The story pacing was a bit slow for my liking, but overall an enjoyable read.
After experiencing a tragic childhood Max is granted the opportunity to reinvent himself. His new chance at life is one he takes seriously. He works diligently at his schooling and quickly becomes a successful mastermind salvaging failing companies. While working at one such company he meets the young and beautifully innocent Jill Parrish.
“He’d known there was something special about her, something rare and unique and wonderful from the first time they had met, and he had immediately craved that rare something all for himself. “
Selfishly he spends all available time with her knowing that at the end he would force himself to walk away. Max may have reinvented himself, but that doesn’t mean underneath he isn’t still the ugly soul with the horrific past. He doesn’t want his dark past to taint her innocence. He walks away because he loves her, afraid his violence would resurface and hurt the one thing that brought him joy.
So he leaves, both of them suffering greatly from that decision.
“With a broken heart that had never fully healed, even after more than four years”
So what happens when they meet again four years later? When they are forced to work together? Will their love resurface or is the damage done too great?
The eloquent descriptive writing style adds to the romantic ambiance. The plot was intriguing with likable characters. The story pacing was a bit slow for my liking, but overall an enjoyable read.
June 14, 2019
Janet Nissenson gives me a read that transports and immerses me in the world of the characters. I enjoyed Max and Jill a great deal. I found that there second chance at love (even just one sided) was well worth the time it took to read from first page to the very end. The one regret of his life turns out to be the one real love of his life and she is about to be another man's to love and hold.
I've read each of the other two books of this series and there was something more here for me to fall in love with. Was it the second chance? Was it he was from England? Was it that she (Jill) grew in to herself? Was it that Max had to step up and make a choice? I am not sure it could have been all or none.
Jill refuse to be that naive girl. She has grown. She carries the pain of rejection and the pain of being abandoned. Max was a soul that just felt love was not meant for him. He walked away all those years ago and now has the chance to make it right. With the turn of each page the story of their past come out and the present and future weights in the balance.
Thank you, Janet. You gave me a bachelor to love and rejoice that he made the right decision. He was that missing piece that made me fall in love.
I've read each of the other two books of this series and there was something more here for me to fall in love with. Was it the second chance? Was it he was from England? Was it that she (Jill) grew in to herself? Was it that Max had to step up and make a choice? I am not sure it could have been all or none.
Jill refuse to be that naive girl. She has grown. She carries the pain of rejection and the pain of being abandoned. Max was a soul that just felt love was not meant for him. He walked away all those years ago and now has the chance to make it right. With the turn of each page the story of their past come out and the present and future weights in the balance.
Thank you, Janet. You gave me a bachelor to love and rejoice that he made the right decision. He was that missing piece that made me fall in love.
June 9, 2019
Max doesn’t think he deserves nor know anything about love, I mean look at all he went through and his parents, what could he possibly have to offer. Instead he works hard to overcome all that his childhood was and to make his teacher, the one that supported and rescued him, proud. He became his own self-made man, leaving his past far behind him, until he met Jill. While she felt loved by her Grandmother, her life wasn’t easy but was governed strictly with no run for trouble. There’s nothing typical about this book. It’s sexy. It’s not rainbows and unicorns. But it is their truth. It’s a great read that will have your emotions screaming for attention as you go through the highs and lows and then you’ll meet their friends who are their family. It’s an awesome read from this author and nice to finally know Max’s hidden past. As always it’s always good to see the ones who think themselves the worst of the bottom feeders, to be seen for who they are not defined by their past. Love these two together.
Read
June 6, 2019Full review to come.
Want to read
April 23, 2019Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme. June's a llloonngg time away :(
June 20, 2019
Max and Jill have quite opposite upbringings, but neither childhood was happy. I liked how Janet gives the reader insight into their backgrounds and how both got to the point where they are today. Max had never forgotten Jill. She was the one he let get away. Whereas Jill tried her best to forget him. But life had a funny way of bringing them together again. I liked how we went back in time to also see how things started between these two before we saw the now. I thought this was a sweet, second-chance story!
June 13, 2019
This is going to be a spoilerish kind od of review, but the only facts i will spoil will be those exposed untill page 65 because thats where i put it down, it's a dnf.
This might be just my point of view, but when you sell in the book description that after the hero was a complete jerk to the heroine (and even left her with no explanation or closure) she moved on from him, I EXPECT A HEROINE THAT ACTUALLY HAS MOVED ON FROM HIM.
Insted, what we get is a bitter 26 year old who not only hasnt moved on from some asshole that left FOUR YEARS AGO, she has to STILL BE IN FUCKING LOVE WHIT THIS DUDE??? ARE YOU KIDDING? Why is it that she cannot just actually be over him??? Why can't this just be about him trying to win her back after she's over this hero instead of just pretending to be over him while still god damn stucked on some douche like him?? Relationships like this one are filling every romance series and just keep feeding unhealthy ways of portraying romance, making the female into some revengefull hating bitter woman that cannot just actually give two fucks about men who decieve her or even learning from it without keeping hard feelings (not to speak of them still loving some of this heroes after they treat them like shit).
I'm just beyond this trope and quite tired of reading this kind of childish, immature behavior in supposed adults (she even gives him a lecture on his acts IN HER JOB, WHERE SHE IS SUPPOSED TO BE PROFESSIONAL, AND HE IS THE ONE THAT TELLS HER TO BE CIVIL, BECAUSE HOW ON EARTH IS THE FEMALE GOING TO BE THE PROFESSIONAL ONE IN HER JOB RIGHT????? No, women are just like that in this books, god i'm annoyed.
This might be just my point of view, but when you sell in the book description that after the hero was a complete jerk to the heroine (and even left her with no explanation or closure) she moved on from him, I EXPECT A HEROINE THAT ACTUALLY HAS MOVED ON FROM HIM.
Insted, what we get is a bitter 26 year old who not only hasnt moved on from some asshole that left FOUR YEARS AGO, she has to STILL BE IN FUCKING LOVE WHIT THIS DUDE??? ARE YOU KIDDING? Why is it that she cannot just actually be over him??? Why can't this just be about him trying to win her back after she's over this hero instead of just pretending to be over him while still god damn stucked on some douche like him?? Relationships like this one are filling every romance series and just keep feeding unhealthy ways of portraying romance, making the female into some revengefull hating bitter woman that cannot just actually give two fucks about men who decieve her or even learning from it without keeping hard feelings (not to speak of them still loving some of this heroes after they treat them like shit).
I'm just beyond this trope and quite tired of reading this kind of childish, immature behavior in supposed adults (she even gives him a lecture on his acts IN HER JOB, WHERE SHE IS SUPPOSED TO BE PROFESSIONAL, AND HE IS THE ONE THAT TELLS HER TO BE CIVIL, BECAUSE HOW ON EARTH IS THE FEMALE GOING TO BE THE PROFESSIONAL ONE IN HER JOB RIGHT????? No, women are just like that in this books, god i'm annoyed.
August 13, 2019
This is the third in the Bachelor series and it didn't let me down. Max who is English by birth and lives in San Francisco by choice is very methodical. He meets Jill in Seattle who is much younger than him and after a brief affair he leaves her. Throughout the next couple of years she is all he can think about. Then fate steps in and throws them together on a job. She was the one that got away and the only regret he has. I loved this book and the whole series.
June 30, 2019
2.5 stars ...
There was a surprising contrast between H and h's relationship in the course of a normal day and their sexual life ... I found very little chemistry in their day to day lives but a pretty hot sex life .. maybe if the author could have reconciled the two, then it would have worked better for me ...
There was a surprising contrast between H and h's relationship in the course of a normal day and their sexual life ... I found very little chemistry in their day to day lives but a pretty hot sex life .. maybe if the author could have reconciled the two, then it would have worked better for me ...
January 27, 2022
I FOR ONE THINK I'M A LITTLE BROKEN BECAUSE WHILE THE STORY IS SWEET, IM NOT ONE WHO ENJOYS PLOTS BASED ON THE PAST. I RATHER PREFER TO READ ABOUT NOW AND NOT THEN. I get that this is a second chance romance but I felt there was overly too much dwelling on the past and again, this is a personal preference. I expected angst but everything was just....smooth and pleasant. I think I've read too many dark romance that this one...just didn't make me feel. At all.
The MCs have a passionate romance, and it's attraction at first sight. Their relationship started on that and graduated to walking around eggshells. I wasn't convinced of their romance when they barely knew each other, maybe the heroine did open up more but Max was a clam. Unlike Nissenson's COVET series, I didn't feel enthralled by the MCs chemistry here. And there was so much introduction to the characters' background that was...not as welcoming as reading about their present.
OVERALL this was okay and maybe more realistic? But that's the problem, realistic can sometimes be boring. If this was a film, sure it might make for good cinematography but as a book, I was more invested to dissect the characters. So what the hell was I looking for? I guess a little more angst, more excitement and more arguments (yes, you're not reading this wrong). I wanted to see the MCs push each other to the limits, be beautifully broken before healing back the pieces to come out stronger.
The MCs have a passionate romance, and it's attraction at first sight. Their relationship started on that and graduated to walking around eggshells. I wasn't convinced of their romance when they barely knew each other, maybe the heroine did open up more but Max was a clam. Unlike Nissenson's COVET series, I didn't feel enthralled by the MCs chemistry here. And there was so much introduction to the characters' background that was...not as welcoming as reading about their present.
OVERALL this was okay and maybe more realistic? But that's the problem, realistic can sometimes be boring. If this was a film, sure it might make for good cinematography but as a book, I was more invested to dissect the characters. So what the hell was I looking for? I guess a little more angst, more excitement and more arguments (yes, you're not reading this wrong). I wanted to see the MCs push each other to the limits, be beautifully broken before healing back the pieces to come out stronger.
September 12, 2019
This is the best book of the Bachelor in my opinion and i love the ending! The story was sexy, steamy, heartbreaking and a real roller coaster! Really do recomend this book. Dont hesitste
January 28, 2020
It was well written
I didn’t like how the heroine forgave the hero so fast. I would’ve let him grovel for a bit tbh.
Good read overall
I didn’t like how the heroine forgave the hero so fast. I would’ve let him grovel for a bit tbh.
Good read overall
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