I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Only One Forever is the eighth book in the Only One series. I was eager for this story. Been following the series from the start and I was curious how Madison would handle the story for the couple featured in this installment. The romance featured here is complicated. Our couple grew up together. They are best friends and cousins via adoption. The hero was adopted by the heroine’s uncle when he was ten years old. Read on for my views on the latest installment in the Only One series. Dylan and Alex were childhood friends. They became a part of each other’s lives when Alex’s uncle adopted Dylan when he was ten years old. Since then, they have been inseparable. Dylan currently lives in Canada where he plays hockey, but his dreams of success for his team came to an abrupt end and he needs to reassess his life both professionally and personally. He turns to the one person whom he knows will provide him with insight on how best to proceed. However, turning to his best friend Alex for advice created a maelstrom of emotions that could destroy their friendship, damage family connections, or give them a happy forever. 'Not only am I in love with her but there is also nothing that I can do … I know I will never ever be able to love her like I want to. I know if I say anything to her, I risk never being able to be next to her again. I risk never getting to see her smile again. I risk never getting to hear her laughter anymore. I risk living the rest of my life without her in it. And it’s a risk I’m not willing to take. I’d rather love her from afar in secret than not at all. It’s a sacrifice I’m going to have to make, and I know that I’ll never get over her.' The story was good, and I enjoyed getting to know the characters and reconnecting with those from the previous books. It elicited some tearful moments with the emotional scenes Madison introduced in relation to the issues of adoption. One would be hard-pressed to not have feelings of empathy for a little boy abandoned by his mother. This aspect of the story was gut wrenching read. I was interested in seeing how the story would develop and seeing these characters really come together. However, the story didn’t turn out as I expected it to, as it relates to the romance. This time around, I did not connect with the romance, as I normally do with this author. I am not sure why, but it lacked the authenticity I am used to from her other romance novels. They had zero chemistry. The intimate scenes were hot, but it felt more like a friend with benefits situation rather than a couple head over heels in love.  Despite having issues with the romance, I enjoyed the camaraderie between the characters. Family connections and friendship played a significant role. It was great seeing how the author portrayed these connections. “I helped raise you.” He swallows back the tears. “The man you are is the man I had hoped that Alex would find.” Although not my favourite, Only One Forever had elements I enjoyed. I recommend this to fans of hockey romance and friends to lovers trope.This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading