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Just This Once by KG MacGregor
Wynne Connelly is marketing manager for a major travel organization and her job requires that she attend meetings twice monthly at the company's Orlando headquarters.
Paula McKenzie is second-in-command on the night shift at the Weller Regent - an upscale hotel in Orlando. The same upscale hotel that Wynne Connelly stays in whenever she's in Orlando.
Paula finds herself intrigued by the twice-monthly guest, who possesses an aura of mystery and elegant beauty.
When things grow hectic one night at the front desk, Paula emerges to lend a hand - just in time to greet Wynne at check-in. Their exchange borders on mild flirtation and both women come away feeling sparks.
Soon they begin spending time together and share more than just a kiss. And while Paula is elated at the prospect of the budding romance, Wynne is alarmed at her loss of self-control. Ever mindful of the obligations back home that she must honor, she struggles to resist Paula's fascination and allure...
Paula McKenzie is second-in-command on the night shift at the Weller Regent - an upscale hotel in Orlando. The same upscale hotel that Wynne Connelly stays in whenever she's in Orlando.
Paula finds herself intrigued by the twice-monthly guest, who possesses an aura of mystery and elegant beauty.
When things grow hectic one night at the front desk, Paula emerges to lend a hand - just in time to greet Wynne at check-in. Their exchange borders on mild flirtation and both women come away feeling sparks.
Soon they begin spending time together and share more than just a kiss. And while Paula is elated at the prospect of the budding romance, Wynne is alarmed at her loss of self-control. Ever mindful of the obligations back home that she must honor, she struggles to resist Paula's fascination and allure...
Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
12 people are currently reading
337 people want to read
About the author
K.G. MacGregor
37 books330 followersA former teacher and market research consultant, KG MacGregor holds a PhD in journalism and mass communication. Infatuation with Xena: Warrior Princess fanfiction prompted her to try her own hand at storytelling in 2002. In 2005, she signed with Bella Books, which published the Goldie Award finalist Just This Once. Her sixth Bella novel, Out of Love, won the 2007 Lambda Literary Award for Women's Romance, and the 2008 Goldie Award in Lesbian Romance. In 2009, she picked up Goldies for Without Warning (Contemporary Romance) and Secrets So Deep (Romantic Suspense).
Other honors include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Royal Academy of Bards, the Alice B. Readers Appreciation Medal, and several Readers Choice Awards. An avid supporter of queer literature, KG currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Lambda Literary Foundation.
KG MacGregor divides her time between her homes in Miami and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. When she isn't writing, she's either on a hiking trail, a golf course, or if she's really lucky, a cruise ship.
Other honors include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Royal Academy of Bards, the Alice B. Readers Appreciation Medal, and several Readers Choice Awards. An avid supporter of queer literature, KG currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Lambda Literary Foundation.
KG MacGregor divides her time between her homes in Miami and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. When she isn't writing, she's either on a hiking trail, a golf course, or if she's really lucky, a cruise ship.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 30, 2020
Average read.... Nothing to bowl me over. There was an unexpected twist midway through the book which would had me agitated but none of that came up... weirdly so. But I do liked the cover though - extra points for that!
February 7, 2024
I love this story. I've read it several times - both the online and published version. With all of my favorite MacGregor stories, there's nothing mind blowing or spectacular that happens but I love her characters and the emotion that she gets out of them - and me.
**1/27/16 - Been two years since my last read (is that possible?!) and I've got the urge again. Love this story and the characters. Still.**
**2/7/24 - I've read this book more times than I can remember and I love it exactly the same every time. Now I want more so I think it'll be a reread of Without Warning**
**1/27/16 - Been two years since my last read (is that possible?!) and I've got the urge again. Love this story and the characters. Still.**
**2/7/24 - I've read this book more times than I can remember and I love it exactly the same every time. Now I want more so I think it'll be a reread of Without Warning**
September 11, 2018
This book started slowly for me (or I’m just slow lol) and I didn’t understand why Wynne was being weird. So there’s a twist here and it’s a good one. I should’ve known MacGregor wouldn’t disappoint.
July 27, 2019
I really like this book. It's not groundbreaking or anything but it's full of emotions and feelings, well-written and heart warming. No matter how many times I read it, I enjoy it.
July 18, 2016
More quick deep thoughts by Jack Handy
Wait, sorry, I'm not Jack Handy. Just wanted to drop a few words into this box thingie here so that I'd have something in the box thingie. I get vaguely depressed when I look up books I've read and see . . . no notes by me. So . .
I read this book from an online source (as far as I know it is a legal source, I hope that I am not wrong about that). This book here is "Getting It Right". At some point it was republished, or published, or whatever word should be use, as "Just This Once". I have not read a book with that title so I do not know if there were any changes made beyond the title.
This was a very interesting book, one that I was certain that I would end up giving at least 4.5 stars, maybe even 5.0. But then a funny little thing happened along the way. Two people meet through one working at a hotel and the other being a guest there. They circled each other slowly over various visits. Eventually they hook up. Everything is looking quite exciting really. And then . . . one of them turns out, all the way after the half-way mark in the book, to have - never-before-mentioned nor thought about.
That is when I made a comment, when this came up, in my status updates about tossing and breaking my phone (didn't really do that). I think I even went through the process of pausing, DNF'ing, then eventually restarting this book.
Truth be told, if the book didn't flow the way it did after these revelations, I probably would have given a rating closer to 1 or 2 stars; while, at the same time, if the was removed, and something else stepped in the way of the budding relationship, and the book unfolded as it did here (obviously with certain tweaks to massage points of conflict re: ), I'd probably give that book 1 or 2 stars, though more likely 2 or 3. So, despite disliking the subject matter of , etc., I still was able to enjoy this book and give it 4 stars (though I hadn't realized I had given as much as 4 stars until I just now went to write something in this box. I was sure I had rated this 3 stars. Ah well, 4 stars it be.).
July 18 2016
Wait, sorry, I'm not Jack Handy. Just wanted to drop a few words into this box thingie here so that I'd have something in the box thingie. I get vaguely depressed when I look up books I've read and see . . . no notes by me. So . .
I read this book from an online source (as far as I know it is a legal source, I hope that I am not wrong about that). This book here is "Getting It Right". At some point it was republished, or published, or whatever word should be use, as "Just This Once". I have not read a book with that title so I do not know if there were any changes made beyond the title.
This was a very interesting book, one that I was certain that I would end up giving at least 4.5 stars, maybe even 5.0. But then a funny little thing happened along the way. Two people meet through one working at a hotel and the other being a guest there. They circled each other slowly over various visits. Eventually they hook up. Everything is looking quite exciting really. And then . . . one of them turns out, all the way after the half-way mark in the book, to have - never-before-mentioned nor thought about.
That is when I made a comment, when this came up, in my status updates about tossing and breaking my phone (didn't really do that). I think I even went through the process of pausing, DNF'ing, then eventually restarting this book.
Truth be told, if the book didn't flow the way it did after these revelations, I probably would have given a rating closer to 1 or 2 stars; while, at the same time, if the was removed, and something else stepped in the way of the budding relationship, and the book unfolded as it did here (obviously with certain tweaks to massage points of conflict re: ), I'd probably give that book 1 or 2 stars, though more likely 2 or 3. So, despite disliking the subject matter of , etc., I still was able to enjoy this book and give it 4 stars (though I hadn't realized I had given as much as 4 stars until I just now went to write something in this box. I was sure I had rated this 3 stars. Ah well, 4 stars it be.).
July 18 2016
April 21, 2014
I enjoyed this book - it certainly had me turning the pages as quickly as I could read them. Halfway through the book my status update was:
Out of left field is an understatement. I had to flip back to make sure what I though I read was indeed correct :-) I can certainly understand how others were yelling at their kindle with that great twist. Kudos to KG MacGregor for throwing that curve ball!
I must admit I found the second half of the book a little choppy - the writing was great (no issues there) however I thought the timeline was a little fast paced.
Overall, Just This Once was an enjoyable, easy read - a solid 4 stars!
"Wow! That came out of left field! I certainly wasn't expecting that! It will be interesting to see how the story unfolds from here..."
Out of left field is an understatement. I had to flip back to make sure what I though I read was indeed correct :-) I can certainly understand how others were yelling at their kindle with that great twist. Kudos to KG MacGregor for throwing that curve ball!
I must admit I found the second half of the book a little choppy - the writing was great (no issues there) however I thought the timeline was a little fast paced.
Overall, Just This Once was an enjoyable, easy read - a solid 4 stars!
October 31, 2012
I liked it, though it had a tinge of average for me. I did like the way the author paced the book; the time given to develop the relationship, deal with issues, was realistically paced. That was a nice change. Years and realistic life events unfolded in the characters' lives. It made this story very realistic and well grounded.
There was nothing too action packed about it, no overly dramatic scenes, but i also didn't get a sense of gripping desire or passionate love. Just some deep friendship and heartwarming love. again, more realistic than most of the books that tell of some unattainable spectacular and fierce riding-off-into-the-sunset love. This was a well told, well paced story, despite lacking any big fireworks for me, and i did enjoy spending the time to read it. It flowed well, had no editing problems that i noticed, and the writing style was pleasing and engaging. Basically, the realistic nature of the book is what made it seem more average to me. I tend to be hooked on books that make you forget reality in favor of the spectacular and unrealistic. So, if you don't mind a good love story that could very well take place in real life, i recommend this one. If you are looking for hot and wild erotic and scandalous, you might want to look elsewhere.
(note, it might have been more exciting, if other reviews hadn't spoiled the twists in the book. maybe if it held those surprises for me, i would have found it spectacular)
There was nothing too action packed about it, no overly dramatic scenes, but i also didn't get a sense of gripping desire or passionate love. Just some deep friendship and heartwarming love. again, more realistic than most of the books that tell of some unattainable spectacular and fierce riding-off-into-the-sunset love. This was a well told, well paced story, despite lacking any big fireworks for me, and i did enjoy spending the time to read it. It flowed well, had no editing problems that i noticed, and the writing style was pleasing and engaging. Basically, the realistic nature of the book is what made it seem more average to me. I tend to be hooked on books that make you forget reality in favor of the spectacular and unrealistic. So, if you don't mind a good love story that could very well take place in real life, i recommend this one. If you are looking for hot and wild erotic and scandalous, you might want to look elsewhere.
(note, it might have been more exciting, if other reviews hadn't spoiled the twists in the book. maybe if it held those surprises for me, i would have found it spectacular)
January 8, 2016
I liked this even though I had that "B" moment with Wynne ;) how dare she until I kept reading but still........
May 25, 2019
Can't say I like this book much. I was pretty much struggling to finish the whole book, and its lack of logical flow of the story didn't help my case.
August 23, 2017
I came across this book again recently and realized I had read it some month back but hadn't recorded it here on good reads. Lovely read and by one of my best author as well.
June 29, 2023
Good story, likeable characters and nice pace. It didn’t blow my mind, but it was very enjoyable. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could.
October 23, 2017
I loved this book. It was my favorite of all of the KG MAcGregor books I have read so far, I could not stop reading this book, all I wanted to was find out what happened next. There were a lot of great twist and turns in this book that I did not necessarily expect. It was unexpected and different from many other lesbian novels I have read. I would recommend this book to someone looking for a good lesbian novel.
This novel focused around Paula and Wynne’s relationship from their meeting in the hotel that Paula managed to their drama later in the novel. Wynne came to the hotel twice a month for work and started to build a friendship with the attractive manager who seems to be flirting with her. Wynne flirting back and the two started to go out together and build something. Unexpected circumstances happen, I don’t want to spoil anything, and Paula and Wynne stop seeing each other but don’t stop thinking about one another. I could not recommend this novel enough. I willl definitely reread it again and again at some point.
This novel focused around Paula and Wynne’s relationship from their meeting in the hotel that Paula managed to their drama later in the novel. Wynne came to the hotel twice a month for work and started to build a friendship with the attractive manager who seems to be flirting with her. Wynne flirting back and the two started to go out together and build something. Unexpected circumstances happen, I don’t want to spoil anything, and Paula and Wynne stop seeing each other but don’t stop thinking about one another. I could not recommend this novel enough. I willl definitely reread it again and again at some point.
May 31, 2017
Loved the book, the characters are so well established and their chemistry is maintained throughout the story line.
What I really love about K.G. MacGregor is that she does extensive research into occupations of the characters and brings out the best way to mold it into the story.
This story tells the tale of a love between two new acquaintances who meet coincidentally at a hotel and then slowly embark on a journey, both sweet and sour.
I have decided on just her second book that I really love the author's writing and I'm not going to stop now :)
What I really love about K.G. MacGregor is that she does extensive research into occupations of the characters and brings out the best way to mold it into the story.
This story tells the tale of a love between two new acquaintances who meet coincidentally at a hotel and then slowly embark on a journey, both sweet and sour.
I have decided on just her second book that I really love the author's writing and I'm not going to stop now :)
April 7, 2023
Just This Once is another fabulous read from KG MacGregor! Two women, both driven to excel and succeed in their professions, drawn to one another from the beginning. This is a wonderfully poignant story of the sometimes bumpy road from friendship to something more. Mistakes, secrets, betrayal, forgiveness…it’s all in this one. Wynne and Paula are beautifully written, yet another stunning couple gifted to us.
January 31, 2018
es un libro cuchi.. lleno de todos los clichet habidos y por haber de este tamatica... con un final acorde a su historia... y una trama que engacha... una lectura bien ligera.. me lo lei completo en menos de 9 horas...
January 4, 2022
Simplemente impresionante, lo ame de principio a fin
January 10, 2025
Muy buena, me ha gustado mucho ha tenido un cambio en la historia que me ha impresionado
February 19, 2025
Loved this book, just wish it was on audio!
August 21, 2013
I really enjoyed this one -- I spent the first half really puzzled by the actions of Wynne, and I really did not see the twist coming. I literally yelled at my kindle with the reveal! My only complaint might be the meteoric career of Wynne, which seemed really unrealistic, and her insistence throughout the first half of her imminent job loss, which seemed completely ridiculous for someone presented with her business savvy. Really well written, with believable (for the most part) characters, and a reasonable timeline for the romance. I read the whole thing in almost one sitting. Highly recommended
June 28, 2013
I really liked the story. I must admit though that redondant repetitions put me off at the beginning, like how many times the author wrote about how Wynne's mother is unable to take care of herself. It felt as if we'd be too stupid to understand it the first time so it had to be written again 3 or 4 times in the first third of the book. This annoyed me, I'll admit. There were other repetitions like that in the beginning and some at the end too but by then I was really into the story and it didn't annoy me as much. It was a good story. I loved the timeline, like not everything happens all at once. It was good, and great characters too.
December 3, 2014
One of my favorite novel is "The price of salt", I think I have found in K.G Macgregor a worthy writer in the genre of women novels. I get it, it is a sub genre, the queer community is starving for represention and romance novel that depicts their own feelings that they will read whatever. The Pricve of Salt was the first novel in that genre to capture the story of two hearts whithout much cliches.
MacGregor just gave me that in Just this Once...I really liked it, it's funny, touching, close to reality in many aspects. I was hooked from the first word. K.G. is insightful...
MacGregor just gave me that in Just this Once...I really liked it, it's funny, touching, close to reality in many aspects. I was hooked from the first word. K.G. is insightful...
January 30, 2014
So far I read few books of K.G.MacGregor and this is my most favorite of all! Its a pretty quick read, nice plot, likable characters, funny, and sweet. When I thought everything is going as predicted suddenly there is an unexpected twist in the middle of the book !
Definitely worth more than one read.
Definitely worth more than one read.
January 7, 2017
It was ok, but seemed a bit too unbelievable at parts - relationship between main characters started really fast (maybe too fast) and then continued excrutiatingly slowly. But it was fast read and funny at times.
April 27, 2015
Nice, easy and beautiful.
April 8, 2015
A really enjoyable read. Well paced, with (reasonably) realistic, well drawn characters. I would have liked a little more of the HEA once it came. But well worth a read :)
May 23, 2016
Buen libro con interesante vuelta de tuerca.
May 31, 2016
Reseña en mi BookTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkCNg...
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews