One & Only by Maurene Goo: New Spring Romance
If you’re looking for a new Spring Romance to read, One & Only by Maurene Goo is a new Read with Jenna February 2026 pick. It’s a romance filled with magic, family and friend relationships, and a sparkling sense of fun.
One & Only by Maurene Goo: New Spring Romance
- Setting: Los Angeles
- Tropes and themes: Fated mates, age gap, love triangle, meddling family
- Spice level: medium, with some non-explicit open door scenes.
- Publication Date: February 3, 2026! Thanks to Putnam books for my advance copy.
I’ve been reading Maurene Goo’s books since her YA writing days, and was excited to see that she has a new adult debut, One & Only.
Then, just as I was reading the book, Read with Jenna announced it as the February pick!
What is One & Only About?
One & Only is about a family matchmaking business called … One & Only. But there’s a twist: the Korean women in the Park family who run this business are shamans. Their gifts are passed down through the female line.
They practice gwansang, the ancient Korean art of face-reading.
Cassia, the main character, has visions of her clients with their true love in past lives.
And after a reading, the name of their client’s match, stitched in red thread, appears in their antique apothecary cupboard.
I love matchmaking plots. I have watched:
- The Millionaire Matchmaker
- Indian Matchmaking
- Jewish Matchmaking
- The Materialists
The main problem with matchmaking is that what a person thinks they want in a partner isn’t often what they need, or who they fall in love with. But this shamanic element adds such a fun twist to the typical matchmaking plot.
Like many rom-com heroines, Cassia has some problems
She’s about to turn forty and is STILL looking for her fated match: Daniel Nam
She’s the last female member of her branch of the Park family, and needs to have a daughter to carry on the matchmaking gift.
She meets cute with Ellis, a younger guy who is fun and adventurous and, she knows, completely wrong for her.. Then she finds Daniel, her fated match.
Yes, this romance has both age gap elements and a love triangle. But don’t worry: it’s the kind of love triangle where you sort of know which way things have to go.
How spicy is One & Only? It has some closed door romance.
What I Loved About One & Only
First off, I LOVE that this cover was designed by someone who has read the book. Cassia is pictured with yellow Feathery Cassia in the background, which is part of the plot. She’s also wearing an outfit that is described in the book.
The family elements in One & Only were fantastic. Cassia is close to her grandparents, who raised her after her mom died, to her aunt (her mom’s sister) and to her great-aunt, (her grandmother’s sister). They are the ones who run the business together.
The book is a love letter to Los Angeles (where the book is set) and makes you crave Korean food (which Cassia eats often and describes in excruciatingly tempting detail).
If you are feeling the need for a little magic in your life and in your spring romance, One & Only is the perfect book to grab.
One & Only is perfect for fans of:
- Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
- Good Spirits by B.K. Borison
- Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer
- Christmas People by Iva Marie Palmer
