I’m on my—I don’t even know what number—read through of My Only, and at this point, I’m reading more for pleasure than looking for things to add or change. I’m obsessed with all aspects of this story, sincerely, and to me, that’s a very good sign.
Every so often, I’ll come across a book I’ve written that makes me say, If no one likes it, I know I love it. And that’s enough.
My Only is another one of those books. I’m confident it’ll be loved, but even if it wasn’t, my love will be enough. Everyone else’s love? That’s just extra. And it’s all because of these two.
Ayla and Hassani.
These two have officially secured their place at the top of my favorite couples list. They have. Their vulnerability with each other, their journey through forever… my goodness.
While My First, My Last followed the theme of a track and field race, My Only follows the theme of architecture—from the blueprint to the forever home. And like My First, My Last, I really did something with this spinoff, and especially with these characters. It all happened in steps.
Steps to Building Hassani Franklin
Step 1 – Patience
Step 2 – Determination
Step 3 – Emotional Security
Step 4 – Vision
Step 5 – Boundless Hope
Hassani is all heart with a beautiful life. That’s how he was constructed. He comes from a good home, surrounded by a loving and supportive family. Most would say he’s had an easy life. There’s not much Hassani can point to in his childhood that he’d call difficult—aside from school responsibilities and the pressures of track—and that was intentional.
Hassani was built to walk alongside Ayla on the journey she begins in My First, My Last. In that story, he’s willingly her rock. He’s sympathetic to her pain, protects her at all costs, even when she tries to hide her feelings. He’s patient, respectful, loving, and an all-around heart-driven individual—unafraid of life and determined to squeeze every bit of experience out of it.
He knows he isn’t perfect, but that’s what makes him real. There are no limitations in Hassani Franklin’s mind. The world is his oyster, and his desires are like hidden maps he uses as a navigational tool. He’s a visionary and a puzzle that fits with Ayla.
Steps to Building Ayla Franklin
Step 1 – Guarded Curiosity
Step 2 – Sacrifice
Step 3 – Evolving Self-Love
Step 4 – Emotional Resilience
Step 5 – Grounded Devotion
Ayla Franklin is a lot like Ayla Samuels—except she’s fearlessly in love with her husband.
In My First, My Last, she’s scared of love, watching it play out in other people’s lives while keeping her own heart tucked away. Ayla Franklin, though, is supportive, a huge team player, and sacrifices like no other. Ayla Samuels let fear hold her back. Ayla Franklin doesn’t allow that anymore.
She’s turned her pain into purpose, using her wounds as wisdom. Her growth and strength are on full display in My Only,positioning her as the perfect second-in-command to the visionary that is her husband.
She learns that protecting her peace doesn’t mean pushing love away—especially when love feels this good. She loves living inside her husband’s dreams and is fascinated by his mind. The respect between them is mutual, but it’s Ayla who nurtures that bond.
She’s in rare form in My Only, and I cannot wait for you to see how.
Characters are the heart of every story. I might love a plot and lean into it in my work, but it’s really the characters who carry the story. It’s the connection we feel with them, the voices we hear from them, rising up from the page.
Characters are king. And Ayla and Hassani’s presence in My Only is a testament to that.
Have you met Ayla and Hassani yet?
Start with My First, My Last… then pre-order their spinoff, My Only, today.
