Julia Caldwell is the primary protagonist in Amber Warden's 'Only This Once', and the story orbits her perspective and choices while Jesse "Jinx" Holden functions as the male lead who drives a lot of the emotional stakes. I got pulled into how Warden frames Julia as the one who notices and tries to help Jesse when he’s hurting, so if you’re asking who the main character is in that particular title, it’s Julia — though Jesse is absolutely central to the plot and the relationship dynamic. Reading it felt like watching two people heal around each other; Julia’s voice and decisions steer the book for me, which is why I naturally think of her as the main character. I finished it with a soft smile and a messy sense of satisfaction about their messy, hopeful growth.