The One That Got Away is my first book by author Charlotte Rixon.

The story follows along its two main characters, Clara and Benjamin, and the course of their relationship over 23 years. We get to see snippets of their past, beginning in 2000 when they first met at uni, followed by their break-up two years later and everything that happened after.

This was a cute, fluffy type of read. I enjoyed it, but also felt like something was missing. I will read more by this author in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Aria and Aries publishing for this ARC. This novel started out as a quick read however it got into a lot of triggers and a lot of different difficult topics. There were discussions of self arming, bombs, rape, and the list goes on. In todays world it is definitely a book that someone with trauma can probably relate to but it is definitely not the quick happy light read I was hoping for. I really liked the multiple POVs that go between the past and present for each of the characters. The characters were also really developed and had detailed explanations about them in the novel.

Charlotte Rixon's The One That Got Away is a beautiful narrative between Benjamin and Clara. With every passing page, Charlotte's narrative style grows on you, her well-chosen words driving an intriguing and complex plot. A big win for me is how realistic and flawed both characters are. They come from different sides of their tracks, and each has trauma that they need to reconcile. Having a soft corner for History, I loved the timeline under every chapter, a gentle nudge to the reader to keep track of past and present events. Benjamin is such a lovable yet complex character, for his silence is endearing and deceptive. Clara is a perfectionist, hungry for more from life and can make words painful in a confrontation, indicating that she needs to heal from her past. I appreciate how this book challenges acceptable notions of team initiations and drug and alcohol usage and encourages readers to reflect upon this. The ending was a blanket of hope, and one thing I would have liked it if the final realisation was spread across the book, given that this book is a 20-year timeline between the protagonists. My heart was heavy and yet complete with this read. Five stars all the way, and I recommend this one!

A thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for giving me an ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.

This book wasn't what I expected. I was expecting an almost fluffy second chance romance. However the author surprisingly takes this plot in a different almost darker way.
The two main characters are deeply flawed. Right off the bat their stark differences are seen. Clara is very privileged and deeply insecure about herself. Ben is super shy and lacks confidence. Clara has grown up wealthy whereas Ben has had to work extremely hard for everything. While most authors would acknowledge these insecurities then focus on the good. Rixon focuses on these flaws.
These differences/flaws are also where the character's relationships hit the most speed bumps. Almost all of their problems stem from this which manifests in petty arguments and fights.
While the characters annoyed me alot, I did find myself wanting to read on just to see what happens and I think that is a testament to the author's writing which was really engaging.
Overall a solid read.
If you're checking it out please look out for any TW as there are some heavy themes and discussions throughout.

Thank You Netgalley and Aria Aries for this eArc in exchange for my honest review.

Overall the book was nice. It is a book to read only in the right mental state. Deals with heavy topics and trigger warnings should be reviewed.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own

I really enjoyed this book and don’t understand why there are so many negative reviews, it’s not a light and fluffy read, but real life isn’t like Bridget Jones. My main bugbear is that Newcastle football ground is called St James’ Park (it’s my home town so get it right please!)

Clara and Benjamin meet at University. Their love is meant to be. Or is it? Lots of twists and turns. I liked Benjamin but found Clara to be a bit of a victim which spoilt the book for me a little so I would give the book 3 and a half stars. I would have liked Clara to lead her own story more. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

Written in changing points of view, Clara and Ben’s story told over a 20 year period had me hooked and I finished it within 24hrs. Fans of David Nicholls’ One Day and Sally Rooney’s Normal People will I think enjoy this.

Much of the story takes place during their university years in the early 2000s and I couldn’t help but feel reflective and reminiscent about my own time at University, albeit at the opposite end of the country.

Charlotte Rixon has a very gentle touch to her writing and the story just flows off the page. The book does deal with some dark issues, a bombing and sexual assault to name two, as such it might not sit in everyone’s comfort zone. But ultimately this is a tale of love and loss, how do we live our lives when we believe someone is missing from it.

This didn’t work for me because the entire story, spanning more than 20 years, is built upon a thinly-written relationship and a connection that I just didn't believe. Also, as the book goes on, it tries to do too many different things and ended up feeling disjointed.

I have mixed feelings about this book.

The writing is really nice but it clearly is not a romance. I am not a big fan of the main characters, Ben and Clara and, even if I never commited into their romantical relationship, I really wanted to know what happened to them in the end.

There are so many things going on, mostly disturbing and the reader should be advised before buying the book. For example, the pitch mentions "an explosion" : it's not an explosion - it's a terrorist attack...

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book so much! It was witty, romantic, and captivating and it kept me hooked the entire time!

This was a unique book! I’ve never read a book that jumped back and forth in time so much, but it was mostly done in an easy-to-follow way. The subject matter was certainly HEAVY—I was filled with a sort of dread even as I read the first chapter, and the hits just kept coming. I’m glad I persisted though, as the story of Clara and Benjamin was very memorable.

This was more emotional than I expected it to be. I liked reading this though. Clara was not a very likable character in my opinion. The story was relatable and I think it’s important to talk about heavy topics. I thought this was very well written and overall enjoyed this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for this arc!

When I first finished reading this book, I gave it a 3.5 stars rating. But when writing this review, I am changing my rating to 2.75 stars. Here is why:

First, Clara and Benjamin are two deeply flawed people. We can see this in their relationship, their behavior, and the way they deal with their respective issues. Throughout reading, there are so many moments where Clara and Benjamin are so immature, selfish, frustrating etc. It was to the point where I wonder how they managed to even like each other. I understand where they were coming from due to their own traumas, which is why I kept reading. The story spans 20 years since Clara and Benjamin first met. I thought their character development was done realistic enough. I think it was nice that even with their past and unresolved issues, they still try their best to be there for their families. Especially Benjamin.

Second, I know this is an arc and subject to change so correct me if I’m wrong, but I was sure before in the NetGalley description it said something along the lines of “for fans of Colleen Hoover”. I’ve read some CoHo books and enjoyed a few of them so it was why I requested this arc. Clara and Thom reminded me of Quinn and Graham from All Your Perfects. Although not exactly the same, there are very obvious similarities between the two couples. Personally, I liked Thom’s character more than the main leads, which brings me to my next point.

I do not see a strong enough chemistry between Clara and Benjamin to make them still can’t forget about each other even after 20 years has passed. It seems to me that they can’t forget about each other not because they’re still in love with the other person, but because the reason they fell apart was traumatizing. Clara and Benjamin’s relationship, along with their respective ones in the future, are bland with no excitement at all. I also didn’t like how Clara and Benjamin first started to get together, it felt insta-lovey. It’s not my kind of trope, but maybe someone else will like it. It was also frustrating to see how Clara and Benjamin treat their future partners badly or with bare minimum simply because they can’t move on from each other, even if it was unintentional.

Lastly, this book needs a content warning on the start of the book. When I first read this, I didn’t realize it would deal with some very heavy and sensitive subjects. Luckily this wasn’t a problem for me, but it would be nice to put a trigger warning so that people would know what they’re diving into. The book doesn’t need to worry about trigger warnings spoiling the story because the story itself was predictable.

Content Warning:
Suicide bomber, cheating, infertility, alcoholism, death, self-harm, rape and many more that I haven’t listed. Please do your research before reading.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Aria and Aries for an advanced read in exchange for this review.

This book is about the story of Benjamin and Clara. They fell in love at University, were somehow torn apart, and now a big event many years later has Clara looking for Benjamin.

I am surprised by the other reviews of this book. I loved it! It's told in alternating views of Benjamin and Clara over the years of their relationship. It's not perfect. They certainly are flawed in their own ways. The description says that it is not a love story, and I was so surprised by how realistic it felt. They each made their own mistakes together and separately. That's real life. There's no perfect love story in real life, so I appreciated how honest and real this story was. The book starts with a bang (literally) and then Clara is set on finding Benjamin as we learn about how they were each other's first loves.

Thankyou to netgallery and Aria & Aries publishing for the ARC

Unfortunately, I don't have much to say on this book that's actually good...
I didn't enjoy to either of the main characters and I didn't connect to the story.
I really wish I had good things to say but a lot would have to change before I could.

This book is a disaster, with the most messed up characters I've ever met. Clara, described as "shy" is sexually aggressive, suspicious, demanding, and selfish. Benjamin, described as smart and one who makes good decisions is always getting drunk and makes horrible decisions. Seriously, who are these people and why would anyone want to read about them? And the sad part is that they keep doing these things, like a bug flying into a light until it gets zapped. The ending is supposed to be hopeful and satisfying, but it's only a product of an exhaustive read.

Sorry, but a big nope from me.

Trigger warnings: rape/child molestation, parent death, parent abandonment, severe alcohol abuse, extreme sexuality, divorce, infertility, violence resulting in death

Thank you, Netgalley, and the publisher for the eARC!
This book was about college lovers and their story during and after college. The story jumped back and forth between present day and the past which made the plot choppy at times. There was a twist at the end but then the story ended- it would’ve been nice to read more about the characters during present day and even in the future. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book- it held my interest throughout the entire story.

A must read book! This is the first book I've read by Charlotte Rixon and I just simply fell in love with the writing style.
The One That Got Away was a fabulous book with incredibly smart and witty writing.
Characterization was excellent.
Brilliant in every way; making me laugh and cry while filling me with nostalgia and longing.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Aria & Aries,
Thank you for your generosity and gifting a copy of this approved eARC!

Well, when I was so intrigued to read some heart wrenching, angsty love story of soul mates who meet after twenty years in the middle of bomb explosion!

I am a big fan of second chance romances. But I had hard time to get into the story because of so many time lines and I was false informed. Ben and Clara who were high school sweethearts parted their ways but it didn’t take 20 years long for them to meet each other!
I think I had also hard time connect with both of the characters and their intimate love story.

There are so many triggering subjects included: suicide bomber, rape, alcoholism, mental health issues, parent death, cancer, IVF, manslaughter. The bombardment of those heavy stuffs gave me hard time digest everything I read.

I personally hated the guts of Clara from the beginning. So I can honestly say this book is more a mid life crisis than heartwarming second chance love story between so much flawed and dislikable characters.

So I’m giving three solid stars and getting out of here.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria&Aries for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.