Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the EArc of this book! I was interested by the synopsis and the beautiful cover of this book.

Unfortunately this book just did not work for me. I really failed to find any sort of connection to the characters, I found them both to be very unlikeable in an obnoxious way, and sadly didn't feel they were a good match for each other so I struggled to root for them and their relationship.

There was a lot that happened in this book, our characters go through a number of traumatic events and dont really seem to deal with their feelings and emotions in a healthy way. The main relationship in this book is quite toxic in my opinion.

In the present timeline I really struggled with our female MC Clara, being married to another man, but still pining after Benjamin like she was a teenage girl. The only character I found I actually liked in this book was Lauren, who repeatedly called Clara out for acting in the wrong way.

The reunion between these two characters was lackluster for me, and felt rushed. It seemed they didn't really resolve anything from their past and went straight back to being together.

Sadly this one just didn't work for me. But I did love the concept and idea of this book, and Charlotte Rixon's writing style is one that I did enjoy.

In reading The One That Got Away, I enjoyed the relationship and the complexity that life took them through. As a reader, I had a love/hate relationship with the author and the way she allowed one to wonder about the mishap that occurred and the suspense of Aiden.

Overall, I enjoyed reading a realistic ,what if story about love and relationships with those you just cannot seem to get out of your head.

Once again my thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this book.

From the synopsis I read prior to receiving this book I thought I was going to truly love it. It was interesting, I wanted to finish the book (which I did), but I also felt it redundant. The bar scenes both with Clara and Benjamin permeated the novel were all too familiar. Perhaps that was the purpose of the author - to show how mundane Clara and Benjamin's relationship actually was. Afterwards both characters would doubt not only their love but if their love interest really was the perfect match.

I'm anxious to hear other comments about this book.

I already had read some of the other reviews and was a little comprehensive to dive into this story. But on the other hand, I love sadder and darker stories and actually like flawed characters.

Despite loving gritty stories, this one was a miss for me. Unlikable characters, too many timelines, and at 29% I decided to quit. I’m sorry and I hope other readers who love darker second chance love stories will love this more than I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book tells the story of Clara and Ben who fall in love but end up drifting apart but Clara realizes that Ben is “the one that got away.”

Tropes: Second chance romance, dual POV, miscommunication

I really enjoyed this book! I couldn’t put it down! I finished it in 2 days and I think the brilliant writing is a big reason for that! The book talks about some very heavy and potentially triggering topics, but it gave the book more weight, separating itself from your classic romance read.
The book has dual POV narration that goes back in forth from present day and the past. The character development was very realistic. Both Clara and Ben did things that weren’t perfect and quite frankly made me frustrated with them at times, but I also felt like their mistakes and flaws were a breath of fresh air. Clara and Ben came from such different backgrounds growing up which played a huge part in their relationship struggles. Getting to see Clara and Ben grow and mature throughout the years was also entertaining and exciting. The book also has short chapters which I found nice.

Overall, this book had the perfect amount of heartbreak, drama, comedy in it and if you enjoy second chance romance reads with a lot more depth this one is definitely for you.

TW: mental health issues, self harm, suicide bomber, rape

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an arc of "The One That Got Away."

I went into this thinking I had a light and easy romance. College kids fall in love. They break up and find their way back to each other. I was so very wrong. about this book. I'm not sure that Clara and Benjamin were in love. I don't know if Clara trusted her feelings for anyone. Clara's issues may stem from her perceived inattention from her parents due to her younger sister's illness. Benjamin was a bit too forgiving. He was willing to put others before himself to a fault. We should all be so altruistic. Truly there is so much to unpack in this book. It just seems to be an overload. I don't know why these two would want to get back together. The event that led to their breakup was no small spat. I don't see growth in Clara. Benjamin seems to be moving forward, so would Clara be a help or a hindrance? Benjamin has other interests now. Will Clara be okay with Benjamin not wanting to spend all his free time with her? Not sure if a rekindled romance is in the cards. Maybe a platonic association when it's convenient.

Endearing story of a couple who fell in love in their college days, then grew apart. They married others but never forgot about each other. Twenty years later, they reunite.

I couldn't finish this. I didn't enjoy the writing style or the plot. It could be just a me thing though!

After reading the description, I was intrigued with the overall plot. In the beginning, the book caught my attention, however, as the story progressed, I found myself becoming slightly board with the plot. The story began picking up towards the end, but I felt as though there were aspects of the book that could've been omitted. This book also covers dark themes that some readers might find uncomfortable, such as alcoholism, sexual assault, rape, etc. Overall, I like the general story, but I did find myself skimming towards the middle of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

First and foremost; I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the ARC version of this novel.

Sometimes living in your past catches up with your future.

When a stadium is targeted in a “terroristic style bombing”; Clara goes back in time, 20 years to be exact to relive one her most passionate relationships that still haunts her to this day.

I loved seeing both sides of this story; my only gripe was that I felt like Clara’s character development was rather slow. I understand she wants what she wants but it wasn’t until the last few chapters I saw some major changes

I can't even begin to find any meaning in this story, since the storyline does not make any sense. The story goes from past to present throughout the story, that drove me nuts. I felt there is a lack of character development, weak plot, and lack of any connection to the characters. I felt annoyed so ended up skimming to find out what really happened. The story is so unrealistic in my opinion, poorly written, flashing back and forth with really trivial dialogue left me hating the characters more.

This was a hard book to read but I am glad I read it. It’s not as light as it might seem by description but definitely worth a read!

The One That Got Away by Charlotte Rixon was a wonderful novel about the fear of not knowing in a time when the world has gone crazy around you. Twenty years after Benjamin and Clara have gone their separate ways, Clara sees Benjamin on a news show, searching for his son where a bombing has just taken place. She's so taken aback that she starts searching for him, for he has been the one that held her heart for the last twenty years, as she's held his. As she helps him search for his son, old feelings are rekindled, fears are faced and beliefs are challenged...will they ever get past this tragic moment in history?

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Don't miss this one, an excellent look into unexpected tragedy that will leave you feeling all the feels!

This is a combination love story and coming-of-age story. It depicts how wonderful and comforting love can be, but also how sad and distrustful it can be.

Benjamin and Clara meet while at university, fall madly in love, and become inseparable for two years. They are quite different from each other - Clara is smart, driven, clever, funny and comes from a well to-do family. Benjamin is morose, not very studious, angsty and addicted to football. On their last night together, tragedy strikes and they don’t see other again for 20 years, each of them already living a different life, yet still yearning for each other. It’s yet another tragedy that brings them back together.

It’s hard to really connect deeply with either character, but I think that’s sort of the point. The author isn’t sugarcoating love nor describing perfect people. It’s actually a refreshing take on young love. I give this book 4 stars. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

This book followed the storyline of Clara and Benjamin. It jumps around timelines, where it starts when they meet while they are at university, the present day, and then somewhere in the middle. You get a full view of their lives and their relationship, although there certainly are some holes and questions regarding their lack of communication at many points.

I think the one thing that really bothered me was the dangling the whole reason why they broke up. It was literally at the 88 percent mark that it was finally revealed. It wasn't necessary to keep this hanging - the book already starts with a "cliffhanger" where there is someone who bombs a soccer stadium and we don't know who it is (we do find out by the end).

Overall, I liked the story of Clara and Benjamin, even if I did not like the character of Clara at all. She made some questionable decisions and was hard to like throughout her chapters.

The writing style was the biggest obstacle for me with this one. I could not get into the story because of it and unfortunately, I skimmed more often than not. I really wanted to be able to like the characters and story since the premise of the book lured me in, but this was not for me.
Recommended For: Those who want to read a romance book.

This was an interesting, yet sad novel about a love from years past that ended in tragedy for both main characters here.
The horror is recreated in the present day; thus alternating from present to past as we move through the pages.

I have to admit, I had quite a bit of difficulty following this story at times and it made for my frustration.
I did finish the book and the ending was neatly put together to fully understand the characters and the plot.

If you like a mystery, heartbreak, and drama, then this will be enjoyed.

Thank you to #NetGalley and to #St Martin"s Press for this ARC and for allowing me to read and provide my own review.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sharing this ARC.

This book was well-written, and I feel that Clara and Ben's journey was certainly interesting.

However, I don't believe this book should be categorized as Romance. There were many heavy topics covered, including alcoholism, sexual abuse, terrorism, child abuse, infertility, cheating, alcoholism, and manslaughter. I was not prepared for the heavy-hitting emotional toll that this book gave me, and I think that could have been remedied by categorizing it as Women's Fiction or just plain Fiction.

I was not a fan of the book. It's meant to be a second chance romance, but it's really a thriller about a terrorist attack at a soccer stadium. I received a review copy from NetGalley and have left my opinion.

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY is a skillfully written second-chance romance. But it also contains a lot of difficult themes and topics that blanketed the whole thing with a feeling of dread that didn’t lift, for me, until the end of the story. There’s not a lot of lightness in this book.

It even starts on a heavy note: In present day, an unknown person is carrying out a suicide bombing in a crowded soccer stadium. You then go back in time to the year 2000 to be introduced to Clara and Benjamin, who met in college and fell deeply in love.

The two have a typical relationship that was marred with mistakes, miscommunication and a dash of bad luck. The book is told in different timelines: Back in the present, Clara is married to a wonderful man (not Benjamin) who she just can’t give her whole heart to. Benjamin is simply surviving while raising a son who’s the light of his life. Clara yearns to talk to Benjamin and is constantly wondering what might have been. Meanwhile, Benjamin feels he’s not good enough for Clara and tries to make the best of his situation.

Throughout the story, you are trying to find out what happened in their relationship that led them to such separate (and sad) lives. You are also on the edge of your seat, wanting to find out: who was the mysterious bomber, and how do they fit in the story? Charlotte Rixon does a good job of slowly unspooling her tale, little by little, which keeps the reader engrossed and interested.

Both Benjamin and Clara are very “real” characters. What I mean by this is that they are flawed: they each act in ways that they’re not proud of and make mistakes (like real people you meet every day). But do I really want this kind of realness in my romances? I think I’d rather have a bit of fantasy - and there is no fantasy in THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY.

Overall, I enjoyed this story, but my heart was heavy the whole time I was reading.

Notable quotes:

“She can see now that friendship is so much more valuable. There is so much pressure put on romantic love; a pressure that bends and distorts it into something harmful.”

“What really matters are the people who care for you without any drama. The ones who will always be there. The ones who will love you when you’re old and infirm. The ones who know how to make you smile when you’re down. The ones who know when you want to be left alone, and equally know when you need is a hug, a smile, a kind word … an invisible connection that can pass through any medium. The ones you can go years without speaking to, and then when you do, it’s like no time has passed.”

“A simple life with people I love. That’s all I ever wanted.”

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.