Great first time read for thank author. Great suspense and kept the story moving.

Twelve years ago, at their senior prom, tragedy struck the class of Long Acre High School. Only a small group of students survived and they were dubbed "The Ones Who Got Away" by the media. Liv Arias, a web designer, along with the rest of the survivors agreed to return to the small town in Texas and tell their story of events of what happened that fateful night. One of the survivors is her ex-boyfriend Finn Dorsey. When Liv wants nothing but closure, their night turns into a steamy hot kiss and moving on is much harder than either one thought it would be.

Liv remembered Finn as the bulky football player whose father didn't approve of their relationship so they kept it a secret. Finn regrets everything that happened, that night, he believes he drew the killers right to her location by trying to keep her a secret and protect his date. That was in no way the case, but he still felt guilty when everyone was calling him a hero for taking the bullet for his date.

Ten years later Finn is an FBI agent and is hell bent on taking down the organization that gave his two classmates the guns. He has been working tirelessly to figure out who the culpruts are but when it comes time to go undercover and complete the mission he put on himself will he be willing to leave everything he's gained behind or will he stay?

I always love Roni Loren's books, they draw you into the story and don't let you out until the very last page. This one was no different, I rooted for these two. Finn was dealing with the past but also his job and how the long undercover assignment changed him, he needed to get his head back on straight. Liv sees him lose it and realizes that she should be there for him. While they haven't seen each other for ten years they both feel the same attraction towards each other that they did as teenagers. This was a really great read and one that I highly recommend!

This book doesn't release until January but OMG it's worth the preorder. It's so very different from anything Roni Loren has written and I think it is now my favorite book of hers. This is a beautiful second chance romance that overcomes a decade-long tragedy. It gave me ALLLLL the feels. I've been in a slight reading slump and this book took me out of it for a couple of hours.

Mini review:

I received this E-Sampler via the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this on a whim on Netgalley. I didn't really have any expectations. Just wanted to give it a go. Man am I happy I read it! It was surprisingly enjoyable! Will definitely be getting the full copy next year.

Highly recommend.

Liv and Finn were making out in a janitor's closet during prom when they heard gunshots. Finn left Liv to find his actual prom date causing Liv to be discovered but allowed to live by one of the shooters while Finn was shot (and survived).

Twelve years later, Liv, Finn, and other survivors reconnect after all agreeing to be part of a documentary. The horrible experience brought some of them closer together, including Liv and a group of three girls, but completely killed any chance of Liv and Finn having a real relationship.

Now adults, Liv and Finn still feel a magnetic pull to one another, but each still struggle with their own issues that clearly mean they probably shouldn't even try, but they cannot resist.

A sweet and emotional romance that never felt schlocky or over-wrought. I appreciated the journey of both characters and how they finally found their way to one another. I also really appreciated that the girl who Finn took to the prom instead of Liv was given complete agency and wasn't a "villain." I ate up the the tension between Liv and Finn. Phew.

At the beginning of this book you learn the story of the Ones Who Got Away. This is a story of love, romance, forgiveness, and friendship. As you start to read the story you ae immersed in a place where tragedy struck and changed every one and some are trying to change back. The relationship and connection between Liv and Finn is so apparent and scorching but will they reach out a grasp each other or let each other go because of the past? This was a book that is well worth the read and will touch a part of all readers. Thank you NetGalley and Roni Loren for allowing me to read and give a honest review of this book.

Loren knocks it out of the park again. Read this book in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. She has strongly likeable characters that you want to root for and a romance that sizzles with tension right out of the gate. I loved her departure from erotica in a romantic tale of two survivors who are both battling their own demons born from tragedy.

The ones who got away is a fun light sexy romance that will have you turning the pages just to find the HEA that you know is going to be great between the main characters who you have come to think of as one of your friends. Author does a great job of doing this to her readers in this great book. Would recommend

Fantastic story. Loved it. I loved the characters and the storyline x

I really, really liked this. Such a harrowing backstory for the characters, but ultimately, it made who they were when we first meet them and the journeys they had that much more realistic.

It had a lot of the typical romance novel elements, too, and it was all woven together so well. I love Liv and Finn, their story was so heartwarming and heartbreaking all rolled into one, but they just fit. Oh, and boy did I adore Liv's friends. Especially, Kincaid. I would like a whole book about her right away, please! That group of girls was great, and even though we didn't get to see a ton of them, the more the story went on I kept falling harder and harder for the unique friendship they share. I can't wait to get to know each of them more in future books!

This book. WOW. Just WOW.
It was amazing. Well written. I honestly hope this becomes a series and we find out the story of Rebecca. Why is she so certain that she was probably on the top of the list.
Seriously this was a fantastic book about finding peace after tragedy and learning to love again.

The ones who got away
5 stars

Well, hell! I knew I shouldn't have read the sneak peak provided on NetGalley. Now I have all this anxiety and anticipation!

The summary provided sets the stage so I won't repeat it here. I will say that the heavy subject matter that tore the couple apart and brings them back together, coupled with the childhood friend, possible criminal enemies and, of course, the romance are all very intriguing! Very much looking forward to seeing what Ms. Loren does with this. I'll be gobbling up the rest of the story at the first opportunity!

I was provided the sneak peek in exchange for an honest review.

UPDATE - 7/31/17

I just finished the completed story and it was satisfying, but not quite all I hoped it would be. Thus, I'm downgrading it to 4.5 stars. While engaging throughout, there aren't any big surprises and the potential criminal element plot line that I was hoping to see didn't happen. I felt the story was ripe to be a suspense romance, but alas you'll have to settle for a romance that maintains its focus on the hero and heroine reconnecting and finding their way to a gratifying HEA.

While this is a complete story, with no cliffhanger, I wouldn't be surprised if several more books are to follow, each focusing on a different survivor. I believe the remaining characters all have stories to tell, fears to conquer and happily ever afters to find and enjoy. If Ms. Loren sees fit to write their stories, I'll be reading them.

Ok so this sneak-peak was perfect for whetting my appetite to read the entire book. I was not expecting the initial set-up of these people being the survivors of a school shooting. That fact, just added to the intrigue for me. We see a group of individuals who have already gone through more in their lives than some will ever go through, and then we bring them back together years later and find out that the past is still so influential in how they've continued to live their lives. And we have Liv and Finn, the opposites attract couple, who never quite got over each other, thrown together again. The set-up is fantastic! I can't wait to read how the story progresses from the sneak-peak!

I came across the cover and synopsis of this book and thought that it looked interesting, plus , it would give me chance to experience a new author.
Wow, am I glad I did. The story’s main characters are Liv Arias, and Finn Dorsey. Two survivors of a school massacre that killed many kids and left physical . psychological and emotional scars on those that survived. They had had a secret relationship during their last year in HS, but that too ended after the incident. Liv’s went through guys and sex as a way to cope. Finn joined the FBI in order to stop weapons being sold to minors. After 12 years , they meet again when a documentary is being made of the survivors.
The plot is complex, heartbreaking, and bittersweet. Not only are these two, very well developed characters, but the secondary characters are as well. I hope the author gives us the stories of the other three gals who created a bond after their lives were devastated.
Kudos to Ms Loren for this excellent story that is real and touching.
I was gifted this copy by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Roni Loren's The Ones Who Got Away was an emotional and riveting love story between two people connected by a shattered past. What could have easily turned into an angst-filled novel full of dramatic moments was in fact a sweet, but hot story about two people trying to move forward from a harrowing experience that has changed their lives forever. 

The Ones Who Got Away was a book that will grab readers' attention from the first scene during which Olivia, our protagonist, has returned to her high-school for an interview about the shooting massacre that left many of her classmates dead, and others wounded, physically and emotionally. While this start was certainly shocking and heartbreaking, Roni Loren manages to make the book hopeful and inspiring. She doesn't ignore the shooting - in fact, it's always looming over the characters throughout the whole book and it has shaped a large portion of their lives - but she executed the story in a way that makes you believe that these characters will find their happily every afters. 

The characters themselves were flawlessly fleshed-out. These were characters with a lot of depth and emotions, something that readers who enjoy character-driven stories will undeniably appreciate. Both Liv and Finn were complex and multi-layered, making them stand-out. Liv is a reformed bad-girl, who is now working as a successful website designer. In the process, she has also given up on her dreams of becoming a photographer. When she and her friends, fellow survivors of the Longacre shooting, find letters they wrote to themselves in a time-capsule, she decides to rekindle her passion for photography for the summer with her former flame, Finn. Liv is a sweet-natured and lovable character, who will have you rooting for her happiness. Throughout The Ones Who Got Away, readers see her experience and struggle with her PTSD, which was written in a raw, and sensitive manner. It's heartbreaking, but also important because it revealed what a strong woman she was. 

Finn, her love interest, was the perfect companion for Liv. With their shared connection to the massacre, they understood each other profoundly. Finn, too, was struggling with PTSD in his own way, and had channeled his grief and anger by joining the FBI in an attempt to punish those arms dealers that had put the weapons in the hands of the shooters that night. Finn was an equally terrific character, who will have most of you swooning and sighing in happiness, because he was a sweetheart. Despite not having had any contact in 12 years, the chemistry and emotional connection between Liv and Finn were intense, and sexy. The memories of them as teens were a nice addition to the story and provided more foundation to their relationship. Though they agree to only a temporary friends-with-benefits type relationship, their love for each other re-surges and there was no denying that these two were absolutely perfect fits together. The witty banter, the comfortable intimacy and the steamy yet tender sex scenes between Liv and Finn made this sizzling romance one that had me swooning.

Fans of emotional, intense and sexy romances, prepare to fall in love. The Ones Who Got Away is sure to enchant many. Now I can only hope that Roni Loren will write equally compelling stories for Liv's friends as well. Who do I bribe to make this happen?

its hard to review a book where you are only given 3 chapters.....

Roni Loren pulls you into the tragedy of a school shooting and what life has become for the survivors. I loved watching them learn to live after ten years of only coping. She really draws you into their shared history and what it takes to be alive after so many die. I can't wait for this series to continue.

There was a lot going on in this story - far more than a simple "boy + girl" story line. I found the writing style enjoyable to read and emotional without juvenile angst.
The way the characters were so determined to grow beyond the past that had shaped them was compelling. This one exceeded my expectations.

I received a copy of this sneak peek from Sourcebooks Casablanca through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

Like usual, I went into this sneak peek blind, having not read the synopsis before starting. It seemed pretty clear early on that this was going to be a second-chance romance (which I clearly would have already known if I'd read the synopsis, but the clues start adding up fast without that too). I can already predict how the romance aspect of this story will play out and the odds are that my predictions will be about ninety percent accurate, because the romance genre has rules that more often than not are followed to the T. That's not necessarily a bad thing though. When I want predictable, I know that the romance genre is there to help me out. It just is what it is.

What really has me intrigued by this story at this point in the game is why Finn is so sure that Liv would regret being with him. We spent most of the sneak peek in Liv's head, so I've got a pretty good idea of how the shooting affected her and what her coping mechanisms are. I could even relate to her coping mechanisms because they're the same ones I'd use after a break up. But Finn I do not get yet. It makes sense that the shooting would have affected him more deeply than Liv, because he was actually shot, but we haven't really seen how it has affected him, but the sneak peek has me curious.

So would I buy this book on release day? I can't really say for sure because it's several months away and I just don't know right now if I'll be craving predictable in January. The book will be going on my wishlist though because I really want to know what's up with Finn.

4,5 Stars!
In the past, I had only watched a few documentaries regarding school shootings and I even remember vaguely, as an 8year-old the Columbine massacre making headlines all over the world. But, The Ones Who Got Away doesn't deal with a shooting, no, it dives right into the aftermath of such a tragedy.

The pain, the fear, the regrets. The hero, the victims, the survivors. What happens when in an interview about a documentary recounting the worst day of your life, you meet again The One Who Got Away from you? Literally, Finn left Liv alone at the worst possible moment but it wasn't because he wanted to nor with any malice. It just happened and that could have cost her life.
Now 12 years later, after that fateful event, they meet again.

A letter in a time capsule Liv opens with her other three friends, all survivors, will make her reevaluate her choices and what her life turned into. Throw Finn to the mix, the boy-she-loved-turned-torment-man, and nothing can stay the same anymore. Liv masked her pain and dealt with it in many ways, in her college years by throwing caution to the wind and later on by leading a mundane n0-name life.

None of those tactics worked though and didn't help her move on until she found Finn... Finn who feels guilty towards Liv about so many things. Who devoted his life to finding and destroying people who made that school shooting possible. Finn who when it's all said and done will have to leave again by the end of the summer.

But by the end of the summer, nothing will be the same. This book is a romance at heart, it delts with a vicious crime right away but it's still funny, flirty, sexy and playful. I enjoyed it immensely and couldn't put it down and the few things that bothered me can be easily fixed because the book has six until its release date and that's plenty of time to make small adjustments.

All in all, I really loved this book, yes I wanted it to be a little darker but that's not its theme and I totally respect that. Although the pain lingers and it's evident throughout the narration, in the end, the hopeful message it's loud and clear. The characters are where they should be and there is even a silent promise for more.


THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BOOK

- I adored the past scenes, and actually wanted a little more of their initial story.
- The epilogue is great.
- I wanted more scenes with them as a couple.
- Dual POV.
- The writing for the biggest part flowed with ease.
- I was heartbroken with their story. And I couldn't deal with how he left her.
- I wanted some more
- The author proposes shelter-adoption when a character expresses the want for a dog and I always appreciate that.
- I liked all the main characters.
- Her family, on the other hand, was in the wrong. Plain and simple. After such a tragedy they still guilt-trip her on doing their bidding.
- There is also a continuity thing there with her mother's reaction towards her before and after, but let's just say that's what Liv needed to believe in the end.
- I loved Liv's exhibition.
- The banter between them was great, it gave depth to their relationship and really funny.
- The scene where Liv caught Finn having fun with himself was awesome...
- And now I have to praise those three other women.
- Kincaid is incredible, I want her as my best friend.
- Rebecca, surprised me so much!!! She is also amazing. The author did a great job with her because it could easily turn ugly there.
- Taryn, was very cute but I need much more time with her. The epilogue though gives her character so much more depth.
- Those four girls bonded at the same time Liv and Finn were torn apart, by the same disaster.
- I have a feeling this will turn into a series. Rebecca has a secret I want to know..