Really enjoyed reading this! Charlotte Rixon did an absolutely amazing job at writing the two different timelines in this story, sometimes I think jumping between the past and present can be kind of messy but this was handled in such a smooth and effortless way.

I really loved the 'midlife crisis' vibes that were in this book and how Benjamin and Clara just felt like completely normal and relatable characters. Would definitely recommend!

DNF @ 30%

The writing was beautiful and I loved the idea of an emotional story, but it was incredibly hard for me to get into.

I think a lot of it is that I was expecting something much different than what the book actually is about - definitely a me thing.

Thank you NetGalley & Aria & Aries for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

The premise of this book was so good that I knew I wouldn't be able to resist requesting it. I love a good romance about missed opportunities and journeys of self discovery, this book certainly delivers on those counts.

Told in alternating POV we are introduced to Benjamin and Clara at university. From here we learn more about them as a couple and we flick back to the present day to see where their lives have taken them. I will admit that I did get a little confused about when the timelines kept jumping. I thought it might have been better to work in chronological order with some present day thrown in. Sometimes we jumped to 2017 and then back to 2002.before returning to present day.

Of our two protagonists I liked Benjamin the best. I felt I connected with his story more and loved his kind nature and quirkiness. Clara, in my opinion, was annoying. You might put this down to her being at university and discovering who she is and not having the emotional maturity of an older adult. However, even as an adult I struggled to sympathise with her and even like her.

Overall this was a lovely story that explored the depth of first loves, missed chances and regret.

This book was so much more than just a love story. It flicked between the present and the past tense, which did leave it a bit choppy at times, but I did enjoy it none-the-less. This was an enjoyable book, which made me smile, and cry, all at the same time. I couldn't put this book down, I just had to know how it ended.

Thank you NetGalley for the early release in exchange for my opinion.

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Extraordinary in the ordinary. This is not a cheerful second-chance rom-com, but it's a thoroughly enjoyable read that make me laugh and cry, whilst also tapping into nostalgia and longing.

Big thank you to netgalley and Aria & Aries for the eArc of this book.

DNF at 40%

This book is not for me. I feel no connection with any characters, and actually really dislike both main characters. I also am not at all invested in the story and don't care to know what happens. If you're looking for a light romance this is not it, but if you're in the mood for something heavier it might be for you.

I couldn’t put this down. I read this in 2 sittings because I just had to know how it ended. There should definitely be more hype around this because it totally deserves it. Charlotte Rixon makes it onto favourite authors list.

Where is the hype around this book? It sucked my soul out of my body as I was reading and I can not recommend this book enough. It gave Nicholas Sparks and Elin Hilderbrand vibes.

I didn't love this. It seems like a second chance at first love story but in reality it's quite heavy and there are a lot of TWs
needed. That said I thought it was well written and I enjoyed the chapters being split between Clara & Ben. Unfortunately Clara is really not very likeable (even her name is a bit irritating tbh) and I found myself getting quite frustrated with her actions. If you're looking for a grittier less romantic read this may be more up your street.

With thanks to Aria & Aries/Netgalley for the ARC

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of The One That Got Away by Charlotte Rixon.
Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. The story begins with a suicide bomber and gets the reader hooked right into the story, but does not follow through. Rixon tells the story alternating between several time frames. The One That Got Away is the story of two people who fall in love during university, but are separated due to circumstances. Twenty years later, their lives once again cross and they are forced to remember the past. This story is slow and the main character, Clara is whiny, mean, and pathetic. Rixon pulls the reader along with several plot questions, but does not offer any unexpected surprises.

The beauty of this story was it was hard to put it down! Despite my feelings about the characters' relationship, I needed to know if they would be okay. The writing was very well done which helped build suspense and successfully tie in heavy topics. While this book can feel dark at times, and I wasn't super invested to the characters as a couple, I would still recommend this book. After finishing the book last night, I could not stop talking to my partner about it. This is definitely a book I will think about in the future!

This book is very unique, and quite different from your typical romance novel, which honestly caught me off guard. While I appreciate interrupting the status quo and trying something new, this book dealt with a lot (A LOT) of very heavy topics that took an emotional toll. While I really wanted to dive into Ben and Clara's story, it just wasn't quite what I needed. If you're looking for a emotional but lighthearted romance, this is not for you.

A brilliant read and one I really enjoyed. The characters are loveable and varied, the plot is one that is engaging and medium paced. I found myself completely drawn into the story and enjoyed the writing style.

Thank you Aria & Aries Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others. Initially, the description was the reason why I wanted to read this book in the first place. Described as a "gripping and powerful story about first love defying all odds, for fans of One Day and The Paper Palace", this seemed like my ideal plot. However, I couldn't get through it and had to DNF it at 31%.

Compared to other reader's reviews, my review is based off personal preference so I suggest you pick it up and see for yourself if this is your kind of book.🤍

What a beautiful, heartfelt and gorgeous book!!! This has been addictive since page one. I devoured this book in just one sitting.

I have laughed and cried reading this. I became completely invested in this one from the beginning.

This book has taken me on a rollercoaster of emotions. My attention has been captured instantly.

The characters in this book are stunning. Flawed but completely loveable. I have devoured page after page wanting more from them.

This is a brilliant read and one that I cannot recommend more highly.

When this book was compared to THE PAPER PALACE, I can see how that connection was made. It's emotional, gutting, and can take you to a pretty dark place if you're not vigilant. But what this book lacked that the latter did not is a sense of maturity in style and direction. I would compare this book more to those of the Colleen Hoover variety - not bad by any stretch, but written in a way that feels a bit melodramatic and histrionic. The emotions felt stretched out in a theatrical way, which lends to the "gutting" description I gave earlier, but when examined under a critical light I'm not quite sure if it holds up to other giants on the shelves.

Beautifully written and highly emotive. Not your average romance, this book brings a lot of heart. I will be reading any further titles in this genre from Charlotte. Highly recommended.

I thought this was a very cute story between two college lovers and their journey. I found it particularly interesting because my partner and I met and feel in love in college and it brought back my own memories from this time period.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

The One that Got Away is an emotional story about Benjamin and Clara. They dated in college, but split up after an incident led to Benjamin being incarcerated. However, years later, Clara hears about an explosion at a soccer stadium; one that she knows Benjamin went to for every single home game. She can't get Benjamin out of her head, so she leaves to try to find him and make sure he's ok.

The story is dual timeline, and dual POV; past and present, so we hear the story of their relationship and the current situation with the explosion. Additionally we get the story from both Benjamin and Clara's viewpoints.

I was pretty engaged at the beginning, and was trying to figure out what happened between them in the past, and also who exactly caused the explosion at the stadium. But the more I read, the more I wanted to just skip to the end. It's emotionally taxing, but still fell a bit flat for me.

Sorry but this wasn’t for me - it felt like so many others I’d read before, but didn’t quite measure up.
I wanted to love it but just didn’t.