This story is beautifully written and heart breaking. It is not so much a romance story but life story of two people who meet at college. They experience their first love and. Ever really fall out of love. The story is told in dual point of view between Carla and Benjamin. It also flips from past and present timelines. I thought the way the story unfolded was perfect in giving just enough information but withholding little details to keep you interested and wanting to know more. The book spans two decades of time between the characters and tells story of what has happened since they broke up in college. How both do them really never fell out of love of one another during this time. They both tried to move on and find love but it never really worked. It deals with the complexities of relationships. Present day Capra is married to a great man but he never really takes time to get to know her. Benjamin has a teenage son and living with his father and in and out of a few relationships but nothing really serious. This book has several heavy topics it deals with and the author handled them delicately. Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book was just so so for me. Not great but don't horrible either. I couldn't connect with the characters.

This is a hard review to write because I wanted to like this book so much but couldn't get into it. Second chance romances are one of my favorite romantic tropes so I was disappointed when I finished this book and felt let down.

The characters go through so many horrific or triggering experiences that it felt a bit unnecessary and unrealistic.
Think: rape, suicide, sexual health issues, suicide, terrorist attacks, unhappy marriages, prison, etc.

By the end of the book I felt like it was watching an entire season of grey's anatomy where anything and everything bad that could happen, did happen.

The One that Got Away by Charlotte Rixon was one that held such a strong premise that I couldn't wait to dive in. Unfortunately, the continued amount of tough topics thrown at me was difficult to get through. I usually don't have this issue but there was so much sadness and damage that the book was taking a negative toll on me.

I will not be posting this review on social media.

Do you ever go into a book and not know what to expect? That was the case for me and "The One That Got Away." I thought that this would be a typical love story - boy meets girl and they fall in and out of love over the years. Boy, was I wrong. This was a deep, touching story of Clara and Benjamin and their love that persisted over the course of 20 years. It's told in alternating perspectives of both Clara and Benjamin. While this was definitely not the traditional love story, it was a great story of love and loss. I would definitely recommend this book!

So I liked the idea of this story and how it continually had you wondering exactly how it was going to end, but I can’t say I liked the characters or how the story flowed. It was so slow that I couldn’t wait to get to the end of the story, but not enough to get thorough the book quickly. It took me a lot longer that usual to get though it to the point that it was ALMOST a DNF.

I don’t think there was even one character that I could consciously root for in the past or present of the story.
It was a slow burn and I just could not connect to any character. As a matter of fact I disliked Clara so much I didn’t want Clara and Benjamin to be a couple in any way. She was controlling and very hypocritical.

And Benjamin was just sad-all around sad to the point of depressing. The warning flags about him were all over the story. To be honest, I don’t think there was one character in the book that WASN’t sad.

Maybe I just wasn’t in the frame of mind for reading a sad story and was hoping for second chance romance, hence I would give it more stars. Because like I said, the premise was good, but the characters could use a little work to keep me engaged.

A contemporary fiction and examination of rape culture and masculinity through adolescence and adulthood.

This is yet another book marketed as a romance that should more accurately be marketed as contemporary fiction. It’s a harsh look at how rape culture and masculinity affects us as children and young adults and goes on to affect us into adulthood. How experiences shape our lives and perspectives.

The novel jumps back and forth through different times throughout the protagonists’ life from their time in college, falling in love and where they are in their lives twenty years later. It demonstrates how the decisions they made in the past continue to shape their present and how society, particularly sports culture, plays a part in the lives of generations.

The protagonists of the story are both flawed individuals that struggle with control and self-esteem and are both products of their upbringing. Clara’s privilege, impulsivity and need for control often clashes with Benjamin’s anxious nature in their past and their futures are overshadowed by the guilt of their turbulent young adulthood.

The actual plot seemed to have a lot of potential, but certain events seemed to push the boundaries of plausibility and with the characters already being difficult to relate to in many aspects, the story could’ve benefitted from a more grounded narrative. Though, the way in which the story moved through time was well done. It’s able to keep readers guessing as secrets are revealed and questions answered gradually.

This book has a lot going on. It starts with a bang and then VERY slowly takes you back and forth 20 years ago to “present day”. I enjoyed the style of writing, but not entirely sure if I liked the story. I can’t decide if it was too realistic or too far fetched. For me, I wasn’t able to connect with the characters to feel the empathy for their plights.

5 Stars all the way for this book by Rixon. I absolutely loved the story, the characters and setting. It made me feel like I was living along with them on their journey from when they meet in college and all throughout their lives! The writing is excellent and fast paced but detailed. We get a great sense of who these people are inside and what they portray to the world.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I am letting everyone know to add this to their TBR pile.

I went into reading this book with an open mind and excitement because second chance romances are not my normal genre.

The biggest issue is the amount of triggering content with no warning what so ever.
Otherwise, the story was just hard to follow. There wasn’t that great flow you expect.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me access to read this book for my honest review. I was not compensated in anyway.

If you're looking for a "feel good" romance with likeable characters and a strong story line, this is not your book. Certainly not a lighthearted romance, more like a 20-year messy, dysfunctional relationship with lot of heavy topics. Alcoholism, assault, child sexual abuse, death of a parent, infertility, cheating and depression. The story line goes back and forth during the 20-year timeline but sadly, in the end, neither are better off for the time spent. It was especially difficult to finish this one as neither of the main characters are particularly likeable. Had this not been an arc, I would have dnf''d this one. Many thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy (ARC) in exchange of my honest review.

Rixon attempts to take 'the one that got away' trope to a deeper level, and almost gets it there.

This story spans decades, alternating between present day when tragedy strikes, when Clara and Benjamin meet, and everything in between. It allows you to see where they started, what broke them apart, and to explore whether they are truly 'the one' for each other.

The early stages of the relationship hard to read as both characters handled things very poorly, but perhaps that is an accurate depiction of young love. Honestly, Clara did not become more likeable or wise in her 40s. I find it frustrating when the whole story arc depends on one character withholding information, as is what happened here.

This was a character driven book, however I found the characters to be lacking. While Clara and Benjamin were depicted as being so in love with each other, as characters they fell quite flat, and it was hard to imagine that they felt that way. The secondary characters were also not developed, and did very little to move the plot along. Benjamin's development throughout the book was the most engaging.

It took until about 60% through for the plot to become more complex and engaging. While it ended with depth, and I wish that depth had been there all along. This was an interesting idea, simply lacking in execution. Rixon shows promise as an author, and I am hopeful that her next book achieves greater depth.


Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Charlotte Rixon for this ARC.

So excited to read more from Charlotte Rixon!!!
The One That Got Away will captivate you from the start!!!
It's a huge page turner with so much depth in the plot that it makes you feel like you just need to keep reading to know what happens. The development of the characters could have been a bit better as I found myself a bit annoyed with them at times but other than those moments it was a great read.

- Dual POVs and timelines. This book kept me surprisingly on edge the whole time. & I think overall I really enjoyed this book!!! **Please read trigger warnings on topics talked about in this book**

I couldn’t get past the editing errors. I also don’t love stories that are about having feelings strong enough to do what she did while married.

When I requested this book I thought it was going to be one of those second chance romances that I really love reading. But this is definitely packed with so much more then a second chance at love. The One That Goat Away was quite deep at times, there are dark secrets in this story that lead up to the event we all read about in the very first chapter. There is a lot of depth to this book, but I’d you push through these hard to read chapters it is so worth it. I found myself reading faster and faster as the story went on.

Overall I liked this book, I think it’s a great first novel for this author and I look forward to future books.

***Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC copy in return for an honest review***

The One that Got Away wasn't quite what I imagined. For some reason, I thought it would be either a time travel or a sliding doors type book, but instead it was set throughout multiple timeframes and told by the perspective of Clara and Benjamin. The two were college sweethearts, but an event tore them apart and finds them living separate lives 20 years later... while still wondering what if and googling one another. A bombing at a soccer stadium in present day leads Clara to seek Benjamin out in person, to make certain he is ok.
I found this book to be pretty good. It definitely held my attention and I read it pretty quickly. While there were predictable parts to the main story, there were plot lines that were surprises as well. Id rate this a strong 3.5 but am rounding up to a 4.
Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and the author for access to this ARC.

Overall, I loved this book more than I thought I would. I did love ending and the “one that got away” trope; though I feel the title might be too on the nose.

I believe the main characters were not always likeable, borderline annoying or unlikeable because of the way they acted/talked to each other, but their story was sweet. Ultimately the relationship and feeling that you may have missed out on “the one” was relatable and sweet.

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

This was very sweet ultimately! The characters were interesting. The story was unique and well written. I really enjoyed this one. This is the debut book for this author and it’s a great debut.

We never forget the one who got away. Maybe it is was your first love. Or maybe it was something brief but lasting. Maybe you were both just too young. All stories about the one who got away are full of a vast range of emotions. This story is chockfull of emotions.

Clara and Benjamin meet by chance at a club when they are first year uni students. They quickly fall for one another and develop a strong attachment. There relationship is full of mistrust, secrets, and occasional fights. But regardless they still deeply love and care for one another. Clara has both their futures planned out. But their relationship ends on an unfortunate note. Clara never really moves on from the one that got away. Although, she is now married and trying to be happy. Flash forward to 20 years later where there is a bomb at a local stadium in Benjamin’s hometown. Clara immediately leaves and heads to his hometown to make sure he is safe. Will there be a chance for second love for them?

What I enjoyed:
- Dual POVs and timelines. We get both Clara’s POV and Benjamin’s point of view. We also flip from their past to present day.
- I had a hard time liking Clara. But I still couldn’t put the story down. I needed to piece together what happened and what was happening. I was compelled to keep reading. Although she was flawed in many ways, it did made her feel more real.
- This was well paced and kept me surprisingly on edge the whole time.
- The ending was really satisfying in my opinion. I like where it went and the development of everyone involved.


This was a heart aching read. But it felt truly real and honest about young love. Those feelings of being young and hoping that person is the one were relatable. I thought it was a well written and truthful look at the one that got away theme. I look forward to future reads by this author! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

There is a lot of dark themes in this one. So please be warned that it involves: child sexual abuse, sexual assault, alcoholism, bombing, suicide, IVF, abuse, cancer, death of a parent, and child abandonment.

When I think back on my late teens or early twenties, I can assure you that I did some stupid stuff. Pining after boys way out of my league or staying out all hours of the night. Which, in hindsight, those were the good old days. The nights out, not the pining after guys thing, obviously.

I didn’t really have a person I would consider “The one that got away”, but nevertheless I enjoyed the novel by Charlotte Rixon. Was the past storyline sometimes a bit cringy to read? Sure. But who really has great communication skills in their early twenties, especially when riddled by jealousy and love?

Grown Ben and Clara have not talked in the last twenty years and when a bomb goes off at a soccer stadium, one that Clara knows Ben to visit every Saturday, feelings re-emerge and past issues resurface. With the help of flashbacks and jumping back to the current timeline, we learn what transpired all of those years ago and why Clara and Ben are not together anymore. The current storyline was what really kept me interested in the story

When I first read the synopsis and started reading the book, it reminded me of One Day by David Nicholls, but comparing the two does not feel fair after having finished both. One Day shredded my heart in two, whereas The One That Got Away kept me engaged for sure, but left my heart untouched.

The One That Got Away is a solid 3 Star read. Definitely check your trigger warnings though, our protagonists went through a lot. Maybe a few less issues would have given this book a slightly better rating.

The book will be published on August 15, 2023. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!