I really enjoyed this book! It tells the story of Clara and Benjamin over a 20 year period. You get to hear the story from both of their point of views which I always love. Like all relationships, it takes you through all the highs and lows. It's emotional and heartbreaking. Not your everyday love story. Great read!

Oh my god this book had me in a hold. I didn’t not look up from my kindle for hours.. The book follows the once lovers throughout the two decades in the past (leading up to their last communication) to the present where Carla tries to find Benjamin after a tragic incident at a football stadium. The first chapter had me hooked instantly. I was on the edge of my seat each 2022 timeline chapter. At first I thought that 2002 Carla was kinda clingy and toxic but she grew up a lot in 20 years and 2022 Carla is great in my opinion. The ending had me shocked in a way. I predicted some things that happened but they weren’t in the exact same way I predicted them so I didn’t mind that at all. It’s a book about love, regret, and possible second chances. Overall such an amazing book and it became a favorite of mine!

Thank you NetGalley and Charlotte Rixon for the opportunity to read this book in exchange of an honest review!

First off, I really enjoyed this book. The concept of "the one that got away" is something I think everyone thinks of at some point in their lives. I really liked how the chapters skipped through different time frames and through the perceptions of Clara and Ben. I was waiting for a more climactic ending though. I really wanted that happily ever after for them as a couple, but instead was left with a friendship and a cliffhanger to their final story.

Overall though, I did really enjoy it.

Thanks to NetGalley, Charlotte Rixon , and publishers for exchanging this ARC for an honest review.

This book is deep, emotional, heartbreaking and leaves you hopeful. I really enjoyed this book.

It's a story about Clara and Benjamin who fall deeply in love. You get both point of views, which is a format I really enjoy, so you get an understanding from both sides. This book had me laughing which turned to being sad then to being hopeful, an emotional rollercoaster for the characters an the reader. Definitely worth the read and will be recommending this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for early access in turn for my honest opinion!

Thank you NetGalley, for an advance copy of this book for an honest review in return.

This book surprised me. It has a little bit of everything - an intriguing main, a disaster, a reconciliation. I think this book was solid, but the thing I hated was that Benjamin's story was all stream-of-consciousness. As a reader, we didn't get to really understand his backstory as someone looking in; all we saw was Benjamin as Benjamin saw (and a little bit of how Clara saw him, too). I have a problem with this because there's SO MUCH NUANCE. I feel like the tragedy and the ending could have been stronger if there was a little less going on, and a little more development of the characters. I wanted to know about Aiden, and although I guessed early on what was happening on his soccer team, I feel like it just kind of....fell flat. There's a lot of potential for a very moving book here, and with one less THING, it could have been five stars. Like why did Clara have to be married in the beginning? That's so typical. Why couldn't she just go for BE once she heard about the bombing? BE's dad also didn't really need to be a peripheral character with a moving part as well, but this is probably why I don't write books!

Three and a half, or three and a quarter. Solid, but needs MORE.

This was such a good book! It was both heartfelt and suspenseful. I was quite surprised by a few of the twists and really enjoyed this overall.

The One That Got Away
Charlotte Rixon

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY by Charlotte Rixon as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC). The story takes place in the UK against a university setting and follows Clara and Benjamin as they navigate their love-at-first sight feelings in the throes of early adulthood.

Clara captures those early feelings of insecurity and obsession with new love that is felt by many young women in society. Benjamin embodies the quiet and emotionally stunted male character who struggles with sharing his feelings, but also lingers in a constant state of self-doubt.

The past and present multiple POV format creates a rich experience tethering together pieces of Clara and Benjamin’s complicated past while also propelling them into the present day tragedy that reunites their paths.

A story about forgiveness, self-love, and following your inner voice, THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY is a thoughtful and well-written read that reminds readers that sometimes one needs to return to their past in order to live in the present.

Rating ⭐️ 5/5

Publish Date: August 15, 2023

Reading about Clara & Benjamin's young love makes me very thankful I'm no longer in college anymore. Despite having elements of first love, it dives into deeper topics of substance abuse, perfectionism, and mental illness. Thank you netgalley & the publisher for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Benjamin and Clara's story. It spanned over a bit more than 20 years, with flashbacks from 2022 to 2002 and 2012. At the beginning, it read like a romance, but it wasn't really that. The One That Got Away <i>is</i> a love story, though. But not all that conventional.

Have you ever wondered <i>what if...</i> about someone you were with when you were younger? How your life would have turned out different if only you had made some different choices? Both the good and the bad. That's what happened here with both Clara and Benjamin. They felt like they would be together forever when they were young - and they both kept having regrets long, long after they left uni.

Really well written, The One That Got Away has a lot of heartache, a little happiness, some hope, and quite a bit of working on oneself for both of the main characters.

I enjoyed this book a lot and instantly fell in love with our main characters Clara and Benjamin. I was rooting for them the entire time and love the second chance romance/ what if trope. These two met in college when they were still very much trying to figure out themselves, which I think a lot of college/ high school romances relate to. It's difficult to navigate a relationship with another person when you are still trying to figure out your place in this world. Now 20 years later, the question becomes will they or won't they find their way back to each other? While this trope is not unique, I really did enjoy the character development throughout this novel. I am definitely adding this author to my TBR list.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to review.

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC.I finished this book yesterday and waited until today to write the review. I really was not sure how I was going to review this, and needed time to let it sink it. First, if you think you are getting a lighthearted second chance romance, do not read this book. There is nothing light hearted about it.It is a dark, serious work, with many dark and disturbing themes( infidelity, abuse, terrorism, sexual dysfunction, and alcoholism, to name a few.) It is well written, but not at all what I expected from the blurb. Benjamin and Clara are British and meet while at the University. They are immediately attracted to each other. At first they are kept apart by a misunderstanding, but then become a couple. Two years later,just before graduation, something horrific happens to split them up . In 2022, something else happens that draws them to each other again. The book is written in 2 points of view, Clara's and Benjamin's. There are numerous non linear timelines. These can be hard to follow. There is also a lot of discussion of British Football ( Soccer to Americans) and several plot points hinge on this.The main characters are not that likeable. There are some likeable side characters, but not many.This is a dark sad book. It is interesting that in the book, Clara is writing a book which is critiqued for having an unlikeable narrator. A wink perhaps, or art imitating life? Again, not a lighthearted read, but if you are looking for a more serious book, you may enjoy it.

An interesting book that leads the reader around several time points to reach the end. At points it seems to drag but at other points it races forward, captivating me to want to read more to learn what really happened years ago..

3.5 stars for this novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This is not the feel good unrequited romance book you may think it is. Benjamin and Clara have been through a lot. Trigger warnings here for suicide bombers, mental health, rape, cancer, and many more disasters. They meet in college and fall into the deep kind of love only experienced the first time, where you feel like you cannot live without one another. Unforeseen circumstances occur, and they part ways, Clara marries another, and Ben has a son. Twenty years later Clara goes back to the city where they met in order to find him. These characters are very well developed and not always likeable. Ben is prone to bouts of depression, but is charming and smart; while Clara is needy and impulsive. You want to root for them to make it, but there are so many obstacles and other people in their way.
The ending was a bit up in the air so you need to make some assumptions about what you think happened.
This is a well written, realistic love story perfect for today's world.

The One That Got Away by Charlotte Rixon is an emotional, yet heart-warming story about two people who were meant to be together but had their paths diverted by a devastating mistake. The novel follows Clara and Benjamin, who meet at university and fall in love, but then are separated due to circumstance. As the years go on and life takes them on different paths, they never forget each other. When Clara discovers that Benjamin might be in danger following a bombing in the city where they first met, she is forced to confront the events that tore them apart.

Rixon’s writing is beautiful and lyrical without ever becoming too cliched or melodramatic. She manages to create complex characters with real depth, making readers feel as if they really know these characters and have formed bonds with them. The plot moves quickly between past and present giving readers a glimpse into how one mistake can cause ripples throughout years of life.

This book will make you laugh, cry and feel as if you've been taken along for the ride with Clara and Benjamin. It's a must-read for anyone looking for an emotionally charged read that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Highly recommended!

This book wasn’t for me. It was advised as a romance read, but didn’t find it romantic at all. The main character was really immature and that bothered me.

It's of no fault of the author that I did not enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. I was hoping for a second-chance romance or a sweet coming-of-age love story. This book has much darker and serious themes and while that is probably the preference of so many other readers, it simply wasn't what I was looking for. I would read future works from this author.

The story of Clara and Ben, and what might have been. I’m not a big fan of Chiclet, and this was labeled as women’s fiction. I was expecting a more serious novel. That being said I did enjoy a quick easy read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This book was way more heavy than I thought it would be, but I enjoyed it!
Clara and Benjamin had a bad break up, but kept in touch throughout the years. It shows their time line in a twenty year span. They are not the most likeable characters, but that’s kind of what I liked about this book. Loved the dual pov, but Clara and Ben’s miscommunication drove me crazy though. It wasn’t a cookie cutter romance. This book really shows how the choices in life we make can sometimes make big ramifications.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book!



📘: The One That Got Away by Charlotte Rixon
🗓 Pub Date: August 15, 2023

Thank to NetGalley, Charlotte Rioxn , and St.Martin’s Press for this ARC!

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

*Reviewed on NetGalley and Goodreads. Will review on retail once published!

Well this certainly wasn't a contemporary romance. It was messy and complicated and rather ugly in places. Clara and Benjamin are both a hot mess and, I believe, kind of toxic together. That being said, I was thoroughly invested in finding out how or if their lifelong connection would resolve itself. There is a lot to take in within the pages, but I'm glad I went along for the ride.

This was a pretty good, cute story! It was entertaining and kept me turning the pages. The title is catchy but I think the cover could be cuter!