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coscolluelamn's review against another edition
2.0
Thank you to @Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book.
The premise was so appealing...the book ultimately was not. I love myself a second-chance romance and I thought I would love this but Clara is unlikable. Benjamin is more favorable. I know characters should be flawed but, dang, Clara reads as whiny and clingy all throughout. It is understandable as a university student since we all try to figure ourselves at that age (and really our whole lives) but over two decades, I did not see her grow as much as Ben. I did not feel their chemistry and wanted Ben to find someone else.
I did appreciate such heavy themes the book tackles, however. And, there were a lot of them. It is not a lighthearted read by any means.
The premise was so appealing...the book ultimately was not. I love myself a second-chance romance and I thought I would love this but Clara is unlikable. Benjamin is more favorable. I know characters should be flawed but, dang, Clara reads as whiny and clingy all throughout. It is understandable as a university student since we all try to figure ourselves at that age (and really our whole lives) but over two decades, I did not see her grow as much as Ben. I did not feel their chemistry and wanted Ben to find someone else.
I did appreciate such heavy themes the book tackles, however. And, there were a lot of them. It is not a lighthearted read by any means.
britkolodorman's review against another edition
5.0
The One That Got Away by Charlotte Rixon was a truly captivating read from start to finish. I found myself completely engrossed in the story of two young lovers, Clara and Benjamin, and their struggles to make sense of their feelings for each other in the face of personal tragedies.
I can see how some readers might get annoyed by these characters as they make naive, immature decisions during early adulthood, but I, admittedly, felt I could relate to them through this. The portrayal of college life and college love was so distinct and relatable I kept nodding along as the author told the story. She nailed it, regardless of how cringy it might seem to some.
I especially appreciated the way the story ended as it closed the proverbial loops of Clara and Benjamin's falling out—WHY they 'got away' from each other—and also Benjamin's son's role in the present-day timeline. The language used was distinctly British, which I also enjoyed.
All in all, it was an engaging and powerful story that I couldn’t put down.
I can see how some readers might get annoyed by these characters as they make naive, immature decisions during early adulthood, but I, admittedly, felt I could relate to them through this. The portrayal of college life and college love was so distinct and relatable I kept nodding along as the author told the story. She nailed it, regardless of how cringy it might seem to some.
I especially appreciated the way the story ended as it closed the proverbial loops of Clara and Benjamin's falling out—WHY they 'got away' from each other—and also Benjamin's son's role in the present-day timeline. The language used was distinctly British, which I also enjoyed.
All in all, it was an engaging and powerful story that I couldn’t put down.
thebookishhomesteader's review against another edition
3.0
Gosh I wanted to like this one. I really wanted it to get better. Truthfully, the ending was probably my favorite part. I loved how they just stayed as friends and meshed their lives back together. Yo until that point though, things just felt kind of forced.
conpierre's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The One That Got Away by Charlotte Rixon
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5
This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions. If you're looking for a simple second chance romance book this is way more than that. It's an intense story about love and the toxic winding road it can sometimes take us on.
The story is told in dual POV and in a past and present timeline. The story is about two flawed people who fall in love in college but are eventually torn apart by a huge mistake. Clara is bright but clingy and possessive. Benjamin is bright but insecure and unfocused. They dated for two years and the present story takes place twenty years later. It was interesting to me how I had moments when I both liked and disliked the main characters. Their relationship was full of ups and downs and I felt exhausted at times of their merry-go-round of a relationship and at times just wanted to get off. We see in the present timeline that the pair have never really forgotten each other but life and circumstances have always kept them apart. When Clara becomes afraid that Benjamin was hurt in a bombing we go back in time to find out the big event that tore them apart.
What I liked about it: Although I found the relationship exhausting I also found it realistic. I felt the chemistry between the two main characters through the pages. Ms. Rixon added a lot of depth to the pair and made them feel real. I'm a huge fan of dual POV and she did a wonderful job of ensuring both character's voices were heard. If you're looking for an emotionally charged read then this is the book for you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Sexual assault
ghood_27's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
spyralnode's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
'The One That Got Away' tries to do a lot, dropping a variety of difficult topics such as child abuse, alcoholism, infertility, rape and cancer. But I wasn't moved. I was equally as unimpressed with the main couple, there's a lot of words of them loving each other, caring about each other, but I'm failing to see the why on page.
There's two storylines we follow: Clara and Benjamin during their university years in Newcastle, and 20 years later, when Clara hears about a bombing in the football stadium that Benjamin frequents.
Something Charlotte Rixon did greatly from the onset is create a sense of intrigue. We know something happens that will tear the couple apart. We don't know if Benjamin was even at the site of the bombing, or whether he was affected. Little nuggets of information are dropped that could be meaningful, or they could be a red herring. Early in their relationship, Clara has sex with another man. Benjamin doesn't tell her about his own difficulties, such as the death of his mother soon after they meet. Clara also is very jealous and suspicious of times when Benjamin isn't with her, whether he is with a female friend or with his housemates, and especially when he is watching football and getting drunk, a forever issue for them.
And that's the thing. There are so many problems that they are facing very early on, the story focuses on that rather than the charm of their togetherness. So apart from declarations of love, I don't see the chemistry, the emotion, the feelings. They coexist rather than connect. Clara consistently says that this is the first time she enjoys sex, Benjamin fears his performance is inadequate. Clara basically forces Benjamin to get a phone and he feels constantly watched. Clara misses Benjamin after barely spending hours apart. Benjamin finds her very intense. I don't get it?
But what I do like is that I could relate to the feeling of nostalgia and what ifs, and that permeates all the layers of this book. Both characters are very much stuck in their heads, living through their memories. I am sure we have all done this, the endless bike shedding of decisions in our past, reimagining a different future for ourselves based on potential decisions we could have reached. I also enjoyed this sense of mystery, with each of them having experienced trauma and it slowly unravelling.
I can see the author's writing quality, I just wish she had focused on fewer things and delivered them better.
There's two storylines we follow: Clara and Benjamin during their university years in Newcastle, and 20 years later, when Clara hears about a bombing in the football stadium that Benjamin frequents.
Something Charlotte Rixon did greatly from the onset is create a sense of intrigue. We know something happens that will tear the couple apart. We don't know if Benjamin was even at the site of the bombing, or whether he was affected. Little nuggets of information are dropped that could be meaningful, or they could be a red herring. Early in their relationship, Clara has sex with another man. Benjamin doesn't tell her about his own difficulties, such as the death of his mother soon after they meet. Clara also is very jealous and suspicious of times when Benjamin isn't with her, whether he is with a female friend or with his housemates, and especially when he is watching football and getting drunk, a forever issue for them.
And that's the thing. There are so many problems that they are facing very early on, the story focuses on that rather than the charm of their togetherness. So apart from declarations of love, I don't see the chemistry, the emotion, the feelings. They coexist rather than connect. Clara consistently says that this is the first time she enjoys sex, Benjamin fears his performance is inadequate. Clara basically forces Benjamin to get a phone and he feels constantly watched. Clara misses Benjamin after barely spending hours apart. Benjamin finds her very intense. I don't get it?
But what I do like is that I could relate to the feeling of nostalgia and what ifs, and that permeates all the layers of this book. Both characters are very much stuck in their heads, living through their memories. I am sure we have all done this, the endless bike shedding of decisions in our past, reimagining a different future for ourselves based on potential decisions we could have reached. I also enjoyed this sense of mystery, with each of them having experienced trauma and it slowly unravelling.
I can see the author's writing quality, I just wish she had focused on fewer things and delivered them better.
whatvreadnext's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
Oh how I had longed for a second chance story that would capture my heart! But sadly there was no chemistry and I found the love story painfully boring. 3 stars because there really were some good qualities to the writing style that kept me till the end. And because I have a soft spot for first loves that didn't make it 😢😳
samantha_sahm_reads's review against another edition
2.0
⭐️✨| DNF @ 36%
The One That Got Away
Charlotte Rixon
Publication date: august 15 2023
A story of first love and first heart break.
This story is told in two different time lines from two different povs. Benjamin and Clara meet at university in 2000 and instantly know that they are meant to be together until one night ruins their relationship. 20 years latter Clara has it all the husband the career but she knows part of her heart still belongs to Benjamin.
Let me start off with what I liked about this book:
- [ ] multiple povs & multiple time lines
- [ ] The narrators
What wasn’t my favorite:
- [ ] The miscommunication
- [ ] The “cheating”
- [ ] I couldn’t stand either character
Overall I would not recommend this book. On top of some of my less favorite tropes this book also had very unlikeable characters which made it impossible for me to get into.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for gifting me this ACR in exchange for my honest review.