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ambermarierose's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The .5 is being generous. The story made me uncomfortable majority of the book. Maybe that was the goal of the author but this book was not it for me.
thebookishbrewnette's review against another edition
4.0
I am giving this book 4 stars because I believe it accomplished what it was intended to and i kept reading because i needed to know how things were going to end.
This book was heavy, touched on so many dark issues, and yet had a beautiful message woven throughout.
I don’t recommend this if you are looking for a happy read. I felt pretty pained throughout.
This book was heavy, touched on so many dark issues, and yet had a beautiful message woven throughout.
I don’t recommend this if you are looking for a happy read. I felt pretty pained throughout.
librarianh's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
missjodi3's review against another edition
4.0
This was a truly sweet story with wonderfully relatable characters. It started off somewhat slowly but I was quickly drawn in to the characters and their interwoven lives and stories! It was incredibly well written and all wrapped up perfectly by the end :) Ultimately I feel it contained a good balance of comedy and drama resulting in a beautiful story of love , life and friendship.
I do feel there could’ve been a touch more depth and dimension in certain themes particularly which were quite heavy yet somewhat brushed over: It was overall an easy and enjoyable read and I would certainly be returning for any future releases by Charlotte Rixon! It has definitely been one of my better reads this year.
Thank you to Netgalley and Aria & Aries for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I do feel there could’ve been a touch more depth and dimension in certain themes particularly which were quite heavy yet somewhat brushed over: It was overall an easy and enjoyable read and I would certainly be returning for any future releases by Charlotte Rixon! It has definitely been one of my better reads this year.
Thank you to Netgalley and Aria & Aries for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
jessham6's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
gall007's review against another edition
3.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book can be classified less as a romance novel, and more as a contemporary character-driven novel. The plot is essentially surrounding the journey of the main characters, Benjamin and Clara, who meet when they’re both in university in Northern England and fall head over heels in love with each other. Unfortunately, towards the end of their time at university , and it turns out the end of their relationship, a devastating incident pulls them apart. The story is told from alternating POVs with the Parts of the book that focus on specific years of their lives and, at times, their relationship and since they've had to be apart, including events in the present surrounding a bombing in the city where they both went to university.
I enjoyed the book and feel like it was an easy read but with heavy themes. However, I did not really understand the characters' draw to each other and felt like they weren't really suited together. This could simply be their character flaws or the fact that we don't really get to see the "happier" parts of their relationship to get the full picture.
The book can be classified less as a romance novel, and more as a contemporary character-driven novel. The plot is essentially surrounding the journey of the main characters, Benjamin and Clara, who meet when they’re both in university in Northern England and fall head over heels in love with each other. Unfortunately, towards the end of their time at university , and it turns out the end of their relationship, a devastating incident pulls them apart. The story is told from alternating POVs with the Parts of the book that focus on specific years of their lives and, at times, their relationship and since they've had to be apart, including events in the present surrounding a bombing in the city where they both went to university.
I enjoyed the book and feel like it was an easy read but with heavy themes. However, I did not really understand the characters' draw to each other and felt like they weren't really suited together. This could simply be their character flaws or the fact that we don't really get to see the "happier" parts of their relationship to get the full picture.
amyrea's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
rlongford's review
A massive thank you to St. Martin press for the ARC of "The One That Got Away".
I loved that the author not only alternates between characters in each chapter but also goes back and forth between the present day and a 20-year time period in the past. The novel has 6 parts, each part containing between 5-10 chapters. The last 3 parts were action-packed and it was impossible to stop reading because the reader is finally getting substantial answers to the various mysteries that Rixon was building up in the first 3 parts. That being said, it was hard to want to keep reading at many points in the first two parts in particular. Clara was absolutely unbearable in this section of the book. I understand that Rixon wanted to hone in on the youth of the characters for the plot, but I think it might have gone a little too far because I forsee DNF's by readers once released out of annoyance towards the characters and the redundancy of the content. Overall, the 4-star rating I gave the novel was heavily influenced by parts 4, 5, and 6. If not for the fast-paced, page-turning content and the growth that the characters showed, the book would certainly be rated lower.
I loved that the author not only alternates between characters in each chapter but also goes back and forth between the present day and a 20-year time period in the past. The novel has 6 parts, each part containing between 5-10 chapters. The last 3 parts were action-packed and it was impossible to stop reading because the reader is finally getting substantial answers to the various mysteries that Rixon was building up in the first 3 parts. That being said, it was hard to want to keep reading at many points in the first two parts in particular. Clara was absolutely unbearable in this section of the book. I understand that Rixon wanted to hone in on the youth of the characters for the plot, but I think it might have gone a little too far because I forsee DNF's by readers once released out of annoyance towards the characters and the redundancy of the content. Overall, the 4-star rating I gave the novel was heavily influenced by parts 4, 5, and 6. If not for the fast-paced, page-turning content and the growth that the characters showed, the book would certainly be rated lower.
laurapoulosky's review
4.0
3.5 stars. The author does a good job of creating unique protagonists who feel real. Sometimes their poor choices were frustrating, but that did create the story's main drama.