The One That Got Away: A DI Heather Filson Novel

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Clara doesn’t want to tell her the truth; that she thinks engagement rings are patriarchal relics, and that if it weren’t for Thom’s job, she wouldn’t even wear one. Oh,” she says, bringing her hand up slightly toward her chest. The large purple sapphire sparkles under the soft toilet lighting. “Thanks. I’ve always thought it was a bit big, to be honest. My husband’s a jeweler.”

I went into this book with no information and it turned out that, although it is not my usual genre (Women’s fiction), I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Two powerful messages explored through this book were the importance of your first love and that people can enjoy life despite how messy it is, and maybe even because of it. I would have appreciated a little more connection between the timelines (the book straddled the main characters’ lives as teenagers and many years later) but other than that I have no criticisms for this book. I recommend this book to anyone looking for realistic fiction and who loves the idea of examining life through reading. I look forward to reading other books by this author in the future. This is not a cheerful second-chance rom-com, but it does give us a look into the lives of two characters who are ordinary. And that's a good thing seeing as how most of us are normal, ordinary, relatable human beings ourselves. There are a lot of serious topics covered in this book, and it goes to show how every small action has a reaction. At the far corner of the room, there’s a commotion. Several of the reporters are gathered around a screen. The One That Got Away is beautifully written, it's an emotional and compelling read which covers serious issues which I felt the author approached with sensitivity, and it never felt that these issues were being forced into the plot.A stunning love story that had my heart racing from the first chapter and tears streaming down my face by the end. An instant favorite." ––Carley Fortune, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meet Me at the Lake

Initially I thought this was going to be a bit of a light hearted, predictable romance and it was far from that. It was well thought out and delivered and a thought provoking and enjoyable read. At one point in the novel I really wanted to plead with the author not to make my worst fears come true for one of the more likeable characters. One of the things I enjoyed about this was the fact there were twists and turns that weren’t overplayed for dramatic effect but kept you guessing. One of my big bug-bearers, however, is when there are these huge hints that something has happened but you’re not going to be given the details until later. It’s like having a conversation with a friend who assumes you know everything about their life before you met them and you feel awkward to ask. I hate it when novels say things like “and of course, nothing was ever the same since that great big thing happened and changed everything”, and then blithely skip on. I’m sure there is a better way! So the drip feeding of information kind of bugged me. I also found the two lead characters not exactly likeable and couldn’t quite understand their all consuming, time eclipsing love, however, who does understand other people’s romantic affairs? And the author sort of touched on this at a writers group which made me think this was conscious. The only other thing was the strange inclusion of Newcastle City which had me perplexed for a short time, but I’m assuming it was to avoid confusion with any elements being factual. A poignant story filled with powerful life lessons, The One That Got Away is a testament to the staying power of first love. This is one heartwarming read." Clara has worked for the newspaper for nearly twenty years, and she still hasn’t got used to the shiny office building that now houses it. What I didn't: For as well as the characters were developed in this book, I wanted closure and the epilogue didn't leave me feeling satiated. But, it felt real and true Clara and Benjamin- flawed people with immense regrets who have taken their time to move past and to the moments that have shaped them as a couple. I got divorced last year,” Natasha says. She looks down at her own naked left hand. “Sometimes I think I miss my ring more than I miss my ex.”The One That Got Away was just great! I love the present and past timelines and the anticipation of what happened to pull apart the main characters while trying to reunite them in present time. Clara and Benjamin are college students who met at a club and had a first love worthy of songs. They’re meant for each other; they are soulmates but too many things went wrong. They go their separate ways. After 20 years, Clara sees Benjamin and she needs to reach out to see if what could’ve been can still be, but is it too late? Does he feel the same way?

Thank you NetGalley and Aria & Aries for an e-book copy of THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY by Charlotte Rixon to review. Here,” Clara says, scribbling her name and extension on a Post-it. “I only work part-time, but I’m in Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Give me a shout sometime.” Ben and Clara met in college. We see Clara in present time at her journalism job when the soccer stadium in her city is blown up, literally. She remembers her old love, Ben, was a huge soccer fan and she is sure he was there at the time of the explosion. She leaves her husband in the evening to find Ben.The gentle pastel colours of the cover of “The One that Got Away”, and probably the novel’s title, leads you to believe you’ll be delving into a classic romance story, but this has a lot more grit than you might expect. First day?” Clara says. She’s been away from her desk for more than fifteen minutes now, but sod it. It’s a Saturday afternoon. Slow news day. The only place I ever felt at home was with you. There isn’t a place for me anywhere anymore… I’ve been evicted.” From what I read in the description for this novel – this was not what I was expecting. There were a lot of heavy topics and I think some trigger warnings should have been given or for the book not to sound fully like a romance lovey-type novel. This was more women’s fiction and I think some false expectations could be perceived for readers in the future.