This is a story about true love and second chances told from two different narrators who have seemingly moved on with their lives, while missing the past. This book has heavy topics so I would suggest looking at trigger warnings. Its a good story but has some down moments. I would still recommend this book and will real be reading more of her books.

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. It’s a book that makes you really feel for two flawed main characters and one that sends you on an emotional journey across the years. I loved how the past slowly unfolded and you got to piece together what had happened, with the scenes from the present showing how much both of their lives had changed and how the past had affected them. There’s a beat, where she remembers that she’s not the social media editor anymore. Not since she gave it up to go part-time, to focus on her novel after she was signed by a literary agent. Thank you to NetGalley and Aria and Aries for giving me access to the ARC. Trigger warnings for a lot of things. 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.It is so wonderfully written that I couldn't put it down. It broke my heart, it made me happy, it made me sad and it made me utterly disturbed. Yes, I’ve always been on magazines. Weeklies, of course. But still. The whole newsroom thing…” Natasha glances over at the huddle in the far end of the office. “It’s quite intimidating.” This was more emotional than I expected it to be. I liked reading this though. Clara was not a very likable character in my opinion. The story was relatable and I think it’s important to talk about heavy topics. I thought this was very well written and overall enjoyed this book! A poignant and gripping second chance romance...this evocative portrait of first love reunited tugs at the heartstrings." ––Publishers Weekly I think the 'format' or style of the novel is what makes it so powerful. That secret-keeping and the dual timeline is just *chef's kiss* perfection.

This story could be viewed as a midlife crisis, and I suppose it is. However, I think all of us have at one point or another in our lives, wondered "what if" this happened instead of that?

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I'm in my 40s and in the middle of a very big change in my life and my family's life. Perhaps this novel is for people who are at a point in life when they're reviewing their choices and making new ones. The characters are flawed filled with a lot of vulnerabilities. It was emotional and raw and while maybe not what I thought I was getting into, I did enjoy this book. Love is a really broad subject to be taken different ways and mean different things to different people. While I found some of the miscommunications frustrating, I still understood why Rixon chose to write this how she did.

What happens if it's the right people, but the wrong time? What if one decision can completely change the path of a couple's lives? Rixen writes this beautiful yet sad story about first love (Benjamin and Clara) during their uni days and deepens it with snapshots from "today" (when a bomb rips through Benjamin's weekly football game/stadium) and Clara races north to find him. Seeking him out just like they'd done from across the club some 20 years prior. I loved the dual timeline and also the dual narrative. It really played into those misunderstandings and miscommunications of first love. The needy feelings and anxious worry of wondering if the other person feels the same way. Embarrassingly hard relate to that! My Stubborn Texan: A Second Chance, All Grown Up Romance (The Bradford Brothers of Honky Tonk, Texas Book 4) Told in multiple timelines, we learn about events that have shaped each of their lives. Ben, a single father, and Clara in an unhappy marriage.

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. Heart-wrenching romance, anyone? Fans of Jojo Moyes and Jill Santopolo will be all over this first love story that spans two decades." –– TheSkimm