The Ones Who Got Away

by Roni Loren

There were only a few survivors of that one fateful night. Now, twelve years later, the kids once called The Ones Who Got Away are back…and ready to claim the lives they never truly got to live.
The goth girl and the popular boy The best friends turned something more Sworn enemies in love The hot nerd and the life of the party And their second chance to get things rightLiv Arias thought she'd never return to Long Acre—until a documentary brings her and the other survivors back home. Suddenly her old flame, Finn Dorsey, is closer than ever, and their attraction is still white-hot. When a searing kiss reignites their passion, Liv realizes this rough-around-the-edges man might be exactly what she needs…
Liv's words cut off as Finn got closer. The man approaching was nothing like the boy she'd known. The bulky football muscles had streamlined into a harder, leaner package and the look in his deep green eyes held no trace of boyish innocence.
Summer reading at its finest! Readers are raving about this white-hot, deeply emotional survival romance:
"Phenomenal. Gets my highest recommendation!"—LORELEI JAMES, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
"Unforgettable… Roni Loren at her best!"—KRISTEN CALLIHAN, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
"Unique, swoony, and lively. The Ones Who Got Away is the best kind of second-chance romance!"—SARINA BOWEN, USA Today bestselling author
"The Ones Who Got Away is EXACTLY what I love in romance; angsty, hot, conflicted, funny! Roni Loren delivers on all of it! Don't let this book get away!"—M. O'KEEFE, USA Today bestselling author

• ISBN10: 1492651400
• ISBN13: 9781492651406
• Publish Date: 2 January 2018
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[leelu92]

This was a 3.5 star read for me.
It was a case of starting off well, establishing the main plot and the history of Olivia, Rebecca, Taryn, and Kincaid and their high school shooting experience. Olivia and Finn have a history all their own, that ties into the school as well. Then things kind of slow down, pacing wise, almost too much for me. I contemplated putting this book down several times. But, being that this was the first book, I chose to keep reading.

While this book was a bit of a mixed bag for me, I'm glad finished it and I'm planning on reading more in this series. Loren established the other women's backstories enough for me to want to see how their HEAs play out.

[pagesbycyndy]

This was a powerful and tragic story line. It was a bit tough for me to get through because of the subject of the book but nevertheless it was well written. I loved the characters and the romance between the them.

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

How does one move past the tragedy of witnessing one’s classmates being murdered and knowing you are one of a few survivors?

What life changing decisions would make in a situation such as this?

It has been twelve (12) years since Olivia Moreno aka Olivia Arias witness such a tragedy. A tragedy, which changed her life forever. Since that day, she has tried to survive in our own way. The scars from this tragedy is deeply buried, and she has tried throughout the years to move past the painful memories. She would come to learn however, moving past the painful memories would not come easy. When asked to take part in a documentary designed to pay tribute to her fallen classmates she accepted, especially as the proceeds were going to the victims ‘family. What she never counted on was her present colliding with her past in the form of her high school sweetheart Finn Dorsey.

Finn Dorsey has his share of demons from his past. Demons created by the tragedy, which struck Long Acre High School twelve years ago. He never forgot the girl who owned his heart in high school and seeing her twelve years later made him realise she still had the power to bring him to his knees. He knew establishing a reconnection would be painful as he was determined to take down the people responsible for placing the guns in the hands of the perpetrators behind the Long Acre High massacre. Guilt played a significant role in his decision to go after the gun suppliers. However, he would discover life has a way of putting a wrench in even the best-laid plans.

The Ones Who Got Away is a story which has the capacity to tug on your heartstrings. From the first page, I knew I would be in for an emotional and intense journey. I loved the fact the story did not just focus on the romance between the protagonists. The author explored both the positive and negative effects the tragedy had on the survivors. Their emotions leapt off the pages, and I had no problem relating to their pain and fears. It all appeared so realistic.

The story demonstrated the importance of surrounding ourselves with persons who will inspire us to be better versions of ourselves. Olivia’s circle of friends who shared the memories of the tragedy provided her with this support system. It further showed how they tried to move on from the tragedy several years later.

I enjoyed the pace at which the romance developed. Olivia and Finn shared a bond that survived twelve years of separation. I enjoyed their interaction with each other and I thought they were perfect for each other. Despite the attraction, which sizzled between them, they were wary of risking their heart. Pursuing the physical aspect of their relationship seemed the safer bet. Will they be able to move past their fears and embrace all that love had to offer?

Conclusion/Recommendation
The Ones Who Got Away is a powerful story of love, second chances and dealing with the aftermath of tragedy. With the perfect blend of passion and emotion, this story will stay with me for some time. I can easily say this is my favourite so far for 2018. I am eager to discover what next is in store with this series.

[llamareads]

Trigger Warnings: Descriptions of school shooting, panic attacks

All the feels. Seriously, all the feels. I read this pretty much non-stop in an afternoon, with a box of tissues next to me.

I’ll address this first off: this is hard subject matter (romance in the aftermath of a school shooting???), but I think Ms. Loren handled it impeccably. As a trauma survivor myself, the descriptions of the survivor’s guilt and panic attacks, the overreactions to innocuous triggers, were very realistic. I think it helps that this was set more than a decade after the actual shooting, when the characters involved have had time to grieve and heal.

“Even after all the years that had passes, Finn still seemed able to get her mind off things. When her mom was going through chemo and everything was doom and gloom at home, Finn could somehow figure out ways not just to make her laugh, but to do so in a way that didn’t make her feel guilty for feeling a moment of happiness.”

Liv and Finn haven’t seen each other for twelve years, not since the school shooting during their senior prom that fractured their lives. Both are still scarred, physically and mentally, and while they think they’ve “gotten over it” and have fulfilling lives, their run-in with each other at a documentary interview for the anniversary of the shooting leads to a reevaluation of their lives. Surprisingly enough, their attraction is still there, and the reunion of the survivors leads to some uncomfortable realizations for Liv of how far short she’s fallen from her teenage vow to live her life to the fullest for her classmates who didn’t get that chance. Finn, an undercover FBI cop just coming out of a two year mission, has rented a lakeside house in order to take some mandated R&R, and Liv decides to spend some summer weekends with him rediscovering her passion for photography instead of slaving away at her job as a web designer. Because, of course, they can keep things between them “just friends,” right?

“I could babysit the hell out of you, Finn Dorsey. I know who you used to be. You don’t get to become a bad guy. I will make you do slumber-party things like play charades or watch crappy nineties movies or incessant reruns of Friends. You won’t be able to fight your old goofy side. It will emerge like a freaking butterfly and smother scary Finn.”

Liv and Finn’s relationship is sweet and sexy. I loved how the growth of their relationship mirrored both Finn and Liv re-learning themselves and letting go of their fears. Painted as the hero, for supposedly saving his prom date’s life, Finn has thrown himself into his FBI job with the goal of shutting down the group that sold the weapons to the school shooters, to the point where he’s subsumed the rest of his life to that goal. Liv originally self-medicated with alcohol and one-night-stands in college, but now works long hours as a web designer, with no time for anything else. As their relationship deepens, they realize that maybe, just maybe, there’s something more to life than revenge (motivated by guilt) or just “having a good job.”

“You don’t need a babysitter, but maybe you could use an old friend who knows the original color of the paint beneath all those layers life has slapped on you.”

I loved Liv’s tribe – a group of women who survived. Though they weren’t friends before the attack, they ended up in the same counseling group and supported each other through their grief in the following year. However, they’ve all become nothing more than friends on Facebook, but reunite again during the documentary shooting. As Liv spends more time back in her hometown, she doesn’t just reconnect with Finn but also with these friends, and when the inevitable heartbreak happens, they’re there to help pick her up again.

“I realize the high of happiness I feel this summer with you will come with an equal level of sadness when you leave… But it’s two sides of the same coin. You don’t get to have only one side or the other. You have to put the whole thing in your pocket and take both, or you get nothing at all. I don’t want to live with empty pockets anymore.”

For the subject matter, this book is not that drama-ridden. Does that mean that some things were wrapped up a bit too patly? Yes, but I think I prefer that to sending the characters through the wringer again. Trust me, I already used up plenty of tissues reading this book! Beyond that, though, there’s plenty of humor to balance it out, as Finn and Liv have a deliciously playful side that was a joy to read. Overall, this book is an uplifting story of healing and letting go of fear.

Oh, and that gorgeous cover photo? Actually reflects a scene in the book.



There was a few chapters of the next book, Rebecca’s story, at the end, and now, OF COURSE, I’m dying for the next book. Highly recommended!

I received this book for free from Bookish First in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Sam@WLABB]

I love a good survivor story, and I definitely got one with The Ones Who Got Away.

Who?
Liv, the former secret girlfriend of Finn's, who had been trying to fill this void that formed after the incident, which left her with a myriad of emotional scars and broken dreams.

Finn, the once popular football player, who had committed his life to finding those connected to the incident that changed his life forever.

What?
When Finn and Liv returned to Long Acre, a plethora of old feelings were reawakened. Finn was trying to recover from his last field assignment, and was taking the summer off to get his head straight. Liv hadn't planned to reconnect with her life in Long Acre, but after opening the time capsule and being reminded of her promise to the ones who did not make it, she was committed to taking chances and fulfilling those promises she made to the ones they lost.

"I promise, Class of 2005, to live the life that scares me."

Why?
Lucky for us, one of those chances included Finn, because I just adored watching these two get another shot at love. I am a HUGE fan of second chance romances, and this one has some interesting facets to it. They were each others first loves, and their love was a forbidden love. The school tragedy had driven a wedge between them, ending what was beginning to grow, but they were lucky and got an opportunity to pick up where they left off. Yes, they were both very different from who they had been, and the years and their experiences had changed and shaped them, but maybe that was what made them ready for this romance.

Finn was an incredible dark and brooding hero, and I was just overjoyed with watching him heal and open up. Honestly, Liv and Finn brought out some of the best parts of each other. She was able to uncover that spark that had dwindled within him; she restored his smile and his desire to connect with others. While Finn helped Liv rediscover her dream as an artist, and wanted nothing more than for her to achieve that dream and desire to create.

I was also a big fan of the romance between these two. It was hot, sweet, fun, swoony, and yes, I found myself shedding some happy tears for these two. I am known to be super-critical of endings, but I found no flaws in this one. It was beautiful and heartfelt and left me quite elated.

Aside from the romance, this book included a great female friendship. Liv, Kincaid, Taryn, and Rebecca were not friends before the prom, but became friends through a support group after. They made promised many years ago, before leaving Long Acre, and now they were sharing them with each other. I loved watching Liv fulfill her promise to the class of 2005, and am looking forward to seeing the other women do the same.

Overall: A strong start to a new series, and I am eager to see how the other survivors will implement their promises to the Class of 2005.

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

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[Leigha]

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Let’s start the year off right with a recently released contemporary romance. I snagged an advanced copy of Roni Loren’s The Ones Who Got Away from NetGalley last month. I’m excited to share my thoughts with you all!

The main narrative focuses on the romance between two ex-high school sweethearts. It’s a great romance with well-written and complex characters. Finn and Olivia grow not only as a couple, but as individuals throughout the story. Believable character growth is so important to me, especially in romances. If the romance does nothing to enhance the individual, then what’s the point? The dual point-of-view provides insight into each of them as well as adds some spice during the sex scenes. Additionally, these two individuals have a mature, adult romance. They share their feelings with each other! They talk about their problems! They overlook contrived drama! Talk about refreshing.

These characters are survivors of a mass shooting. Time is spent exploring the fear and anxiety the character’s experience due to their tragic past, but the shooting itself is only referenced. I appreciate the author’s restraint from providing disturbing details. Secondary characters with physical impairments from the shooting would have added more depth to the story.

If you’re looking for an in-depth story about mass shootings, I highly recommend Dave Cullen’s Columbine. It’s a phenomenal exploration of the mass shooting at Columbine High School in 1999. It not only talks about that infamous day, but it includes truly encouraging stories from many survivors of the shooting.

tl;dr A well-written romance featuring complex characters, a steamy romance, and a hopeful message.

[Rowena]

I’ve been pretty anxious to read this book ever since I read the blurb. What an interesting concept for a series and I’m totally glad to report that Roni Loren did a fantastic job setting this series up. This was my first book read by Loren and it won’t be my last.

Liv Arias and Finn Dorsey are two students that survived a school shooting and they’re back in the town to take part in a charity documentary that will benefit the families of the victims. It’s not going to be an easy thing to be back at the scene of the crime but for charity, they’ll go back. For any of the survivors, it would be hard to go back to the scene of the crime but for both Liv and Finn, their memories seriously broke my heart.

They were high school sweethearts. They were in love but Liv’s father was Finn’s father’s gardener and because of that, they kept their love a secret. Finn broke Liv’s heart when he asked Rebecca Lindt to prom because he wasn’t strong enough to love Liv out in the open and then he stomped on her heart in the janitor’s closet at prom when the shooting started and he left her in the closet to go and save Bec, leading the shooters right to Liv.

Talk about some angsty romance drama, right? Holy cow, the more I read into this story, the more my heart hurt for Liv but then there was Finn. Finn carries a lot of guilt over everything and seeing Liv again is stirring up the guilt all over again but the connection they had in high school is still alive and beating between them now so how do they move on from the memories? Where do they go from here?

I really enjoyed the romance between Finn and Liv. I thought they handled their coming together again really well. There was so much between them and seeing them struggle to find common ground after all of these years was heartbreaking but boy was I rooting them on. I don’t know that I would have been as forgiving as Liv was but who knows, when you love someone the way that Liv loved Finn, maybe I would.

Another thing that I really enjoyed was that Roni Loren didn’t shy away from making Finn own up to what he did back in high school. I’m glad that he really struggled with his actions back then and how that shaped him into the man that he was now. I liked that Loren made him work for his happy ending. I liked that Liv had to forgive him and they had to work through their past to get to their future.

There’s a lot to enjoy in this book and even more to look forward to. It was so nice to meet some of the other survivors and I liked Liv’s friends. I’m looking forward to more Kincaid, Rebecca and Taryn in future books. I will definitely be back for more so yes, I recommend this book to anyone in the mood for an emotional read about two survivors who find their way back to each other.

Grade: 4 out of 5