The Ones Who Got Away

by Roni Loren

Overview

"Absolutely unputdownable! Roni Loren is a new favorite."—COLLEEN HOOVER for The One You Can't Forget

Twelve years ago, tragedy struck a sleepy Texas town. Only a small number of those impacted survived—a group the media dubbed The Ones Who Got Away. This is their story.

THAT NIGHT: He was the star athlete. She was the sharp-tongued Goth girl who never failed to get under his skin. They were never meant to be together, and one terrible night was enough to tear them apart.

NOW: Liv Arias is ready to put the past behind her and move on from the trauma that shaped her young life. But when she runs into her former flame, Finn Dorsey, closure seems harder than ever. Finn almost got Liv killed all those years ago, and their relationship ended in a bitter rift. But when their attempt to say a final goodbye turns into a passionate kiss, Liv and Finn realize that the spark between them still burns as hot as ever.

Theirs was never supposed to be more than a fling, but as Liv and Finn sort through the pain of broken trust and slowly mending hearts, they may come to realize there's something buried deep that's worth fighting for.

By turns heart-wrenching and deeply romantic, this award-winning spicy contemporary romance will challenge the way you see life, love, and happily ever after.

Readers are raving:

"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."—SARINA BOWEN, USA Today bestselling author

"The Ones Who Got Away is EXACTLY what I love in romance; angsty, hot, conflicted, funny!"—M. O'KEEFE, USA Today bestselling author

The Ones Who Got Away:

The Ones Who Got Away, book 1

The One You Can't Forget, book 2

The One You Fight For, book 3

The One for You, book 4

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728292106
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	03/12/2024
Series:	The Ones Who Got Away , #1
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	72,741
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 5.40(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. She holds a master’s degree in social work and spent years as a mental health counselor, but now she writes full time from her cozy office in Dallas, Texas where she puts her characters on the therapy couch instead. She is a two-time RITA Award winner and a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.

Editorial Reviews

"Unique, swoony, and lively. The Ones Who Got Away is the best kind of second-chance romance!" — SARINA BOWEN, USA Today bestselling author of Stay

"Richly layered and full of emotion, The Ones Who Got Away is an unforgettable romance. Roni Loren at her best!" — KRISTEN CALLIHAN, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Game On series

"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 of Baby, Come Back

"Phenomenal. The Ones Who Got Away elevates Roni Loren's already amazing storytelling skills to the next level. This book will stick with you long after the last page is turned and it gets my highest recommendation!" — LORELEI JAMES, New York Times bestselling author

"Loren gifts readers with a crackling, heartfelt love story with just the right amount of angst. If you need a reason to believe in the immense possibilities of second chances, Loren’s writing should do the trick." — Entertainment Weekly

"Thoughtfully crafted. Unforgettable." — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

03/26/2018
Loren’s tender romance about former high school sweethearts who survived a mass shooting at their senior prom is regrettably timely. It’s been 12 years since Olivia “Liv” Arias laid eyes on Finn Dorsey, who’s now an FBI agent, and she’s hoping her luck will hold long enough to avoid him now. He jilted her to take another girl to the prom, and then took a bullet for his date. But she’s agreed to be interviewed for a documentary recalling the tragedy, and so has Finn. As soon as they see each other, memories of their adolescent love affair come flooding back. During an extended stay in their small Texas hometown, where the documentary is being filmed, an adult love affair grows and helps them both heal old emotional wounds. A small cast of credible supporting characters, all dealing with their own grief, lends gravity without becoming maudlin. Loren writes movingly about the long-term effects of violent trauma on survivors in this warmhearted romance. Agent: Sara Megibow, KT Literary. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

★ 2017-12-12
The 12th anniversary of a school shooting reunites two survivors in a second-chance romance that explores the lasting effects of trauma.Olivia Arias returns to her Texas town to participate in a documentary commemorating the night her prom was invaded by two gunmen. On film, she recounts the moments before the tragedy and how she took shelter in a janitor's closet. What she doesn't reveal to the filmmaker is that she was in the janitor's closet making out with Finn Dorsey, her school's football star. No one needs to know that detail, especially since Finn arrived at the prom with someone else and left Liv alone in the closet to save his date once the shooting started. Though she's willing to participate in the documentary, since proceeds go to help the victims' families as well as "research that could help prevent things like this from happening," she isn't expecting Finn to show up to add his own memories. After the shooting, Finn became a local hero—he was shot protecting his date, Rebecca—and his family moved away when the media attention became too much. Liv is in no hurry to have a reunion and relive her feelings for him. However, with both of them staying at the same small lodge during filming, seeing each other becomes unavoidable. Every page is packed with tension, and the frightening plausibility of the school shooting could easily have overwhelmed the promise of a happy ending. Loren (By the Hour, 2017, etc.) undertakes a careful balancing act with tenderness and tact as she introduces men and women who were forever changed by one horrific night. Liv and Finn's romance—wary, hesitant, and incredibly patient—is a soothing balm for the characters and reader alike. With the issue of gun violence at the forefront, this isn't an easy story, but every word, scene, and bit of dialogue is thoughtfully crafted.Unforgettable; have some tissues handy.

Kirkus Reviews