The Ones Who Got Away

by Roni Loren

Overview

There were only a few survivors from 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.

Liv Arias thought she'd never return to Long Acre High School—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…

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

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:	9781492651413
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	01/02/2018
Series:	The Ones Who Got Away , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	60,674
File size:	4 MB

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

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

"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

★ 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