Synopsis
2000. Benjamin’s world is turned upside down the day he meets Clara. Instinctively, he knows that she is his person and he is hers, but a devastating mistake on one of their last nights at university will take their lives in very different directions.
20 years later, an explosion is reported in the city where Clara and Ben met, and she is pulled back to a place she tries not to remember and the first love she could never forget. Searching for Ben, Clara prays that twenty years of silence is about to end.
But is it too late to put right what went wrong?
Praise
‘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.’
Tracey Garvis Graves, New York Times bestselling author
‘Poignant and real, this is a story you’ll carry with you for long after you finish! The One That Got Away will resonate with anyone who remembers the rush of first love and the heartbreak that follows. I couldn’t put it down. Packed full of depth, character and realism.’
LC North, author of The Ugly Truth
‘Charlotte Rixon’s The One That Got Away is the kind of book I’m always searching for. It’s a stunning love story that had my heart racingfrom the first chapter and tears streaming down my face by the end. An instant favourite’
Carly Fortune
‘Utterly mesmerizing. This achingly real and beautiful story of first love is absolutely riveting.’
Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author
‘The One That Got Away is a powerful page-turner that perfectly portrays the destruction and jealousy of a relationship between two damaged young people, too inexperienced to deal with the intensity of their feelings. A tense, gripping read – I loved it.’
Sarah Stovell
‘In The One That Got Away, Charlotte Rixon captures masterfully the magic and devastation of first love, as well as the all-consuming aftermath of heartbreak…a powerful exploration of the relationships that shape us, this is a nostalgic, fierce and utterly spellbinding read.’
Holly Miller
‘So poignant. I really enjoyed immersing myself in Clara and Benjamin’s story of love and loss. Wonderfully written. A definite five star read.’
Karen Hamilton
‘I fell completely in love with Benjamin and Clara and was absolutely desperate for them to get back together by the end of the story. The book is so evocative and beautifully written. Poignant and moving, I defy anyone who has experienced the heartbreak of first love not to cry when they read it.’
Nikki Smith
‘A beautifully crafted dark love story that tears at the heart but then gently patches it back together. Thought provoking and perfect book club read. I loved it!’
Louise Fein
‘Moving and gripping’
Eva Woods
‘Do not let this one get away. It will steal your heart’
Lesley Kara
‘Absorbing, touching and wise – I raced through it.’
Rebecca Wait
‘Charlotte writes poignantly – and so searingly – about the visceral intensity of first love. Clara and Benjamin come alive on the page, all their faults and follies palpably believable. You root for them. You want to shake them. You can’t tear your eyes away from them. Wow. What a wonderful book.’
Lizzy Barber
‘A suspenseful, explosive story of intense first love gone wrong…a gripping, smartly plotted page-turner.’
LoveReading
‘Do not let this one get away. It will steal your heart.’
Lesley Kara, author of The Dare.
‘A poignant and gripping second chance romance…this evocative portrait of first love reunited tugs at the heartstrings.’
Publishers Weekly
‘This book will break your heart and then put it back together’
Brad Thor on the Today Show
‘Heart-wrenching romance, anyone? Fans of Jojo Moyes and Jill Santopolo will be all over this first love story that spans two decades.’
The Skimm