A review by nebulous07
The One That Got Away by Charlotte Rixon

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Charlotte Rixon's The One That Got Away is a beautiful narrative between Benjamin and Clara. With every passing page, Charlotte's narrative style grows on you, her well-chosen words driving an intriguing and complex plot. A big win for me is how realistic and flawed both characters are. They come from different sides of their tracks, and each has trauma that they need to reconcile. Having a soft corner for History, I loved the timeline under every chapter, a gentle nudge to the reader to keep track of past and present events. Benjamin is such a lovable yet complex character, for his silence is endearing and deceptive. Clara is a perfectionist, hungry for more from life and can make words painful in a confrontation, indicating that she needs to heal from her past. I appreciate how this book challenges acceptable notions of team initiations and drug and alcohol usage and encourages readers to reflect upon this. The ending was a blanket of hope, and one thing I would have liked it if the final realisation was spread across the book, given that this book is a 20-year timeline between the protagonists. My heart was heavy and yet complete with this read. Five stars all the way, and I recommend this one! 

A thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for giving me an ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.