
The Ones Who Got Away
By Roni Loren
Rating: 4.5/5 Genre: Contemporary Romance Steam: Explicit! Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca Pub Date: January 2, 2018 Available: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop
The Ones Who Got Away Synopsis:
It’s been twelve years since tragedy struck the senior class of Long Acre High School. Only a few students survived that fateful night—a group the media dubbed The Ones Who Got Away.
Liv 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 cop 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.
CW: School Shooting, Panic Attacks
The Ones Who Got Away Review:
This book has sealed it, I am a Roni Loren forever fan. Her writing is just superb and this book is definitely a great example of that. The Ones Who Got Away hits all the notes of an amazing novel. It has emotional depth, character development, and doesn’t skip on the steam. While the topic of a school shooting is incredibly heavy this book perfectly balances the tragedy and the act of overcoming the events by the survivors.
The Ones Who Got Away has everything good in it. A second chance romance that was a secret/forbidden romance (my personal catnip) that is drawn out and explained. THAT EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT! Seriously some of the best real scale changes in a character I’ve read in a long time.
Let’s not forget that Finn is an FBI agent just off of dangerous mission, which that is obviously another layer of intensity from this book! Liv is so straightforward, charming, and knows what she wants (for the most part). Furthermore, the female friendship throughout this book is superb and I cannot wait to keep reading this series!
Seriously, it just sucks you in and you don’t want to stop reading it because you have to know what will happen next.
I don’t really know what even to compare it to! Loren’s writing is truly one of my favorites and her ability to story tell pulls all of your heart strings. And she’s so good at pacing her book that you’re never bored. It’s the perfect combo of character and plot for me (more character, but it’s not stalling).
Long Story Short
Do I recommend this book? HELL YES. If you think you can handle the school shooter aspect of this book I highly recommend checking it out. It’s emotional and angsty, but the writing and the journey you take with these characters is rememberable. I don’t think that I can recommend this book more!
If You Liked This One…
I would highly recommend checking out Roni Loren’s other works. I have reviews for Yes & I Love You and What If You & Me already up on the blog. Additionally, here are five romance novels that are sorely under appreciated (Yes & I Love You is featured!!). The post is here.

Roni Loren 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 North 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.
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