Review ❤️ The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren

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.


Release Date: Jan 2, 2018
Series: The Ones Who Got Away
Book: 1
Heat Level: Hot
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Casablanca
Price: $5.68


 

I don’t believe I have ever read a book by Roni Loren but she is now on my radar. Flying high too! I enjoyed this story so much. It was almost perfect in my opinion.

I’m rather impressed by the unique way that Liv and Finn have reconnected. The circumstances are tragic and very painful. The event that occurred almost 12 years ago seemed to take a hold of all of the characters not just Liv and Finn. A shooting in a high school twelve years ago and they are the survivors.  Is the story angsty? Yes but it is more heavy as it broaches on some serious issues.

The second half or should I say the last quarter of the book seem to lose some of it’s momentum. The romance took over the story and Liv and Finn took a different turn. The reason why Finn couldn’t be with Liv is so contrived. The author didn’t need to try to throw in some unnecessary drama with the main characters. Then she wrapped it up in the next chapter as if she didn’t introduce the drama to begin with.

I wanted more of the background story and maybe some glimpses of their past relationship. There is too much telling and not enough showing the previous connection between Liv and Finn that slightly annoyed me since they were so hot in the present time. They barely spoke about their time together and only seem to reminisce about sneaking off to make out. Doesn’t sound like some grand love affair to me? Just some teenage lust.

Finn and Liv have such a deep and intense connection in the current time. The steamy cover is tied into a sexy scene in the book. Finn and Liv forge a new friendship and learn who they are as adults outside of the tragic events that shaped their lives. They learn to lean on one another and the passion that they previous had grows from some brief high school fling into a full blown adult relationship.

Outside of the romantic elements, there is a hint of a mystery surrounding the events that happened long time ago. Now that I discovered this is a series, I wonder what else will the readers learn about what really happened that night. I’m really interesting in Rebecca’s story.

~ Samantha

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