The One That Got Away

By: Bethany Chase

Narrated by: Loretta Rawlins

Sarina Mahler thinks she has her life all nailed down: a growing architecture practice in Austin, Texas, and an any-day-now proposal from her loving boyfriend, Noah. She's well on her way to having the family she's hoped for since her mother's death 10 years ago. But with Noah on a temporary assignment abroad and retired Olympic swimmer - and former flame - Eamon Roy back in town asking her to renovate his new fixer-upper, Sarina's life takes an unexpected turn.

Eamon proves to be Sarina's dream client, someone who instinctively trusts every one of her choices - and Sarina is reminded of all the reasons she was first drawn to him back in the day. Suddenly her carefully planned future with Noah seems a little less than perfect. And when tragedy strikes, Sarina is left reeling. With her world completely upended, she is forced to question what she truly wants in life - and in love.

Full of both humor and heartbreak, The One That Got Away is the story of one woman's discovery that, sometimes, life is what happens when you leave the blueprints behind.

©2015 Bethany Chase (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"This utterly enjoyable romance will have readers swooning, sobbing, and eagerly anticipating Chase's next book." ( Kirkus)

Narrator made it very difficult to get into story

The story was great and better to read this book because of it. The narrator was just awful, I felt like she was reading me a book like I would read to someone. Her inflection was completely off and it totally took me out of the story :( I'm so easy going and so this is not like me to be picky but I was so aggravated that someone could think this narration was good! She was better when reading different characters but when narrating the main characters thoughts and actions, just terrible.

Cute

An adorable story with a very self aware very confident woman...with a hint of self consciousness. REAL. Proof that everyone has their fears and issues, but we have to be brave and take risks! Worth the read!

Can’t put it down!

Plowed through this book in less than 2 days. Such a fun easy read that I never wanted to put down. Been needing one of these again and very happy it was this book. Wish there was a sequel.

Eh

I just didn't feel strongly about any of the three main characters (Sarina, Noah, Eamon) except maybe dislike of the two guys. I didn't understand why Sarina did what she did in the book (leave a 4 year relationship). I was told the reasons and there were occasional moments that did make her choice understandable, but those moments were few. The rather even keel reading of this probably didn't help.

Chick flick audiobook

Listened to this on a road trip and it was perfectly entertaining and lighthearted. I’ve found that some of the novels are good for listening to fall asleep- this one kept me interested and entertained for a road trip.

Eh

This could have been good. I listened and kept hoping that I would feel the connection between the characters, but I just didn’t. I wanted Eamon to be a better leading character, wanted to understand
the connection - to FEEL IT, but just didn’t. The book was long and the author used plenty of words and descriptions of other things, so why couldn’t she have given us some description of the connection between the characters? All we have is that they had a connection before and we get no great reason why that worked out that way. It just didn’t have the great romance to it that I enjoy. A romance writer needs to know how to get us to feel the romance. Also - I didn’t like that Eamon was willing to have her as a cheater a few separate times. And the story that he wasn’t “cheating” when they slept together the first time wasn’t well thought out. He was dating someone else, not necessarily exclusive, but he moved to be with her?? But then he’s described as so loyal and not a cheater...but wanted to sleep with Ree while she has a fiancé. I really liked Noah better. Just not good writing. Sloppy. I didn’t even find the finale very good and that is something that can sometimes leave me with a good feeling after a so-so book.

Good Escapism

I recommend this book for anyone who would like a story that keeps you interested and guessing about its outcome. I listened to it on long drives and training runs, so it kept my mind occupied. The reader wasn't as good as some others I've heard, but she didn't detract from the story.

painful to listen by the end

Just so you know I read books for entertainment and not to better myself. This book has a fun premise
Sarina's happy life with her soon to be fiance Noah gets thrown out of balance when her one night stand from years ago comes back into her life uh oh. But
by the end of this book I wanted to pull my hair out from frustration and couldn't wait for it to end.
I read most of this one on audible and in general the narration was good
but the voice of Danny sounded like a southern belle NOT at all like a male character it was very jarring and I kept thinking he was a female. Definitely skip this one.

If I could sit down with the author I would love to mention these things ...
Spoilers ~
Noah doesn’t go to his girlfriend (of 4 years) fathers funeral? so unrealistic!
Oh oh and hospitals do not adhere to visiting hours when a family member is on their death bed! Maybe this was necessary for the storyline but I missed why.
I was expecting a BIG reveal about why Eamon never calls Sarina after their night all those years ago like some memory loss from the accident or something but him just blowing her off is pretty shitty.
The 'Threes Company' style misunderstandings at the end made me literally roll my eyes
Eamon Finally gets Sarina to admit she is into him and then he says
"lets take some to think about things" PLEASE nooooo do not drag this out any longer
it was getting painful to continue reading

It drags and drags!

I’m tired of these stories that drag and drag for hours until it half resolves at the last minute. I didn’t like Eamon very much

Bring and Frustrating

This story started out ok but the drama was self imposed, non sense and Frustrating. For an architect with business sense she doesn't seem to know how to read people or their needs. Not to mention she gets lost in her own foolish waiting thoughts.