“Phenomenal. Gets my highest recommendation!” —LORELEI JAMES, New York Times and USA Today bestselling authorIt’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 … 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.
The Ones Who Got Away series:
The Ones Who Got Away (Book 1)
The One You Can’t Forget (Book 2)
The One You Fight For (Book 3)
Readers are Raving About Roni Loren’s The Ones Who Got Away:
“Unforgettable… Roni Loren at her best!” —KRISTEN CALLIHAN, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Game On series
“Unique, swoony, and lively. The Ones Who Got Away is the best kind of second-chance romance!” —SARINA BOWEN, USA Today bestselling author of Stay
“The Ones Who Got Away is EXACTLY what I love in romance; angsty, hot, conflicted, funny! Roni Loren delivers on all of it! Don’t let this book get away!”—M. O’Keefe, USA Today bestselling author of Baby, Come Back
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*I won this book on Netgalley for my honest opinion *
I am honestly sad to finish this book. This book was unbelievably wonderful. The dialogue was spot on – the chemistry was off the charts. Finn, can you be my boyfriend now? And boy, does the author know how to write some steamy scenes! Oh la la.
Finn and Olivia were survivors of a high school mass shooting. It showed the aftermath of what the “lucky” survivors ended up doing with their lives. It had a strong message that they weren’t going to let that one extremely scary and horrible event ruin the rest of their lives. It defined them long enough. I can’t say I blamed them. It’s a scary topic that you hope you never have to experience.
I absolutely 100% fell in love with their growing relationship. You knew it was going to happen. This book made me smile, cry, and made my chest physically ache.
Read this!!!
What I liked
Awesome back story to the characters
I loved the line that one of the characters said which went something like “we can’t look too happy or we’ve forgotten what happened and we can’t be too sad or else the world thinks we can’t get on and so we are stuck in between.” It made me think a lot about survivors of tragedies and how they move on. What people must think when they meet them.
What I thought there should be more of
The relationships between Finn and Olivia and their families and how that shaped them. We only got a glimpse of that and it felt like a “throw in” when it could have been a meatier part of the story.
I thought there would be more of a reaction from Rebecca when she found out the full history between Finn and Olivia’s relationship,
What I didn’t like
Olivia was abrasive, not my favorite heroine.
The abrupt ending with Finns work and it’s reoatiinship to the tragedy. I’m assuming it will continue in the other books in the series.
Over all a solid four. Really well written and thought provoking.
This book was amazing. It was completely different from everything else I’ve been reading, and it was exactly what I needed. I was a little hesitant going into it, because of the school shooting… I was worried that the book was going to spend a lot of time on that subject and the events. And while the events definitely influenced everything that happens in the book, it wasn’t the sole focus.
I loved everything about this book. I didn’t want it to end. I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
I never expected to like and enjoy this book as much as I did! And don’t get me wrong, but I normally read PURE romance.
Finn and Liv, along with some others, were lucky enough to survive one of the biggest shooting at their school, Some of them were friends before the shooting but others were “forced” to be an “us” after; they related to their pain and tried to help each other to go on, made promises to live for those who didn’t.
“They were survivors. They were the ones who got away, only to be chased for years after. By the memories. By the anger. By the fear. By the label the killers had given them. “
It’s been twelve years after that tragic day and when they reunite, the realize they haven’t lived the live they wanted and the one they promised to enjoy.
Finn and Liv have unfinished business, so went they reunite after all these years, they feel they need to put a end to that to keep going on with their life, but that will lead to “what could had happened if…”.
I loved both characters, specially Livv because she is not the perfect woman with the perfect life, she has a comfortable life but she knows she is not perfect and she accepts it without remorse.
Finn and Liv know they are playing with fire, but it’s impossible for them not to give a try for a hot summer, with no promises, the only promises were for themselves: enjoy their second chance, at being together and at being alive.
Will they keep their promises? To themselves? Will it be only for one summer? Will they live risking everything to really live at its fullness?
Love the story because beyond the romance, there is a message to take a risk and live the life you dreamed when you were a teenager full of dreams, to keep promises to other and ourselves, to make right to others… to makes us aware that THIS IS REAL and not just fiction.
Great & different set-up for romance book. Deal with characters who had a secret romance ( rich boy, landscaper’s daughter) who survived a school shooting. T They both dealt with the trauma in different ways in the ensuing years and reconnect for a documentary 12 yrs later. Their chemistry is still there but ……
I loved how the story allows you to experience what a survivor feels, and great love story
The story involves the survivors of a school shooting so I was a little worried how Roni Loren could create a “romance” with that background, but she handled it well. I really enjoyed this book. It’s clear she did a lot of research about the kinds of things survivors of such horrific events endure and still managed to create a good romance. I will read her other books and recommend this book!
Very good love story.
Loved it! I thought I’d have a tough time with the content but it was done well. Loved the build up of the characters. And damn H was sexy!
Pleasant surprise! At first, as I was reading along, the writing seemed perhaps simple or cheesy? Something was off. But I got sucked into the storyline and really liked the characters. I was cheering at the end!
“Broken glass still made art. Sometimes, the most beautiful kind.” Heartachingly relevant to what is happening way to often in high schools recently. Finn and Olivia continue to struggle with the aftermath of that horrific night and how it has altered their lives from that point on. I continuously thought throughtout the book “but did they REALLY get away from what happened?” Such a well written dipiction of how your past can dictate your future. I am anxiously awaiting the rest of the books in this series.
4.5 stars
Satisfying. There’s angst, hot sexytimes, family dysfunction, lots of humor, and what I love best, female friendships.
I read the first chapter in advance sometime ago so I expected angst, but the funny was a total surprise and brought a balance to the seriousness of the subject matter.
I enjoyed the banter between Finn and Liv and their strong chemistry. Their reconciliation was sweet and snarky and sexy.
A highlight for me is the friendship among Liv, Rebecca, Kincaid, and Taryn. The way they came to Liv’s side whenever she needed help was so reminiscent of me and my own friends.
The theme of taking one’s fate in hand and going for your dream in the present is something that parallels my own motto of Carpe Diem that’s why I have such an affinity with this book.
Some of my favorite lines are from Liv’s letter to the Class of 2005:
“… I will not waste the second chance that I have been given, that I will honor all the people we lost by living my life to the fullest.
… I won’t play it safe. I won’t be practical. I’ll live a passionate life … I promise, Class of 2005, to live the life that scares me.”
The only thing that I did not like about The Ones Who Got Away was the texting. The language sometimes verged on juvenile and not the thirty year-olds they were supposed to be. Other than that, I loved it.
The Ones Who Got Away is a romance, but it is also much more. It’s an engaging, interesting story about the incidents that can change lives in a moment, how fear and anger can land you in a life that seems safe or productive but is really colorless and stifling, and how finding happiness and living your life honestly and fearlessly is the best revenge of all.
The characters were relatable and interesting but could’ve been a bit more developed, and I would’ve liked more of the backstory of not only Liv and Finn, but of the four girls as well (for example, why did the four of them bond so closely after the shooting, as opposed to other survivors?)
The next book appears to be Rebecca’s story, and the end of this one had some interesting clues tee-ing it up, so I’m interested to read that.
The Ones Who Got Away is an emotional and captivating new series by Roni Loren, whom I had never read before. The author pushed boundaries with this unique book that peaked my interest from page one.
This book follows the lives of survivors of a shooting years back. A documentary brings those survivors back to the one place they wanted to put into their past. Liv and Finn have each tried running, but are brought back right to where it all fell apart.
Liv and Finn were part of each other’s lives in high school, but their relationship was secret. Liv was Finn’s biggest secret and there is unfinished business between the two of them. Finn is determined to show Liv how much she meant and still means to him, regardless of what others say.
Their story is one of love, heartbreak, running from the past and coming together once again to make a future. Until time runs out and one of them runs. Again.
Throughout this entire book, I felt every emotion. This story could happen in everyday life and the author did an amazing job of writing these characters and their story of love. I was captivated from start to finish and look forward to more in this series.
Liv Arias never thought she would make the trip back to the place that holds so many painful memories for her, but here she is facing that past, and the man who broke her heart into a million pieces. As much as she wants to hate him for breaking her heart, she just can’t seem to muster any distaste when he is sitting in front of her telling her how sorry he is for the night he walked away from her and put her in danger. The next thing she knows she is closing the distance between them and putting her lips on his, and the moment they meet the sparks start to fly all over again. When she agreed to do the documentary and return to her old high school she never thought she’d run into Finn again, but now that she has she is so sure she can walk away from him again…
Letting Liv go was the hardest thing that Finn Dorsey has ever done, their time together back in high school meant so much to him, and the thought that he was the one who put her in danger on that fateful night damn near kills him every time he thinks about it. Through the years he has often wandered if she followed her dreams of being a famed photographer, if she is still has feisty and daring as she use to be, and if the sparks they once shared would still be there if he had the chance to kiss her once more. Returning to his hometown has him on pins and needles, the idea of being so close to the place that changed his life all those years ago is almost more than he can bare… then he sees Liv again and all that doesn’t seem to matter as much. His plan was to return home, face his past, and find a way to finally put it all behind him… he never expected it would also reunite him with the woman who has held his heart all these years.
The Ones Who Got Away is a heart-wrenching and riveting read that is sure to keep you under it’s spell from start to finish! From the moment your eyes land on the page it will start toying with your emotions and have your heart in your throat, but little by little it begins to take on more of an uplifting vibe…one that will leave you smiling. Watching these two wonderfully crafted characters reunite, find a way to deal with all their unresolved feelings and fears, and get to a place of love was truly a beautiful and touching thing to witness. I have to say this is by far one of the best first reads that I have had in a long while, Ms. Loren’s thought provoking story line gave me the feels, squeezed my heart, and moved me beyond words… it’s definitely one I will treasure for a while! Highly recommend this one… it’s just too damn good to pass up!!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.
[ Insert thunderous applause here ]
This book was AMAZING. Yes, it deals with a rather heavy topic of a school shooting and the psychological aftermath (but it’s totally not a graphic description or anything like that), but the EMOTIONS in this book are off the charts.
I LOVED Liv. It’s like Roni took all of the obnoxious qualities in the typical contemporary romance heroine and had Liv act the opposite: like a real person. I also couldn’t get enough of her sass and the funny things she would say!
And Finn. I mean, good gracious. When things got emotionally intense between him and Liv, the things that came out of his fictional mouth blew me away. He’s just an all-around stand-up guy who happens to be five-alarm hot.
And the ending! Sigh…this is absolutely a book I would read again, and a solid reminder of how infinitely talented Roni is as an author!
But it gets better! I see this is book 1 of a series. In this book, I met several other positively delightful and intriguing heroines, and I am ECSTATIC to read their stories too!
(I received a copy of this book in consideration of an honest review)
THE ONES WHO GOT AWAY is the first instalment in Roni Loren’s contemporary, adult THE ONES WHO GOT AWAY romance series focusing on the survivors of a mass shooting the night of their senior prom-Finn, Olivia, Rebecca Lindt, Taryn Landry and Kincaid Breslin. This is thirty-year olds FBI agent Finn Dorsey, and photographer Olivia ‘Liv’ Arias’s story line.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Liv and Finn) THE ONES WHO GOT AWAY follows the rebuilding relationship between photographer Liv Arias, and FBI agent Finn Dorsey. Twelve years earlier two gunmen (and fellow students) shot up the Long Acre High senior prom leaving only a few to survive including Liv Arias, a woman who struggles with memories of that night, and the loss of her friendship with the boy she would always love. Enter FBI agent Finn Dorsey, the young man, who despite his actions, probably saved our heroine’s life but a man who battles demons of his own. A filmmaker will bring together the remaining survivors as they recount the events of that fateful day.
Finn Dorsey’s return to civilization comes with the knowledge that life as he knows it has inevitably changed. Undercover for the past two years Finn’s recuperation and down time finds our hero facing a past he has never forgotten, a past he is unable to forgive himself for almost killing the woman with whom he would fall in love. Liv Arias has struggled since the fateful day twelve years earlier but her life as a photographer and website designer is busy enough to keep the demons at bay.
The relationship between Liv and Finn is one of second chances; a rekindling romance between two people caught between life and death when a gunman target the people who ‘did him harm’. Finn Dorsey knows that his time on leave is temporary as he awaits his next assignment-an assignment that will pull our hero from Olivia’s life. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text. The banter between Finn and Olivia is fun, sassy and not without some great sexual innuendo.
THE ONES WHO GOT AWAY is a story of second chances; romance and love; rekindling friendships, and letting go of the past. The premise is engaging and emotional; the romance is passionate and intimate; the characters are colorful and bold. THE ONES WHO GOT AWAY is an encouraging and inspiring look at loss and survival.
When I first saw that there was a “sneak peek” of this book on NetGalley, I was totally against reading it because I thought that it was just a snippet. And I’m an idiot. Yeah, turns out, it wasn’t a snippet but the whole book. Thank goodness I got the whole book because IT. WAS. AWESOME.
I’ve never read anything by this author, which gives further validation to the argument that I’m an idiot. Let’s just say that I’m a fan. A big fan. Not only were the characters absolutely amazing but the book was funny in spots and I had not been expecting that at all. I also didn’t expect to really connect with the main character, Liv. I’m not entirely sure why I became so attached to her because I’ve never directly been through such a harrowing experience … maybe it’s because of my empathy towards her but I really think it’s just because the author wrote Liv in such a way that you can’t help but root for her from the very first page. She’s such a well written character that she becomes an old friend very quickly.
I couldn’t have picked a better dude for Liv than Finn. Finn is everything that I that I’ve ever wanted in a literary hero. He’s protective and loyal and sweet and adoringly possessive – which I didn’t even know was possible. Well, it is. Then there’s this captivating character growth that Finn goes through. You’re able to experience Finn morphing into what he thought he had lost so very long ago and it’s completely endearing. Now for the important part … when Finn and Liv are together … talk about hot. So incredibly steamy and it didn’t feel forced!! It was natural and totally believable. Not always something you find within the pages of a romance novel but it seems to come to author Roni Loren easily.
When I said before that Liv became a friend, that also goes hand in hand with the way this story was written. The book is about a past horrific experience but it’s written in such a way that you find yourself immersed in the book – not just as a spectator but almost as if you’re a part of what is going on. Actually, while reading this book, you’ll find that it becomes a part of you. You never want to let it go. This is one that I will reread many times. Gosh. I miss Liv and Finn already.
* I received this novel in exchange for an honest review *