Friday, November 3, 2017

Review: The One That Got Away

The One That Got Away
Melissa Pimentel
Published August 22, 2017
A smart, funny, and modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion, where a young woman comes face-to-face with a lost love, proving that the one that got away is sometimes the one you get back.

Ruby and Ethan were perfect for each other. Until the day they suddenly weren't.

Ten years later, Ruby's single, having spent the last decade focusing on her demanding career and hectic life in Manhattan. There's barely time for a trip to England for her little sister's wedding. And there's certainly not time to think about seeing Ethan there for the first time in years.

But as the family frantically prepare for the big day, Ruby can't help but wonder if she made the right choice all those years ago? Because there's nothing like a wedding for stirring up the past . . . - from Goodreads
So, I'll be honest - I've never read Jane Austen's Persuasion, so I can't comment on if this is a good retelling or not.  And, I'm wary of second-chance love stories, so I went into this with a bit of hesitation.  But - I couldn't resist that adorable cover!

Ruby is a 32-year-old career woman living in New York City.  When her sister plans a fairy-tale wedding in an English castle, Ruby finds herself face-to-face with Ethan, the boyfriend she broke up with 10 years ago and the best man in the wedding.  She thinks she could possibly still be in love with him, but does he feel the same way?  She knows she ended their relationship badly and has been hiding the true reason she broke up with him.

The story went back and forth between the days leading up to Ruby's sister's wedding and flashbacks to Ruby and Ethan's short-lived romance.  I liked the approach, but I just wanted to know what Ruby did that she felt was so bad that she couldn't tell Ethan.  And when I found out, I was a bit disappointed by the cliché reason.

The main issue I had with the story was that Ruby and Ethan haven't spoken in 10 years, yet Ruby has hinged her whole life on this relationship.  She threw herself into her career and never really opened herself back up to love, and when she sees Ethan, she is convinced she is still in love with him.  It's been a decade, and they are vastly different people at this point in their lives.  It's just a little weird that neither of them have moved on, considering their actual relationship was relatively short.  When Ruby finally admits her feelings for Ethan and the true reason she broke up with him, it's like what she did didn't even matter.  The whole thing is glossed over in literally the last 10 pages or so.  The story ended way too abruptly and neatly.

But, there were high points to this book.  I loved the secondary characters - Ruby's dad is boisterous and I like the relationship Ruby has with her stepmom.  Ruby's sister is the perfect example of a bridezilla.  The writing was very readable and quick-moving - I finished this book in just a day.  The pop culture references and snarky one-liners helped keep the story light and modern.  If you're looking for a quick, easy read, you may enjoy this one.

3 stars

16 comments:

  1. I am one of those readers who isn’t a big fan of Jane Austen, I know gasp. I think I will pass on this one. Thanks for the helpful review.

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    1. Oh, I only read Pride & Prejudice for the first time last year, and I don't remember reading any of her other books!

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  2. yeah I am with you on this one, not sure I buy the 10 year gap, lots of stuff happens that changes you as a person

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    1. Right?? 10 years is a long time to pine for someone.

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  3. I am a huge fan of second chance romances. I like to think we can all get a do-over every once in a while and I love when characters have history. I understand waiting through all the build up and then the the payoff doesn't quite match the level you were expecting. That would sort of put a bad taste in my mouth. I had high hopes for this one, between the cover and the synopsis. =(

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    1. I agree it's nice to have a do-over, but I just felt like the characters waited so long and all these feelings were built up, basically for nothing.

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  4. Hmmmm, I might still read this because I did love Persuasion, but that 10 years just sounds like something I would have issues with. It doesn't sound realistic at all. The secondary characters do sound entertaining though, especially "Bridezilla", lol.

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    1. Yes, the 10 years thing was a bit weird - Ruby and Ethan have no contact for so long, and she just sees him in the airport and is like, "Ok, I still love him." But, if you're a Jane Austen fan, it might be fun to read just for the comparison.

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  5. Great review! I just finished this one last week and gave it 3.5 stars - so very similar! I also thought the ending was rushed, but it was a light, fun read overall. Like you, I thought the Ruby/Ethan relationship was lacking...definitely needed to be fleshed out a bit more.

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    1. I'm glad my feelings are validated! I agree, it was basically a fun, light read, but I wish the original Ruby/Ethan relationship was stronger.

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  6. I've never read Persuasion either, so I think this one might be lost on me. I'm sorry you didn't love this one! I don't think this one is for me either. Great review!

    Tracy @ Cornerfolds

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    1. Thanks! Yeah, it was a bit of a bummer, but it happens!

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  7. I love Persuasion! So I definitely want to check this out, and you are right it's such a cute cover.

    Trish @ Between My Lines

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    1. I hope you enjoy it! You may get more out of it than I did!

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  8. I don't know Persuasion, but I see your point about the issues you had with this book. The way the ending was treated/rushed seems unsatisfying.

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    1. I know, it was all this build-up that lead to nothing! It was frustrating.

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I'm so glad you stopped by, and I would love to hear your thoughts! Comments are always greatly appreciated!