To be released 31 December

 

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Review

4.5 stars!

The fourth and final book in the The Ones Who Got Away series, this friends-to-lovers romance is fun, sweet and sexy with lots of emotion, and I absolutely loved it!

This series tells the story of survivors of a high school shooting. Years after the event, four women reunited and became as close as sisters, helping each other to deal with their grief, move forward and find their happiness. We have watched three of them do just that, and finally it’s Kincaid’s turn.

Each of the girls in the series lost friends and loved ones in the Long Acre shooting. Kincaid did as well, but not only was her first love and soul mate killed by one of the gunmen, but her best friend from childhood survived only to leave town shortly after, leaving her feeling abandoned and alone. She has since developed a ‘smile and move on’ mentality, and she’s forging her way forward through life, working hard to achieve her dreams while hiding her vulnerability and pain.

Ashton Isaacs escaped Long Acre, but he did it leaving his best friend behind. He has travelled the world and become the writer he always wanted to be, but he’s done it by shutting the door on his past with only very infrequent visits back to Long Acre. When circumstances force him to return, all of his feelings from the past come roaring back as he is brought face to face with Kincaid once again and he realises that he is still desperately in love with his childhood best friend.

OMGOMGOMG, it’s such a fantastic set up! Kincaid and Ashton are brought together to help old friends, forcing them to finally face each other and deal with all of the crap between them. They do exactly that, and find themselves easily and naturally falling into their old friendship. It’s sweet and funny, and I just loved seeing them together. We get to see moments from their past through flashback, showing just how connected these two were, and the depth and intensity of Ashton’s feelings for his bestie, and watching them enjoy that reconnection is so beautiful.

And then there is the blazing attraction between them. It’s something that Ashton has always felt, but he tried to ignore it as he was forced to watch Kincaid fall for his high school friend only to tragically lose him. For Kincaid it’s new, and the feelings and chemistry in this book are just fantastic! I could feel everything between them, and I was buzzing with anticipation just waiting for something to happen. And when it does… holy hot damn! It’s sexy and exciting, and it’s underpinned by their close friendship, making it so much better, and their dynamic is hot and so much fun.

When he pulled back, he brushed his thumb over her mouth. “This was a brilliant idea. We are geniuses.”
She smiled, and he lowered her to the bed, kissing her again and stretching out over her. She ran her hands through his hair, taking in the sight of him above her. “We are exceptionally smart people.”
He grabbed her behind the knee, opening her body to him. “I’m going to last about six point two seconds, but I promise the next time, I’ll make you proud.”
She lifted a brow. “Already planning the next time, huh?”
He eased himself inside her, stretching her and making her gasp with pleasure. “You’re not leaving this bed until the sun comes up, Breslin. I hope you brought snacks.”

I loved seeing them together, and it all seems so easy, but Ashton is only in town for a short time. And more importantly, he has secrets from the past that he fears could derail everything that he and Kincaid have been able to find together. It’s a difficult situation, and it’s not a smooth journey for either of them, but I loved watching them work through it all, and the emotion is beautifully written.

“All this time I thought you were the one who left. You were the friend who broke my heart.” She shook her head. “But that’s not true, is it? I was the one who broke yours.”

Kincaid has been a larger-than-life personality throughout the series, and I admit I was worried going into this one that she would be a bit much in her own book. But Loren has taken those traits and written them into the story in a way that creates a wonderful character journey for Kincaid, and I just adored her!

And I fell head over heels for Ashton. The nerdy hipster with a wicked sense of humour (and a seriously sexy side), he loves deeply and cares so much for Kincaid. The blend of friendship, love, attraction and humour is just fantastic, and I loved every moment of these two together.

She had found her soul mate.
He’d been there all along.

The couples from previous books in the series are all a part of the story, and I loved catching up with them. The bond between the girls is gorgeous, and there is a beautiful sense of closure in this book for each of them.

This was such a gorgeous read. It recaptured the feels I experienced while reading their first book in the series (which remains my fave), and I loved it.

4.5 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

 

The Ones Who Got Away