The One That Got Away by Melissa Pimentel + GIVEAWAY!!!

The One That Got Away by Melissa Pimentel
Published by Thomas Dunne Books on August 22nd 2017
Pages: 400
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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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 . . .

The One That Got Away by Melissa Pimentel is the perfect read to bridge your summer book binges over into your more selective fall reading schedule. This witty and poignant novel taps into the same vein of magic as Bridget Jones’s Diary, and any gal or guy who has loved and/or lost will enjoy the personal and romantic journeys of the two leading characters.

I absolutely love modern retellings of romantic literary classics, and this book did not disappoint. The story unfolds between the northeastern coast and Scotland, between the present and the past. Flashbacks of defining moments for Ruby, the leading lady, and Ethan, the source of Ruby’s existential crisis, give this story just the right touch of nostalgia and depth. The One That Got Away is filled with insightful observations about the nature of balancing romantic relationships with personal growth, career goals, and life expectations, interspersing bittersweet memories of the passion of youthful love on the brink of adulthood.

In this story, Ruby and Ethan fall for each other after a turbulent attempt at a first date, only to be separated by Ruby’s college and career aspirations further down the road. Because their relationship had not quite run its course to begin with, Ruby finds that she still has feelings for Ethan when they are brought together again, after nearly a decade, for Ruby’s sister’s wedding. Ruby is forced to evaluate all of the life choices that she made that ultimately led to her failed relationship with Ethan. The years have drastically changed Ethan on a personal and professional level, and Ruby struggles with the memories and feelings she still harbors for the old Ethan, while also discovering that the new Ethan is equally as magnetic.

Ruby and Ethan are thoughtfully developed protagonists who are surrounded by equally engaging and entertaining secondary characters. With a cast made up of people from different generational, educational, economic, and cultural backgrounds, the book delivers a charming and comedic look at contemporary issues regarding love, class, and expectations.

The story nicely paces itself between past and present, family and friends, while chaos, comedy, catastrophe, and jealousy drive the story forward. Filled with beautiful settings, laugh-out-loud moments, and scenes that pull at the heartstrings, The One That Got Away delivers a story that explores the power of love, forgiveness, and second chances. I highly recommend it! Please enter below for a chance to win a finished hardcover edition of this book:
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