The One That Got Away by Karina Halle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Summary from GoodReads
Ruby Turner was never meant to be mine.
When I first met her, she was a fresh, young, American sports journalist trying to find her footing in a new life abroad. She was the one interviewing me for an article, yet I wanted to know more about her. She captivated me.
But she went home with Marco that night.
My agent.
My brother.
And I did what I could to pretend I was fine with it.
After all, I’m Luciano Ribeiro. As the captain of Real Madrid, and Portugal’s National Team, it’s my job to be cool, calm, and collected, not easily rattled.
Only what I felt for Ruby over time, shook me to my very core.
It made me do things I never imagined I would do.
It started with a stolen kiss in the middle of the night.
It led to a passionate tryst.
It created a burden of guilt that I had to carry, as Ruby came in and out of my life until she left for good, leaving her mark on me.
Now, seven years later, she’s back.
She was the one that got away.
I don’t think I’ll let her go this time.
But I might not have a choice.
Because my heart still belongs to her.
And her heart might belong to my brother.
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REVIEW
I received an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I can't believe I survived this story! It gutted me and it had been a while since an angst book made me cry. Luciano's and Ruby's story spans almost 12 years and in that time many things happen both under their control but also some that both are unable to control. It was heartbreaking and consuming seeing this love between them develop and it made my heart ache every time I read both their POVs. Both are scared and afraid since both have been disappointed by their families. Yet both found solace in each other as they discovered each other.
Luciano's mention of "the one that got away" was hinted in the Forbidden Man and I knew that this book would gut me. The good side was that I had cameos of other known characters of Karina Halle's that offered a good and fun part in the story.
The ending was one they both deserved and this may be the best one in my "second chance romance" list by far!
About the author:
She, her musician husband, and their adopted pit bull, Bruce, live in a rainforest on an island off the coast of British Columbia, where they operate Raven Ridge, a B&B that’s perfect for writers’ retreats and romantic getaways.
In the winter, you can often find them in California or on their beloved island of Kauai, soaking up as much sun (and getting as much inspiration) as possible. For more information, visit www.authorkarinahalle.com/books.
Halle is represented by Root Literary and is both self-published, and published by Simon & Schuster, Hachette, Penguin, and Montlake. Her books have been published in numerous languages around the world.
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