Review by Booklist Review
Following The One You Fight For (2019), Loren presents the fourth book in her stellar The Ones Who Got Away series about a group of friends who survived a high-school mass shooting. This tale focuses on upbeat Kincaid Breslin, who helped all her friends find true love. Love doesn't seem to be in the cards for her though, since her high-school sweetheart was one of those killed on that horrific prom night. Her heart was broken even more when her best friend, Ashton Isaacs, moved away right after school, and their friendship crumbled. Bookish Ashton was always in love with bubbly Kincaid, but he knew she didn't reciprocate his feelings, so he never told her. Now a successful writer, Ashton returns to his hometown while dealing with his own heartbreak. Their friendship reignites and soon turns into more as they come to terms with their past. A few too many subplots sometimes overwhelm the story, but the perfect blend of friendship, love, grief, and humor will keep readers invested all the way to the highly satisfying conclusion.--Jenna Friebel Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Wrenching emotions and exhilarating romance drive the fourth contemporary romance in Loren's The Ones Who Got Away series (after The One You Fight For). Bookish Ashton Isaacs and impulsive Kincaid Breslin were childhood best friends before a school shooting on the night of their senior prom, when gunmen killed Kincaid's boyfriend and Ash's friend, Graham, along with many of their classmates. In their grief, Ash and Kincaid fell into bed together, but they haven't spoken since. Ash left the small town of Long Acre, Tex., behind for a successful career as an author, but he's still haunted by the shooting. Kincaid stayed and built a life as a real estate agent, repressing her memories of the tragedy. Ash, now in his 30s, returns to town after a bad breakup. When Graham's parents ask both Ash and Kincaid for help selling their bookstore, the pair is forced to confront their past and find a way to move forward. Loren nimbly addresses heavy topics, emphasizing emotional resilience and recovery. This rich, empathetic love story is sure to move series fans and new readers alike. Agent: Sara Megibow, KT Literary. (Jan.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Two estranged mass-shooting survivors have processed the experience in very different ways, but when they rekindle their friendship, it turns out that they might have a future together.Former best friends Ashton Isaacs and Kincaid Breslin worked at a bookstore together in high school and helped each other cope with complicated home situations. When Kincaid started dating Graham Lowell, the son of the shop owners, she was pretty sure she'd found "The One." After all, he was devoted to her and wrote her such lovely and romantic letters, and since he and Ash were friends, too, he didn't grumble too much about their friendship. However, after Graham was killed during the mass shooting at their prom, Ash and Kincaid's relationship became more complicated. Kincaid couldn't remember some vital moments during the shooting, and then, soon after, she and Ash took comfort in each other through sex. Angry and confused, Kincaid blamed Ash for taking advantage of her, and Ash left town, ultimately traveling around the world and becoming a popular fiction writer. The two have both remained close to the Lowells but have barely spoken to each other since high school. When Mr. Lowell has a health scare while Ash is in town, he and Kincaid agree to help them freshen up the bookstore, preparing it to sell. They quietly bury the hatchet, though proximity brings attraction. Ash has always secretly been in love with Kincaid, and she finds the older, sexier version of Ash hard to resist. Falling in bed feels inevitable, but falling in love is a minefield neither wants to risk. Or do they? Loren wraps up The Ones Who Got Away with another powerhouse romance that explores guilt, forgiveness, honesty, and how being true to oneself can be the key to love and happiness.A worthy conclusion to a phenomenal series. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
