Will Ruby Get a Second Chance?

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for a copy of The One That Got Away by Melissa Pimentel. I was given this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The One That Got Away is a modern retelling of Persuasion by Jane Austen. I am always interested in a fresh take on a classic.It is also the first Pink Escape book of 2017. The Jane Austen fan that I am I dove into this novel.

Synopsis:

Ruby is an account manager at her job. She stays very busy with work in New York. Her best friend has to persuade her to leave her sanctuary of work to see her, before she leaves to go Scotland. Her sister Piper is getting married to her man of from Ruby’s past. Ethan has changed a great deal, and will also be at the wedding as the best man. The wedding takes place in Scotland in a castle. Ruby seems to continue to run into Ethan regardless of the situation. Will they be able to overcome the past and reconnect? Or will she have to navigate a different path, which includes surviving Piper at the wedding.

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this story. Ruby is a protagonist that I could identify with. Ethan’s character is part of the story but he does not play a major role to me. The story is told from Ruby's point of view. The character I found most annoying was Piper. I wanted to applaud Ruby for putting up with her behavior leading up to the wedding.

The plot takes place in two different story lines. The present storyline line is the “Now” which follows the current events leading up to the wedding. The other storyline is the “Then” section which tells the story of Ruby and Ethan’s relationship.

I enjoyed the story but felt that the Then story line should have ended sooner than it did. I would have changed the pacing a little to compensate for the length. I was ready for the story to resolve and the happy ending to begin. Yes, the story was true to Jane Austen’s Persuasion. I look forward to what Melissa Pimentel shares next with her audience!


Rating:


4/5

 To purchase a copy of  The One That Got Away here. 


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