The One That Got Away by Melissa Pimentel
Published by: Thomas Dunne Books
Pub Date: July 18, 2017
Pages: 400
Format: e-arc | Source: NetGalley
Genres: adult, contemporary, romance
Rating: 

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 . . .

I really liked this at the start; it has the voice I like in adult contemporary romance and I love Persuasion, which you can clearly see the influence of. Unfortunately it loses some of its charm by the end; I didn’t think the emotional payoff was good enough and I really really disliked the “secret” she was keeping from her ex. I also wasn’t a huge fan of all the flashbacks; I would have rather had more time in the present to get to know Ruby and Ethan together and watch their relationship change. And I was also disappointed at the lack of a Wentworth letter! We kept seeing Ethan’s emails to his father so I assumed that would factor in and it really didn’t.

Overall, it’s a good book but not a great one, and there are the usual troubling throwaway lines: one reference to spirit animals, basically hating on sight any beautiful women Ethan breathes next to, etc. Ruby was likeable except for that. I understand jealousy, of course, but it was a little tiresome and silly when it was every single mention of other women. I was also a little disturbed by her boss in the flashback scenes. He gave me the creeps, in that slimy older powerful man at work sort of way. Still, if you’re looking for a light read this is good enough- I read it in a few hours! And I liked all of the British settings. Ruby’s stepmother was great and I liked the groom’s parents- overenthusiastic tourists in every sense haha.

Are you a fan of Austen retellings? What are some of your favorites?