Charlotte Rixon

If you're looking at The One That Got Away and thinking that it looks like a nice romance novel then think again as it's really not a romance but a story of first love and how even the most powerful love can be toxic. However, if you're looking for a story that grabs you from the very first page and doesn't put you down until you turn the last page then here it is.

In the present day, Clara works for a newspaper and when she hears of a bomb attack in the place where she lived as a student it show more takes her right back to those days twenty years earlier, and to her first love, Benjamin. Unable to stop herself, she takes a train to see if she can track him down, knowing that he could well be in the heart of the attack. The larger part of the story focuses on their university years, the way Benjamin and Clara met. Despite their intense love for each other, their relationship is like a badly built structure placed on solid foundations: their love is strong but it's not steady enough to last. Then there are sections where we see what happened to the couple during the interim years whilst they were not together.

This book is thoroughly immersive and beautifully written. It's a masterclass in how to draw the reader in and gradually share with them a story of two young people who have an invisible bond stretching through the years but who are not together. I was dying to know what had happened to tear them apart but I also wanted their story to last forever and for me to not have to say goodbye to Benjamin and Clara, two flawed yet likeable and understandable, brilliant protagonists.

The One That Got Away was everything I was hoping for and a lot more besides. I honestly loved every single page of it and it's not too early to say it will be one of my favourite books of the year. The plot is a stunning tragi-love story that I found utterly compelling and authentic. I hope there will be more from Charlotte Rixon. show less

After the Fire follows Beth and Nick over the course of fifteen years. From their very first meeting at university there is a strong connection between them, but a tragic fire in their accommodation block tears them apart before they even get started. Although they remain friends, anything more always seems to be just out of reach somehow. They live their separate lives with careers and other relationships, meeting up through the years, and the story shows the trajectory their lives take and show more how what happened ripples down, continually taking its toll on them.

Charlotte Rixon's first book, The One That Got Away, had a similar theme, that of two people who had an unbreakable bond but who seemed destined to be apart. It's a theme that she excels at and one that I find particularly appealing. There are definite One Day vibes going on in this book, with the story being told from both perspectives over a varying number of years from the fire.

I found After the Fire to be a compelling and moving story. It considers the effects of survivor's guilt and mental health, loss, the price of success, domestic abuse and of course, love. One of my favourite tropes is 'love against the odds' and I was hoping that Beth and Nick's love would triumph against all the odds. Rixon is a fantastic writer, creating characters that I cared about and who felt real. I enjoyed this book very much. show less

This is a fascinating love story about Benjamin and Clara's passionate yet tumultuous romance. Spanning two decades, the novel masterfully captures their heart-wrenching separation due to a life-altering mistake. Fast forward to the present, Clara's successful yet unsatisfying life is shaken by a bombing incident that leads her back to where it all began. Rixon's adept narrative alternates between past and present, delving into themes of trauma and redemption. What truly elevates this show more experience is the superb audiobook narration by Carl Prekopp and Katherine Press. Their voices breathe life into the characters, intensifying the emotional connection. In print and audio, this story offers a poignant exploration of love's complexities and the chance for redemption. show less

I was looking for a cute second chance romance. This is not it.
This is a book about lost chances and hard parts of life. It might be triggering for some people to read about it. For me it difficult to get through the book.
It's definitely a story worth reading and the writing is good. But with that title, I'm not sure anyone expected it to get so dark.