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The One That Got Away
A delightfully entertaining new rural romance from Karly Lane, the bestselling author with over 550,000 books sold.
Alex Kelly's future is nearly sorted: she has a life she loves in London, a dream job, and plans to buy a cute cottage in the English countryside. There's just one last step: selling the family home her father left her in the small Australian seaside town of Rockne Heads. The place Alex has spent almost two decades trying to forget.
Alex hopes to get in and out again as quickly as she can, however word that she's back in town instantly spreads . . . along with old gossip and dangerous grudges. Sully McCoy has spent the last twenty years distancing himself from his father's reputation and has made a good life for himself and his daughter in Rockne Heads. Yet now Alex Kelly is back in town and somehow still turning his life upside down.
He thought he'd never see her again. And Alex is making it perfectly clear that she's not here to relive old memories—she's here to end them once and for all.
As old wounds reopen, Alex fears the secret she vowed to take to her grave will be exposed. And this time, she won't be able to run.
Alex Kelly's future is nearly sorted: she has a life she loves in London, a dream job, and plans to buy a cute cottage in the English countryside. There's just one last step: selling the family home her father left her in the small Australian seaside town of Rockne Heads. The place Alex has spent almost two decades trying to forget.
Alex hopes to get in and out again as quickly as she can, however word that she's back in town instantly spreads . . . along with old gossip and dangerous grudges. Sully McCoy has spent the last twenty years distancing himself from his father's reputation and has made a good life for himself and his daughter in Rockne Heads. Yet now Alex Kelly is back in town and somehow still turning his life upside down.
He thought he'd never see her again. And Alex is making it perfectly clear that she's not here to relive old memories—she's here to end them once and for all.
As old wounds reopen, Alex fears the secret she vowed to take to her grave will be exposed. And this time, she won't be able to run.
339 pages, Paperback
Published April 30, 2024
35 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
About the author
Karly Lane
34 books371 followersKarly Lane lives on the beautiful Mid North Coast of NSW in Australia. A certified small town girl, she is most happy in a little town where everyone knows who your grand parents were. She writes women’s fiction – everything from romantic suspense to family sagas and life in rural Australia. She has romantic suspense titles published under Karlene Blakemore-Mowle and her latest release, Third Time Lucky is available now.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
April 20, 2024
4.5★s
Alex Kelly had spent the last ten years in London in a job she loved, and with her mother and new husband nearby. She wasn't looking forward to returning to Australia, to the beachside town of Rockne Heads on the east coast, where she'd grown up, but where her life had been shattered. When she'd sorted their old house for sale, Alex would return to London. She hadn't been back since her father's funeral seven years prior; she knew there'd been changes, but also knew it was no longer home.
Sully McCoy, now a businessman and owner of a charter fishing company, was satisfied with his life, with his daughter Gabby, who was almost eighteen and leaving home soon for university. He had plenty of regrets from the past but they were almost twenty years old. And when Sully saw Alex had returned to town, he was shocked. He didn't expect to see his old girlfriend again. When Alex told him she was only going to be in town for a few days while she organised the house for sale, he thought that was it. But would it be? It didn't take Alex long to realise people had long memories...
The One That Got Away is another outstanding rural romance by Aussie author Karly Lane which I thoroughly enjoyed. With dark secrets, plenty of mystery, bitterness and revenge filling the pages, it was great to see the goodness of some people. Ms Lane writes a good story, with plenty of well-written characters, and this was one. Recommended.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Alex Kelly had spent the last ten years in London in a job she loved, and with her mother and new husband nearby. She wasn't looking forward to returning to Australia, to the beachside town of Rockne Heads on the east coast, where she'd grown up, but where her life had been shattered. When she'd sorted their old house for sale, Alex would return to London. She hadn't been back since her father's funeral seven years prior; she knew there'd been changes, but also knew it was no longer home.
Sully McCoy, now a businessman and owner of a charter fishing company, was satisfied with his life, with his daughter Gabby, who was almost eighteen and leaving home soon for university. He had plenty of regrets from the past but they were almost twenty years old. And when Sully saw Alex had returned to town, he was shocked. He didn't expect to see his old girlfriend again. When Alex told him she was only going to be in town for a few days while she organised the house for sale, he thought that was it. But would it be? It didn't take Alex long to realise people had long memories...
The One That Got Away is another outstanding rural romance by Aussie author Karly Lane which I thoroughly enjoyed. With dark secrets, plenty of mystery, bitterness and revenge filling the pages, it was great to see the goodness of some people. Ms Lane writes a good story, with plenty of well-written characters, and this was one. Recommended.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2024
I loved this one so much, you can’t go wrong with a Karly Lane story and I read this one in one sitting there was no way I could put it down till I got to the end, this one is set in the small coastal town of Rockne Heads, Alex Kelly and Sully McCoy were high school sweethearts but when they broke up eighteen years ago Alex ran and now she is back and Sully is still there, is it time for some secrets and truths to come out?
Alex has a great job in England and is loving her life, she has only been back once in all of these years to her home town and that was for her father’s funeral but now she wants to sell the family home and buy a cottage in England, but sadly the minute she steps foot in Rocky the rumours and innuendo start all over again, why can’t people let the past stay in the past, that is small towns for you.
Sully McCoy has shown the town that he is not like his father and done well for himself with his fishing trawlers and charter fishing business and of course he has his teenage daughter Gaby, who is his life, but then Alex arrives home and memories resurface and he wants to see her and put the past straight, if she will let him.
Alex makes it known to Sully that she is here for only a short time and then leaving her life is now in London but the more time they spend together the more they both realise that they have never stopped loving each other, but will the past put a wedge between them or will the truth come out and finally put the past behind them so as they can look to the future and will it be together?
This is such a fabulous story it has everything a great rural romance is known for fabulous characters, awesome setting a close knit community and there is mystery and danger added into this one as long past secrets come to the surface, filled with lots of emotion as well I highly recommend this one, it is not to be missed.
My thanks to the publisher Allen & Unwin for my copy to read and review.
Alex has a great job in England and is loving her life, she has only been back once in all of these years to her home town and that was for her father’s funeral but now she wants to sell the family home and buy a cottage in England, but sadly the minute she steps foot in Rocky the rumours and innuendo start all over again, why can’t people let the past stay in the past, that is small towns for you.
Sully McCoy has shown the town that he is not like his father and done well for himself with his fishing trawlers and charter fishing business and of course he has his teenage daughter Gaby, who is his life, but then Alex arrives home and memories resurface and he wants to see her and put the past straight, if she will let him.
Alex makes it known to Sully that she is here for only a short time and then leaving her life is now in London but the more time they spend together the more they both realise that they have never stopped loving each other, but will the past put a wedge between them or will the truth come out and finally put the past behind them so as they can look to the future and will it be together?
This is such a fabulous story it has everything a great rural romance is known for fabulous characters, awesome setting a close knit community and there is mystery and danger added into this one as long past secrets come to the surface, filled with lots of emotion as well I highly recommend this one, it is not to be missed.
My thanks to the publisher Allen & Unwin for my copy to read and review.
May 1, 2024
I loved this second chance romance story. Couldn’t put it down and finished it in a day.
I loved everything about this second chance romance story. There is a deep mystery running through the story about something that happened when the characters were teens. An event that tore the whole town apart and turned them against one of their own.
Lots of flashbacks slowly fill the reader in, keeping me totally glued to the pages.
This is a slow burn romance with just enough angst to keep me wondering if our main characters will end up together.
Karly has included some heavy topics around teenagers and the mistakes they make.
In The One That Got Away Karly Lane astutely explores the complexity of small town living.
Karly Lane's stories just keep getting better and better!
I loved everything about this second chance romance story. There is a deep mystery running through the story about something that happened when the characters were teens. An event that tore the whole town apart and turned them against one of their own.
Lots of flashbacks slowly fill the reader in, keeping me totally glued to the pages.
This is a slow burn romance with just enough angst to keep me wondering if our main characters will end up together.
Karly has included some heavy topics around teenagers and the mistakes they make.
In The One That Got Away Karly Lane astutely explores the complexity of small town living.
Karly Lane's stories just keep getting better and better!
October 2, 2025
Despite seeing this author's books around a lot, this is the first I've read but I don't think it'll be the last as I quite enjoyed it. For a rural romance, it gets a bit heavy a few times. I don't like to do any spoilers in my reviews however in this case I will state that sexual assault is part of this book's storyline which could be triggering for some readers. In fact, for one small town there was a lot of drama with dark secrets, an incoming retirement village to the horror of some residents, family estrangement, local crime families, discussion of tourism on small towns and so on. Both Alex and Sully are likeable characters and readers will be hoping they'll be able to rekindle their teenage romance.
Overall: a very entertaining Australian rural romance with some dark elements.
Overall: a very entertaining Australian rural romance with some dark elements.
June 12, 2024
Karly Lane has done it again. This is by far my favorite book of hers. This book is about truth and revelations, bringing up the past. It's a mixed bag with a crime and a romance. What I loved about the book was the second chance romance (especially an old high school one), the setting - a small coastal fishing town (I live in one), the mention of books and book clubs, the realistic topics - (inheritances, small town development, tourism, and the crime (I couldn't stop reading).
August 30, 2024
Another brilliant book written by my favourite author. Aussie author Karly Lane could write her shopping list and I’d want to read it. Yes, I love her books that much and this book was as good if not better than all of her other books.
The thing with Karly Lane’s book is that you feel like you are right there in the story with the characters. Her books allow you to escape into another world with likeable characters and a storyline that keeps you wanting more. What more could a reader want or need in a book? Highly recommended.
The thing with Karly Lane’s book is that you feel like you are right there in the story with the characters. Her books allow you to escape into another world with likeable characters and a storyline that keeps you wanting more. What more could a reader want or need in a book? Highly recommended.
May 3, 2024
⭐️5 Stars⭐️
I absolutely couldn’t put The One That Got Away by Karly Lane down, this outstanding book would make anyone fall in love with the rural romance genre. The One That Got Away is fast paced and had me totally consumed in the story and the mystery of who killed Jamie Duncan.
Alex Kelly has been living in London for a decade and working in her dream job for the last six years. Alex inherited her family home in the Aussie beach town of Rockne Heads eight years ago when her dad died and has been renting it out but now is the time to sell it. She doesn’t want to go back there to live and prefers to forget her hometown in Australia and what happened there when she was a teenager.
Alex plans to head back to Australia, sort out the house she’s selling and return to London as fast as she can, like in three weeks!
Sully McCoy is a fishing and charter boat businessman and has a good life with his daughter Gabby in Rockne Heads who is soon off to University, he thought he’d never see Alex again.
Once Alex arrives in Rockne Heads, the news spreads and the gossipers cause her memories to come back vividly to haunt her. Alex’s secret cannot be exposed and she never wants to see Sully again!
I don’t know how you do it Karly Lane, brilliant!
Publication Day 30 April 2024
Publisher Allen & Unwin
Thank you so much Allen & Unwin for a copy of the book to read.
I absolutely couldn’t put The One That Got Away by Karly Lane down, this outstanding book would make anyone fall in love with the rural romance genre. The One That Got Away is fast paced and had me totally consumed in the story and the mystery of who killed Jamie Duncan.
Alex Kelly has been living in London for a decade and working in her dream job for the last six years. Alex inherited her family home in the Aussie beach town of Rockne Heads eight years ago when her dad died and has been renting it out but now is the time to sell it. She doesn’t want to go back there to live and prefers to forget her hometown in Australia and what happened there when she was a teenager.
Alex plans to head back to Australia, sort out the house she’s selling and return to London as fast as she can, like in three weeks!
Sully McCoy is a fishing and charter boat businessman and has a good life with his daughter Gabby in Rockne Heads who is soon off to University, he thought he’d never see Alex again.
Once Alex arrives in Rockne Heads, the news spreads and the gossipers cause her memories to come back vividly to haunt her. Alex’s secret cannot be exposed and she never wants to see Sully again!
I don’t know how you do it Karly Lane, brilliant!
Publication Day 30 April 2024
Publisher Allen & Unwin
Thank you so much Allen & Unwin for a copy of the book to read.
April 30, 2024
Thank you Allen & Unwin for sending us a copy to read and review.
Karly Lane is a lady boss in the rural fiction genre and her latest is one that needs to be added to your reading list.
With a sprinkle of mystery and a big portion of romance, The One That Got Away is a tender, delightful, sweet and agreeable read.
Alex returns to her hometown of Rockne Heads with caution and a past she just wants to forget.
Her life in London is filled with joy and she arrives to settle matters with the family home and return overseas quickly.
Sully has spent all his life in the small town, avoiding gossip and bringing up his daughter.
When Alex turns up, old memories begin to surface.
But what happened decades ago is about to be exposed and now they must face the truth.
I welcome a Karly book with open arms and it rewards me with a warm hug.
An interesting plot, memorable characters, lots of community spirit all against the backdrop of country life.
Readers will adore this tale and be moved by the storyline.
There’s a generous serving of drama as well as a riddle from the past.
With themes of second chance love, issues from bygone days, family secrets and healing, well worth your reading investment.
Follow the pages for an engaging experience and be assured love and happiness.
Karly Lane is a lady boss in the rural fiction genre and her latest is one that needs to be added to your reading list.
With a sprinkle of mystery and a big portion of romance, The One That Got Away is a tender, delightful, sweet and agreeable read.
Alex returns to her hometown of Rockne Heads with caution and a past she just wants to forget.
Her life in London is filled with joy and she arrives to settle matters with the family home and return overseas quickly.
Sully has spent all his life in the small town, avoiding gossip and bringing up his daughter.
When Alex turns up, old memories begin to surface.
But what happened decades ago is about to be exposed and now they must face the truth.
I welcome a Karly book with open arms and it rewards me with a warm hug.
An interesting plot, memorable characters, lots of community spirit all against the backdrop of country life.
Readers will adore this tale and be moved by the storyline.
There’s a generous serving of drama as well as a riddle from the past.
With themes of second chance love, issues from bygone days, family secrets and healing, well worth your reading investment.
Follow the pages for an engaging experience and be assured love and happiness.
May 11, 2024
I love Karly Lane books; wholesome romances with a backstory that enhances the relationship as the characters deal with their issues. For a little while, I’m somewhere else and all too soon the story ends and I look forward to the next. A four and a half star novel.
May 20, 2024
I adored this second chance, small town rural romance by Karly Lane.
It centers around Alex Kelly who has come home to the small Australian costal town of Rockne Heads to pack up her childhood home so she can buy her dream English cottage outside of London.
But coming home when she’s been trying to forget an incident 18 years ago has old wounds resurfacing, not just for Alex but also for the community who remember.
The second point of view is that of Sully McCoy. A single dad to a 17 year old daughter who has worked hard to make a name for himself and his fishing charter business that is not associated with his criminal father. But seeing Alex again has Sully wishing things had of worked out between them many years ago.
Rekindling their relationship when Alex is only home for a short time has Sully determined to make her stay and Alex questioning everything she thought she wanted. But dark secrets, threats and revenge are targeting Alex and forcing her hand.
This was the perfect rural romance. The way Karly describes the landscape and community of side characters of Rockne Heads is so vivid you can picture it with ease.
I felt all of the emotions as I devoured this book and recommend you it to your tbr immediately!
It centers around Alex Kelly who has come home to the small Australian costal town of Rockne Heads to pack up her childhood home so she can buy her dream English cottage outside of London.
But coming home when she’s been trying to forget an incident 18 years ago has old wounds resurfacing, not just for Alex but also for the community who remember.
The second point of view is that of Sully McCoy. A single dad to a 17 year old daughter who has worked hard to make a name for himself and his fishing charter business that is not associated with his criminal father. But seeing Alex again has Sully wishing things had of worked out between them many years ago.
Rekindling their relationship when Alex is only home for a short time has Sully determined to make her stay and Alex questioning everything she thought she wanted. But dark secrets, threats and revenge are targeting Alex and forcing her hand.
This was the perfect rural romance. The way Karly describes the landscape and community of side characters of Rockne Heads is so vivid you can picture it with ease.
I felt all of the emotions as I devoured this book and recommend you it to your tbr immediately!
December 21, 2024
Tigger Warning- rape, a character is a repeat rapist.
I enjoyed the story line between the two main characters- Alex & Sully.
The back story with the evil Duncan family was a bit rough. Even the cop father couldn’t get to the bottom of the crime in his own small town for crying out loud. Maybe I’ve read to my crime novels. Cop Kelly should have had that sorted & solved before Alex left town. Cop Kelly should have known the signs- that female cop with did the follow up chit chat should have known the signs! I wasn’t impressed by Cop Kelly at all. I understand the family breakdown there.
Justice was served, in the end, (after cop Kelly died) but at such a cost, so many were affected by that crime family in a small town. Property values would definitely go down when you have a repeat rapist in your small town. How was it the tourists kept coming?
Sully for Mayor- he gets my vote!
I loved the rival bookclub. That was fun.
I enjoyed the story line between the two main characters- Alex & Sully.
The back story with the evil Duncan family was a bit rough. Even the cop father couldn’t get to the bottom of the crime in his own small town for crying out loud. Maybe I’ve read to my crime novels. Cop Kelly should have had that sorted & solved before Alex left town. Cop Kelly should have known the signs- that female cop with did the follow up chit chat should have known the signs! I wasn’t impressed by Cop Kelly at all. I understand the family breakdown there.
Justice was served, in the end, (after cop Kelly died) but at such a cost, so many were affected by that crime family in a small town. Property values would definitely go down when you have a repeat rapist in your small town. How was it the tourists kept coming?
Sully for Mayor- he gets my vote!
I loved the rival bookclub. That was fun.
June 23, 2024
Once again Karly has produced a cool story. With loveable characters. There was mystery, tragedy, heartbreak.
But like all good stories the good won out.
WARNING - you will need tissues and chocolate. And a whole 24 hrs to see how it all unfolds.
But like all good stories the good won out.
WARNING - you will need tissues and chocolate. And a whole 24 hrs to see how it all unfolds.
December 14, 2024
Sweet Aussie love story. Tw rape.
December 7, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ - this surprised me!!
May 20, 2024
Great story.
Just want to warn people there is a trigger warning on sexual abuse.
Just want to warn people there is a trigger warning on sexual abuse.
May 4, 2024
Another riveting read from Karly Lane! The One That Got Away is a wonderful mix of mystery with a bit of crime and a warm helping of romance and plenty of drama and twists. I was quite caught up with lead character Alex Kelly as I followed her plight. She has returned home to Australia on a visit to tend to her late father’s house that he left to her. She encounters a lot of memories: some good and others quite frightful. Particularly one horrible event that happened when she was seventeen before she moved away to London to pursue a new life. Her presence back in the town gets tongues wagging and old trouble rises again.
Alex runs into Sully McCoy, a past love that broke her heart. She learns he has spent the last twenty years building up his business and making a good life for himself and his daughter in Rockne Heads. His appearance stirs up a whole lot of buried emotions which get her confused. Will they rekindle an old romance or is the risk too great? Not to mention, Alex lives on the other side of the world and she has made it clear she is not here to relive the past but rather to end old ties for good. But does her heart have other ideas?
Yet there’s more to this story. We are provided flashbacks to learn of a mystery that surrounds a fellow named Jamie whose family has a bad reputation for drugs. He, himself, is quite a loathsome character, too. On that fateful night when everything changes, Alex attends a party with many of the town’s teenagers where she learns some hurtful news about Sully. This sends her into a tailspin and she goes running off in an act of rebellion with Jamie. But something terrible happens and she leaves the party in shock. This event will haunt her for many years to come.
In the morning, awful news hits the streets that Jamie has died and it sends a fierce ripple through the town causing much division. Accusations run high after his body is found in the sea. Has he fallen off a cliff? Or maybe been pushed? If so, who did this? Alex’s father is a cop on the case and many are called in for testimony. Some terrible feelings arise as the conclusion is not satisfactory; particularly for the family of the deceased.
Years later, upon Alex’s re-entry to the town, fingers are pointing again and she is in fear of her life. While taking refuge in her father’s house and finding comfort in the reconnection with her old best friend, Alex discovers some notes her father left behind. He was compiling them for a book. The words reveal his thoughts of the incident and of her.
This story has a great plot with fantastic characters and the mystery is well conceived and delivered. Despite its gritty reality, the outcome is a positive and appropriate one. I loved the journey and was pinned to the pages as I followed the peaks and valleys of Alex’s roller coaster experience. It is an emotional read for sure, told from Alex’s and Sully’s viewpoint, and covers some heavy topics but Karly keeps a tight rein on it all.
This story is both tender and tragic, heartbreaking and triumphant. As family members and neighbours spill their secrets and the surprising truth comes out, the record is set straight and growth begins. As this age old mystery is solved, healing begins to flow through the hearts of the Rockne Head community members. This is ultimately about the power of truth and how it can set the innocent free. It is also about second chances and how it is never too late to make amends and start again for The One That Got Away. A wonderful life affirming story I highly recommend. (With a bonus fishing business connection to which I can truly relate!)
5 Beautiful Stars.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Alex runs into Sully McCoy, a past love that broke her heart. She learns he has spent the last twenty years building up his business and making a good life for himself and his daughter in Rockne Heads. His appearance stirs up a whole lot of buried emotions which get her confused. Will they rekindle an old romance or is the risk too great? Not to mention, Alex lives on the other side of the world and she has made it clear she is not here to relive the past but rather to end old ties for good. But does her heart have other ideas?
Yet there’s more to this story. We are provided flashbacks to learn of a mystery that surrounds a fellow named Jamie whose family has a bad reputation for drugs. He, himself, is quite a loathsome character, too. On that fateful night when everything changes, Alex attends a party with many of the town’s teenagers where she learns some hurtful news about Sully. This sends her into a tailspin and she goes running off in an act of rebellion with Jamie. But something terrible happens and she leaves the party in shock. This event will haunt her for many years to come.
In the morning, awful news hits the streets that Jamie has died and it sends a fierce ripple through the town causing much division. Accusations run high after his body is found in the sea. Has he fallen off a cliff? Or maybe been pushed? If so, who did this? Alex’s father is a cop on the case and many are called in for testimony. Some terrible feelings arise as the conclusion is not satisfactory; particularly for the family of the deceased.
Years later, upon Alex’s re-entry to the town, fingers are pointing again and she is in fear of her life. While taking refuge in her father’s house and finding comfort in the reconnection with her old best friend, Alex discovers some notes her father left behind. He was compiling them for a book. The words reveal his thoughts of the incident and of her.
This story has a great plot with fantastic characters and the mystery is well conceived and delivered. Despite its gritty reality, the outcome is a positive and appropriate one. I loved the journey and was pinned to the pages as I followed the peaks and valleys of Alex’s roller coaster experience. It is an emotional read for sure, told from Alex’s and Sully’s viewpoint, and covers some heavy topics but Karly keeps a tight rein on it all.
This story is both tender and tragic, heartbreaking and triumphant. As family members and neighbours spill their secrets and the surprising truth comes out, the record is set straight and growth begins. As this age old mystery is solved, healing begins to flow through the hearts of the Rockne Head community members. This is ultimately about the power of truth and how it can set the innocent free. It is also about second chances and how it is never too late to make amends and start again for The One That Got Away. A wonderful life affirming story I highly recommend. (With a bonus fishing business connection to which I can truly relate!)
5 Beautiful Stars.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 10, 2024
She had it all planned out. It didn’t quite work that way…..
I enjoy reading a good romance, but when you had a bit of a mystery into the works as well, then you hook me even more. This story was such is a fabulously easy read that kept me entertained and fascinated through to the very end.
With the beautiful landscape, delightful characters (well most of them) and the small-town charm, this turned out to be a winning recipe.
Alex’s character has a depth that had me enthralled and wanting to find out more about the events that occurred eighteen years ago that changed her life so dramatically. As the book progresses, and more flashbacks occur, I felt more and more for Alex and what she has had to bear and overcome, including the heartbreak of losing Sully.
This story has some highly charged emotional events, but this is not all it has to offer. The One That Got Away is not only a mystery and small-town drama, but also a second-chance romance that takes you on a journey of love, forgiveness and new connections for not just the two main characters, Alex and Sully, but for best friends, old friends, new friends and family.
I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Karly’s latest creation and heading off for a coastal break with the residents and visitors of Rockne Heads. You never know, you might just get to attend a book club with a difference.
Thank you Allen & Unwin for my gifted copy from your recent competition.
#theonethatgotaway
#karlylane
#mykindofbookclub
I enjoy reading a good romance, but when you had a bit of a mystery into the works as well, then you hook me even more. This story was such is a fabulously easy read that kept me entertained and fascinated through to the very end.
With the beautiful landscape, delightful characters (well most of them) and the small-town charm, this turned out to be a winning recipe.
Alex’s character has a depth that had me enthralled and wanting to find out more about the events that occurred eighteen years ago that changed her life so dramatically. As the book progresses, and more flashbacks occur, I felt more and more for Alex and what she has had to bear and overcome, including the heartbreak of losing Sully.
This story has some highly charged emotional events, but this is not all it has to offer. The One That Got Away is not only a mystery and small-town drama, but also a second-chance romance that takes you on a journey of love, forgiveness and new connections for not just the two main characters, Alex and Sully, but for best friends, old friends, new friends and family.
I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Karly’s latest creation and heading off for a coastal break with the residents and visitors of Rockne Heads. You never know, you might just get to attend a book club with a difference.
Thank you Allen & Unwin for my gifted copy from your recent competition.
#theonethatgotaway
#karlylane
#mykindofbookclub
June 1, 2024
Alex Kelly was living her best life in London, doing her dream job. But she had to sell the family home her father left her in the small Australian seaside town of Rockne Heads, which she spent two decades trying to forget. Sully McCoy never thought he would see Alex again, after twenty years. As old wounds reopened, Alex feared the secret she had vowed to take to her grave would be exposed.
Well, this was unexpected! I’m amazed at the versatility Karly showed in each of her book. Each of them seemed to venture into a different sub-genre! I didn’t expect this one to have a hint of suspense aspect to it, and it was a welcome surprise!
The ‘going back to hometown’ setting won me over already, even before the second chance romance and the murder mystery. I loved Alex’s strength and assertiveness as the main character. Sully, as the leading man, was definitely not perfect, both in the past and present timelines. I wanted to tell him to ‘wake up’ and rethink his responses a few times! His daughter, on the other hand, was such a lovely young woman and possibly my favourite side character in this book.
I can’t wait to see what other sub-genre Karly will throw in next!
(Thanks to Allen & Unwin for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review)
See my bookstagram review.
Well, this was unexpected! I’m amazed at the versatility Karly showed in each of her book. Each of them seemed to venture into a different sub-genre! I didn’t expect this one to have a hint of suspense aspect to it, and it was a welcome surprise!
The ‘going back to hometown’ setting won me over already, even before the second chance romance and the murder mystery. I loved Alex’s strength and assertiveness as the main character. Sully, as the leading man, was definitely not perfect, both in the past and present timelines. I wanted to tell him to ‘wake up’ and rethink his responses a few times! His daughter, on the other hand, was such a lovely young woman and possibly my favourite side character in this book.
I can’t wait to see what other sub-genre Karly will throw in next!
(Thanks to Allen & Unwin for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review)
See my bookstagram review.
March 30, 2025
After an 18 year gap Alex returns home to her home town to sell up her father's home so that she can fund a beautiful country cottage purchase in Kent UK where she has settled down with her dream job. With the intentions of only staying long enough to put the house on the market, Alex doesn't have time for a place that holds both unsettling and wonderful memories of growing up. But life has different ideas for Alex when she runs into her childhood best friend Tanya as well as her first true love Sully. In her dad's house Alex finds an unpublished memoir of her fathers, about the difficult life of a cop in a small town. Karly Lane weaves in a murder, complicated relationships, unresolved love and lost souls who haven't quite found their passion.
I really enjoyed this book and the wonderful life lessons this story imparts, along with the questions for the reader in what would they do in some of the situations that Alex and Sully find themselves in.
A unputtdownable fantastic read. I listened to the audio version of this book and it was brilliantly narrated. Highly recommend this book. Thank you Karly Lane for a wonderful read.
I really enjoyed this book and the wonderful life lessons this story imparts, along with the questions for the reader in what would they do in some of the situations that Alex and Sully find themselves in.
A unputtdownable fantastic read. I listened to the audio version of this book and it was brilliantly narrated. Highly recommend this book. Thank you Karly Lane for a wonderful read.
April 3, 2025
Trigger - rape Love this authors ability to create great complex characters that really draw you into the story. I got this audiobook from library.
Alex Kelly left with her mother to move to England years ago when she was 18 and her parents divorced. Her father the local cop passed away 7 yrs ago and she comes back to the small Australian seaside town of Rockne Heads to sell his house (where she grew up). She has been using it as vacation rental but now she wants to buy a tiny house near her London job.
Alex is met with hostility and small town gossip from something that happened when she was 17. She also runs into her first love Sully McCoy. He was the son of shady character, she was the daughter of the policeman. They had to sneak around in secret till the night everything fell apart in HUGE way.
Turns out the connection they feel is still there. He is now divorced, responsible ship owner with 18yr old daughter who doesn't want Alex in her dad's life.
Their past is heartbreaking story of young stupid mistakes and how they affect their lives. I really enjoyed this book as it is well written tale and totally opposite to some of the light stuff I have been reading.
Alex Kelly left with her mother to move to England years ago when she was 18 and her parents divorced. Her father the local cop passed away 7 yrs ago and she comes back to the small Australian seaside town of Rockne Heads to sell his house (where she grew up). She has been using it as vacation rental but now she wants to buy a tiny house near her London job.
Alex is met with hostility and small town gossip from something that happened when she was 17. She also runs into her first love Sully McCoy. He was the son of shady character, she was the daughter of the policeman. They had to sneak around in secret till the night everything fell apart in HUGE way.
Turns out the connection they feel is still there. He is now divorced, responsible ship owner with 18yr old daughter who doesn't want Alex in her dad's life.
Their past is heartbreaking story of young stupid mistakes and how they affect their lives. I really enjoyed this book as it is well written tale and totally opposite to some of the light stuff I have been reading.
June 27, 2024
This is Karly’s newest release and I loved that this was something slightly different from the previous books I have read - it still had that rural small country community, but instead of farming, it was a fishing/beach town and it also had darker suspenseful themes around a death that took place when Alex was younger and the events that took place before she left town - it wasn’t something I expected, but the way she wove it in with her typical small town romance, family dynamics was done well.
The town of Rockne Heads seemed like a real place, where I would want to go on holiday and the characters were as if they were real and were well developed.
I also liked the town discussion and different points of views around the pros and cons to building a bigger community and more infrastructure/jobs in rural towns to help with tourism and to keep the local community happy and well looked after.
A more progressive read by Karly, touching more difficult topics, but still with the small town vibes I love.
The town of Rockne Heads seemed like a real place, where I would want to go on holiday and the characters were as if they were real and were well developed.
I also liked the town discussion and different points of views around the pros and cons to building a bigger community and more infrastructure/jobs in rural towns to help with tourism and to keep the local community happy and well looked after.
A more progressive read by Karly, touching more difficult topics, but still with the small town vibes I love.
May 23, 2025
The One That Got Away is a page-turner complete with a great story line, strong characters, and lots of emotion, so be ready for a bumpy ride.
Alex Kelly is happy in her London job and is saving to purchase a country property that she has had her eye on, but first she needs to go back to Rockne Heads, a small town in rural New South Wales, Australia. She needs to clean out her father's property and sell it as he is deceased. This was her home town when she was younger and she fled because she was suspected of being involved in a murder.
Sully Mc Coy runs a successful fishing business, is divorced and has a teenage daughter. He lives in Rockne Heads and has done his whole life. He was Alex's school sweetheart until they broke up just before she fled town 20 years ago. He never got over Alex.
Now Alex is back in town and Sully is not letting her get away this time! Or will he?
Alex Kelly is happy in her London job and is saving to purchase a country property that she has had her eye on, but first she needs to go back to Rockne Heads, a small town in rural New South Wales, Australia. She needs to clean out her father's property and sell it as he is deceased. This was her home town when she was younger and she fled because she was suspected of being involved in a murder.
Sully Mc Coy runs a successful fishing business, is divorced and has a teenage daughter. He lives in Rockne Heads and has done his whole life. He was Alex's school sweetheart until they broke up just before she fled town 20 years ago. He never got over Alex.
Now Alex is back in town and Sully is not letting her get away this time! Or will he?
June 30, 2024
Hello Everyone another fabulous book by Karly Lane The One that Got Away this story is about Alex Kelly who moved away from the small coastal town of Rockne Heads where she lived with her father she lives in England and is thinking of buying a cottage but something happens and she needs to go back home what was she running from 18 years ago ......this book has so much to keep you turning the pages I can't tell you anything else so you know
what to do ......loved it ...enjoy
what to do ......loved it ...enjoy
June 26, 2024
Love this book, a fantastic read by author Karly Lane. Alex left town 20 years earlier after finishing year 12 at 18, leaving behind the man she loved. Now she comes back to town with so many memories of the past why she left, the town had labelled her a murder, we learn as we read that she wanted to be like everyone else as her dad was the town police officer and didn't like her going to parties and dating boys that had a bad reputation.
September 10, 2024
A great read with lots of twists to the tale. Alex is on a very emotional ride as she faces her past head on as she revisits her home town. I loved the many challenges and emotions that were brought about with raising children, small town ups and downs and loyalty of friends - not to mention that one character that is nosy, small town minded and up for a bit of ruffling feathers this one made me giggle! Go Alex!
A great read for me I hope so for you too.
A great read for me I hope so for you too.
May 10, 2024
I really enjoyed this sweet, easy to read second chance at romance story. As always with Karly Lane’s books you feel as though you are right in the middle of the story. This time I felt like I was sitting on the deck of one of the seaside beach cottages, listening to the waves, enjoying the salty ocean air and watching all the characters come to life. Looking forward to my next Karly Lane read 💛
May 20, 2024
Jumped into it without knowing what to expect but it was definitely a breath of fresh air. 3.5 stars because the writing felt void of emotions many times to me and by 85% of it I didn’t have much interest in knowing how the characters ended but I’m glad I took it till the end because it ended very nicely! Overall a nice read
May 21, 2024
Alex and Sullivan's story. (The latest from Karly 2024)
Aussie flavour, beaches, bush, community and long memories, mystery.
Escape maybe adventures to UK. (I have a daughter who has done that but beaches aren't bringing her back).
Glad to have found this in the local library and I can catch up on other titles as well.
Aussie flavour, beaches, bush, community and long memories, mystery.
Escape maybe adventures to UK. (I have a daughter who has done that but beaches aren't bringing her back).
Glad to have found this in the local library and I can catch up on other titles as well.
June 26, 2024
Alex Kelly returns to the small Australian seaside town of Rockne Heads where she grew up in order to sell the family home following her father's death. As the memories come flooding back, there are old wounds that still need healing, and running into her high school boyfriend brings back other, more passionate, feelings as well.
June 20, 2024
Another fabulous book by Karly Lane. Beautifully woven story line in a gorgeous setting. I loved the second chance romance for both Alex and Sully and the real life struggles they both endure to make it happen. A wonderful, satisfying read.
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