What do you think?
Rate this book
The One That Got Away
In this irresistible debut novel, a freak accident allows a wife and mother to explore the alluring road not taken.
Meet Abbey Lahey . . .
Overworked mom. Underappreciated publicist. Frazzled wife of an out-of-work landscaper. A woman desperately in need of a vacation from life -- and who is about to get one, thanks to an unexpected tumble down a Nordstrom escalator.
Meet Abbey van Holt . . .
The woman whose life Abbey suddenly finds herself inhabiting when she wakes up. Married to handsome congressional candidate Alex van Holt. Living in a lavish penthouse. Wearing ball gowns and being feted by the creme of Philadelphia society. Luxuriating in the kind of fourteen-karat lifestyle she's only read about in the pages of Town & Country.
The woman Abbey might have been . . . if she had said yes to a date with Alex van Holt all those years ago.
In the tradition of the romantic comedy Sliding Doors and Lionel Shriver's The Post-Birthday World, Leigh Himes's irresistible debut novel tells the funny and touching story of an ordinary woman offered an extraordinary opportunity to reboot her life, explore the road not taken, and ultimately, find her true self -- whoever that may be.
Meet Abbey Lahey . . .
Overworked mom. Underappreciated publicist. Frazzled wife of an out-of-work landscaper. A woman desperately in need of a vacation from life -- and who is about to get one, thanks to an unexpected tumble down a Nordstrom escalator.
Meet Abbey van Holt . . .
The woman whose life Abbey suddenly finds herself inhabiting when she wakes up. Married to handsome congressional candidate Alex van Holt. Living in a lavish penthouse. Wearing ball gowns and being feted by the creme of Philadelphia society. Luxuriating in the kind of fourteen-karat lifestyle she's only read about in the pages of Town & Country.
The woman Abbey might have been . . . if she had said yes to a date with Alex van Holt all those years ago.
In the tradition of the romantic comedy Sliding Doors and Lionel Shriver's The Post-Birthday World, Leigh Himes's irresistible debut novel tells the funny and touching story of an ordinary woman offered an extraordinary opportunity to reboot her life, explore the road not taken, and ultimately, find her true self -- whoever that may be.
Audiobook
First published May 31, 2016
83 people are currently reading
3388 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
August 21, 2018
When her husband Jimmy's business begins to lose money during the recession, the burden falls on Abbey to not only provide for them but also manage the household and her children. Feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by the strained relationship between her and Jimmy and the constant dismissal she faces at work, Abbey starts to wonder if she made the right choices in life. While flipping through a magazine she happens to see Alex van Holt, who had coincidentally asked her out years ago when she was fresh out of college. Seeing his lavish house and life style she has a moment of regret for rejecting him years ago for a boyfriend who dumped her years later.
Inconsequential as her musings may have seemed at the time to Abbey, things get strange when she goes to Nordstrom to return the designer purse she bought that they could no longer afford. As she's riding up the escalator, Abbey slips and falls all the way down, passing out. When she wakes up though she finds her self suddenly not recognizing her surrounds and is told that she is now Abbey van Holt. Abbey must now try to navigate her new life without any memory of the years that lead up to it, getting a new chance to have the life she had been longing for shortly before her fall.
There might be spoilers from this point on. I actually really enjoyed this one, as soon as the book started I instantly loved Abbey. The voice was really well done and consistent through out the book and Abbey was so amusing and sympathetic. Also this is the kind of plot line that turns corny and cliched really fast but I personally felt like the author did a great job with the execution. Abbey's conflicted feelings through out the book and her struggling to figure out this alternate version of herself worked really well and pulled me into the book. I was really curious about how the author was going to make everything work out.
The ending felt a little rushed and didn't quite leave me satisfied though but it wasn't the worst ending I've read. I think it just unfolded really quickly compared to the rest of the story and it felt like the timing was too convenient. Until that point I had totally been buying into the plot but then it kind of all just felt way less believable when Marc Jacobs pops up and Abbey is then transported back to her old life right after deciding to leave Alex. I almost wished she had been left stuck in her new life and eventually just made the most out of it. I think that would have felt less like incredulous to me.
The only other thing that really stood out to me was the fact that Abbey kept insisting on pretending she was fine. I think she could've easily just plead to memory loss and it may have helped prevent a lot of the consequent mistakes that she made through out. I don't think she really had to admit fully to the alternative reality thing, but amnesia wouldn't really land her in the psych ward. It didn't bother me enough to get in the way of my enjoyment of the book and it was way more entertaining seeing her trying to pretend like she knew what was happening though.
Anyway, even though other reviewers may not have enjoyed it as much, I really liked this book. It was light hearted and engrossing and the overall ideas of the book were positive ones that are hard to pull off, but they didn't really feel preachy or idealistic here which is probably my favorite part.
Inconsequential as her musings may have seemed at the time to Abbey, things get strange when she goes to Nordstrom to return the designer purse she bought that they could no longer afford. As she's riding up the escalator, Abbey slips and falls all the way down, passing out. When she wakes up though she finds her self suddenly not recognizing her surrounds and is told that she is now Abbey van Holt. Abbey must now try to navigate her new life without any memory of the years that lead up to it, getting a new chance to have the life she had been longing for shortly before her fall.
There might be spoilers from this point on. I actually really enjoyed this one, as soon as the book started I instantly loved Abbey. The voice was really well done and consistent through out the book and Abbey was so amusing and sympathetic. Also this is the kind of plot line that turns corny and cliched really fast but I personally felt like the author did a great job with the execution. Abbey's conflicted feelings through out the book and her struggling to figure out this alternate version of herself worked really well and pulled me into the book. I was really curious about how the author was going to make everything work out.
The ending felt a little rushed and didn't quite leave me satisfied though but it wasn't the worst ending I've read. I think it just unfolded really quickly compared to the rest of the story and it felt like the timing was too convenient. Until that point I had totally been buying into the plot but then it kind of all just felt way less believable when Marc Jacobs pops up and Abbey is then transported back to her old life right after deciding to leave Alex. I almost wished she had been left stuck in her new life and eventually just made the most out of it. I think that would have felt less like incredulous to me.
The only other thing that really stood out to me was the fact that Abbey kept insisting on pretending she was fine. I think she could've easily just plead to memory loss and it may have helped prevent a lot of the consequent mistakes that she made through out. I don't think she really had to admit fully to the alternative reality thing, but amnesia wouldn't really land her in the psych ward. It didn't bother me enough to get in the way of my enjoyment of the book and it was way more entertaining seeing her trying to pretend like she knew what was happening though.
Anyway, even though other reviewers may not have enjoyed it as much, I really liked this book. It was light hearted and engrossing and the overall ideas of the book were positive ones that are hard to pull off, but they didn't really feel preachy or idealistic here which is probably my favorite part.
September 22, 2016
Abbey Lahey lives in a quaint suburban town outside of Philadelphia. She's overworked and under appreciated as many working mothers are and her husband, Jimmy, is a landscaper who is barely getting by. So their homelife can be a bit stressful at times, especially with two young kids in the mix. While at Nordstrom, she decides to buy a really expensive purse as a treat for herself, but she Jimmy insists she take it back as they could really use that money. So while returning it, she tumbles off of the escalator and takes a pretty hard fall. When she "wakes" up, she is Abbey van Holt, wife to congressional candidate Alex van Holt and member of an old Main Line family. Abbey was asked out by Alex many years ago and she turned him down, which sometimes she regrets. Now she is married to him and living a life that is drastically different than what she is used to. As Abbey spends more time rubbing elbows with Philadelphia high society, she realizes that living her dream life isn't exactly everything she thought it would be despite the fact that there's glittering diamonds, a perfect penthouse, loads of money, and even a fit version of herself. The One That Got Away by Leigh Himes is a fun debut novel that questions the paths we take in life and begs us to say, "what if?"
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
May 24, 2017
This was a fun 4 star read up until the end. Yes, it was predictable but that wasn't the problem for me. The problem for me is that when it's all said and done, Abbey doesn't learn anything from her experience. Which makes the whole book pointless. There is no "ah ha" moment where she realizes that the life she's in is a life she helped to create. She spends her time longing for a different life entirely rather than making an effort to get back on track in the present - in both lives. She had a loving husband - in both lives. Her OWN decisions helped shape the present day - in both lives. She plays the victim - in both lives. She's a quitter - in. both. lives. And then it's mucho predictable from there. So yeah, only 3 stars because it was fun but that's it.
June 15, 2017
Overworked nice wife and mother loses the rest of her life balance and falls off the escalator at Nordstrom's while attempting to return an overpriced designer bag which she simply couldn't afford. When she regains consciousness she has magically arrived in the Cinderella-esque life that she'd wondered regretfully if she had lost forever by turning down a date by the rich up and coming fellow in the office next door.
It is quite predictable although I did enjoy how the details from one life were merged into the other, and I was a bit curious as to how the clunky, less interesting bits would be resolved in the end.
Very, very light yet it takes itself a bit too seriously for nigh Chick lit loaded with glamour gowns, makeup artists, plastic surgery- and the condemnation of such luxuries did Walmart the escapist fun which I'd been seeking.
Three stars. Ok for the beach and little contemplation.
It is quite predictable although I did enjoy how the details from one life were merged into the other, and I was a bit curious as to how the clunky, less interesting bits would be resolved in the end.
Very, very light yet it takes itself a bit too seriously for nigh Chick lit loaded with glamour gowns, makeup artists, plastic surgery- and the condemnation of such luxuries did Walmart the escapist fun which I'd been seeking.
Three stars. Ok for the beach and little contemplation.
June 21, 2016
Really light, but also fun and engaging. Never once felt bored! A good (though predictable) beach read.
July 15, 2019
5 STARS!
Wow! I really loved this story. The book blurb referenced similarities to Sliding Doors, but I felt a stronger similarity to the movie The Family Man with Nic Cage. Like The Family Man, there are some fantasy elements within the story via the main character finding that she is living a different life after a head injury. With a running moral being the oft-quoted cliche, "The grass isn't always greener on the other side," a reader might expect to connect with one life of Abby's over the other. While I found myself leaning towards one over the other, I also found myself wanting to see Abby make the best choices in both of those "lives." Ultimately, I found that the author was really good at making all of the characters likable, but with inherent flaws. Just like real life. The growth Abby experienced was profound to me in regards to marriage, raising children, and her feelings of complacency. The ending was fitting, but the epilogue was just what I needed and hoped for. I loved how she tied all the characters and pieces together. I felt emotional towards characters in both of Abby's life paths and their ultimate hea's.
I read and listened to the audio interchangeably, but mostly listened and the audio was perfection. Some books you just need to read rather than listen to. With those books, the audio may change the context or the voice inflections might ruin the overall experience. Not with this book. The narrator did a fabulous job in conveying every emotion and change in character. This really has been one of the best narrations I've listened to in some time.
January 22, 2016
I loved this book, couldn’t put it down. Abbey is married with 2 kids, struggling with her job and her Husband coldness, they don’t have enough money to pay the bills but she is so tired of her life that she decided to buy a very expensive bag. She decides to send the bag back to the store and, after a very freaky accident she wakes up at another life, married to a gorgeous and rich man, the one who got away, a dashing Philly Blueblood she met briefly years earlier and living a Cinderella life of privilege and luxury.
She lives this life but not very well, she still thinks about the life she left behind. I loved the end, perfect.
Thank you so much for sending me a copy for review
She lives this life but not very well, she still thinks about the life she left behind. I loved the end, perfect.
Thank you so much for sending me a copy for review
May 2, 2016
Abbey Lahey is exhausted. She's a thirty-something mom of two kids, trying to keep her family afloat financially while her husband's once-booming landscaping business flounders. She hasn't had a break in years, and the pressures of daily life--bills, family, school, work, all of it--are finally getting to her. Though she loves her husband and her children with all her heart, she's beginning to resent feeling pulled in a million directions while simultaneously criticized for not getting anything right. She feels like she's gone from "living for today to simply getting through it."
On a particularly bad day, Abbey decides to soothe herself by buying a gorgeous purse at Nordstrom that is well out of her family's budget. After her husband finds out the purse cost over $500, he demands she return it. And the very next day, she does--well, she tries to. While juggling the to-be-returned purse, her coffee, and her own worn bag of random stuff, Abbey loses her footing stepping off the escalator and accidentally falls over the second floor railing. She hits her head hard on the piano bench below, and when she wakes up, she finds herself in an alternate universe. Suddenly she is Abigail van Holt, wife to a handsome, rich soon-to-be senator. Her two children are still her own somehow, but her body, wardrobe, bank account, friends, and social engagements are vastly different. Far from being the working class mess that was Abbey Lahey, Abigail van Holt is perfect and polished political royalty.
This book is basically everything you expect it to be. If you think you have a good idea where the story ends up, well, you're probably right. There aren't many surprises here. But, still, The One That Got Away is a really fun read. The story stays light, even in its darkest moments. The characters are engaging, for the most part--and I didn't mind that author Himes never goes especially deep with any of them. There are definitely some stereotypes in here about what it means to be rich or poor, but nothing too irritating or offensive. Ultimately, this is a book you read in order to be entertained, and it does a great job of doing that. I ended up really enjoying it.
ARC provided by Amazon Vine. See more of my reviews at www.BugBugBooks.com.
On a particularly bad day, Abbey decides to soothe herself by buying a gorgeous purse at Nordstrom that is well out of her family's budget. After her husband finds out the purse cost over $500, he demands she return it. And the very next day, she does--well, she tries to. While juggling the to-be-returned purse, her coffee, and her own worn bag of random stuff, Abbey loses her footing stepping off the escalator and accidentally falls over the second floor railing. She hits her head hard on the piano bench below, and when she wakes up, she finds herself in an alternate universe. Suddenly she is Abigail van Holt, wife to a handsome, rich soon-to-be senator. Her two children are still her own somehow, but her body, wardrobe, bank account, friends, and social engagements are vastly different. Far from being the working class mess that was Abbey Lahey, Abigail van Holt is perfect and polished political royalty.
This book is basically everything you expect it to be. If you think you have a good idea where the story ends up, well, you're probably right. There aren't many surprises here. But, still, The One That Got Away is a really fun read. The story stays light, even in its darkest moments. The characters are engaging, for the most part--and I didn't mind that author Himes never goes especially deep with any of them. There are definitely some stereotypes in here about what it means to be rich or poor, but nothing too irritating or offensive. Ultimately, this is a book you read in order to be entertained, and it does a great job of doing that. I ended up really enjoying it.
ARC provided by Amazon Vine. See more of my reviews at www.BugBugBooks.com.
August 8, 2020
I know it was in abbeys alternate life but what could ever posses you to name your child VAN when your last name is VAN HOLT. VAN VAN HOLT
March 15, 2016
To some, the term "Chick-Lit" is a derogatory label, but I only agree with that when it is intentionally miss-applied in order to denigrate (to Jane Austen, for example), but there is nothing wrong with a novel that is aimed at a certain demographic, as "The One That Got Away", by Leigh Himes, certainly is. When the premise is that a middle-class woman who falls off the elevator at Nordstrom's while trying to return an expensive handbag wakes to find herself in a parallel universe where she is married to "the [rich] one that got away", it screams: CAST ANNE HATHAWAY IN THE MOVIE!
"The One That Got Away" is pure escapism. I thoroughly enjoyed curling up in my favorite chair with my non-cashmere throw (the reader's suspension of disbelief must be total and complete) and escaping into this "fish out of water" story replete with dazzling descriptions of life in the 1%.
I've always appreciated the late, great, Roger Ebert's movie reviews for never comparing apples to oranges - only apples to apples: thus he would never compare, "Citizen Kane", to "You've Got Mail". So I have no problem assigning 5-stars to Leigh Himes' enormously fun novel - the same number of stars I gave Johnathan Frazen's "Purity" - for totally different reasons (though I must say that Himes writes much better sex scenes.)
This is sure to be a popular "beach book" for your summer vacation reading!
"The One That Got Away" is pure escapism. I thoroughly enjoyed curling up in my favorite chair with my non-cashmere throw (the reader's suspension of disbelief must be total and complete) and escaping into this "fish out of water" story replete with dazzling descriptions of life in the 1%.
I've always appreciated the late, great, Roger Ebert's movie reviews for never comparing apples to oranges - only apples to apples: thus he would never compare, "Citizen Kane", to "You've Got Mail". So I have no problem assigning 5-stars to Leigh Himes' enormously fun novel - the same number of stars I gave Johnathan Frazen's "Purity" - for totally different reasons (though I must say that Himes writes much better sex scenes.)
This is sure to be a popular "beach book" for your summer vacation reading!
August 2, 2017
Abby has an accident at the Nordstrom and finds herself waking up in a ‘what if’ situation, an alternative universe(dream) where her husband is the one that got away.
I wondered when it was in our marriage that Jimmy and I stopped working together and instead started working beside each other. When it was that we lost the push and pull and began to only push. And when exactly our concern for each other had turned to contempt.
Despite the predictability of the storyline, #TOTGA is a wonderful debut about a woman’s journey to rediscover herself and learn what really matters in life. A fun summer read with truth and humor.
I wondered when it was in our marriage that Jimmy and I stopped working together and instead started working beside each other. When it was that we lost the push and pull and began to only push. And when exactly our concern for each other had turned to contempt.
Despite the predictability of the storyline, #TOTGA is a wonderful debut about a woman’s journey to rediscover herself and learn what really matters in life. A fun summer read with truth and humor.
May 30, 2018
This book is so saddening and anger inducing.
A thirty something woman wakes up in an alternate kind of universe where she is rich, have an handsome husband and a big wardrobe after a minor accident where she hit her head (or something...who cares. She faints that's for sure).
It's very beautiful there because in her before 'Head Hit life', she was living a very poor life. Her husband was basically nonexistent, shouting at her because she bought a purse for herself. I mean she takes care of her kids, earns the money whereas he doesn't. And he has the nerves to tell her that why she bought a costly purse for herself with her own money. Wow!!!! Just amazing. He even tells her to RETURN the purse. Who wants such a loser for a husband. They can't even afford to babysit their kid because they are poor.
And in her after 'Head Hit life', she is super rich. She has everything. And believe me whatever shit the author was trying to show about rich people was so wrong. Her husband loves her, so what if he is paying attention to his political campaign. He is handsome and loves her. But this stupid heroine later divorce him because she is not happy. Of course she was happy with a looser UGLY husband (because I'm 100% sure she was jealous that her after 'Head Hit life' handsome husband got more attention), who just runs away in the morning living every family duty on his wife. He doesn't even earn money (as said by the heroine herself). But clearly the heroine enjoys this poor life.
What a depressing book!!
I know I sound like a bitch. But sorry but not sorry.
A thirty something woman wakes up in an alternate kind of universe where she is rich, have an handsome husband and a big wardrobe after a minor accident where she hit her head (or something...who cares. She faints that's for sure).
It's very beautiful there because in her before 'Head Hit life', she was living a very poor life. Her husband was basically nonexistent, shouting at her because she bought a purse for herself. I mean she takes care of her kids, earns the money whereas he doesn't. And he has the nerves to tell her that why she bought a costly purse for herself with her own money. Wow!!!! Just amazing. He even tells her to RETURN the purse. Who wants such a loser for a husband. They can't even afford to babysit their kid because they are poor.
And in her after 'Head Hit life', she is super rich. She has everything. And believe me whatever shit the author was trying to show about rich people was so wrong. Her husband loves her, so what if he is paying attention to his political campaign. He is handsome and loves her. But this stupid heroine later divorce him because she is not happy. Of course she was happy with a looser UGLY husband (because I'm 100% sure she was jealous that her after 'Head Hit life' handsome husband got more attention), who just runs away in the morning living every family duty on his wife. He doesn't even earn money (as said by the heroine herself). But clearly the heroine enjoys this poor life.
What a depressing book!!
I know I sound like a bitch. But sorry but not sorry.
March 14, 2021
2 stars for the idea and the gorgeous cover.
The writing style didn’t appeal to me at all. It just draaagged. I skimmed the last 150pages. I couldn’t read it anymore but wanted to know what happened.
The writing style didn’t appeal to me at all. It just draaagged. I skimmed the last 150pages. I couldn’t read it anymore but wanted to know what happened.
October 28, 2016
Fun reading this book after meeting the author. Loved the ending- unexpectedly expected :)
April 3, 2016
***I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***
I usually don't bother to summarize a whole book in my reviews, because I feel like you can read the back cover to get the high points (and probably have, before skipping to the reviews). But, essentially, Abbey is an overworked wife and mother, stressed out, broke, and frustrated. She sees a magazine article about a guy that she once turned down for a date and finds herself wondering what would have happened if she said yes. Later, she hits her head and wakes up in an alternate universe where she finds that, of course the grass isn't really greener.
The book started pretty slow for me, but once Abbey woke up in the hospital married to Alex, it took off. I spent the entire day reading it, because I couldn't wait to see what happened next. It's very well-written, Abbey is engaging and interesting, and the pacing is spot-on. I would highly recommend this book to others.
There were two things that bothered me. First, the children Abbey had with Alex were THE EXACT SAME CHILDREN she had with Jimmy in her first life. (Naming the boy something different meant nothing to me, because she still calls him Sam the whole book.) Alternate universe Abby couldn't have had a child the looked like Alex? The boy couldn't have been the older child? There couldn't have been three kids? It just didn't work for me. It actually made me wonder if Abbey would wind up staying in her new life, because in other books like this I've read, it's alway been the kids that made the woman seek a way to get back to the life she once had. Part of me was hoping for a different ending to give this familiar trope a fresh twist.
The other thing that bothered me was that it felt like Abbey never really gave Alex a chance. She could have told him that she lost her memory without telling him she'd moved into an alternate universe, and everything would have been easier than her in that new life. She wondered for a brief second if she could make things work with him, but after she thought that going home again would be impossible, she never tried to make it work. This made even less sense to me than it would have otherwise because they had the opportunity to move to D.C., get away from the horrible mother-in-law, and try to make things work. But she just decided to give up and walk away. Her decision didn't make sense. (Granted, it doesn't matter, because of what happens later, but it still annoyed me.)
But, overall, even though the book didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, I loved it. I'll read it again. I can't wait to read the next book by this author.
I usually don't bother to summarize a whole book in my reviews, because I feel like you can read the back cover to get the high points (and probably have, before skipping to the reviews). But, essentially, Abbey is an overworked wife and mother, stressed out, broke, and frustrated. She sees a magazine article about a guy that she once turned down for a date and finds herself wondering what would have happened if she said yes. Later, she hits her head and wakes up in an alternate universe where she finds that, of course the grass isn't really greener.
The book started pretty slow for me, but once Abbey woke up in the hospital married to Alex, it took off. I spent the entire day reading it, because I couldn't wait to see what happened next. It's very well-written, Abbey is engaging and interesting, and the pacing is spot-on. I would highly recommend this book to others.
There were two things that bothered me. First, the children Abbey had with Alex were THE EXACT SAME CHILDREN she had with Jimmy in her first life. (Naming the boy something different meant nothing to me, because she still calls him Sam the whole book.) Alternate universe Abby couldn't have had a child the looked like Alex? The boy couldn't have been the older child? There couldn't have been three kids? It just didn't work for me. It actually made me wonder if Abbey would wind up staying in her new life, because in other books like this I've read, it's alway been the kids that made the woman seek a way to get back to the life she once had. Part of me was hoping for a different ending to give this familiar trope a fresh twist.
The other thing that bothered me was that it felt like Abbey never really gave Alex a chance. She could have told him that she lost her memory without telling him she'd moved into an alternate universe, and everything would have been easier than her in that new life. She wondered for a brief second if she could make things work with him, but after she thought that going home again would be impossible, she never tried to make it work. This made even less sense to me than it would have otherwise because they had the opportunity to move to D.C., get away from the horrible mother-in-law, and try to make things work. But she just decided to give up and walk away. Her decision didn't make sense. (Granted, it doesn't matter, because of what happens later, but it still annoyed me.)
But, overall, even though the book didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, I loved it. I'll read it again. I can't wait to read the next book by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2016
RELEASE DATE: May 31st, 2016
RATING: ★★★☆☆/ 3.5 Touching Stars.
REVIEW: What if? That's the question posed by Abbey Lahey to herself at the beginning of this novel. And it's a good one. It's the question that we probably ask ourselves often whenever life gets a bit hectic or stressful. This novel will resonate with you, whoever you may be, but especially the overworked mother, though the idea of the road not taken is a universal concept. In this respect, Leigh Himes has hit the nail on the head.
The One That Got Away can't really be categorized as chick-lit, which I think needs a heavier dose of levity and comedic happenstance. Instead, it has a more serious tone. There are a few amusing points, but nothing that would startle you to laugh. The story is more about deep thoughts and realizing the little things that make up the big moments.
The author's smartest and most heartwarming writing was when she had our main character flashing back to memories of her life. They were brilliantly interwoven with story. Those were the times when I couldn't keep a smile from my face. Sweet, touching, and occasionally heart-wrenching. In these passages, the book shined.
There were parts, however, that were definitely cliche. The overall lifestyle and attitudes of the wealthy and elite that Abbey found herself in, were predictable and a bit boring. I wanted her to rock the boat more. Several of the characters, especially the more interesting, like the grittier South Philly mom transplant, flitted in and out of the story too quickly. I wanted Abbey to pull these characters into her new world with her and build on them. I wanted them to have a more lasting impression and perhaps give the book a touch more comedy.
The author's love and the descriptions of the city are extensive. As well as the political and public relations aspects of the book. Himes doesn't just breeze through or give a passing glance to the world in which she has thrown her heroine. She created another living, breathing, part of the story, rich in detail. Also wonderfully detailed was the fashion and accessories. Who doesn't love a designer clothing smorgasbord? Especially when it comes with life lessons and perspective.
As to the end of this book, it was a bit abrupt. The time had definitely come but I was missing a little something. I could describe exactly what it is but I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll let you draw your own conclusions when you read the book...and I do recommend it to anyone who finds the synopsis appealing. I spent an enjoyable and relaxing weekend reading this book.
RATING: ★★★☆☆/ 3.5 Touching Stars.
REVIEW: What if? That's the question posed by Abbey Lahey to herself at the beginning of this novel. And it's a good one. It's the question that we probably ask ourselves often whenever life gets a bit hectic or stressful. This novel will resonate with you, whoever you may be, but especially the overworked mother, though the idea of the road not taken is a universal concept. In this respect, Leigh Himes has hit the nail on the head.
The One That Got Away can't really be categorized as chick-lit, which I think needs a heavier dose of levity and comedic happenstance. Instead, it has a more serious tone. There are a few amusing points, but nothing that would startle you to laugh. The story is more about deep thoughts and realizing the little things that make up the big moments.
The author's smartest and most heartwarming writing was when she had our main character flashing back to memories of her life. They were brilliantly interwoven with story. Those were the times when I couldn't keep a smile from my face. Sweet, touching, and occasionally heart-wrenching. In these passages, the book shined.
There were parts, however, that were definitely cliche. The overall lifestyle and attitudes of the wealthy and elite that Abbey found herself in, were predictable and a bit boring. I wanted her to rock the boat more. Several of the characters, especially the more interesting, like the grittier South Philly mom transplant, flitted in and out of the story too quickly. I wanted Abbey to pull these characters into her new world with her and build on them. I wanted them to have a more lasting impression and perhaps give the book a touch more comedy.
The author's love and the descriptions of the city are extensive. As well as the political and public relations aspects of the book. Himes doesn't just breeze through or give a passing glance to the world in which she has thrown her heroine. She created another living, breathing, part of the story, rich in detail. Also wonderfully detailed was the fashion and accessories. Who doesn't love a designer clothing smorgasbord? Especially when it comes with life lessons and perspective.
As to the end of this book, it was a bit abrupt. The time had definitely come but I was missing a little something. I could describe exactly what it is but I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll let you draw your own conclusions when you read the book...and I do recommend it to anyone who finds the synopsis appealing. I spent an enjoyable and relaxing weekend reading this book.
June 4, 2017
Favorite Quotes:
Roberta looked good for her age— fit and firm and painted and plucked— but for decades now she had embarrassed me with her choice of attire. Day or night, her clothes were always a little too tight, a little too short. She said she dressed to match her ‘tiger spirit,’ but I had no idea what that meant and wasn’t about to ask.
Oh my God, I’m paralyzed. I’m permanently disfigured. Or worse, I’m bleeding internally and have only days to live. I’ll be the first person in history to die from shopping… how humiliating.
And the way they spoke was problematic too. I had no idea that people— aside from the Thurston Howells on Gilligan’s Island—actually spoke like this.
To a gawky smart kid with borderline social skills, a suspect wardrobe, and a 34A bra size, having a mom like Roberta was one liability too many. There were only so many aberrations the popular kids could ignore.
She looked the same as always: overly tan, overly blond, and in clothes that even Barbie might reconsider: a purple faux-Juicy sweatshirt unzipped to reveal a low-cut silver studded tank top, stretchy white jeans, and fuzzy black boots. Her nails were long and blood red, her lips pursed and glossy. Normally, she reminded me of a past-her-prime ski bunny or an airport cocktail waitress.
He said he had fallen in love with a woman named April Dawn and he was moving to Florida with her. Can you imagine? He left me for a woman named after dish soap.
My Review:
I adored this cleverly amusing and well-crafted book from beginning to end. The writing was crisp, vibrant, and highly observant, and sparkled with smart wit and lush detail. The characters were uniquely compelling, intriguing, idiosyncratic, and vividly and insightfully described. I frequently smirked and giggled-snorted at the messes Abby finds herself in, despite her efforts and best intentions. Most of us have had similar daydreams and thoughts as the main character of Abby and had fantasies of living of life of wealth and luxury, as well as the “what if” of the path not taken. I enjoyed being in her head as she processed, bumbled, bluffed her way through, and problem solved as best she could. I also reveled in being along for the ride as Abby initially enjoyed being pampered by stylists, dressed in couture, and skips along in her incredibly expensive designer shoes and coveted bags. I found her journey delightfully entertaining, enlightening and thoughtfully depicted. I certainly would not sneer at a chance to try it out for myself.
Roberta looked good for her age— fit and firm and painted and plucked— but for decades now she had embarrassed me with her choice of attire. Day or night, her clothes were always a little too tight, a little too short. She said she dressed to match her ‘tiger spirit,’ but I had no idea what that meant and wasn’t about to ask.
Oh my God, I’m paralyzed. I’m permanently disfigured. Or worse, I’m bleeding internally and have only days to live. I’ll be the first person in history to die from shopping… how humiliating.
And the way they spoke was problematic too. I had no idea that people— aside from the Thurston Howells on Gilligan’s Island—actually spoke like this.
To a gawky smart kid with borderline social skills, a suspect wardrobe, and a 34A bra size, having a mom like Roberta was one liability too many. There were only so many aberrations the popular kids could ignore.
She looked the same as always: overly tan, overly blond, and in clothes that even Barbie might reconsider: a purple faux-Juicy sweatshirt unzipped to reveal a low-cut silver studded tank top, stretchy white jeans, and fuzzy black boots. Her nails were long and blood red, her lips pursed and glossy. Normally, she reminded me of a past-her-prime ski bunny or an airport cocktail waitress.
He said he had fallen in love with a woman named April Dawn and he was moving to Florida with her. Can you imagine? He left me for a woman named after dish soap.
My Review:
I adored this cleverly amusing and well-crafted book from beginning to end. The writing was crisp, vibrant, and highly observant, and sparkled with smart wit and lush detail. The characters were uniquely compelling, intriguing, idiosyncratic, and vividly and insightfully described. I frequently smirked and giggled-snorted at the messes Abby finds herself in, despite her efforts and best intentions. Most of us have had similar daydreams and thoughts as the main character of Abby and had fantasies of living of life of wealth and luxury, as well as the “what if” of the path not taken. I enjoyed being in her head as she processed, bumbled, bluffed her way through, and problem solved as best she could. I also reveled in being along for the ride as Abby initially enjoyed being pampered by stylists, dressed in couture, and skips along in her incredibly expensive designer shoes and coveted bags. I found her journey delightfully entertaining, enlightening and thoughtfully depicted. I certainly would not sneer at a chance to try it out for myself.
June 19, 2016
Hachette Books sent two copies of this ARC to @trisha_loves_books. After seeing how much she loved it and that she had a giveaway for it, I had to enter. A few days later I found out I had won! I was thrilled!! Thank you Trisha & Hachette Books!
Abbey was an over worked, over stressed mom of two who battled the balance of work and motherhood while also being a perfect housewife. If that wasn't enough on her plate her husbands business was in trouble with the crashing economy and left them nervous about their situation. Putting her family first she decides to return the gorgeous red Marc Jacobs bag valued at almost $600 that she bought to grasp the last bit of her former self. While trying to make the return she ends up falling and lands in an alternate universe where everything she ever dreamed and thought of happened. She now had the "perfect" life, however it quickly made her realize just how much she was wrong.
I easily connected with the main character and thought this is so true! How many times do we think if only? I adored that this book played with that concept and how our choices can change our future and that what we think we want and that perfect life isn't always what it seems. The last chapter really resonated with me and I loved how it ended. This book was humorous and had me laughing out loud on several occasions. What a fun and light read that's perfect for summer! I definitely recommend this one! Watch for its release on May 31st!!
Abbey was an over worked, over stressed mom of two who battled the balance of work and motherhood while also being a perfect housewife. If that wasn't enough on her plate her husbands business was in trouble with the crashing economy and left them nervous about their situation. Putting her family first she decides to return the gorgeous red Marc Jacobs bag valued at almost $600 that she bought to grasp the last bit of her former self. While trying to make the return she ends up falling and lands in an alternate universe where everything she ever dreamed and thought of happened. She now had the "perfect" life, however it quickly made her realize just how much she was wrong.
I easily connected with the main character and thought this is so true! How many times do we think if only? I adored that this book played with that concept and how our choices can change our future and that what we think we want and that perfect life isn't always what it seems. The last chapter really resonated with me and I loved how it ended. This book was humorous and had me laughing out loud on several occasions. What a fun and light read that's perfect for summer! I definitely recommend this one! Watch for its release on May 31st!!
June 27, 2016
After a nasty fall, Abbey's dream of riches comes true. She wakes up married to Alex Van Holt, a congressman who once approached her for a date, with her ''real'' children (the ones she had before the fall) by her side. This paranormal universe lasts for days, and pretty soon Abbey stars moving on as Alex's wife, forgetting Jimmy her ''real'' husband and adapting to nannies, fake friends and picking up dry cleaning. But when she realizes how many problems being rich brings (bratty children for one) Abbey begins to miss home.
Himes did a good job at demonstrating the dark side of living with money. Abbey's family in law is not easy to bare, her husband is either never home or constantly tired, plus other women chase him because of his status. If that isn't enough to worry about, her daughter slaps her in front of a class filled with children. Although it's sad to see Abbey stuck in a life she no longer wants, she needs the life lesson desperately so she can stop daydreaming so much about 600$ purses and understand the real treasures in life.
Himes did a good job at demonstrating the dark side of living with money. Abbey's family in law is not easy to bare, her husband is either never home or constantly tired, plus other women chase him because of his status. If that isn't enough to worry about, her daughter slaps her in front of a class filled with children. Although it's sad to see Abbey stuck in a life she no longer wants, she needs the life lesson desperately so she can stop daydreaming so much about 600$ purses and understand the real treasures in life.
June 10, 2016
I'm a big fan of "what-if" scenarios, and this sounds like something I play out in my head all the time. "What if I'd said yes to that date? What if I'd acted a little differently in that situation? What if I'd been more open with so-and-so?" Basically, this book takes that age-old trope of what would have happened if in that particular instance you'd made the other choice and formed it into a story. I liked Abbey a lot. I liked that she stayed herself throughout and also saw and understood the choices that her counterpart had made in this parallel line. I liked the realizations she came to and the understandings that settled in with each day she spent in her alternate-self's shoes. I admit I was apprehensive about how it might end or where Himes might take it, but honestly, it was the kind of ending I wanted to see. I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone looking for a light-hearted, semi-romance, contemporary story.
January 24, 2016
I don't normally read "Chick Lit" (or I guess technically "women's commercial fiction") but my wife was reading an ARC of this and chuckling a lot so I was curious. And I have to say it was really well done and a real page-turner. The author does an impressive job of spinning out all the metaphysical ramifications of her magical set-up in clever ways that have real stakes. (Similar to the way Audrey Niffenegger did in "Time Traveler's Wife," which this book resembles.) There's a minimum of "shoes & shopping"—which is what I normally associate with this genre—and much more emphasis on character development. Tonally it's not quite a comic novel but definitely witty with an engaging first person narrator I found myself rooting for. And the ending is genuinely moving. Overall an impressive and charming debut.
June 17, 2016
(3.5 rating)
I thought TOTGA was sweet, charming, and nostalgic. I'm such a sucker for stories that ask the question: What if? And I think Himes does an excellent job of coming up with a heart wrenching response. I especially think Himes does a great job with Abbey's progression. I enjoyed reading as Abbey's views changed, and therefore her outlook on her old life change as well. I also really liked Himes's use of humor, but my favorite part by far was the ending, particularly the last two chapters. The only reason why I'm not giving TOTGA a four star review, is because I wanted a little more from some of the people Abbey meets while she's a van Holt. I wanted them to make a more last impression for Abbey.
I thought TOTGA was sweet, charming, and nostalgic. I'm such a sucker for stories that ask the question: What if? And I think Himes does an excellent job of coming up with a heart wrenching response. I especially think Himes does a great job with Abbey's progression. I enjoyed reading as Abbey's views changed, and therefore her outlook on her old life change as well. I also really liked Himes's use of humor, but my favorite part by far was the ending, particularly the last two chapters. The only reason why I'm not giving TOTGA a four star review, is because I wanted a little more from some of the people Abbey meets while she's a van Holt. I wanted them to make a more last impression for Abbey.
June 1, 2016
Review to come :)
June 26, 2016
I love the "what if" books! While entertaining in a light airy way, this book also makes you think about what you have & maybe the grass isn't greener on the other side. Great & entertaining read!
July 29, 2017
If you are looking for a good book to read by the pool this one is definitely it. I'm not sure the cover really does it justice.
But if you think of something like Sliding Doors or even Trading Spaces, then this is a book for you. (or for whovian's...Turn Left)
This book is about what would have happened if you had made a different choice. In this case the book is about Abbey who started the story as an everyday mom, with too much to do and not enough pay and not enough time. She's a mess, like so many of us are.
Then she has a fall in Nordstorm's and suddenly things changed. Suddenly she's married to a man she had a chance with years ago, but took a different turn in her life.
As a Van Holt she is rich woman and a fish out of water. She's not used to this kind of life and she's not used to the person she didn't know that she was. So she's in her life..and her kids are her kids, but they aren't? If that makes sense.
The story really is about Abbey finding herself and finding ways to break out of her shell, while trying not to ruin Alex's career. She has a lot of missteps and as time passes she realizes that having all the money and the glamorous life is not what it was cracked up to be.
There is definitely a little bit of Abbey in most of us, because no one has a perfect life and we all have that "grass is always greener wish."
I wish we would have had more time with Jimmy, because I didn't feel we really got to know her husband in her "real" life.
Alex on the other hand was an interesting character. Sometimes I wanted to smack him and other times I almost felt sorry for him, because he was obviously in a life he didn't really want to be in.
This was a good book to lose yourself in on a lazy afternoon.
But if you think of something like Sliding Doors or even Trading Spaces, then this is a book for you. (or for whovian's...Turn Left)
This book is about what would have happened if you had made a different choice. In this case the book is about Abbey who started the story as an everyday mom, with too much to do and not enough pay and not enough time. She's a mess, like so many of us are.
Then she has a fall in Nordstorm's and suddenly things changed. Suddenly she's married to a man she had a chance with years ago, but took a different turn in her life.
As a Van Holt she is rich woman and a fish out of water. She's not used to this kind of life and she's not used to the person she didn't know that she was. So she's in her life..and her kids are her kids, but they aren't? If that makes sense.
The story really is about Abbey finding herself and finding ways to break out of her shell, while trying not to ruin Alex's career. She has a lot of missteps and as time passes she realizes that having all the money and the glamorous life is not what it was cracked up to be.
There is definitely a little bit of Abbey in most of us, because no one has a perfect life and we all have that "grass is always greener wish."
I wish we would have had more time with Jimmy, because I didn't feel we really got to know her husband in her "real" life.
Alex on the other hand was an interesting character. Sometimes I wanted to smack him and other times I almost felt sorry for him, because he was obviously in a life he didn't really want to be in.
This was a good book to lose yourself in on a lazy afternoon.
April 1, 2020
A fun, easy read about the path it takes...Definitely a much lighter spin on it than The Post-Birthday World. Basically the played out trope of woman hitting head and waking up in a world where she is married to a rich and handsome man, with everything she wants, even the same two kids from her original life! But of course she comes to realize her broke but hard working husband is her truest love and struggling to make ends meet was really her best life. I’d have preferred more of an exploration of finding both lives to be tempting...But this was not that book, nor was it an examination of the theory of alternate universes or multiverses. It was designed to be an easy breezy light read with an amusing premise, and in that regard, it succeeded. Abbey was relatable but I wouldn’t have put her with Jimmy in the first place, seemed like a mismatch that even becoming a van Holt couldn’t make right. It wasn’t badly written, even if it was somewhat formulaic. The author knows her way around a simple, easily digestible, sometimes amusing sentence. This is really a look at the age old when everything you thought you wanted isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. If only we could sort out our lives that quickly and easily! I’ve been trying for almost 4 and half decades so far! But really if we can get to a better alternate universe simply by hitting our heads, bring it on!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2024
A grass is greener on the other side as to who you could have married which was not all happiness & roses when on the other side! Abby’s marriage is at the point of she is main bread winner & takes care of the kids as her husband is saddened as his small business loses customers in the recession. She sees a magazine article picturing a man she turned down many years ago when she had a boyfriend in college, suddenly has a freak accident & she is now that man’s wife!! Fairy tale, not so much!! Great premise & love that the story did not go all in on the rich husband was all it sounds like it could be!! Great debut, hope to see more from this author!!
June 28, 2017
Review coming soon
May 29, 2018
I couldn't wait to finish to see how it ended!!!
November 6, 2018
Similar concept to What Alice Forgot - which was far better. I was bored and just wanted to finish it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews