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The Ones Who Got Away #3
The One You Fight For
How hard would you fight for the one you love?
Taryn Landry was there that awful night fourteen years ago when Long Acre changed from the name of a town to the title of a national tragedy. Everyone knows she lost her younger sister. No one knows it was her fault. Since then, psychology professor Taryn has dedicated her life's work to preventing something like that from ever happening again. Falling in love was never part of the plan...
Shaw Miller has spent more than a decade dealing with the fallout of his brother's horrific actions. After losing everything―his chance at Olympic gold, his family, almost his sanity―he's changed his name, his look, and he's finally starting a new life. As long as he keeps a low profile and his identity secret, everything will be okay, right?
When the world and everyone you know defines you by one catastrophic tragedy...
How do you find your happy ending?
Taryn Landry was there that awful night fourteen years ago when Long Acre changed from the name of a town to the title of a national tragedy. Everyone knows she lost her younger sister. No one knows it was her fault. Since then, psychology professor Taryn has dedicated her life's work to preventing something like that from ever happening again. Falling in love was never part of the plan...
Shaw Miller has spent more than a decade dealing with the fallout of his brother's horrific actions. After losing everything―his chance at Olympic gold, his family, almost his sanity―he's changed his name, his look, and he's finally starting a new life. As long as he keeps a low profile and his identity secret, everything will be okay, right?
When the world and everyone you know defines you by one catastrophic tragedy...
How do you find your happy ending?
382 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
About the author
Roni Loren
43 books3,509 followersRoni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. She holds a master’s degree in social work and spent years as a mental health counselor, but now she writes full time from her cozy office in North Texas where she puts her characters on the therapy couch instead. She is a two-time RITA Award winner and a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.
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January 12, 2019
★ 4 STARS ★
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December 31, 2018
READ MY REVIEW ON THE BLOG
There have been around 320 mass shootings this year and four of the deadliest in the year 2018 alone in the US. Vicious attacks like the Columbine High School Massacre and the Las Vegas shooting and the most recent Thousand Oaks shooting are heartbreaking and disturbing and the frequency with which they happen seems to escalate. It's the same pattern: one or more perpetrators attack an unsuspecting, innocent crowd.
Roni Loren's series isn't meant to teach you about numbers and statistics so she carefully left them out of these books. That's why I thought I'd give you an idea of the tragedies that happen almost every day in the USA. What the author does is bringing a painful subject into the spotlight that we all know needs serious addressing. And with each book you learn a little more.
This time it's Taryn's stoy, the smart forensic psychologist who lost her sister in the Long Acre shooting and Shaw Miller, whose brother was one of the perpetrators. Taryn knows early on who Shaw is and she still falls in love with him. Of course, their days are numbered and their relationship has an expiry date because nobody can know.
A victim and the brother of one of the shooters? The world would go nuts if they knew. But Taryn's most important realization is one probably neither of us considers very often; most of the times the family members of a shooter are victims too. They have to deal with the fallout, the guilt trips and constant questioning why and where their loved ones veered wrong, the relentless pursuit of the press...
"This is just more of their crime, the other insidious way they victimized everyone,” she said, ire in her voice. “Leaving behind a long list of people who are left to question themselves forever about what they could’ve done differently."
That's where Shaw is. His little brother's crime follows him everyday so in order to get a respite he changed his name and avoids eye contact with strangers. But that's a lonely road so when he meets Taryn he soaks up her affection. I felt for them both, so much, but Taryn had a network of friends she could talk to while Shaw had one friend who knew about him. His own guilt, his loneliness, it was painful and sad.
“Was the person I’ve been spending time with the real you? Or was the Lucas thing an act?”
“It was the person I wish I could be.”
Shaw was a good, gentle young man who didn't think he deserved good things in his life. He has been told over and over again that his blood is tainted. Taryn helps him see that he, too, is a victim of the Long Acre shooting.
Damn. This woman. How could he ever say no to her?
Taryn on the other hand had to consider her parents and family and how it would hurt them if her relationship to Shaw came to light. I thought both Taryn and Shaw were lovable characters. Taryn is level-headed, straight forward, stubborn and smart but her romantic dreams make her yearn for the love her friends have.
I love the sisterhood of these women who show so much courage when facing their monsters and are such fixtures and pillars in each others' lives. The support they show when one of their sisters has a problem is inspiring - you can't have a better friend if you have these women in your life.
The One You Fight For is an emotional rollercoaster like the other books in this series. I love Wes and Bec the most but Taryn and Shaw were fabulous together. There wasn't drama that was misplaced - it's the kind of angst you expect with a grave topic like this one. There is one book left in this series. Kincaid is the last of the four who needs a story and I can't wait to learn more about her!
“I think it’s time we both take back what’s been stolen.”
December 14, 2018
I've heard a lot about the series The Ones Who Got Away and so was eager to read this latest installment about the survivors of a high school shooting. These books take place well into adulthood of a group of survivors and I thought this a unique plot for a romance series that allowed a more in depth and sensitive approach than what we would normally see in contemporary romance. In The One You Fight For the two main characters are intimately linked even before their romantic relationship began. Taryn not only survived the shooting, she also lost her sister that night. And it was by the hands of Shaw's brother.
While I thought the matters surrounding the repercussions of the shooting were handled well, I can't say I particularly liked any of the characters. They all grated on my nerves and I didn't understand the supposed pull between Taryn and Shaw. I just didn't see it and the physical chemistry was also seriously lacking. I struggled with every romantic scene they had.
I do commend Roni Loren for tackling a tough issue in a romance book and doing it without romanticizing it or using it as a ploy. That alone deserves a star.
While I thought the matters surrounding the repercussions of the shooting were handled well, I can't say I particularly liked any of the characters. They all grated on my nerves and I didn't understand the supposed pull between Taryn and Shaw. I just didn't see it and the physical chemistry was also seriously lacking. I struggled with every romantic scene they had.
I do commend Roni Loren for tackling a tough issue in a romance book and doing it without romanticizing it or using it as a ploy. That alone deserves a star.
December 30, 2018
(EN + PT) Taryn Landry is one of the Long Acre survivors, but her sister wasn’t. She lost her sister to that shooting and since then, she has dedicated her life to developing a program for schools that could prevent those kinds of events from happening again.
Shaw Miller is not a Long Acre survivor, but his life also changed a lot after the shooting. Being the brother of the shooter was more than enough to end all his dreams and turn his life upside down. Since then he changed his name, his looks and promised himself to never get involved with anyone, afraid that the person might recognize him from all the press he had been subjected to. Until he meets Taryn…
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Taryn Landry é uma das sobreviventes de Long Acre, mas a sua irmã não. Ela perdeu a irmã no tiroteio e desde então tem dedicado a sua vida ao desenvolvimento de um programa para escolas com o objetivo de evitar que eventos como esse voltem a acontecer.
Shaw Miller não é um sobrevivente de Long Acre, mas a vida dele mudou bastante desde o tiroteio. Ser o irmão do atirador foi mais do que suficiente para acabar com os seus sonhos e virar a sua vida do avesso. Desde então ele mudou o nome, a sua aparência e prometeu a si mesmo que não se envolveria com ninguém, com medo que a pessoa o reconhecesse das revistas. Até que ele conheceu Taryn…
Full review available at/ Opinião literária na integra em Under the Pages.
Shaw Miller is not a Long Acre survivor, but his life also changed a lot after the shooting. Being the brother of the shooter was more than enough to end all his dreams and turn his life upside down. Since then he changed his name, his looks and promised himself to never get involved with anyone, afraid that the person might recognize him from all the press he had been subjected to. Until he meets Taryn…
-------------------------------------------------
Taryn Landry é uma das sobreviventes de Long Acre, mas a sua irmã não. Ela perdeu a irmã no tiroteio e desde então tem dedicado a sua vida ao desenvolvimento de um programa para escolas com o objetivo de evitar que eventos como esse voltem a acontecer.
Shaw Miller não é um sobrevivente de Long Acre, mas a vida dele mudou bastante desde o tiroteio. Ser o irmão do atirador foi mais do que suficiente para acabar com os seus sonhos e virar a sua vida do avesso. Desde então ele mudou o nome, a sua aparência e prometeu a si mesmo que não se envolveria com ninguém, com medo que a pessoa o reconhecesse das revistas. Até que ele conheceu Taryn…
Full review available at/ Opinião literária na integra em Under the Pages.
January 4, 2019
*3.5 stars*
The One You Fight For was my first read by Roni Loren, and whew, what an angst-fest. But in a good way, I think.
First of all, that cover is PERFECT. So often we get a cover that doesn't reflect the characters, and I think this one nailed it. Bonus points for that.
I was a little... no, very nervous about reading a story about a school shooting as that's something that occupies my anxious-mom-brain daily. However, I was also really intrigued.
I think the author did a great job handling the way each person processed their loss and grief and made it seem realistic. It felt sensitive and considerate, and I liked that aspect of the story. Each person, even the side characters, had their own unique reaction to the tragedy, and I think the author treated those respectfully.
I also really felt for each of the MCs and what they were going through. Though the subject matter was really dark and each MC was in a lot of emotional pain, I was still able to get through the story without getting bogged down by negativity. I liked that.
What I didn't enjoy was the DRAMA. Of course there is going to be drama- I mean, how could there not be with the backstory of these two characters, but the drama in this book felt artificial. I didn't love that. I hate manufactured-feeling pain and angst. Also, while I liked the two MCs as a couple, I didn't get that insane chemistry that I want in a romance.
I think the author did a nice job with two unique, intellectual characters in some extraordinary circumstances. The pace and the plot grabbed me, and though the couple wasn't magnetic, I think the story was successful overall.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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The One You Fight For was my first read by Roni Loren, and whew, what an angst-fest. But in a good way, I think.
First of all, that cover is PERFECT. So often we get a cover that doesn't reflect the characters, and I think this one nailed it. Bonus points for that.
I was a little... no, very nervous about reading a story about a school shooting as that's something that occupies my anxious-mom-brain daily. However, I was also really intrigued.
I think the author did a great job handling the way each person processed their loss and grief and made it seem realistic. It felt sensitive and considerate, and I liked that aspect of the story. Each person, even the side characters, had their own unique reaction to the tragedy, and I think the author treated those respectfully.
I also really felt for each of the MCs and what they were going through. Though the subject matter was really dark and each MC was in a lot of emotional pain, I was still able to get through the story without getting bogged down by negativity. I liked that.
What I didn't enjoy was the DRAMA. Of course there is going to be drama- I mean, how could there not be with the backstory of these two characters, but the drama in this book felt artificial. I didn't love that. I hate manufactured-feeling pain and angst. Also, while I liked the two MCs as a couple, I didn't get that insane chemistry that I want in a romance.
I think the author did a nice job with two unique, intellectual characters in some extraordinary circumstances. The pace and the plot grabbed me, and though the couple wasn't magnetic, I think the story was successful overall.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
December 17, 2018
I've been a faithful reader of this series because I love the concept, I've loved some of the character challenges and struggles, and I knew I was just on the edge of loving one of these books. I finally thought THE ONE YOU FIGHT FOR was the one that would reward me for my resilience. But alas it, too, didn't quite make it from like to love.
Similar to book one, the third instalment in The Ones Who Got Away series deals with two individuals impacted by the school shooting so many years ago. Unlike book one, this isn't two survivors.. or at least not in the traditional sense.
I have really appreciated how Loren has tackled the sensitive issues of this series and pushed the dialogue in every which way. This isn't a black or white situation and in book three, via Taryn's psychology profession and goal towards preventative (not reactive) measures, we really explore the before-they-shoot concerns. And these realities are made doubly resonant by having the love interest be the older brother of the shooter. This element opened up so many additional heartbreaking doubts, concerns, and guilt, and yet I wasn't feeling overwhelmed by it, either. I was actually really enjoying the characters as individuals and as a couple were working through their realities and the strange, tragic, common ground they had. The similarities, and guilt, that so few people could ever understand.
But in true contemporary romance fashion, we have reasons for separation and then added drama and I just felt like that took away a lot of the good of the story. In some ways I already felt there was enough drama because of Taryn being emotionally hobbled by her family (like, I get it, but it was so so excessive) and I think blowing that aspect of it up even more was kind of unnecessary. There's also a pretty abrupt about-face in Shaw's feelings regarding a particular plot-point and I know at that moment we were pressed for time and remaining pages but.. a little more time laying the groundwork for that would have gone a long way.
Anyway, again, I'm being extraordinarily picky over the books in this series but this is what's holding me back. Good stories, interesting and damaged characters that are still incredibly strong and resilient, sexy romances, emotionally charged elements, but.. still.. I want more. Or sometimes I want less. Still worth reading, though, for something a little different than your average contemporary romance.
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Similar to book one, the third instalment in The Ones Who Got Away series deals with two individuals impacted by the school shooting so many years ago. Unlike book one, this isn't two survivors.. or at least not in the traditional sense.
I have really appreciated how Loren has tackled the sensitive issues of this series and pushed the dialogue in every which way. This isn't a black or white situation and in book three, via Taryn's psychology profession and goal towards preventative (not reactive) measures, we really explore the before-they-shoot concerns. And these realities are made doubly resonant by having the love interest be the older brother of the shooter. This element opened up so many additional heartbreaking doubts, concerns, and guilt, and yet I wasn't feeling overwhelmed by it, either. I was actually really enjoying the characters as individuals and as a couple were working through their realities and the strange, tragic, common ground they had. The similarities, and guilt, that so few people could ever understand.
But in true contemporary romance fashion, we have reasons for separation and then added drama and I just felt like that took away a lot of the good of the story. In some ways I already felt there was enough drama because of Taryn being emotionally hobbled by her family (like, I get it, but it was so so excessive) and I think blowing that aspect of it up even more was kind of unnecessary. There's also a pretty abrupt about-face in Shaw's feelings regarding a particular plot-point and I know at that moment we were pressed for time and remaining pages but.. a little more time laying the groundwork for that would have gone a long way.
Anyway, again, I'm being extraordinarily picky over the books in this series but this is what's holding me back. Good stories, interesting and damaged characters that are still incredibly strong and resilient, sexy romances, emotionally charged elements, but.. still.. I want more. Or sometimes I want less. Still worth reading, though, for something a little different than your average contemporary romance.
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
October 25, 2018
Awww.... I just wanted to give Shaw a hug throughout this whole book.
Taryn's sister Nia was one of the victims of the Long Acre school shooting 12 years ago. Taryn was there at the prom as well and is holding onto a devastating secret about that night. So much so that she has dedicated her life to finding solutions to stop the violence. Her life has been super focused on her work as a way to atone to her sister. Because of that she has no personal life, no romantic entanglements, and trying to help her parents hold it together even after all these years.
Shaw Miller's brother was one of the shooters. And his own life has been made hell because of it. Once an Olympic hopeful, his dreams were shattered by the relentless press and one moment of unthinking anger where he himself was labeled "like brother, like brother." He has isolated himself for the past 12 years, creating no connections, no romantic entanglements. His only personal connection is his best friend Rivers who stood with him through everything.
One night in a little bar, a victim's sister and a killer's brother meet.
I loved the way this story played out. There was great tension because Taryn and Shaw are both immediately and intensely attracted to each other but for thier own reasons still shy away. However they can't resist the pull. But Taryn doesn't know who Shaw is and Shaw doesn't know who Taryn is.
So I was a little apprehensive waiting for the shoe to drop. To the writer's credit she does not make Taryn and Shaw stupid nor needlessly angsty. This isn't some novel length grand mis. They actually act like grown ass people fairly early on. They talk, they communicate, they decide things with each other. It was refreshing.
Taryn was great but I did think she allowed her family to really control her grief a little too much. They spent so much time mired in Nia's death (still) that they tended to really not see Taryn. But Shaw was my MVP. I just loved this guy. I felt for him -- so god damned noble. So hurt. Ugh. I just wanted to hug him. But I love how Taryn came through for him and the ending just made me grin so hard.
Now I can;t wait for Kinkaid's book. She is a hoot and a half!
This review is based on an ARC received from the publisher via Netgalley.
Taryn's sister Nia was one of the victims of the Long Acre school shooting 12 years ago. Taryn was there at the prom as well and is holding onto a devastating secret about that night. So much so that she has dedicated her life to finding solutions to stop the violence. Her life has been super focused on her work as a way to atone to her sister. Because of that she has no personal life, no romantic entanglements, and trying to help her parents hold it together even after all these years.
Shaw Miller's brother was one of the shooters. And his own life has been made hell because of it. Once an Olympic hopeful, his dreams were shattered by the relentless press and one moment of unthinking anger where he himself was labeled "like brother, like brother." He has isolated himself for the past 12 years, creating no connections, no romantic entanglements. His only personal connection is his best friend Rivers who stood with him through everything.
One night in a little bar, a victim's sister and a killer's brother meet.
I loved the way this story played out. There was great tension because Taryn and Shaw are both immediately and intensely attracted to each other but for thier own reasons still shy away. However they can't resist the pull. But Taryn doesn't know who Shaw is and Shaw doesn't know who Taryn is.
So I was a little apprehensive waiting for the shoe to drop. To the writer's credit she does not make Taryn and Shaw stupid nor needlessly angsty. This isn't some novel length grand mis. They actually act like grown ass people fairly early on. They talk, they communicate, they decide things with each other. It was refreshing.
Taryn was great but I did think she allowed her family to really control her grief a little too much. They spent so much time mired in Nia's death (still) that they tended to really not see Taryn. But Shaw was my MVP. I just loved this guy. I felt for him -- so god damned noble. So hurt. Ugh. I just wanted to hug him. But I love how Taryn came through for him and the ending just made me grin so hard.
Now I can;t wait for Kinkaid's book. She is a hoot and a half!
This review is based on an ARC received from the publisher via Netgalley.
January 5, 2019
This review was originally posted on Addicted To RomanceI received this book for free from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The One You Fight For is the third book in the latest series by Roni Loren and I admit that I am really enjoying these books. With each book, they only get better. But I have to say that this book was PHENOMENAL....there are NO words and I don't think that my review could ever give this book the justice that it deserves. This book will make you cry, make you think, make you want to be better and will give you all the feels upside and down and sideways. It has everything that suckers punch a reader in all the best of ways and The One You Fight For is a powerfully packed romance that is guaranteed to satisfy you from head to toe!!
Our beautiful love story begins with one fateful night on prom night, where there was a high school shooting by two boys who left behind a trail of bodies and trauma and grief in their wake. Our heroine, Taryn Laundry, has made a promise to her sister who was killed in the high school shooting. That her death wouldn't be in vain, that she would go into research and develop a way to prevent future shootings. And so she has worked hard to get a plan in motion, that will be a preventive measure for future school programs to get to the children before they get to the point when they make a disastrous decision to kill. That love and guidance and confidence and attention are what they need, but she needs to get the school board to approve her plan. She has hardly any life because of her sacrifice in her research and is left to blind dates being set up by friends. But when walking home she walks into a bar, gives into temptation and sings her heart out in a way she has never done on stage and bumps into Shaw Miller.
There are sparks that fly between them but then she is shocked when she sees him again at a fundraiser for children and before she knows it she is doing a workout at his new gym and kisses and passion explode. But Shaw is hiding a great secret....who he really is. He has hidden away for years, doing everything he can to not let the press know of his location or his new name. But when he ends up kissing Taryn he knows that she deserves the truth....he refuses to take any woman to his bed unless they know his true identity....that he is the brother of one of the boys that shot out the high school on prom. He never expected that Taryn, a woman who family his brother hurt unimaginably, accepts him as he is and sees him for the good man he has become and not what his brother did. They have a secret fling, hidden away and learning each other. But the past comes back to haunt them and they will have to make a difficult decision either to embrace the love they have or run away from each other and keep what they have a secret....
The One You Fight For is a story that I didn't expect to be so emotional. This book TORE ME TO SHREDS....yep I was sobbing in many parts of this book. I haven't felt so torn in a book in a long time and this book really is heartbreaking in many ways but I honestly loved every moment I was reading this book. It does begin a bit slow at times, but overall it just captures you in a way you don't expect. I was cheering these two on from the first moment. This book is my favorite of the series so far, I really am grateful that Roni Loren approached this book in such a way. I really liked seeing that grief when a crime like this happens is that it happens on both sides....families of the criminal feel pain and sorrow too and it shows so well in this book. The hero has hidden away from the press and his family and hasn't had hardly any friendships or relationships except for his best friend. He blames himself for his brother's actions but we see his pain and torment in this book and how much he has grieved with everyone else. Then we have the heroine who has devoted so much of her energy and time to this cause and her research that she hasn't really lived her life and once she meets Shaw, she begins to do things for herself and builds her own happiness.
I have to say I really enjoyed the way that this romance is built....so slowly and carefully and with great attention. It is more of a fling type set up, but not your typical fling romance at all. We see the chemistry that these two have with each other but we also see that unless they are both willing to go forward to their families, friends and the press with their relationship that it can only go one way and they just want to enjoy being together. Their fun bantering is charming and their connection is powerful. They have so much in common and seeing them fight for each other was truly beautiful to see. The ending is EPIC and so worth the read, even if I was crying my eyes out. One of the BEST endings that I have ever read, it was so perfectly written and really speaks to the heart of the reader.
Overall I found The One You Fight For is a passionate story of the pain of grief, of sole purpose of striving to be better and a tale that will tug at your heartstrings..... A TRUE TREASURE TROVE.
The One You Fight For is the third book in the latest series by Roni Loren and I admit that I am really enjoying these books. With each book, they only get better. But I have to say that this book was PHENOMENAL....there are NO words and I don't think that my review could ever give this book the justice that it deserves. This book will make you cry, make you think, make you want to be better and will give you all the feels upside and down and sideways. It has everything that suckers punch a reader in all the best of ways and The One You Fight For is a powerfully packed romance that is guaranteed to satisfy you from head to toe!!
You're sexy as fuck. Smart. Interesting. And when I kiss you, your whole body responds like you're starved for something only I can give you. You know what that feels like? .....Like a goddamend drug Taryn.
Our beautiful love story begins with one fateful night on prom night, where there was a high school shooting by two boys who left behind a trail of bodies and trauma and grief in their wake. Our heroine, Taryn Laundry, has made a promise to her sister who was killed in the high school shooting. That her death wouldn't be in vain, that she would go into research and develop a way to prevent future shootings. And so she has worked hard to get a plan in motion, that will be a preventive measure for future school programs to get to the children before they get to the point when they make a disastrous decision to kill. That love and guidance and confidence and attention are what they need, but she needs to get the school board to approve her plan. She has hardly any life because of her sacrifice in her research and is left to blind dates being set up by friends. But when walking home she walks into a bar, gives into temptation and sings her heart out in a way she has never done on stage and bumps into Shaw Miller.
There are sparks that fly between them but then she is shocked when she sees him again at a fundraiser for children and before she knows it she is doing a workout at his new gym and kisses and passion explode. But Shaw is hiding a great secret....who he really is. He has hidden away for years, doing everything he can to not let the press know of his location or his new name. But when he ends up kissing Taryn he knows that she deserves the truth....he refuses to take any woman to his bed unless they know his true identity....that he is the brother of one of the boys that shot out the high school on prom. He never expected that Taryn, a woman who family his brother hurt unimaginably, accepts him as he is and sees him for the good man he has become and not what his brother did. They have a secret fling, hidden away and learning each other. But the past comes back to haunt them and they will have to make a difficult decision either to embrace the love they have or run away from each other and keep what they have a secret....
The One You Fight For is a story that I didn't expect to be so emotional. This book TORE ME TO SHREDS....yep I was sobbing in many parts of this book. I haven't felt so torn in a book in a long time and this book really is heartbreaking in many ways but I honestly loved every moment I was reading this book. It does begin a bit slow at times, but overall it just captures you in a way you don't expect. I was cheering these two on from the first moment. This book is my favorite of the series so far, I really am grateful that Roni Loren approached this book in such a way. I really liked seeing that grief when a crime like this happens is that it happens on both sides....families of the criminal feel pain and sorrow too and it shows so well in this book. The hero has hidden away from the press and his family and hasn't had hardly any friendships or relationships except for his best friend. He blames himself for his brother's actions but we see his pain and torment in this book and how much he has grieved with everyone else. Then we have the heroine who has devoted so much of her energy and time to this cause and her research that she hasn't really lived her life and once she meets Shaw, she begins to do things for herself and builds her own happiness.
But for once, all that mattered was how she felt in this moment. She was happy. This was right. They loved each other. She'd been wrong. Sometimes love was enough.
I have to say I really enjoyed the way that this romance is built....so slowly and carefully and with great attention. It is more of a fling type set up, but not your typical fling romance at all. We see the chemistry that these two have with each other but we also see that unless they are both willing to go forward to their families, friends and the press with their relationship that it can only go one way and they just want to enjoy being together. Their fun bantering is charming and their connection is powerful. They have so much in common and seeing them fight for each other was truly beautiful to see. The ending is EPIC and so worth the read, even if I was crying my eyes out. One of the BEST endings that I have ever read, it was so perfectly written and really speaks to the heart of the reader.
Because in that moment, with his body pumping into hers and his arms wrapped around her, she was lost to him. Her soul and her heart. She'd spent her whole life fighting. She would still fight. But when it came to love, she'd learned that she didn't need to fight for it.....She needed to surrender.
Overall I found The One You Fight For is a passionate story of the pain of grief, of sole purpose of striving to be better and a tale that will tug at your heartstrings..... A TRUE TREASURE TROVE.
January 3, 2019
Taryn lost her sister in the Long Acre School shooting and has devoted her life to searching for warnings and triggers that could help prevent them in the future. She’s driven by grief, but also by guilt. Never did she think she’d end up dating the brother of one of the shooters, let alone fall for him.
Shaw has been in survival mode since his brother decided murdering his schoolmates was an option. Ostracized, judged and hunted by the press, Shaw changed his name and moved away, but is back in Austin against his better judgement. All he wants to do is stay under the radar, but a chance meeting with Taryn makes that very difficult.
They’re immediately attracted physically with chemistry off the charts, but emotionally they click as well. They’ve both been tragically altered by the Long Acre shooting, and who can better relate to that? But the fact that Shaw is the brother of the shooter instead of a victim makes a future together impossible, right?
Roni Loren’s The Ones That Got Away series has focused on the survivors of a school shooting moving on, healing and finding love. The One You Fight For was a little different in that it tells the story of Shaw, the older brother of one of the shooters, and Taryn, the sister of one of the victims killed by Shaw’s brother. This is the second book where I’ve read about a relation to a school shooter and since then I’ve really felt bad for not only the victims and their families, but also the families of the shooters.
My heart seriously went out to Shaw for all that he lost, and the nightmare that just kept on, and because he felt like he deserved all of it for being related to the shooter. Of course, I felt bad for Taryn, too, with a secret fueling her guilt, and having to deal with her mother! Her mother had every right to her grief, but she put her family through the ringer when she should’ve gone out and got professional help! Taryn and her father were enabling her behavior and that got a bit old.
The One You Fight For was a consuming and emotionally charged romance! I longed for a happy ending for Taryn and Shaw who went through so much and deserved an epic HEA!
A copy was kindly provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Shaw has been in survival mode since his brother decided murdering his schoolmates was an option. Ostracized, judged and hunted by the press, Shaw changed his name and moved away, but is back in Austin against his better judgement. All he wants to do is stay under the radar, but a chance meeting with Taryn makes that very difficult.
They’re immediately attracted physically with chemistry off the charts, but emotionally they click as well. They’ve both been tragically altered by the Long Acre shooting, and who can better relate to that? But the fact that Shaw is the brother of the shooter instead of a victim makes a future together impossible, right?
Roni Loren’s The Ones That Got Away series has focused on the survivors of a school shooting moving on, healing and finding love. The One You Fight For was a little different in that it tells the story of Shaw, the older brother of one of the shooters, and Taryn, the sister of one of the victims killed by Shaw’s brother. This is the second book where I’ve read about a relation to a school shooter and since then I’ve really felt bad for not only the victims and their families, but also the families of the shooters.
My heart seriously went out to Shaw for all that he lost, and the nightmare that just kept on, and because he felt like he deserved all of it for being related to the shooter. Of course, I felt bad for Taryn, too, with a secret fueling her guilt, and having to deal with her mother! Her mother had every right to her grief, but she put her family through the ringer when she should’ve gone out and got professional help! Taryn and her father were enabling her behavior and that got a bit old.
The One You Fight For was a consuming and emotionally charged romance! I longed for a happy ending for Taryn and Shaw who went through so much and deserved an epic HEA!
A copy was kindly provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2018
When I read the synopsis for this book, I gasped. I knew I was getting myself into something emotional, and Loren gave me that, but she also gave me a story, which explored the effects of violence on the families of victims, as well as the families of the perpetrators.
All of the books in this series stem from a horrific event, but I keep reading them, because Loren takes the pain and channels it into something wonderful and uplifting. Each book is a love story, but they are also stories of healing and coming to terms with that residual pain.
Who?
Taryn - a forensic psychologists, who lost her sister at Long Acre, and had dedicated her life to developing a program to prevent school shootings.
Shaw - the brother of one of the Long Acre shooters, who had been living under the radar since he lost his hopes, his dreams, and his future.
What?
A chance meeting after an open mic brought Taryn and Shaw together. Neither were aware of their connection, and by the time Shaw realized the link, they had already formed a connection. The big question was: would Taryn punish Shaw for the crimes of his brother?
Why?
My heart went out to Taryn. She lost her sister, and felt so much pressure to fill the void left in her family, but by doing that, she was missing out on living her own life. I loved the little nudges Kincaid gave her and the way Shaw helped her see that she deserved to live a little. I applauded everything she did for herself, and was glad to see her going after her own happy.
Yes, my heart went out to Taryn, but my heart ached and broke for Shaw. I think the way he was treated by the public at large was realistic, but that didn't make it right. He did not commit the crime, but he was left paying for it. He had to abandon his Olympic dreams and college education. He had to accept his solitary life, because he was branded a social pariah. Not only was society hard on him, he was hard on himself. His feelings of guilt and loneliness were palpable. I know I was hoping he would forgive himself, and I kept my fingers crossed that he and Taryn would work out, because they were really fantastic together.
They were able to speak straight from their hearts, and say things to each other, that they did not feel they could share with others. They gave each other the affection they needed so much, but also encouraged each other to reach for more than they thought they deserved. And, over and over again in this story, Loren showed us the power of love, friendship, and forgiveness.
There were many heartfelt and meaningful scenes between Taryn and Shaw, but there were many others, which incorporated the other Long Acre survivors. The heart of this series is the friendship shared between the four women, and Loren utilizes it so well. I pretty much adore all four survivors, though I will admit, Kindcaid has a special place in my heart, and I am chomping at the bit to get her book. Every scene the survivors shared together evoked some sort of emotion from me, and I looked forward to seeing them on page together.
These characters and their stories have captured my heart, and I look forward to more. Another fantastic addition to a stellar series.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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All of the books in this series stem from a horrific event, but I keep reading them, because Loren takes the pain and channels it into something wonderful and uplifting. Each book is a love story, but they are also stories of healing and coming to terms with that residual pain.
Who?
Taryn - a forensic psychologists, who lost her sister at Long Acre, and had dedicated her life to developing a program to prevent school shootings.
Shaw - the brother of one of the Long Acre shooters, who had been living under the radar since he lost his hopes, his dreams, and his future.
What?
A chance meeting after an open mic brought Taryn and Shaw together. Neither were aware of their connection, and by the time Shaw realized the link, they had already formed a connection. The big question was: would Taryn punish Shaw for the crimes of his brother?
Why?
My heart went out to Taryn. She lost her sister, and felt so much pressure to fill the void left in her family, but by doing that, she was missing out on living her own life. I loved the little nudges Kincaid gave her and the way Shaw helped her see that she deserved to live a little. I applauded everything she did for herself, and was glad to see her going after her own happy.
Yes, my heart went out to Taryn, but my heart ached and broke for Shaw. I think the way he was treated by the public at large was realistic, but that didn't make it right. He did not commit the crime, but he was left paying for it. He had to abandon his Olympic dreams and college education. He had to accept his solitary life, because he was branded a social pariah. Not only was society hard on him, he was hard on himself. His feelings of guilt and loneliness were palpable. I know I was hoping he would forgive himself, and I kept my fingers crossed that he and Taryn would work out, because they were really fantastic together.
They were able to speak straight from their hearts, and say things to each other, that they did not feel they could share with others. They gave each other the affection they needed so much, but also encouraged each other to reach for more than they thought they deserved. And, over and over again in this story, Loren showed us the power of love, friendship, and forgiveness.
There were many heartfelt and meaningful scenes between Taryn and Shaw, but there were many others, which incorporated the other Long Acre survivors. The heart of this series is the friendship shared between the four women, and Loren utilizes it so well. I pretty much adore all four survivors, though I will admit, Kindcaid has a special place in my heart, and I am chomping at the bit to get her book. Every scene the survivors shared together evoked some sort of emotion from me, and I looked forward to seeing them on page together.
These characters and their stories have captured my heart, and I look forward to more. Another fantastic addition to a stellar series.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
December 15, 2018
THE ONE YOU FIGHT FOR was another solid read in the The Ones Who Got Away series and I find that I’m still invested in these characters and their shared story. I’ve done a little bit of rounding up to 4 stars and I’ll explain why towards the end of this review.
What I’m enjoying about the stories in this series is that each pair of main characters is different from previous ones, their shared story is also unique so I don’t feel that I’m reading the same thing again and again. In this book, Taryn comes to the fore, the professor, researcher and lead champion for change and prevention of school shootings. She’s a serious but compelling character and yet I quickly wanted her to find a life, some me-time and a guy. Shaw is every kind of easy and every kind of hidden complication that Taryn does and doesn’t need. The chemistry was palpable and the power cut was something else.
I was cheering for these two and I loved their easy fall into companionship but I had some moments of difficulty with the convenience of the wrap up of the story. I felt that Shaw’s whip-lash emotions and change of mind was a little quick and unrealistic. Just a little more time was needed over this element. However, I did enjoy the story overall and I am waiting for the next book and character with some anticipation.
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
What I’m enjoying about the stories in this series is that each pair of main characters is different from previous ones, their shared story is also unique so I don’t feel that I’m reading the same thing again and again. In this book, Taryn comes to the fore, the professor, researcher and lead champion for change and prevention of school shootings. She’s a serious but compelling character and yet I quickly wanted her to find a life, some me-time and a guy. Shaw is every kind of easy and every kind of hidden complication that Taryn does and doesn’t need. The chemistry was palpable and the power cut was something else.
I was cheering for these two and I loved their easy fall into companionship but I had some moments of difficulty with the convenience of the wrap up of the story. I felt that Shaw’s whip-lash emotions and change of mind was a little quick and unrealistic. Just a little more time was needed over this element. However, I did enjoy the story overall and I am waiting for the next book and character with some anticipation.
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
Read
December 20, 2018Mini review:
DNF
Trigger warning: Mention of school shooting. Up till the point I read.
This review is based on the chapter sample provided in the previous book. I have read the two previous books in the series. So I was looking forward to continuing it. After rereading the chapter sample, I will longer be continuing the series.
I don't have the best relationship with this series. Sometimes when I read it I enjoy and anticipate the next release. After a few months of awaiting the next installment, I start to get weary. I remember all my issues with the series. And question why I bother reading it.
I have only been sticking out because of the females. I love all of them! But I would much rather read about their interactions with one-another then read about their romance. Look I really like romance. It's not that I don't. For this series I really don't care about the romance. And in the process the plot. As the romance plays a huge role in the plot.
I am longer interested in continuing this series after realizing all of this. Sometimes you can love the characters but not the story said characters are written into. The same can be said about plot. You can love a plot but not the characters.
Overall I will longer be reading this series. This is a personal thing. I still recommend.
DNF
Trigger warning: Mention of school shooting. Up till the point I read.
This review is based on the chapter sample provided in the previous book. I have read the two previous books in the series. So I was looking forward to continuing it. After rereading the chapter sample, I will longer be continuing the series.
I don't have the best relationship with this series. Sometimes when I read it I enjoy and anticipate the next release. After a few months of awaiting the next installment, I start to get weary. I remember all my issues with the series. And question why I bother reading it.
I have only been sticking out because of the females. I love all of them! But I would much rather read about their interactions with one-another then read about their romance. Look I really like romance. It's not that I don't. For this series I really don't care about the romance. And in the process the plot. As the romance plays a huge role in the plot.
I am longer interested in continuing this series after realizing all of this. Sometimes you can love the characters but not the story said characters are written into. The same can be said about plot. You can love a plot but not the characters.
Overall I will longer be reading this series. This is a personal thing. I still recommend.
January 23, 2019
I really cannot say enough about this series!! With each new book, we learn new pieces of the puzzle from that fateful day over twelve years ago at Long Acre High School.
This time around we get to experience of that awful day through Taryn's point of view. I didn't recall a lot about Taryn and didn't really have any expectations for her story because I didn't know what I was in for but I knew that Roni Loren wouldn't let me down. She did not.
Taryn lost her sister in the school shooting. She's spent the 14 years researching the backgrounds of school shooters and looking for the signs that people might have missed and is dedicated to implementing a program in schools to help prevent more tragedies from happening in the future. She also so busy helping her mother and father try to get through her sister's death that she hasn't really lived for anything other than honoring her sister's memory. When her friend Kincaid convinces her that she needs to make some time for herself, she stumbles upon a bar and sexy stranger with a man-bun who helps her see things from a whole new angle. What follows this fateful meeting was a wild and emotional ride that had me reeling but unable to stop reading!!
That's the thing about this series, it makes me think about the situation from the many different sides of those who were affected in a way that I never really let myself. It really hits home just how many people are affected by these tragedies that those who haven't been affected don't even think about. It also explores the what-if's that seem to plague the victims for years and years and continues to affect their lives forever. This whole series is very emotional but also tells the stories that need to be told and Roni Loren does it in a way that seems honest but also respectful to the very sad and awful reality of school shootings.
The next book is Kincaid's story and, if I'm being honest, I haven't really connected to her in a way that has me excited for her story but I expect that I will fall in love with her just as much as I did Liv, Rebecca, and Taryn because Roni Loren is just that good.
*Although this book could be read as a standalone, I think that it would absolutely benefit readers to read the other as well. The first book goes into more detail of what happened to each of the four friends in high-school and each story so far has revealed a secret that each character has held onto for the past 12 years so it probably makes for a better read to know all the secrets as they are revealed.
*I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary review
This time around we get to experience of that awful day through Taryn's point of view. I didn't recall a lot about Taryn and didn't really have any expectations for her story because I didn't know what I was in for but I knew that Roni Loren wouldn't let me down. She did not.
Taryn lost her sister in the school shooting. She's spent the 14 years researching the backgrounds of school shooters and looking for the signs that people might have missed and is dedicated to implementing a program in schools to help prevent more tragedies from happening in the future. She also so busy helping her mother and father try to get through her sister's death that she hasn't really lived for anything other than honoring her sister's memory. When her friend Kincaid convinces her that she needs to make some time for herself, she stumbles upon a bar and sexy stranger with a man-bun who helps her see things from a whole new angle. What follows this fateful meeting was a wild and emotional ride that had me reeling but unable to stop reading!!
That's the thing about this series, it makes me think about the situation from the many different sides of those who were affected in a way that I never really let myself. It really hits home just how many people are affected by these tragedies that those who haven't been affected don't even think about. It also explores the what-if's that seem to plague the victims for years and years and continues to affect their lives forever. This whole series is very emotional but also tells the stories that need to be told and Roni Loren does it in a way that seems honest but also respectful to the very sad and awful reality of school shootings.
The next book is Kincaid's story and, if I'm being honest, I haven't really connected to her in a way that has me excited for her story but I expect that I will fall in love with her just as much as I did Liv, Rebecca, and Taryn because Roni Loren is just that good.
*Although this book could be read as a standalone, I think that it would absolutely benefit readers to read the other as well. The first book goes into more detail of what happened to each of the four friends in high-school and each story so far has revealed a secret that each character has held onto for the past 12 years so it probably makes for a better read to know all the secrets as they are revealed.
*I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary review
December 14, 2018
From the beginning of this series, when the three women were introduced, I had a premonition that one of these friends' romance was going to go there. The part of me that shies away from deep angst and tearjerker books hoped I was wrong, but another part of me was intrigued and wanted to see what the author would do with such a romance. Bet you are wondering what I'm talking about. I'll explain later, promise. Incidentally, the author turned in what I thought was the best book in the series and rivals many of her backlist triumphs.
So, The One You Fight For is book three in The Ones Who Got Away series. In a pinch it can be read out of order because it introduces new leads and situations, but there is a sense that each book builds on the ones before it leaving up to this, too.
Taryn is a research psychologist and professor who is driven to study the dark corners of the mind to find a way to prevent devastating tragedies like the one she lived through when she was in high school and to prevent deaths in those school shootings like her sister's. She meets a wonderful man who appreciates and accepts her, the chemistry between them is off the charts, and then she learns a shocking truth.
People stand behind, pity, and look solicitously upon a victim's family and a few even make noises about the 'sick' person who did the deed, but what of the shooter's family? They are villains by association. They should have known or, they share a propensity toward evil. Shaw Miller, Olympic hopeful's life was ruined the day his brother shot up the school. To even have the appearance of a normal life, he had to move away and change his name. Now, it all circles back. He's face to face with a survivor and the relative of a victim all in one and they share more than an attraction. Any chance with Taryn is destroyed, right?
So, yeah, a romance involving a survivor and someone from the victim's family was the scenario I had a hunch was coming even from the early chapters of book one. First, I was chicken to read it because of the inevitable angst, but then I worried that even this capable author would somehow miss the mark on this delicate situation. While, there were moments that didn't fully satisfy me with plot choices, for the most part, I think this was a really good book. And yes, it tore my heart out. I was emotionally exhausted after reading this one. Good thing I'd read a fluffy sweet holiday book before it and now I need more rainbows and unicorns to restore me.
I loved both Taryn and Shaw. I wish I didn't because at that pivotal point, I was aching for them. I kept grasping at the hope provided that this was a romance story because I needed this pair- most especially them to have their chance at happy. This is not the first story that reminds us to without condemnation of an innocent person as a target of grief, anger, and blame. It also reminds us of how far reaching such tragedy can be when Taryn tirelessly gives her all to find an answer.
All in all, this is a book I will not soon forget and am still feeling the aftershocks of emotion, but I'm glad I read it. Those who like their contemporary romances to include a great deal more than girl meets boy should give this series a go.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
So, The One You Fight For is book three in The Ones Who Got Away series. In a pinch it can be read out of order because it introduces new leads and situations, but there is a sense that each book builds on the ones before it leaving up to this, too.
Taryn is a research psychologist and professor who is driven to study the dark corners of the mind to find a way to prevent devastating tragedies like the one she lived through when she was in high school and to prevent deaths in those school shootings like her sister's. She meets a wonderful man who appreciates and accepts her, the chemistry between them is off the charts, and then she learns a shocking truth.
People stand behind, pity, and look solicitously upon a victim's family and a few even make noises about the 'sick' person who did the deed, but what of the shooter's family? They are villains by association. They should have known or, they share a propensity toward evil. Shaw Miller, Olympic hopeful's life was ruined the day his brother shot up the school. To even have the appearance of a normal life, he had to move away and change his name. Now, it all circles back. He's face to face with a survivor and the relative of a victim all in one and they share more than an attraction. Any chance with Taryn is destroyed, right?
So, yeah, a romance involving a survivor and someone from the victim's family was the scenario I had a hunch was coming even from the early chapters of book one. First, I was chicken to read it because of the inevitable angst, but then I worried that even this capable author would somehow miss the mark on this delicate situation. While, there were moments that didn't fully satisfy me with plot choices, for the most part, I think this was a really good book. And yes, it tore my heart out. I was emotionally exhausted after reading this one. Good thing I'd read a fluffy sweet holiday book before it and now I need more rainbows and unicorns to restore me.
I loved both Taryn and Shaw. I wish I didn't because at that pivotal point, I was aching for them. I kept grasping at the hope provided that this was a romance story because I needed this pair- most especially them to have their chance at happy. This is not the first story that reminds us to without condemnation of an innocent person as a target of grief, anger, and blame. It also reminds us of how far reaching such tragedy can be when Taryn tirelessly gives her all to find an answer.
All in all, this is a book I will not soon forget and am still feeling the aftershocks of emotion, but I'm glad I read it. Those who like their contemporary romances to include a great deal more than girl meets boy should give this series a go.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 25, 2021
Ich habe dieses buch Mal wieder in einem Buddyread gelesen. Den ersten und zweiten hatte ich echt gern und daher habe ich mich auf Taryns Geschichte gefreut. Mich hat beeindruckt was sie macht um solche Eskalation wie in ihrer Vergangenheit passiert sind, zu verhindern. Wie verbissen sie dahinter steht. Lucas/Shawn tat mir echt leid, dass er sich verstecken muss, da alle glauben er wäre wie sein Bruder. Immer diese Vorurteile. Die Chemie zwischen den beiden ist das ganze Buch über spürbar gewesen, deswegen hat mich Taryns Verständnis auch nicht überrascht. Auch der dritte Teil hat mir wieder gut gefallen. Ich würde mir auch noch für Kincaid eine Geschichte wünschen.
4,5 Sterne
4,5 Sterne
January 2, 2019
Slick's Review
This series by Roni Loren has been excellent and while The One You Fight For featured two characters I loved, the plot was a bit predictable and somewhat repetitive making it my least favorite of the three I’ve read to date. That’s not to say I didn’t find this book intriguing because honestly, this is the most intriguing romance in the bunch, but several plot point felt contrived and that lessened my feelings on this book considerably.
Pairing a survivor of a high school shooting who lost her only sister in the shooting with the brother of one of the shooters was a bold choice, but in reality this book shows that there are all types of survivors when a mass shooting occurs. Taryn Landry has dedicated her life to becoming a forensic psychologist and developing a program to prevent school shootings from happening, she feels she is close to her goal of getting it implemented in schools, but between her research work and the pressure put on her by her parents and their need to have her around all the time Taryn is burnt out. Following another bad date, she steps into a bar where she sings at an open mic night living out her dream of performing which sends her into a panic attack and being saved by a handsome stranger. Shaw Miller can’t help but approach and help the beautiful woman with the voice of an angel when it is clear she is having a panic attack, but he knows it can never go anywhere and he leaves quietly only for them to meet again under different circumstances. One meeting might be coincidence, but two has fate written all over it.
I admired Taryn and her dedication to working on a program that she hopes will keep another school shooting from happening by reaching those kids before it is too late. As someone who works in the school system, I can honestly see the value in a program Taryn developed. Where I had issues with her was her inability to see that her work and her parents were literally draining the life out of her. I had a hard time with a psychologist not being able to see the co-dependent relationship she had with her parents, especially her mother and how despite her age she had problems with telling them to butt out of her life. I had so many questions regarding this part of the story and why she and her dad allowed her mother to wallow in her grief even after a decade has gone by, why they hadn’t worked harder with counseling, why did she not make them see that they weren’t honoring their dead daughter by living their best lives. To be honest, this part of the story drove me bat sh*t crazy and I wanted to shake Taryn and tell her to be brave and stand up. I get that she had quilt, that she felt she owed her sister, but she had to know this wasn’t healthy.
Quite simply I was heartbroken for Shaw and the life he was forced to abandon when his younger brother committed a heinous crime and I’ll admit that his story was so compelling. Unfortunately today with social media and 24 hour news media, people are often tried when they aren’t to blame and Shaw being related to a mass murderer not only made him abandon his Olympic dreams, but also his college education. He chose to live a solitary life away from the city and state he grew up in especially after an incident that not only garnered him public attention, but lost him something very precious. I hurt for this man who carried a heavy burden and really had done nothing wrong.
I love the way these two met, how their paths crossed again, and the sexual tension between them was combustible. There was no doubt that embarking on a relationship no matter what kind was a risk and complicated, but it was also easy to see that there was something between them that couldn’t be denied.
Taryn’s friends were around and the scenes between them as always were crazy, fun, but poignant especially when they found out that the man she was seeing was someone who was related to the boy that changed all of their lives.
The fact that Taryn while trying to pitch her program to school districts was involved with a man who was related to the shooter that killed her own sister was problematic enough especially given her parent’s overbearing involvement in her life which is why I was disappointed a situation was thrown in towards the end to add drama that wasn’t needed.
A story of understanding, forgiveness, and love I enjoyed The One You Fight For and am looking forward to the last book in what has been a stellar series.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
This series by Roni Loren has been excellent and while The One You Fight For featured two characters I loved, the plot was a bit predictable and somewhat repetitive making it my least favorite of the three I’ve read to date. That’s not to say I didn’t find this book intriguing because honestly, this is the most intriguing romance in the bunch, but several plot point felt contrived and that lessened my feelings on this book considerably.
Pairing a survivor of a high school shooting who lost her only sister in the shooting with the brother of one of the shooters was a bold choice, but in reality this book shows that there are all types of survivors when a mass shooting occurs. Taryn Landry has dedicated her life to becoming a forensic psychologist and developing a program to prevent school shootings from happening, she feels she is close to her goal of getting it implemented in schools, but between her research work and the pressure put on her by her parents and their need to have her around all the time Taryn is burnt out. Following another bad date, she steps into a bar where she sings at an open mic night living out her dream of performing which sends her into a panic attack and being saved by a handsome stranger. Shaw Miller can’t help but approach and help the beautiful woman with the voice of an angel when it is clear she is having a panic attack, but he knows it can never go anywhere and he leaves quietly only for them to meet again under different circumstances. One meeting might be coincidence, but two has fate written all over it.
I admired Taryn and her dedication to working on a program that she hopes will keep another school shooting from happening by reaching those kids before it is too late. As someone who works in the school system, I can honestly see the value in a program Taryn developed. Where I had issues with her was her inability to see that her work and her parents were literally draining the life out of her. I had a hard time with a psychologist not being able to see the co-dependent relationship she had with her parents, especially her mother and how despite her age she had problems with telling them to butt out of her life. I had so many questions regarding this part of the story and why she and her dad allowed her mother to wallow in her grief even after a decade has gone by, why they hadn’t worked harder with counseling, why did she not make them see that they weren’t honoring their dead daughter by living their best lives. To be honest, this part of the story drove me bat sh*t crazy and I wanted to shake Taryn and tell her to be brave and stand up. I get that she had quilt, that she felt she owed her sister, but she had to know this wasn’t healthy.
Quite simply I was heartbroken for Shaw and the life he was forced to abandon when his younger brother committed a heinous crime and I’ll admit that his story was so compelling. Unfortunately today with social media and 24 hour news media, people are often tried when they aren’t to blame and Shaw being related to a mass murderer not only made him abandon his Olympic dreams, but also his college education. He chose to live a solitary life away from the city and state he grew up in especially after an incident that not only garnered him public attention, but lost him something very precious. I hurt for this man who carried a heavy burden and really had done nothing wrong.
I love the way these two met, how their paths crossed again, and the sexual tension between them was combustible. There was no doubt that embarking on a relationship no matter what kind was a risk and complicated, but it was also easy to see that there was something between them that couldn’t be denied.
Taryn’s friends were around and the scenes between them as always were crazy, fun, but poignant especially when they found out that the man she was seeing was someone who was related to the boy that changed all of their lives.
The fact that Taryn while trying to pitch her program to school districts was involved with a man who was related to the shooter that killed her own sister was problematic enough especially given her parent’s overbearing involvement in her life which is why I was disappointed a situation was thrown in towards the end to add drama that wasn’t needed.
A story of understanding, forgiveness, and love I enjoyed The One You Fight For and am looking forward to the last book in what has been a stellar series.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
October 22, 2018
The tragedy of Long Acre mirrors so much of the contemporary violence in schools but I’ve never read a romance series that details the lives of those who actually live on in the aftermath of it—and how a single, catastrophic event drastically alters everything they’ve done or believed in.
In ‘The One You Fight For’, Taryn Landry and Shaw Miller—victims in their own right as siblings of the victim and the perpetrator of the shooting—still find themselves reeling from the events more than a decade ago, still paying in their own ways for what they perceive as their penance for playing a part for what went down and upturned their lives. For all of Loren’s focus on the victims and the fallout of the shooting in her previous books, I hadn’t considered at all, how close relatives would have dealt with this and Loren finally forces this into the limelight with Shaw/Taryn taking centre stage in this instalment.
Shaw and Taryn meet in a series of serendipitous events that took a number of twists and turns getting there: from an anonymous song at a bar, to a run where Taryn collapses and eventually signs up at a ninja-warrior-type gym where Shaw and his friend are setting up.
Loren’s brilliance at portraying brokenness and the ‘relatability’ of characters however, is as heartbreaking as it is compelling to read about: each of her protagonists, guilty for the small things they thought they’d done to contribute to the tragedy, each trying to make up for their perceived culpability in their own ways.
What moved me the most however, was the utterly downtrodden Shaw, who couldn’t see beyond the need to punish himself for something he didn’t commit for his entire life: for being related to the shooter is by proxy meant that he was guilty as charged, for how he’d never been able to shrug away the stigma, at the abuse he’d received from so many (the sharp, acid tongue from Taryn notwithstanding when she said some cruel things), for the yearning to only be ‘normal’.
I had a sort of inkling how this would go down from start to end. Taryn and Shaw aren’t hostile rivals to begin with, but what binds them is something more devastating and perhaps even notoriously taboo in the place where they live.
Conflict after conflict seem to await them up to a point where their loyalties are stretched and pulled in different directions, to the extent where the climax is a predictable one from the lead-ins and hints that have been given, as is their bittersweet resolution. Taryn/Shaw’s rather abrupt epilogue is hard-won nonetheless, though I did somehow wish for a more-iron-clad one that’s more inferred than given past the last page.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
In ‘The One You Fight For’, Taryn Landry and Shaw Miller—victims in their own right as siblings of the victim and the perpetrator of the shooting—still find themselves reeling from the events more than a decade ago, still paying in their own ways for what they perceive as their penance for playing a part for what went down and upturned their lives. For all of Loren’s focus on the victims and the fallout of the shooting in her previous books, I hadn’t considered at all, how close relatives would have dealt with this and Loren finally forces this into the limelight with Shaw/Taryn taking centre stage in this instalment.
Shaw and Taryn meet in a series of serendipitous events that took a number of twists and turns getting there: from an anonymous song at a bar, to a run where Taryn collapses and eventually signs up at a ninja-warrior-type gym where Shaw and his friend are setting up.
Loren’s brilliance at portraying brokenness and the ‘relatability’ of characters however, is as heartbreaking as it is compelling to read about: each of her protagonists, guilty for the small things they thought they’d done to contribute to the tragedy, each trying to make up for their perceived culpability in their own ways.
What moved me the most however, was the utterly downtrodden Shaw, who couldn’t see beyond the need to punish himself for something he didn’t commit for his entire life: for being related to the shooter is by proxy meant that he was guilty as charged, for how he’d never been able to shrug away the stigma, at the abuse he’d received from so many (the sharp, acid tongue from Taryn notwithstanding when she said some cruel things), for the yearning to only be ‘normal’.
I had a sort of inkling how this would go down from start to end. Taryn and Shaw aren’t hostile rivals to begin with, but what binds them is something more devastating and perhaps even notoriously taboo in the place where they live.
Conflict after conflict seem to await them up to a point where their loyalties are stretched and pulled in different directions, to the extent where the climax is a predictable one from the lead-ins and hints that have been given, as is their bittersweet resolution. Taryn/Shaw’s rather abrupt epilogue is hard-won nonetheless, though I did somehow wish for a more-iron-clad one that’s more inferred than given past the last page.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
September 9, 2018
WOW! This broke my heart into pieces. Taryn is faced with an impossible choice in the middle of what feels like the insurmountable task of finishing her research and getting her program in schools. And Shaw! Punishing and isolating himself for a crime that he didn't commit. His guilt was like a living, breathing thing. Knowing the whole situation was going to go horribly wrong made the relationship so bittersweet. Taryn and Shaw's story will really run you through so many emotions. But it is so worth it!!
September 11, 2018
I'm not going to talk about the details of the book. I doesn't come out til January, but when it does, read it.
I've never been one that was able to stop reading a book and not go back to it. I would feel bad about not finishing it. For the past year I've been doing it though. Because when I read a quality book, one that I learn from, that wrings emotion from me, that makes me think, its worth it
Why read a book I find boring, one I skim through, when I could be reading great books like THIS!
My heart is full and that is because Roni Lauren writes solid, real character's. She makes me pause in my reading. I have to let this story settle.
I've never been one that was able to stop reading a book and not go back to it. I would feel bad about not finishing it. For the past year I've been doing it though. Because when I read a quality book, one that I learn from, that wrings emotion from me, that makes me think, its worth it
Why read a book I find boring, one I skim through, when I could be reading great books like THIS!
My heart is full and that is because Roni Lauren writes solid, real character's. She makes me pause in my reading. I have to let this story settle.
January 2, 2020
I have mixed feelings about this book. I mostly liked it but I have some reservations. There was a twist near the end that was realistic but I didn't like it. For one thing, it was too obvious and cliched. And the book was easy to put down. I finished it because I felt I had to, and not because I was eager for the story.
January 7, 2019
*I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
After a horrific school shooting takes the life of her younger sister and classmates, Taryn Landry decided to devote her life to finding a way to help prevent such a tragedy from happening again. But that's easier said than done as she struggles to find a way to get her program off the ground and into actual schools. It doesn't help that all this work and no play has her stress levels sky rocketing and her friends concerned for her well-being. Taking their advice, Taryn decides to sign up for training at the new gym where she unexpectedly finds herself catching the eye of one of their trainers...
Shaw Miller wants nothing more than to blend in and to keep his true identity under wraps. But the last thing he expected was for a girl like Taryn to walk into this life and shake things up. He knows that if the truth about his past gets out, it could not only ruin his budding relationship with Taryn but it also might force him to leave behind this new life he's worked so hard to build. But when it comes to love, the heart wants what it wants and sometimes fighting it is a losing battle all on its own.
In all honesty, I didn't go into this book with the best attitude. I was a bit salty mainly for two reasons: (1) I thought that the next book in this series would be Kincaid's story and I have been dying for her HEA because she's my favorite character in this series and I just wanna see her happy already and (2) we didn't see much of Taryn in the previous two books so I was kind of surprised that she was getting a book at all. But it didn't take too long for this story to suck me in and somehow Roni Loren managed to make me go from not giving a damn to wanting to know how this story would end.
Of all the books in this series so far, The One You Fight For probably has the most complex story line yet. The series already touches upon the topic of school shootings and the aftermath of such tragedies but I would've never thought to pair one of the survivors up with the shooter's brother! Roni Loren took a chance and she somehow made this forbidden romance work. I low key had chills while reading this because I could literally feel the build up of emotions with each chapter and I just knew that once shit hit the fan, I would be balling my eyes out. AND I TOTALLY DID! I really appreciate the fact that Loren took her time with the romance because both Shaw and Taryn have a number of issues to work through before either one of them are ready to jump into a relationship. This romance also brought about a lot of healing for not only for Taryn and Shaw, but also for all the people affected by the shooting because everyone stopped playing the blame game and instead they found a way to come together to bring about change that would actually help stop another event like this from happening again.
I really enjoyed getting to know Taryn better in this book. It took a while for me to warm up to her because she's a bit intimidating when you first meet her. She's all numbers and stats and I was waiting to see a more vulnerable side to her. With each passing chapter, it was like we got to chip away at her hard shell and slowly but surely we got to see a woman who struggles to hold it together. That was when I truly started to connect with Taryn and I'm glad we got her story after all. Shaw on the other hand broke my heart. He was a man who had it all and then in an instant he lost it all. I get why people were angry with him but at the same time I didn't think Shaw was to blame for his brother's actions. I'm so happy that he got a second shot at a happy ending and was able to work through his pain and guilt to find a woman like Taryn. Things may not have been easy for this pair, but the fight was worth it in the end.
The One You Fight For was yet another emotional installment in The Ones Who Got Away series and if you haven't picked up these books yet, YOU NEED TO ASAP! Now I anxiously await the final book in this series because I know Roni Loren has saved the best for last. I'm ready with my box of Kleenex to see my girl Kincaid get her happily-ever-after and I can't wait to meet our hero too!
After a horrific school shooting takes the life of her younger sister and classmates, Taryn Landry decided to devote her life to finding a way to help prevent such a tragedy from happening again. But that's easier said than done as she struggles to find a way to get her program off the ground and into actual schools. It doesn't help that all this work and no play has her stress levels sky rocketing and her friends concerned for her well-being. Taking their advice, Taryn decides to sign up for training at the new gym where she unexpectedly finds herself catching the eye of one of their trainers...
Shaw Miller wants nothing more than to blend in and to keep his true identity under wraps. But the last thing he expected was for a girl like Taryn to walk into this life and shake things up. He knows that if the truth about his past gets out, it could not only ruin his budding relationship with Taryn but it also might force him to leave behind this new life he's worked so hard to build. But when it comes to love, the heart wants what it wants and sometimes fighting it is a losing battle all on its own.
In all honesty, I didn't go into this book with the best attitude. I was a bit salty mainly for two reasons: (1) I thought that the next book in this series would be Kincaid's story and I have been dying for her HEA because she's my favorite character in this series and I just wanna see her happy already and (2) we didn't see much of Taryn in the previous two books so I was kind of surprised that she was getting a book at all. But it didn't take too long for this story to suck me in and somehow Roni Loren managed to make me go from not giving a damn to wanting to know how this story would end.
Of all the books in this series so far, The One You Fight For probably has the most complex story line yet. The series already touches upon the topic of school shootings and the aftermath of such tragedies but I would've never thought to pair one of the survivors up with the shooter's brother! Roni Loren took a chance and she somehow made this forbidden romance work. I low key had chills while reading this because I could literally feel the build up of emotions with each chapter and I just knew that once shit hit the fan, I would be balling my eyes out. AND I TOTALLY DID! I really appreciate the fact that Loren took her time with the romance because both Shaw and Taryn have a number of issues to work through before either one of them are ready to jump into a relationship. This romance also brought about a lot of healing for not only for Taryn and Shaw, but also for all the people affected by the shooting because everyone stopped playing the blame game and instead they found a way to come together to bring about change that would actually help stop another event like this from happening again.
I really enjoyed getting to know Taryn better in this book. It took a while for me to warm up to her because she's a bit intimidating when you first meet her. She's all numbers and stats and I was waiting to see a more vulnerable side to her. With each passing chapter, it was like we got to chip away at her hard shell and slowly but surely we got to see a woman who struggles to hold it together. That was when I truly started to connect with Taryn and I'm glad we got her story after all. Shaw on the other hand broke my heart. He was a man who had it all and then in an instant he lost it all. I get why people were angry with him but at the same time I didn't think Shaw was to blame for his brother's actions. I'm so happy that he got a second shot at a happy ending and was able to work through his pain and guilt to find a woman like Taryn. Things may not have been easy for this pair, but the fight was worth it in the end.
The One You Fight For was yet another emotional installment in The Ones Who Got Away series and if you haven't picked up these books yet, YOU NEED TO ASAP! Now I anxiously await the final book in this series because I know Roni Loren has saved the best for last. I'm ready with my box of Kleenex to see my girl Kincaid get her happily-ever-after and I can't wait to meet our hero too!
June 21, 2019
3.5 stars
Although I have had this book on my tbr for a long while, I have been putting it off. My reasons are two-fold, the second book was a let-down, and second I wasn't sure if I was in the mood for heavy. This series does tackle the after-math of a school shooting, and although that isn't something I am familiar with in my country, I see the news and what is going on in the US. This book also plays a lot on parental bond, survivor's guilt and being the one left behind. Our heroine is a psychologist who has dedicated the 14 years since the tragedy to taking care of her parents and making sure that kind of tragedy doesn't happen again. She lost her childhood and the chance for her dreams when her sister died, because she became it for her parents, taking care of her mother; never ever moving out of town. She has never had anything for herself.
The hero Shaw, has also suffered, because he is the brother of the perpetrator. A man who was on the cusp of being an Olympian when what his brother did changed his life forever. He has been alone, cut-off from the world, hounded by the press. Both of these people are so lonely, have so much of pain. So, isn't it a given they would heal parts of each other? Despite knowing what they have is doomed because of who they are, bond of family etc. I liked how honest and earnest Shaw was, not hiding his identity once he knew who the heroine was. He had cast aside his dreams of family; hell he was even celibate for so long because he didn't want anyone to suffer because of his name. I applauded Taryn for having the courage to spit in society's face and expectations and reach for her happiness; to hell with what the world thinks.
Although I have had this book on my tbr for a long while, I have been putting it off. My reasons are two-fold, the second book was a let-down, and second I wasn't sure if I was in the mood for heavy. This series does tackle the after-math of a school shooting, and although that isn't something I am familiar with in my country, I see the news and what is going on in the US. This book also plays a lot on parental bond, survivor's guilt and being the one left behind. Our heroine is a psychologist who has dedicated the 14 years since the tragedy to taking care of her parents and making sure that kind of tragedy doesn't happen again. She lost her childhood and the chance for her dreams when her sister died, because she became it for her parents, taking care of her mother; never ever moving out of town. She has never had anything for herself.
The hero Shaw, has also suffered, because he is the brother of the perpetrator. A man who was on the cusp of being an Olympian when what his brother did changed his life forever. He has been alone, cut-off from the world, hounded by the press. Both of these people are so lonely, have so much of pain. So, isn't it a given they would heal parts of each other? Despite knowing what they have is doomed because of who they are, bond of family etc. I liked how honest and earnest Shaw was, not hiding his identity once he knew who the heroine was. He had cast aside his dreams of family; hell he was even celibate for so long because he didn't want anyone to suffer because of his name. I applauded Taryn for having the courage to spit in society's face and expectations and reach for her happiness; to hell with what the world thinks.
January 12, 2019
4.5 stars
This is probably my favorite of the series. One of the criticisms of this genre (not mine!) is knowing how it will end (them together, so what?). But there is a lot of truth to the old saying about the journey and not the destination. It was never more true than with a book like this. Especially when it feels nearly impossible to think how it could possibly work out. Where there is so much conflict, you can't ever understand how it would be possible. It also had so many other elements I love, including dreams of singing (because, hell, if I could have any talent that would be what I'd choose). The little things added up to make a really satisfying read and reminded me what this genre is so good at.
This is probably my favorite of the series. One of the criticisms of this genre (not mine!) is knowing how it will end (them together, so what?). But there is a lot of truth to the old saying about the journey and not the destination. It was never more true than with a book like this. Especially when it feels nearly impossible to think how it could possibly work out. Where there is so much conflict, you can't ever understand how it would be possible. It also had so many other elements I love, including dreams of singing (because, hell, if I could have any talent that would be what I'd choose). The little things added up to make a really satisfying read and reminded me what this genre is so good at.
October 20, 2018
I feel drained after reading this book. Review to come
January 2, 2019
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Reading a book in this series is never an easy experience. These are all broken and damaged people hopefully getting a little peace and love to help soothe their souls. They've been through so much and they deserve it. Taryn is one that deserves it the most. She lost her sister the night of the school shooting and she's dedicated her life to helping make that right. There's a secret she's kept close and a guilt she's been carrying. Her family has also made it her mission to help create a program that will identify problem kids and get them the help they need. So basically her whole life has revolved around that incident, that guilt. Every day, she's put her wants and dreams aside. She bottled up that teenager she was and she became this new and subdued Taryn.
It seems ironic that the person that helps her reconnect with who she really was and helps her break out from that shell and free her spirit is the ONE person she shouldn't be around. As the blurb already mentions it, the hero Shaw is the brother of the shooter. His brother killed her sister. He's been living with the guilt about what happened and how he felt he played a part in it. He's been living with the constant media circus and scrutiny because everyone associated with him must've been bad too. At first, and for a while, I had a hard time wrapping my head around how they could work in the long term. Chemistry and love is one thing but having to face the world with all that baggage between them is not going to be an easy thing.
I think one of the issues I liked the most was the fact that Ms. Loren shows us the other side of the coin. The victims and survivors are not only the ones that survived the attacked. What about the family of the shooter? What experiences and guilt they carry? I was glad to see this explored and the fact that we have this HEA pushes us to think of acceptance, forgiveness and love.
All that being said... Shaw Miller is just deliciously sexy and the chemistry he has with Taryn is undeniable. This one is probably right up there with the first one in how intense it was, but emotional and gut-wrenching. I devoured this story and I can't wait for the next one.
*ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by Francesca❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
January 9, 2019
Roni Loren is one of my best new finds in 2018 with the beginning of this series The Ones Who Got Away impressing me so tremendously, I made huge inroads into her backlist.
The premise of having the main characters be survivors of a school shooting will always lend angst to the storylines. In the hands of a lesser author, these books would have gone extremely political and maudlin instead of the hopeful, love-filled, evocative, five-star reads that they are.
From the time I found out who Taryn's partner is going to be, with her sister being one of the victims and Shaw the brother of one of the shooters, I knew this would be the toughest pairing yet. But, Roni Loren already earned my trust and I believed from the start that she would deliver a compelling story between these two. She absolutely surpassed my expectation.
Taryn and Shaw, though from opposite ends of the spectrum in the eyes of the world--she's a survivor working to ensure such tragedies are prevented; he's a villain, sharing the same bad blood as a mass murderer--gravitated towards one another and eventually fell in love with the full knowledge of each other's identity. The heavy burden of their guilt, intrusion of the media, and disapproval of Taryn's parents all conspired to tear them apart. Break they did, but only for a short while. This is romance, after all. Without that guarantee, let me tell you that I wouldn't go on this rollercoaster ride because, oh boy, did Roni make Taryn and Shaw work for their happily-ever-after.
As is probably now evident, I am a huge fan of this book and this series. I love the fact that this is an interracial romance, but that is not heralded. The pairing of Taryn and Shaw is so natural, their ethnicity didn't even matter. I absolutely adore the female friendship. Those four ladies are sisters, they're chosen family. I love this aspect of this series as much as the romance. I love the music, the diversity and inclusion, the balance of emotional triggers with lighthearted, uplifting moments, and the steamy sexytimes.
I cried, I laughed, I loved. Five shining stars.
The premise of having the main characters be survivors of a school shooting will always lend angst to the storylines. In the hands of a lesser author, these books would have gone extremely political and maudlin instead of the hopeful, love-filled, evocative, five-star reads that they are.
From the time I found out who Taryn's partner is going to be, with her sister being one of the victims and Shaw the brother of one of the shooters, I knew this would be the toughest pairing yet. But, Roni Loren already earned my trust and I believed from the start that she would deliver a compelling story between these two. She absolutely surpassed my expectation.
Taryn and Shaw, though from opposite ends of the spectrum in the eyes of the world--she's a survivor working to ensure such tragedies are prevented; he's a villain, sharing the same bad blood as a mass murderer--gravitated towards one another and eventually fell in love with the full knowledge of each other's identity. The heavy burden of their guilt, intrusion of the media, and disapproval of Taryn's parents all conspired to tear them apart. Break they did, but only for a short while. This is romance, after all. Without that guarantee, let me tell you that I wouldn't go on this rollercoaster ride because, oh boy, did Roni make Taryn and Shaw work for their happily-ever-after.
As is probably now evident, I am a huge fan of this book and this series. I love the fact that this is an interracial romance, but that is not heralded. The pairing of Taryn and Shaw is so natural, their ethnicity didn't even matter. I absolutely adore the female friendship. Those four ladies are sisters, they're chosen family. I love this aspect of this series as much as the romance. I love the music, the diversity and inclusion, the balance of emotional triggers with lighthearted, uplifting moments, and the steamy sexytimes.
I cried, I laughed, I loved. Five shining stars.
March 14, 2021
Die Bücher sind für das Genre sicher nichts komplett neues, haben aber nicht dieses teenie drama feeling.
Die Autorin hat auch hier wieder sehr viel Gefühl für das schwierige Thema eingebaut und es nicht durch unnötiges Drama gezogen. Was ich super finde!
Taryns Mutter fand ich einfach schrecklich. Klar, dass sie Angst hat noch ein Kind zu verlieren - aber ihre Tochter ist über 30 und kann nicht ihr eigenes Leben führen?! Und dann macht sie ihr noch Vorwürfe?!
Das hat mir gar nicht gefallen, dass Taryn das Verhalten auch so lange einfach akzeptiert hat.
So hat sie ihrer Mutter ja auch nicht geholfen.
Ansonsten hat mir der Rest wirklich gut gefallen.
Die Autorin hat auch hier wieder sehr viel Gefühl für das schwierige Thema eingebaut und es nicht durch unnötiges Drama gezogen. Was ich super finde!
Taryns Mutter fand ich einfach schrecklich. Klar, dass sie Angst hat noch ein Kind zu verlieren - aber ihre Tochter ist über 30 und kann nicht ihr eigenes Leben führen?! Und dann macht sie ihr noch Vorwürfe?!
Das hat mir gar nicht gefallen, dass Taryn das Verhalten auch so lange einfach akzeptiert hat.
So hat sie ihrer Mutter ja auch nicht geholfen.
Ansonsten hat mir der Rest wirklich gut gefallen.
November 11, 2018
After loving the first two books in The Ones Who Got Away series, I was so excited to get to The One You Fight For, even more so, after seeing the gorgeous couple on the cover. This series tackles the aftermath of a school shooting, so it's not always easy to read given how prevalent gun violence is in the US, but the romances bring a lightness to the story and the characters are so empowering. It's certainly a series I see myself re-reading over and over again just because of how it makes me feel.
The One You Fight For was an even more difficult read and I won't lie and say that I wasn't nervous going into the story. You see, the love interest here is the shooter's brother. It's definitely a difficult choice that Roni Loren made, but she handled it with so much care and thoughtfulness. After the horrifying shooting in which Taryn lost her sister, Nia, she has dedicated much of her career as a psychology professor into researching how to prevent incidences such as the Long Acre Shooting. She hasn't had much time to for love, especially with also trying to ensure that she is safe so that she doesn't send her mother into panic mode. When she meets Shaw Miller at a karaoke bar, she is drawn to him in an unexpected way and though they part ways that night, the universe has other plans for them. The only issue is that Taryn and Shaw have no idea about each others' roles in the Long Acre shooting. Roni Loren did such a beautiful job with both Taryn and Shaw's characters. Both were broken and were battling with a ton of guilt, and damn if that did not make my heart hurt. I was proud of both of them, but especially Taryn who was such a wonderful, strong and intelligent woman. She was admirable in every way and I wanted so much for her to find the happiness she deserved.
Shaw's character just about destroyed me. He was hell-bent on punishing himself for the callous acts of his brother and it was difficult at times to stomach his self-hatred. I realize that in situations like this which are too much of a reality these days, our hearts and thoughts immediately go to the victims and their families, and for me personally, I never think about the devastating impacts that such actions may have on the shooters' families. This book forced me to think about that through Shaw's character. It was just sad to see how Shaw had isolated himself from most of the world because of the pressure of the media for something that he had nothing to do with. As you can imagine, the romance between Taryn and Shaw was anything but easy. I appreciated how honest Shaw was upon finding out who Taryn was, and I appreciated how Taryn was willing to forgive him after she allowed herself to simmer. Even after that, things were never easy for these two because of outside forces, but they remained openly communicative with each other while allowing their relationship to grow. Their relationship was one based on honesty, love, and forgiveness. I also have to briefly give a shout-out to Taryn's friends, but especially to Kincaid, who brought much-needed laughs to this book - I sincerely we are getting her book next.
The One You Fight For was an emotional and sensual romance that really spoke to me on many levels. It's a book that will stay with me for a long time and I can't recommend it enough.
The One You Fight For was an even more difficult read and I won't lie and say that I wasn't nervous going into the story. You see, the love interest here is the shooter's brother. It's definitely a difficult choice that Roni Loren made, but she handled it with so much care and thoughtfulness. After the horrifying shooting in which Taryn lost her sister, Nia, she has dedicated much of her career as a psychology professor into researching how to prevent incidences such as the Long Acre Shooting. She hasn't had much time to for love, especially with also trying to ensure that she is safe so that she doesn't send her mother into panic mode. When she meets Shaw Miller at a karaoke bar, she is drawn to him in an unexpected way and though they part ways that night, the universe has other plans for them. The only issue is that Taryn and Shaw have no idea about each others' roles in the Long Acre shooting. Roni Loren did such a beautiful job with both Taryn and Shaw's characters. Both were broken and were battling with a ton of guilt, and damn if that did not make my heart hurt. I was proud of both of them, but especially Taryn who was such a wonderful, strong and intelligent woman. She was admirable in every way and I wanted so much for her to find the happiness she deserved.
Shaw's character just about destroyed me. He was hell-bent on punishing himself for the callous acts of his brother and it was difficult at times to stomach his self-hatred. I realize that in situations like this which are too much of a reality these days, our hearts and thoughts immediately go to the victims and their families, and for me personally, I never think about the devastating impacts that such actions may have on the shooters' families. This book forced me to think about that through Shaw's character. It was just sad to see how Shaw had isolated himself from most of the world because of the pressure of the media for something that he had nothing to do with. As you can imagine, the romance between Taryn and Shaw was anything but easy. I appreciated how honest Shaw was upon finding out who Taryn was, and I appreciated how Taryn was willing to forgive him after she allowed herself to simmer. Even after that, things were never easy for these two because of outside forces, but they remained openly communicative with each other while allowing their relationship to grow. Their relationship was one based on honesty, love, and forgiveness. I also have to briefly give a shout-out to Taryn's friends, but especially to Kincaid, who brought much-needed laughs to this book - I sincerely we are getting her book next.
The One You Fight For was an emotional and sensual romance that really spoke to me on many levels. It's a book that will stay with me for a long time and I can't recommend it enough.
August 7, 2021
I've been loving this series but THE ONE YOU FIGHT FOR was just amazing and hands down my favorite of the series so far. Roni Loren is a master writer and the way she handles such difficult topics just blows me away. It could be so easy to trivialize Taryn and Shaw's problems or to ignore them completely but Loren just dives right in and forces the characters, and us as the reader, to experience the good, the bad, and the ugly. And every second of it is just beautiful! There was so much emotion in THE ONE YOU FIGHT FOR and it really allows the book to just grab your heart and hold on for the ride.
I've been interested in Taryn from the very first book in the series because she reminded me a lot of myself in high school. Studious, nerdy, and very focused so I was really happy to have her story. Taryn has maintained that focus to the point of almost burning herself out but she's determined to get her program into schools where it can help others. Taryn doesn't believe that killers are born that way but instead are shaped by their environment. There are key moments where someone can step in and begin to help a child who is lonely, depressed, or angry. I really admired Taryn for always keeping an open mind and embracing that there are many victims in a shooting, not just those who are killed or injured.
As an Olympic hopeful, everything was ruined for Shaw the day his younger brother shot up his prom with another student. Shaw became a target for paparazzi and a bit of a temper made it hard for him to keep his cool. He's made some mistakes and now many people, thanks to the media, believe he's just like his brother. Shaw absolutely broke my heart because his story is so poignant and sad. All he wants is to be forgotten and left alone but that also means that Shaw is very lonely; he only has one friend who actually knows who he really is. I loved that Shaw was kind of this gentle giant but because of a few mistakes after the shooting he doesn't think the best of himself.
Taryn and Shaw have no idea who the other is when they meet so their attraction is natural and unexpected for both of them. Of course, once things are revealed it creates a whole mess they never saw coming. I really enjoyed the way Loren handled their relationship so that they both went into things with their eyes wide open and no secrets between them. The chemistry is amazing and these two are incredibly hot together! But as you can imagine, how could Taryn explain to her friends and her family who Shaw really is and this creates the majority of the tension in their relationship.
As a final note, I really love the way Loren writes about female friendship. She has built a really amazing bond for Liv, Becca, Taryn, and Kincaid and it's awesome to see women supporting each other and leaning on each other. I'm so looking forward to the next in this series!
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Content Warning: Discussion of and flashbacks to a school shooting
I've been interested in Taryn from the very first book in the series because she reminded me a lot of myself in high school. Studious, nerdy, and very focused so I was really happy to have her story. Taryn has maintained that focus to the point of almost burning herself out but she's determined to get her program into schools where it can help others. Taryn doesn't believe that killers are born that way but instead are shaped by their environment. There are key moments where someone can step in and begin to help a child who is lonely, depressed, or angry. I really admired Taryn for always keeping an open mind and embracing that there are many victims in a shooting, not just those who are killed or injured.
As an Olympic hopeful, everything was ruined for Shaw the day his younger brother shot up his prom with another student. Shaw became a target for paparazzi and a bit of a temper made it hard for him to keep his cool. He's made some mistakes and now many people, thanks to the media, believe he's just like his brother. Shaw absolutely broke my heart because his story is so poignant and sad. All he wants is to be forgotten and left alone but that also means that Shaw is very lonely; he only has one friend who actually knows who he really is. I loved that Shaw was kind of this gentle giant but because of a few mistakes after the shooting he doesn't think the best of himself.
Taryn and Shaw have no idea who the other is when they meet so their attraction is natural and unexpected for both of them. Of course, once things are revealed it creates a whole mess they never saw coming. I really enjoyed the way Loren handled their relationship so that they both went into things with their eyes wide open and no secrets between them. The chemistry is amazing and these two are incredibly hot together! But as you can imagine, how could Taryn explain to her friends and her family who Shaw really is and this creates the majority of the tension in their relationship.
As a final note, I really love the way Loren writes about female friendship. She has built a really amazing bond for Liv, Becca, Taryn, and Kincaid and it's awesome to see women supporting each other and leaning on each other. I'm so looking forward to the next in this series!
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Content Warning: Discussion of and flashbacks to a school shooting
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