The One That Got Away

Have you ever had that one true love that got away? Do you regret it? This is what radio executive Tony Gooden has to deal with in The One That Got Away, the latest novel by C. Kelly Robinson. Tony loves the single life, but his whole world turns upside down when Serena Kincaid pops back into the picture. Serena is the only love Tony has ever had and he let her go. Tony wants her back right now but that's not going to be easy. Serena is dealing with a wayward teenage daughter and a philandering husband. She is torn between trying to save her marriage and rekindling a past relationship with Tony. The One That Got Away is an entertaining novel by C. Kelly Robinson. This novel is about how making life choices can affect everyone around you. Robinson expertly shows the range of emotions that Tony goes through in trying to get Serena back. I found myself really feeling for these characters while I was reading this fast-paced and intriguing novel. C. Kelly Robinson continues to write enjoyable, true-to-life stories for all to contemplate.

Executive Tony Gooden has two goals in life. He plans to make a lot of money and to use his wealth to fully enjoy the life of a single. He is succeeding at both as he is rising fast up the corporate ladder and has no problem scoring with the women. Life is perfect until he sees his college sweetheart Serena Kincaid at the wedding of his college roommate in Chicago. Years ago Tony let Serena marry someone else though he foolishly crashed the wedding in an almost Mrs. Robinson scenario, but finally moved on with a string of models. Now seeing her, he wants her more than life itself. Serena has her own troubles with her marriage to Jamie collapsing. She wants Tony, but figures on a one night stand to forget her troubles at least for an evening. Both have the best night of their lives, but he needs more while she has doubts after one failed marital relationship and their previous history. Still he heads to Cincinnati to make his case. THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY is a fabulous contemporary romance starring two likable protagonists who belong together yet somehow never took the next step. Instead they went their separate ways, but have a second chance at love if both take the risk to their respective hearts. The story line focuses on the changing triangular relationship between Tony, Serena and Jamie who still wants his wife at his side (among other women) and uses their daughter to achieve his objective. Fans will welcome this fine Midwest tale due to the fully developed cast who because they seem real make choosing so difficult to decide. Harriet Klausner

Have you ever loved someone, but the timing/situation was not right, and they slipped away? In the latest release from C. Kelly Robinson, titled The One That Got Away (TOTGA) the girl that got away is Serena Kincaid and the guy that is still pining for her is Tony Gooden. More than ten years have lapsed, since Tony crashed Serena's wedding to her current husband, Jamie. Fast forward a decade later and a not so accidental encounter at a friends wedding, which brings the two face to face where old memories, wounds, heartbreaks, and feelings are revisited-as well as the reason for why their paths had not crossed in all those years. But when Tony survives an untimely accident, his priorities change, and he realizes that tomorrow is not guaranteed and some people are worth taking a chance with. There are just a few roadblocks-Serena's married, dealing with a rebellious teen, and she lives in another city. Is she willing to give up what she has accomplished in the last 10 years to be with someone that dissed her a decade ago? Robinson explores marriage, relationships, love, children and inner emotions in his latest novel. TOTGA depicts the struggles that many individuals experience in the game of love and relationships. Robinson gives us mature characters who are forced to make some tough decisions. Decisions that not only affect them but that will ultimately impact loved ones as well. We witness and feel the pain of the main characters as they make decisions with their hearts rather than their heads. Robinson delivers a conscious twisting story about love and lust between Serena and Jason and forces us to assess whether or not two individuals can go back to a love that previously existed without repercussions. While TOTGA covers typical territory (it is primarily a relationship novel), Robinson does introduce unexpected plots twists and turns. Additionally, secondary characters are skillfully developed and their stories are integral to the primary storyline. TOTGA was an entertaining and engaging read, however, I wanted more back story regarding the primary characters; serious character flaws were alluded to for both but they were never really fleshed out. That aside, Robinson's writing was captivating enough to keep me reading this book and I was able to finish it in one sitting. Nice story for a clear, mild autumn day. Reviewed by Yasmin APOOO BookClub