Member Reviews
Spicy story of second chance love. Stella’s mom signs her up for a matchmaking service where she goes to the Love Hotel to meet her match. She ends up matched with her ex Max, who was signed up by his friends. Unable to get refunds, they decide to stick it out and see if each other have matured in the 12 years since they were together. There was lots of spice, but little emotion. I would have enjoyed the story more if there was more than lust. At best, this is a library rental.
Thank you Boldwood Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This was a quick, fun read. This book reminds me of the TV show Love Island (which I absolutely love) so if that is your kind of thing, I think you would like this book. It's pretty low stakes, nothing surprising really happens and it's pretty predictable, but sometimes that's what I want in a book. It was entertaining, but nothing earth shattering.
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love a good second chance romance and here we are. Stella and Max broke up 12 years ago. Both are single and ignoring dating and romance. Prodded by friends and family, they get sent to the Love Hotel to be set up by a matchmaker who deemed them a perfect match. Needless to say, neither was thrilled to be set up with their ex. They reconnected on the holiday and got their second chance. It was a nice read to see them get to a happy place.
Stella and Max!! I loved them!! What a sweet second chance romance! And I loved how Stella’s mum was involved. It was a different type of second chance and I liked that. It was something different. It kept my interest and to me was a quick read because I couldn’t put it down! You could tell these two loved each other and were always meant to be together. Sweet story!!
ARC Review
This was cuuuute!! It was so funny and I loved all the characters (*hoping for another book in this world!!*) It's a quick lighthearted read, with serious moments and a little bit of spice. Definitely recommend!
This was great, I love when a book can make me actually laugh out loud! I had a lot of fun reading this one
I just finished the best romantic comedy. The One That Got Away had me laughing out loud. A great read!
3.75 stars. The One That Got Away is an enjoyable read for fans of Elena Armas or Lindsay Kelk. Stella and Max are chosen as the other' perfect match at a resort that helps people find their soulmate. However, Max broke Stella's heart years ago, and she is not sure if she can trust him again. This is such a cute concept for a book. I liked both Stella and Max. The reasons for their separation were clear and not unreasonable. They discussed things like adults, and their relationship grew realistically. There was a fair bit of spice. The descriptions of the resort were very lush and gave White Lotus level luxury vibes. I liked that they bonded over Ted Lasso and supporting each other to push their comfort zones, not rushing the other to make leaps they didn't ask for and weren't ready for. This book was a quick read with likable characters. It was nice to see an interracial couple in romance. Also, amazing, quirky, and specific side characters from Stella's mom to their love consultant, Jasmine. I'm not sure that the epilogue was needed unless it was just to set up a sequel with Jasmine?
Thanks to Net Galley, Olivia Spring, and Boldwood Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
First of all thank you for approving my request!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.
I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.
I absolutely love this authors books and when she releases a new book I just have to read it but know i am going to love it and this was definitely no exception - it was wonderful and everything that i wanted from a rom com story…
Right from the very beginning i was pulled in to this story and it had me hooked, i just wanted to keep reading so that i could find out what was going to happen between Stella and Max.
I loved that this book is mostly set in Spain as the author always has a wonderful way with words and describing all of the places and surroundings. I honestly feel as though i am there experiencing all of these wonderful things.
There were some very funny moments in this book and i found myself chuckling along in quite a few places.
I really warmed to both Stella and Max and thought they were both wonderful, well-rounded characters and they suited each other perfectly, the banter that went on between them was hilarious, i loved it. There were also quite a few side characters who i enjoyed getting to know and Stella’s mum was adorable and very funny too.
I also really enjoyed that there was a playlist within the story and now i am going to put a playlist together on Spotify so that i can play it and think about the story too, i do love a book with a playlist…
This was definitely an enemies to lovers trope and i loved it and all the will they won’t they added to all the angst between Stella and Max too.
After i had read this book I desperately wanted to find out what was going on between Jasmine and Alejandro, there’s definitely more to the story there and its been left on a bit of a cliffhanger and i need more!!!
This was such a sweet, romantic, spicy, funny, heartwarming story and perfect for a bit of armchair travel…..
This book was absolutely mind-blowing! I loved everything about it, especially the undeniable chemistry between the two main characters.
When Stella’s mother insisted she find her soulmate through the Love Hotel, a luxury matchmaking service, Stella set off on a relaxing getaway to Spain—only to discover her date was none other than her ex!
The plot was incredibly well-paced, balancing humor, romance, and tension effortlessly. The witty banter between the characters and their knack for landing in awkward yet entertaining situations gave the story a lively and fresh energy. The romance felt genuine, while the backdrop of a Spanish holiday added an adventurous and dreamy quality.
A huge thank you to @NetGalley and @TheBoldBookClub for the free copy of this book!
Cute and steamy second chance romance - forced proximity, paired with the one true love that ended badly - a rocky road of lovers to enemies to lovers,
My second Olivia Spring book and certainly won’t be my last! Her writing style is very entertaining and definitely in the rom-com category! Stella and Max are both single and encouraged to go to the love hotel by Max’s best friend and Stella’s mom to find their matches. When they arrive at the love hotel, they realize they were matched together and they dated 10 years prior. Stella’s still upset about their break up. They have two weeks to rekindle their relationship or just enjoy each other’s company.
There is nothing unexpected about this book. This is not a negative. What I mean is, you pick this book up because you know what you like reading and you get that in this novel, the story line is tenuous but fun, there’s plenty of romance and moments of humour. I didn’t hate any of the characters or find them annoying or offensive in any way. If this is your type of book, it would do no harm at all to give this one a go.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!
The One That Got Away" by Olivia Spring is the perfect summer read! The chemistry between the main characters was electric—you could practically feel the sparks flying off the page. I was rooting for their happy ending from the very start. I usually approach spicy scenes in books with caution, but Olivia Spring handled them beautifully. It was tastefully done, giving just enough to convey the intensity without being overwhelming—a great example of a "slightly open door" romance. This was my first time reading Olivia Spring, and I’m already looking forward to diving into her backlist. A delightful read that definitely deserves 4.5 stars from me!
Overall the book was so well written and the plot and the characters in the book I loved. The storyline of book being second chance at love and watching the characters allowing themselves to open up and take a chance at letting the other in was so sweet to read.
There was also so many funny moments in the book especially with the side characters. The character development in the book was also really well done and thoughtout. I am giving this 3.75 stars as I really enjoyed this book. I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this prior to the book being released.
Absolutely loved this clever play on the forced proximity and second chance romance tropes.
Stella was so relatable - stuck in a rut and still pining for a decades-old relationship (even if she didn't quite realise it) and Max proved to have more layers than even he thought he had. Their time in paradise was fun, sexy and heartwarming, and the story's ending gave me all the feels.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The One Who Got Away by Olivia Spring was a fun read that I definitely enjoyed. It had a great mix of spice and humor that kept me entertained. I really liked how confident and real both the main characters were—they knew what they wanted and weren’t afraid to show their feelings.
The way they rekindled their romance and shared their past from both perspectives added a nice touch. I also enjoyed some of the nostalgia that came up with certain references and moments in the book. The sweet gestures from the MMC trying to win back the FMC were heartwarming and made the story extra charming.
That said, the overuse of certain words and phrases felt repetitive, and I hoped for a bit more variety. A good synonym or two would’ve been nice to mix things up. Overall, I’m giving The One Who Got Away a 3.75-star rating. It’s a solid pick if you’re in the mood for a feel-good romance with plenty of heart.
4 stars.
Olivia Spring is a new-to-me author. I didn't know about her previous works, so I didn't have expectations for this book. I was actually pleasantly surprised, I really liked this! I read the book in one day.
Love Hotel is a place where you go to fall in love. Relationship experts find people the perfect match, and then they get to get to know each other - and fall in love - in a wonderful environment.
One of the perfect couples is Max and Stella, who, encouraged by their loved ones, end up going to the Love Hotel. When they first meet, it's quite a shock - they are each other's childhood sweethearts, and Max once broke Stella's heart. However, they end up staying at the hotel.
I liked the main characters in the book, they were realistic characters with flaws. They were pretty cute together. After clearing up the past, they admit that there is still an undeniable chemistry between them.
The book was a fun and light read. It would be the best read for a summer vacation or otherwise just to read on the beach. A sweet book that also had a bit of spice.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
* Difficult past
* Dirty talk
* Enemies to friends with benefits to lovers
* Forced proximity
* Hea
* Miscommunication
* One bed
* Open doors
* Point of view: dual 1st person
* Second chance
* Slowburn
* Steamy
* The one that got away
* Third act: break up (but not the worst kind!)
i’m sorry but chapter one gave me the ickkkkk. like the fact that she was screaming with her mom downstairs?? and then her mom was casually talking to her about vibrators?? idk what kinda relationships yall have with your moms but it grossed me out personally. couldn’t get past it.