(71)The One That Got Away by Leigh Himes

Friday, August 5, 2016


Abbey Lahey is exhausted.  She has two small children, a full-time career, and a husband whose business is tanking.  Abbey is tired of worrying about money, worrying about her career, and worrying about her family.  One day she decides to do something for herself - but a very expensive handbag.  Of course, that decision causes strife with her husband so she decides to take it back. At Nordstroms, there is an accident and when Abbey wakes up it is with a different life.  Abbey is no longer Abbey Lahey, but Abbey Van Holt, the wife of a congressional candidate.  Long before Abbey got married she had the chance to date the blue-blood, Alex Van Holt, but turned him down.  It is as if she never married Jimmy Lahey.  Abbey Van Holt lives in a posh penthouse with Alex and their two kids.  She has a nanny, stylists and every designer handbag a woman could ever want.  But she also has no friends, an overbearing mother-in-law, and crushing responsibilities as a Van Holt. Is this life really better than the one she had before the accident?

The One That Got Away is not an unfamiliar concept. Many stories have been written about a woman who wakes up in another life.  I think every overwhelmed woman has spent some time daydreaming about this very scenario.  Abbey seems like a very down-to-earth woman, someone that I could be friends with quite easily.  Her life as a Van Holt is very much a shock to her.  As Abbey tries to navigate that world she realizes that Abbey Lahey doesn't really like Abbey Van Holt.  I can't really blame her.  I didn't really like any of the Van Holts, including Alex.  There was a part in the book where he was such a jerk that I wasn't sure I could listen to the book anymore.  Thankfully Abbey realized a very important lesson - money can't buy you happiness.  I was pleased with the way the book ended - Abbey got what she wanted.

Bottom line - The One That Got Away was a fun read.  A chance for us common folk, like Abbey and I, to live among the ridiculously wealthy for a time.  Definitely a fun and light read if you are looking for one.

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