The One You Fight For

Starred review from October 22, 2018
Loren’s gripping third look into the lives of survivors of a mass shooting (after The One You Can’t Forget) will leave readers breathless. It’s been 14 years since Taryn Landry, now a psychologist in Austin, Tex., survived a horrific incident at her high school prom that took the life of her sister. The night’s events also scarred athlete Shaw Miller, who gave up his Olympic dreams and now owns a gym. But where Taryn receives outpourings of sympathy, Shaw, the brother of one of the shooters, gets scorn. He changes his name and resigns himself to a solitary life as Lucas Shaw—until he meets Taryn again. Their mutual attraction is instant and undeniable, but the prospect of any kind of lasting relationship looks bleak. Her parents and others feel she’s betrayed them, and media types only see clickbait. All Taryn and Shaw know is they love each other, but they fear love may not be enough. This outstanding paean to seeing the humanity in others is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance. Agent: Sara Megibow, KT Literary.