This was such an unexpected delight! I am not normally drawn into Romance novels but this packed ALL the feels. It was full of tears, some happy and some just not happy tears. I loved how the story unfolded so perfectly between Jane and Nik. Swoon worthy read. ALL the stars. Thank you Bookouture for the advanced read. I can't wait to read more by Melissa.

🌸Book Review🌸

Book: Love and Other Lost Things
Pub Date: August 6, 2024
Author: @melissawiesnerauthor
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🌸Tropes:
-Second chance romance
-Childhood friends to lovers
-“Who hurt you?”
-A twist you won’t see coming
-Emotional romance

This book totally gutted me. The strength and bravery that Jane had throughout the book was inspiring and unbelievable. I was hooked from the beginning to end and the twist in it shocked me to my core. This is my first book by Melissa Wiesner and it will not be my last. If you love It Ends With Us then get your tissues 🤧 and check out this book.
🌸TW: Domestic Violence and the death of a parent and loss

A totally heartbreaking page-turner indeed!

“It shows a lot of strength to decide you deserve better.”

A heartbreaking decade later when Jane finally gets a chance to escape, it is her own past that she has to face. The past she ran away from, the past she should never have left. As conflicted as I am about the twist at the end, this was still definitely an interesting read. Putting things in perspective, the book does well in speaking about the issues it deals with. In particular, the stark difference in behaviours being so obviously apparent is something that I really appreciate.

If you like a book that gives an emotional gut punch, this one is for you.

What You’ll Find:
Second chance romance
Childhood friends to lovers
“Who hurt you?”
A twist you won’t see coming
Emotional romance

This book definitely pulls out all the feels, though I struggled with it a little bit. Not the content or the storyline, but more connecting with the characters. The gorgeous cover and summary pulled me in. I did love the history between Jane and Nik and the connection they had. It is well written and emotional and worth the read.

There are definite triggers for this book, so check out the Author’s Note at the beginning.

LOVE AND OTHER LOST THINGS
Melissa Wiesner
Out now!

Thank you @bookedwiththeemilys for including me on the tour and the #gifted copy.

Just WOW! This book hit every single emotion. Melissa has crafted a beautiful story wrapped in heartbreak. DV is not easy to read and I’m sure it’s not easy to write about. But, as a child where DV was in the home, I can attest that she nailed it. I don’t want to say much about the plot because there are several twists and you really need to go in blindly. But, it’s a must read. Highly recommend.

DV is such a sensitive topic to discuss but Wiesner manages to make a flawless yet creative read focusing on this subject. Some readers may find this a difficult read, but I thought it gave enough details to make an impact yet not too much to make it harrowing.

All characters are created realistically and as a reader I was captivated and absorbed into the storyline.

The only criticism I have is it is very similar to another best selling book, and although this didn’t dampen my enjoyment or enthusiasm for the read, it was notable.

Overall, I recommend this book to fans of this author and genre. A must read - if you can!

Melissa takes readers on an intensely emotional and unforgettable romantic journey, one that touches your heart. This story shattered my emotions, only to piece them back together in the most beautiful way. I found myself truly surprised by how deeply I connected with and enjoyed this book. Every twist and turn left me breathless, making it an experience that will stay with me long after the final page.

Thanks to @bookedwiththeemilys @melissawiesnerauthor @bookouture for the #gifted copy of this book.

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Summary: A completely heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, and unforgettable romance, perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover and Paige Toon. When two lost souls are thrown back together, is it far too late to fix their broken hearts?

Jane is back in Linden Falls after fleeing the town a decade earlier. After her mom contacted her about helping clean the house after her father's death, Jane is back but not for long. Nik, the boy she fell in love with as a teen and never quite forgot, is also back in town living out the dreams he had. What happens though when they start to become closer again and secrets Jane has always kept close become revealed?

Thoughts: Wow!! This book pulled at my heartstrings and has still not let go. It is a very binge-able book that had me staying up way too late reading. I won't go into too much detail as it's best to read this book with all of its twists and turns. But I will say that this book has proven to me that Melissa Wiesner has such a wide range as an author. I have loved her rom-coms, but this book was just as good. I loved Nik and the way he supported Jane even when she wanted to keep her distance from him. Jane was such a strong woman for all that she has had to endure in her life. I also loved the seamless transitions for chapters between povs and past/present. The flow of this book was perfectly timed for when we needed to know something important that had happened in Jane's past.

Please read trigger warnings prior to starting this one. It covers some very heavy topics that might be hard for some to read.

Ten years ago, Jane McCaffrey left her hometown of Linden Falls and hasn't been back since. Until now. The only happy memories Jane has of Linden Falls is Nik. He was her best friend, he was also the boy she planned her life dreams with. Seeing him when she first arrived in town and having him brush over the bruises on her face threw her back into her worst past memories. Nik still had no idea why Jane really left town and the secret she's been keeping from him. As they catch up, Jane can't bear to tell him about her plans to disappear forever.

Oh, my heart. What an absolutely emotional, heartwrenching story this was. Jane flees from her home to escape her abusive father only to find herself once again stuck in the same situation with her new boyfriend. This book is told in dual POVs in past and present, so we get to learn everything that Jane endured that has led her to once again flee back to her hometown. This is such a beautifully crafted story that brings awareness to what domestic abuse victims and survivors suffer, endure, and must do to survive and protect themselves and their children. Jane's character was so hard not to love. She was so strong and brave. I started reading this book with my morning coffee, and I knew right then and there that I would be neglecting all adult responsibilities to finish this book in one day. This one will definitely stick with me for quite some time.

Ten years ago, Jane fled her small hometown without a word to anyone. She found her way to Los Angeles, thinking she could potentially have a career in music. Instead, she wound up with an abusive partner, much like the father she grew up with, and despised her mother for not leaving. After the death of her father, Jane returns home with her nine year-old daughter Scarlett, under the guise of helping her mother. Her plan is to finally leave Scarlett’s abusive father and never return to LA. She runs into her best friend from high school Nik and realizes their feelings for each other never faded, even after all this time. Will Jane keep running, or will she confront her past head-on, with help from the most unexpected person?

WOW! This was an emotionally complex book, and not what I was expecting after reading Second Chance New Year in January. I think it’s amazing that the author can write such vastly different books, and have them both be great. This one was hard to read at some points because of the domestic and emotional abuse that Jane and her mother suffered throughout their lives, but it was so good to see them both come out on the other side eventually. It was so nice to truly be able to root for characters. I enjoyed the dual POV of both Jane and Nik - his outside perspective of Jane definitely lent to her character’s development throughout the story. This story takes place at Christmastime and is a great one to snuggle up and read!

Domestic abuse is the ugly secret that far too many women live with. Isolation, fear, and embarrassment keep women silent. It often feels like the system that should be helping is another stumbling block to escaping the terror. This is Jane’s story.

But Jane’s story is also about breaking the cycle. It’s about courage, perseverance, resilience, and finding strength in community. It’s a tale of reclaiming freedom and refusing to live in fear. That’s the important part of Jane’s story.

LOVE AND OTHER LOST THINGS takes on the topic of domestic violence with honesty and shines a light on its brutality. It also highlights the healing power of love and friendship. There are unexpected twists along the way. This is an entirely captivating book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Love and Other Lost Things by Melissa Wiesner

4/5⭐️
1/3🌶️
1/3🦋

•Blurb•
Swipe to see published blurb.

•My Thoughts•
Holy moly. That was a wild ride unlike anything I was expecting. The tag line said it would be a “totally heartbreaking page turner” and that was absolutely accurate but it was so much more. This dealt with heavy themes of domestic abuse and was somehow so hopeLESS and yet hopeFUL at the same time. I did wish there was a little bit more time spent with the couple but that’s why a second chance romance worked really well here. Their “soul-mate-esque” connection allowed the focus to be on the drama of the story. I loved our FMC as a mom and the weight that added to her decisions and choices. I felt like this had some thriller/suspense vibes and a heaviness that stuck with me long after I finished this. It definitely had an HEA for those that are concerned (that was me, I was concerned) and I’d recommend as long as you know what you’re getting into!

Thank you @bookedwiththeemilys @melissawiesner @bookouture for the #gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Love and Other Lost Things released August 6, 2024.

Oh my goodness! This book was extremely heartbreaking, but completely bingeable. If you are a Colleen Hoover fan, this book is definitely for you!

This book is about Jane who left home at 18 years of age, without a word to anyone. She ends up in LA alone with hardly any money. She ends up finding not only a job, but a man that she thinks will love and take care of her. Boy was she wrong. Not only does he not treat her right, but she ends up pregnant and trapped in this relationship. A decade goes by and she receives a phone call from her mother that she needs to come home now because her father as passed. She sees this as the opportunity that she needs to get her and her daughter out of their current situation, before it is to late. When she gets to her hometown her plan is to stay in the shadows and not let anyone know that she is there. This lasts all of about 5 seconds when she runs into her former best friend Nik at the general store. Not only does Nik want to know why she left, but also why she has bruises on her face?

This book was heavy and heartbreaking, but such an excellent read that you won't want to put down. That twist at the end!?!?! OMG, I did not see that coming and I was cheering the entire time! If you are a fan of Colleen Hoover, you will definitely love this book!


Read if you like:
-second chance romance
-small town setting
-shocking twist
-single mom/sweet kiddos
-emotional reads


Thank you Netgalley, bookedwiththeemilys and Bookouture for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review!

Recap: Ten years ago, Jane McCaffrey left her hometown of Linden Falls and hasn't been back since… Until now. Jane returns home after her father’s death, and runs into her childhood best friend Nik, who still had no idea why Jane really left town and the secret she's been keeping from him. When two lost souls are thrown back together, is it far too late to fix their broken hearts?

Review: Oh, my heart. What an absolutely heart-wrenching story this was. As soon as I started reading it, I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down. This book is told in dual POVs in past and present, so we get to learn everything that Jane endured that led her to flee her hometown, as well as what has brought her back home again. This is such a beautifully crafted story that brings awareness to what domestic abuse victims and survivors suffer, endure, and must do to survive and to protect themselves and their children. This story handles some incredibly heavy topics with respect and authenticity, and the result is an absolutely compelling story that will leave an indelible mark on your heart. It will break your heart, make you sob with joy, and remind you of the beautiful pain of lost love. It will both shatter and mend your heart in all of the ways. If you are a fan of Colleen Hoover, Love and Other Lost Things by Melissa Wiesner absolutely needs to be your next read!

As soon as I saw what this book was about, I was instantly drawn in! I was flying through it & really loved it! This book has a small town, second chance romance, childhood friends to lovers, “who hurt you”, generational trauma & lots of emotion!

It was definitely hard to read at times with what Jane goes through during her life & watching her mom go through a lot as well. Jane has to overcome things she thought she had escaped when she left home & you get to see her navigate that throughout the book. I loved the flashbacks that gave you bits of information to help you understand Jane’s thinking in the present day. It’s hard to read real life stuff sometimes, but so necessary. I saw one part of the ending coming but definitely not the other part!! I didn’t cry as much as I thought I would, but I definitely got teary eyed a few times.

Would definitely recommend this book! & I will for sure be reading another Melissa Weisner book!

Thanks to @bookedwiththeemilys @melissawiesner @bookouture for the #gifted copy of this book.

A heart wrenching emotional romance for fans of Paige Toon or Colleen Hoover. check the trigger warnings!

Jane has lived a hard life, with men who have not had her best interest at heart. She did what she thought she had to do to not only escape herself, but save the ones she loved. Unfortunately, life threw her more hardship but also a daughter Jane is determined to do anything for.

There was a lot of sadness in this story but also a lot of strength, perseverance, and grit. I enjoyed watching Jane find the will to believe in herself as she returned home to Nik and realized the support she truly had to do hard things

Love and Other Lost Things is heartbreaking and hopeful, with a fierce love that arises from past hurts. I loved Jane’s story and the strength she found as a mom. Nik was the perfect complement to her and he also has had a difficult past. They have so much to work through to trust again. Their first love was meant to endure the tests of time and it was such a joy to read! Melissa’s books are always a beautiful read with layers of real life filtered in and I’ve enjoyed every one. CW: domestic violence, on-page
I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

4.25 stars Whoosh…what an heart wrenching, emotional story-the topics addressed were surely not easy to read but I think the author did indeed treat them with sensitivity. A decade has passed since Jane ran from a terrible situation-she returns to her hometown with her little girl in tow-trying to escape another abusive relationship. She struggles with the decision to stay and lean on the people who love her. Told in dual, third person points-of-view in a then and now format, there is exceptional characterization of both heroes and villains, and as the plot progresses…one cannot help but root for the childhood friends to lovers, second chance romance of Jane and Nik. The few twists revealed towards the end of the book adds even more emotions to the mix. Although the storyline deals with ugliness, I appreciate the overriding message of seeking help, perseverance, self-discovery and love.
*Please check the content warnings-mental health is important
Thanks to Booked With The Emily’s, the author and Bookouture for the #gifted eARC
4.25 stars

I absoloutely loved and adored this book! I would love to read more by this author! The twists and turns I didn’t see coming and I’m glad I got my happy ending! But also that Jane did !

A bingeable, but heavy read from start to finish. Jane returns to her hometown after the death of her father. Having fled from the town at the age of 18, she never imagined she would return or that she would run into Nik mere moments upon returning. Nik doesn’t understand why Jane left nearly a decade prior, but knows he has to find out why and see if he can convince her to stay.

I loved the strong connection that Nik and Jane shared, which was apparent in every interaction past and present. His support for her was unwavering even while she tried to push him away. I also loved seeing Jane’s strength and growth as a character. She was much stronger than she gave herself credit for!

Read this story if you love second chance romance, childhood friends to lovers, “Who hurt you?”, emotional romance, and a twist you won’t see coming.

Thank you to the author Melissa Wiesner and Booked with the Emily’s for providing an arc in exchange for my honest review!