Really enjoyed The light we lost and this sequel completes Lucy’s story beautifully. Both books are very well written with a story line that pulls at the heart strings. I am so pleased to have discovered them and know they will stay in my memory.

So I only realised *after* reading The Love We Found that it is in fact a follow up story to The Light We Lost. I'm someone who likes to read books in the order they are intended to be read so I do feel a little annoyed at myself for not clicking that this one was a sequel BUT I'm also excited as I have The Light We Lost on my TBR and I know I'm going to enjoy reading about Lucy and Gabe's love story (even though I now know how it ends 😭)

This is the first of Jill's books that I've read and I found her writing captivating. There has been a lot of positivity surrounding her as an author and I can see why: she creates real, flawed characters who you get to know intimately and situations between them that are difficult to peel your eyes away from. I loved the chaotic and messy reality of Lucy's family life with her three children - their emotions and the way they handled them were realistic and recognisable as traits we, as humans, have ingrained into us. Lucy is a wonderful mother and navigates the intricate lives and feelings of Liam, Violet and Sammy in a profound way.

The strongest themes in this book for me were those of secrets, grief and love. The importance that was placed on secrets having the ability to tear families apart; grief that lingers and wraps itself around you and love that creeps up on you and trickles into the cracks in your heart. I just think this story was written beautifully ♥️

Having recently read The Light We Lost (and being quietly devastated by it!) I was hoping The Love We Found would heal the wounds of Lucy and co and bring her a more positive experience. This book felt like revisiting old friends and all the ten year time jump changes felt like we were being taking on a rollercoaster of emotions. The story picked up where we left off with book 1 but I felt the growth and maturity of Lucy showed so much through her parenting and she obviously had done a lot of grieving and healing in her own way. I was again captured by Jill’s writing and almost wonder if there could be more to tell of this story. I’m not ready to let go of these characters yet! ✨ Thank you Jill Santopolo and HQ for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review ✨

This is the second book in the series but I started and finished it before finishing part 1. This was so powerful and emotive it made me fall in love with love again. This works as a standalone . The main character developed and grew as she was faced with life changing decisions, how to allow yourself to trully love again when you have lost your one true soul mate 20 years previously. This may have been a novel but it radiates with so much emotion and realiism it felt true to life. The life changing decisions Lucy was faced with were dealt with perfectly and showed the reality of life. you may need tisusses . Thank you so much netgallery, publisher and author for this 5 star highly recommended read.

I hadn’t realised that ‘The Love We Found’ was a sequel, not that it made a difference to me enjoying the story for what it is.

The way the story is written and the way the narrative reads, you get a sense of Lucy and the loss she has endured.
Centring around Lucy, a mother of three with her ex husband as she approaches the 10 year anniversary death of her previous partner, Gabe. The story centres around grief and a big secret she has been harbouring.
I like the way the story is written, with the conversations that Lucy has, she has as though she is talking to Gabe.
The story covers grief, getting over keeping secrets and how you move forward.
An emotional read that doesn’t hide away from the realities of grief, whether it be in the shape of death or dealing with divorce.

The Love we Found by Jill Santopolo is a sequel to the book The Light we Lost. I read the first book years ago so was intrigued to see what story a sequel would tell so requested on NetGalley.

The Love we Found see Lucy find a link to Rome amongst Gabe’s belongings and she heads there to find out what Italy meant to him. A moving sequel about love, grief and families.

This book follows the light we lost, ten years since we last encountered Gabe and Lucy.
Lucy now has a successful career and co parents her three children with ex husband Darren.
As Gabe's 10 year anniversary approaches she unearths a photograph that sets the wheels in motional for Lucy to travel in search of the story behind the image.

The love we found
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Well, I confess that by the time I requested this book, I didn't knew it was actually a sequel, the premise sound it cool and it was a surprise to realized that I had to read The love we lost first, which I did, and I really enjoyed it.

However The love we found didn't hit in the same way for me! Don't get me wrong, it was a beautiful story, but it kinda felt like an extended epilogue for book 1.
In general, this books deals with what has been going on in Lucy's life from where we left her till her present day and how she has been experiencing grief and loss. It is essentially, a love letter to the man she still misses and how all of this emotional dinamic plays out at the face of old secrets and maybe a new love interest.

This sequel doesn't carry as much weight and depth as the previous one but is a much needed closure. Is more a quiet story of how to overcome a never ending sadness and I liked that. The chapters are short, sweet and it made me emotional sometimes which is a big shotout to how the author writes and makes the reader connect with the plot.

So yes, I do recommend this book, is was pretty tho it didn't reached the hype of his predecessor, however it does scratch that itch and show us how beloved characters are doing.

The Love We Found by Jill Santopolo is the follow up to The Light We.
It was a heartfelt and captivating read, the storyline really captured the complex feelings of learning to move on.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

My first but definitely not my last book by this author - Jill Santopolo. I wasn't aware it was a sequel til I read the book & loved it so I've now ordered the first one too.

Absolutely loved all the twists & turns, don't want to give away any of the plot for those who haven't read the first book but honestly an amazing love story that just sizzles with warmth all the way through.

Huge thank you to #NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this & for bringing this author into my life!

For me I read this book as if it were a standalone as it had been many years since The Light We Lost came out.
I really enjoyed the way this book was written and I felt the storyline was interesting and well paced. I loved all the characters in it too.
A sort of homage to Lucy’s past love and a time of healing to move on to a new love. The book spans different time periods so if you have not read the previous one, you are not missing out on anything.
An emotional read which I could not stop reading 4.5 stars

I loved the first book but I found this one an unnecessary sequel.
Thank you NetGalley for my copy.

This follow-up to The Light We Lost reads more like an introspective journey than a traditional romance. The protagonist is still haunted by the ghost of a past lover—a relationship filled with complications, secrecy, and unfinished emotions. Even as she attempts to move forward with someone new, the past lingers heavily throughout the story.

The narrative style feels almost like a confessional—fragmented, raw, and poetic at times. It’s written in a way that reflects someone still trying to make peace with their choices, and although the pacing occasionally slows under the weight of reflection, the emotional depth is undeniable.

The new romance introduced is passionate but develops quickly—almost too quickly—considering the emotional baggage both characters are carrying. It felt like two people seeking comfort rather than true healing at first, though the dynamic does grow into something more.

There are moments of powerful writing and sincere emotional vulnerability, but there’s also a sense that the protagonist hasn’t fully let go of what came before, which makes the “moving on” arc feel a little unsettled.

A solid read if you’re looking for something emotionally heavy with shades of grief, longing, and self-reckoning—but don’t go in expecting a clean-cut love story. This one’s more about navigating through the mess.

I must admit I haven’t read the first book, but I don’t actually think it took anything away from my reading experience! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the plot. I felt after Lucy left Italy it sort of slowed down a bit and I didn’t really enjoy the insta love relationship with Dax. Saying this, I would go and read the first book because I loved the idea of a love story that lasted years.

I couldn't help but dive straight into this after finishing The Light We Lost and although a time of 10 years has passed, I really loved catching up with Lucy and seeing where life has taken her.
In this sequel, Lucy learns how to rebuild her life and let go and I really liked the journey of discovery she took. Although the book is still directed to Gabe, I felt that this story focused more on Lucy and her realisation of moving on and the ending really showed this for her and I was so happy for her with how the story ended.
The relationships within this book were nice to see and I loved the bonds between Lucy & her children. It was nice how things came to light and although rocky, the ending was so nice to see and gave hope for the family.
As always, the writing style of the book was so easy to read and I immediately became engrossed in the emotive style and I yet again found myself crying. The settings of the story in New York & Italy were both beautiful and I could imagine myself there with Lucy.
This series was just so nice to read, although I would recommend reading The Light We Lost first before reading this one, to get the full background of these beautiful stories.

A beautiful follow on from The Light We Lost, it is emotional and sensitive. A great story again.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored The Light We Lost, the author’s debut novel and The Love We Found is a sequel to this. We meet Lucy 10 years after Gabe’s death and the novel follows her on the next stage of her life.
What I loved about The Light We Lost was the intense passion between Gabe and Lucy and I think it’s one of the most intense novels I’ve read about love. That passion and intensity is missing here and I guess that’s to be expected. I love the way Jill Santopolo writes, with such empathy for her characters and really brings the character of Lucy to life.
This was an enjoyable sequel and I’d recommend reading The Light We Lost first.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
3.5 stars

After receiving The Love We Found as an ARC, I decided to read The Light We Lost first—and I’m glad I did. This book explores love, grief, and complex family dynamics in a way that feels deeply emotional and thought-provoking. However, while there was a lot to love, a few things held me back from fully connecting with it.

One of my biggest struggles was the narrative voice. I didn’t feel as drawn in as I was with the first book, and at times, certain elements pulled me out of the story. For example, Sammy, the nine-year-old, often spoke in a way that felt much older than his age, which made some moments feel less authentic.

I appreciated how this book remains connected to The Light We Lost while shifting to a different stage of life. However, since it’s marketed as a linked standalone rather than a direct sequel (at least from what I’ve seen), I think it should have held more weight on its own. There were some plot gaps that might not hit as hard for readers who haven’t read the first book.

That said, I loved the romance. The new love interest was such a bright spot—his communication and care felt so mature and genuine. If anything, I think there was just a lot happening in this book, which made the ending feel a bit abrupt. A little more breathing room in the pacing (or even a few extra pages) could have made the resolution feel more satisfying.

Overall, while this one didn’t quite reach the emotional impact of The Light We Lost for me, it still had some beautiful moments and moving themes.

This was such an amazing read. It felt authentic and heartfelt. I did not realise that it was a follow up title until I had finished it, but that did not spoil the reading at all. Santopolo gave enough information of Lucy's backstory for this to make sense, but not so much that I knew what to expect.

Lucy has had a complicated life which has left her divorced and alone. She has three kids which she co-raises with her ex, Darren, but there are skeletons in the family closet which cannot stay hidden. Lucy is forced to confront the past and her relationship with a renowned photographer called Gabe when the anniversary of his death approaches. Revisiting the past and the choices she made will allow Lucy the capacity to move forward.

This is a heartbreaking tale, and the sense of grief and stasis in Lucy's life are palpable, yet the ending offer some sense of hope and resolution. Life is never neat and tidy and Santopolo plots and writes its ugliness in full glory in this book.

Be prepared to cry, but don;t miss this read - even if you haven't read book 1 yet - like me!

The Love We Found by Jill Santopolo is the follow up to The Light We Lost and is ten years later.
I found this second novel as evocative as the first, the characters are so well written they become real on the page and the storyline was so good that each character stood out.
Thoroughly recommend