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

A really great story covering different subjects which made it a brilliant read and kept you hooked in from page to page to see how it is all going to play out.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Love We Found, the sequel to The Light We Lost (see review in my feed). It was written in the same style and I really enjoyed being back in Lucy’s world, but it also was very different, dealing with some new topics relevant to how much time had passed in the lives of the characters.

There were lots of really powerful small quotes within the story that were full of wisdom and really thought provoking. A few of the topics resonated with me in particular as I have experienced similar in my life, like parents divorcing, and I appreciated the perspectives portrayed here.

There were some sex scenes in this book that for me didn’t need to be there but were tasteful (in my opinion), so anyone enjoying a bit of spice in their book will likely enjoy this.

Thank you for early access to book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Highly recommend getting yourself a copy!

Imagine my excitement when I found out that there would be a follow on book for one of my absolute favourite books, ‘The Light We Lost’. If you are still to read that story then please don’t wait any longer! It is so beautiful; a love story that you won’t ever forget. And once you have read it then come back and read the review below.

This book is set ten years since Gabe’s death and through some short and very readable chapters, we find out what life has been like for Lucy in that time. As with all of Jill’s books I’ve read, it is so full of human emotion and of the ups and downs of life that you cannot help but relate to her writing on a personal level. At least that is the case for me anyway. And I adore the way she approached general life truths. This book of hers is no exception.

Lucy’s voice and depth of feeling is just the same as in ‘The light we lost’ and Gabe is still deep in her heart despite a lot having happened in the last ten years. The book starts with Lucy being contacted by Gabe’s old editor who wants to mark the tenth anniversary of Gabe’s death. This in turn starts a chain of events that will change Lucy’s life forever.

An absolutely wonderful book, which I could not put down. Thank you Jill for continuing Lucy and Gabe’s story.

It’s been ten years since Lucy Carter Maxwell lost her soulmate. Having hidden from love ever since, she’s stunned to find it pulling at her when she discovers an old, forgotten box of Gabe’s photographs.

Desperate to find the hope she has been searching for, Lucy begins to unravel the secrets that Gabe left behind.

… CAN NEW LOVE SET HER FREE?

The journey leads Lucy to Italy and into the path of Dr. Dax Armstrong. The pain in his sad, intense eyes, matches Lucy’s own – his touch reignites her in a way that no one has since Gabe.

Afraid of these newly awakened parts of herself, Lucy can feel the comfort of her old life tugging at her. But with an earth-shattering secret waiting in the shadows, can Lucy ever embrace love, if she doesn’t embrace the truth?

This was a lovely second book to follow up The Love We Lost.
I enjoyed the story of going back to find all the photographs and the story of those Gabe May have met. I loved the first book and this took us to Europe and uncovered the story of immigrants finding a home where they felt safe.
I loved the romantic element of the book as well and will be buying the paperback to match the first book for my shelves.

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to review this book. I didn't realise it was a follow up to The Light We Lost.

In this we see Lucy working to help bring together a 10 year retrospective on Gabe’s work. In looking through photos, she finds an address. The story takes her to Italy which leads her to Dax, a NGO doctor.

This story also sees Lucy having to come to terms with telling her youngest son about his true paternity. This brings more family drama.

Throughout the book, Lucy is talking to Gabe and telling her about what is happening. She is also recognizing her need to disconnect a bit and open up space for someone new.

I enjoyed the book but was lost at times...would definitely recommend to read book one first.

This book was INCREDIBLE!!!! It was a perfect continuation of the Light We Lost and the way that the topics in this book were covered was beautiful and relatable to so many people. It’s so hard to describe this book without spoiling it so I shall leave this here but I just want to say I absolutely adored this book.

The Love We Found by,Jill Santopolo

It’s been ten years since Lucy Carter Maxwell lost her soulmate. Having hidden from love ever since, she’s stunned to find it pulling at her when she discovers an old, forgotten box of Gabe’s photographs.

Desperate to find the hope she has been searching for, Lucy begins to unravel the secrets that Gabe left behind .
A great read and lovely story about Lucy still trying to find all she can the death of her beloved husband .
She meets Dr. Dax Armstrong , both trying to get over their loss .
This is the second book of Lucy Armstrong , I feel it could be read as a standalone but more enjoyable if you've read the first one The Light We Lost.