Cover Image: The Words We Lost

The Words We Lost

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Member Reviews

My friends and I interviewed Nicole Deese about this title at StoryChats podcast here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NITV5k3Lwc

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The plot of this novel really intrigued me. I love stories set around the publishing industry, and found the idea of looking for clues in a late author's manuscript fascinating. This is a tender story, and the characters' grief flows on the page. The setting is endearing and really adds to the reading experience. A delightful, soulful story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House though NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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A very good Christian Romance. I really liked our main character Ingrid. I loved reading her journey of grief and self-discovery. She was such a flawed and broken person, and it was very intriguing to read what she was going through. There was also a very slight mysterious element to the story which I found very interesting. The only reason I bumped the rating down one star, was because the climax of the story fell a little bit flat to me. Otherwise I really enjoyed it and would recommend.

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This is the first book I read of this author's. I received a ARC. It was a beautiful story about forgiveness and friendship and facing some ghosts in ones closet. I would recommend this book.

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First book by Nicole Deese that I’ve read, and now I want to go to all of her backlist and read it. I enjoyed this book so much that I went and got it in paperback also!

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Stories about loss and grief are hard to read, but The Words We Lost is much more than that. It's also about redemption and freedom from the guilt we can put on ourselves when a loved one passes.

This book had my emotions all over the place, but in a good way. I love Joel, Ingrid and CeCe. They are such great characters and their story touched my heart. I also LOVE that this has books and publishing within the story. I'm always a sucker for those types of reads.

I didn't realize this was a series until after I finished, and now I need to go grab the next book(s). Definitely worth the read. I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

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This was a tough read as the topic of loss and grief is very personal to me. But I did find the story uplifting and the romance lovely. A great read for those who are hoping to find love after loss and are faithful as it is a very Christian forward novel.

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This was utterly beautiful, affecting and engrossing. There was so much emotion and character development and all three characters felt so real to me.

This book touched on grief, lost love, the power of storytelling, healing, and forgiveness. It was filled with truth and emotion and does not shy away from the rawness of life.

The love story was powerful, but I think the true power of this book comes from the representations of grief and loss.

This is a perfect summer read when you’re looking for something “more” or something to make you feel.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the gifted ecopy.

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A beautifully written story of reconciliation and restoration.

I am a Deese fan and always will be. She creates such real characters and this novel is no different! I loved that the MC was in the book world (something I understand) and the Washington state setting was also marvelous.

Aside from that, this novel tackles tough topics of grief, difficult parent/child relationships, and what it looks like to achieve dreams but to also know yourself more honestly.

Highly recommend to fans of romance but also of a deeper story that takes centerstage in this book.

My rating: 4.8*

——
Thanks to the publisher for this gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

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The Words We Lost, the first book in the Fog Harbor series, is a story about friendship, loss, love and second chances. I was not familiar with Deese's work so I was not sure what to expect.

Ingrid Erikson, still mourning the loss of her best friend, is scrambling to provide the book that she knows has to be out there. Ingrid's friend, Cecilia Campbell, an international best-selling author, was working on a sequel at the time of her death. Ingrid is feeling the pressure from her employer to find the manuscript and get it published. Despite her reservations, Ingrid has to ask Joel Campbell, Cecilia's cousin, for help. Joel is who broke Cecilia's heart so many years ago.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Possible triggers: Sudden loss, parental loss, alcoholism.

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This was one of my most highly anticipated reads of 2023! And it did not disappoint. Nicole’s ability to suck you into this world and make you never want to leave is amazing. I always savor her books so I don’t have to leave too quickly.

This book is so richly layered. There’s present day. There’s the past. There’s another book written within the book. Nicole captures a book lover’s heart with her characters. She beautifully portrays the journey of grief and how that looks different for each of her characters. Heavier topics are handled with such care and the writing beautifully shines the light on the darkness. The descriptions of Port Townsend had me on Airbnb as soon as I finished while the tears were still drying on my face.

I’m so honored I got to read this book early so that I can scream at you all to ADD TO CART! ADD TO YOUR HOLD LIST! DO YOUR THING! Get your hands on this beautiful story.

And now I’ll just be here yearning for Spring 2024 when I get to return to Nicole’s Fog Harbor world!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

(P.S. I love you, Joel, forever. Book BF Status)

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I loved how real and relatable this book was. I love when you don't just get a Happily Ever After, but some really ninty gritty life while still being deeply romantic.

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dnf. Wow, this is not for me. The main character is, 10 months later, still essentially paralyzed with grief over the death of her best friend. I can't imagine, well, many things, I suppose, making this pretty unbelievable. Several chapters in, there's no improvement or much hope. She's also still sad 5 years after the break-up with her old sweetheart. These don't really seem realistic to me.

I read a few chapters beyond this, but I was ready to close the book for good when the main character is on the ferry from Seattle to Bremerton. (First, if you were taking the ferry on a trip to Port Townsend, you'd drive north of Seattle and take the Edmonds-Kingston ferry. Both terminals are quieter and it's a more direct route. Yes, you have to go from Sea-Tac/south Seattle to Edmonds north of Seattle, but you can avoid downtown Seattle traffic and stay on the freeway.) This character, who spent her high school years in Port Townsend and supposedly grew up on the sea, looked from the ferry at the water and called it "the Pacific." No one here would call it that. It's not the Pacific. It's the Sound, or "the water." At a stretch, "the sea." The Pacific is miles and miles away. The story-- and the author-- instantly lost all authenticity for me.

eARC from NetGalley.

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I loved the uniqueness of this book, The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese.
Nicole Deese did an amazing job at balancing mystery, going back in time and romance. As you read, you join the search for the lost words and wonder whatever else is in store. I enjoyed getting a history of the characters in a unique way. Not only did you get a glimpse of the history, but you got it from someone else's perspective than the MC's. Somehow one of the MC's is no longer living, but you feel like they are a big part of the story. The romance was well done to not take complete control of the book, but a part of the story that drug you in wondering what was going to happen in the romance department.
Faith is brought up in the book, and done very tastefully. It was a part of the story and not just thrown in there to get a message across.
Nicole Deese is a writer that I look forward to reading all her books. They add depth and interest in all she writes.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are my own.

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A heartfelt novel of love, loss, faith, and friendship set on the Washington Coast.

A masterfully told story of frienship, that flips between the present day and the past. I loved how the memoir brought Cece's voice and impact on Joel and Ingrid's lives to life. Ms. Deese does an excellent job showing the impact of Cece's life and friendship, as well as the way that many are still grieving her loss.

An engaging read the pulled me in from the beginning, with compelling, complex characters, amazing emotional depth and rich multi-layered storytelling. I admired Joel's patience and how he was supportive of Ingrid even when she didn't know it, or want him to be involved. He was also an amazing cousin to Cece.

I can't think of a single reason why someone wouldn't want to read this compelling novel in the cutthroat world of the book industry as well as the Washington Coast. Beautifully written with solid enduring themes of faith, loss, love and friendship. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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This was a very touching story of life after a loss and dealing with the grief thereafter. I enjoyed the unravelling mystery that characters Ingrid and Joel found themselves in, and only wish the stories referenced in the book were real! I would love to read The Faerie Huntress and The Nocturnal Heart series. Overall, a solid twist of romance and mystery with a faith-based foundation.

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This dual timeline was unique. I really enjoyed it. It had great messages of dealing with grief and life after loss. It was a great representation of how individual it is.

The pacing of the book was slow for me. The end did pick up slightly. I also felt that one of the main character flaws was a bit juvenile and didn’t help move the story. This is mainly a personal preference and doesn’t reflect on the actual writing. Overall I enjoyed the storyline.

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What first caught my attention about The Words We Lost was the cover. Illustrated covers have been a thing in contemporary romance for a while, although they tended to indicate rom-coms rather than pure romance. This style of cover is newer, but I really like the illustrated look with a focus on the title. Indigo Isle had the same kind of cover, and the same kind of vibe. Both novels are definitely Christian romance, but which have the depth of characterisation and overall character journey that’s more common in women’s fiction.

Yes, The Words We Lost is a romance, but with that women’s fiction vibe. Ingrid Erikson is the Senior Acquisitions Editor at San Francisco publisher Fog Harbor Books, having built her career on the sale of a five-book Young Adult fantasy series by her now-dead best friend. Unfortunately, Cecelia Campbell—CeCe—had the misfortune to die before turning in her final contracted manuscript, which is now missing. Fog Harbor wants to find the missing manuscript, and Ingrid is charged with finding it.

But Ingrid’s grief over CeCe’s death has led to an unusual disability … and one that is potentially career-ending for an editor. She can’t read. Well, she can read the words. She just can’t comprehend them. So she heads to Port Townsend to work with Joel, CeCe’s cousin and Ingrid’s teenage sweetheart, to retrieve a package she hopes will be the manuscript that will save her career.

This is a romance novel, so we know how the story is going to end. We also know the course of love is destined to never run smoothly, particularly in terms of Ingrid’s relationship with Joel. It’s safe to say The Words We Lost was anything but predictable, in the best possible way.

I’ve read a lot of novels about novelists, but very few about an editor in a publishing house (the only other one I can recall is Stealing Adda by Tamara Leigh, which was about an author and her editor). As such, I enjoyed seeing the publishing industry shown from a different angle.

I especially enjoyed the fact The Words We Lost was written in first person. I always find that brings me closer to the characters. Despite her problem with words, Ingrid has a distinctive and compelling character voice … perhaps made more compelling because she’s a professional who has built her career on words but has lost those same words.

The Words We Lost is subtitled A Fog Harbor Romance, and I do hope that means it’s the beginning of a series because there are several characters I’d like to meet again—not least, the ever-peppy Chip, the preppy editorial assistant.

I recommend The Words We Lost to fans of romance/women’s fiction authors such as TI Lowe, Tammy L Gray, Irene Hannon, or Carmen Schober.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

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I wanted to love this book and yet I couldn't finish Chapter 4. A supposedly so traumatized heroine that she has had her assistant covering for her for months and yet, as soon as her job is threatened, she willingly gives up her dead best friend, the cause of her trauma, to keep the job she no longer is capable of doing. Beyond unbelievable and Port Townsend isn't difficult to get to in the slightest.

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4.5 stars

The Words We Lost was such a great read! I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started it, but it wasn't long until I was hooked and didn't want to stop reading...

I felt for the characters right away. They suffered such loss and yet their journey with the mysterious package was great. Difficult at times, but truly healing. I loved the way it was written and I was surprised by some of the discoveries.

All in all, The Words We Lost was a fantastic read and I recommend it to fans of this genre.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

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