"She felt she could get up and dance on it when she realized the beetle was silent. In fact, when she prodded at the back of her mind, she realized it was gone. She no longer cared what the others thought or did or what they thought of her. It no longer mattered to her that Amanda and Chloe were being assholes, that she hadn’t started studying for finals yet, or that who-knows-what chemicals were being pumped through her body that very minute. It wasn’t like she always thought it would be: a sharp hit to her system and she was somebody else. Her body slipped into it easily, naturally, like this was how she was always supposed to be. She felt curiously warm and safer than she’d ever been. She felt gloriously, sparklingly fine."

I read Erica Boyce's The Fifteen Wonders of Daniel Green last year and loved it, so when I saw she had a new novel, I knew I wanted to read it. Just like the previous novel, what made this story magical for me was the character development. Similar to Daniel Green, this book started slowly. I wasn't sure who was who and how they were related. But just like the previous novel, it all came together.

Each of the characters in this story is textured, complicated, and real. They have their own stories and a series of experiences that led them here to be this person. They are 3-dimensional and rich and I couldn't help but get attached to them.

There are some surprises in the story but nothing that felt super twisty to me, nothing that distracted from the overall quiet but powerful nature of this story.

The depictions of anxiety are so vivid and so visual and so visceral in this story that I could both see and experience it as I read it. I loved this story as much as, if not more than the previous novel. I cannot wait to read more of Erica Boyce's stories.

With gratitude to netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lost at Sea by Erica Boyce, published by Sourcebook Landmark is a full length, stand-alone novel.
I started reading and was right thrown into the story. There is no easying in. And to be honest, it took me some time to get in the story, but then , oh boy, what a ride it was.
The story is told in a multiple pov- including his partner, wife, daughter, and the former babysitter.
The story deals with sensitive subjects and is not for the faint of heart.
Al in all, a fast paced read, well written and beautifully told, secrThe story is told from the perspective of several people including his fishing partner, wife, daughter, and the former babysitter for his daughter. Secrets are revealed that change everyones life, a complex story, 4,5 stars.

I don’t read too many seafaring books, but this one intrigued me and I enjoyed it more than I expected. Why would an experienced fisherman 1) go out to sea in inclement weather and 2) what happened and where is he. You have to read the entire book to get the answers. What started out simple became complex very quickly. Add in a small town, gossip, family dynamics, love, devotion and a determination to get to the truth of the matter, I read this book in one sitting, as it became more interesting the further on I read. While there is no happy ending, there comes a new understanding of just how far someone is willing to take their commitment to ensure their family is taken care of. Poignant and beautiful. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This gut-wrenching story takes place in a small New England fishing town and its inhabitants. When one of their own disappears at sea, his family and friends are left heartbroken and lost, trying to navigate each of their own complicated emotional landscapes and how his presumed death has effected them. This book delves into the nature of small towns, and the tangled webs that exist there. It touches on addiction as well as the families immersed in fishing culture and the very specific challenges their experience.

I've been reading a great deal of books set in New England for some reason, and I was drawn towards this one when I saw it on Net Galley. My husband grew up in a small town in Nova Scotia and I'll never forget the heartbreak that shook the province in 2013 when the Miss Ally capsized and the crew perished in the open ocean. This story is a bit heartbreaking, especially the parts that focus on mental illness and addiction. The characters are well developed and the relationships are real and raw, so I felt very connected to the story. Boyce does a great job exploring the themes of identity and family placed on a backdrop of tragedy. There is a bit of a twist towards the end that I wasn't expecting, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it a mystery. This is a character centred novel that explores a lot of dark emotions, and while it is very well written, it won't be right for a reader looking for something light. I liked it and think anyone who wants an easier read that still has depth and raw emotion will enjoy it as well.

A fishing village a tight knit community and then one of threes a fisherman goes missing.Told through multiple characters multiplee storylines I found this to be an involving read that eat me turning the pages.#netgalley#sourcebooks

Probably ~3.5 stars - I liked the concept of this book, but there were times where parts of the story became a bit too confusing for me - which I think had to do with all of the perspective-switching present in the novel. I think the pacing was a bit too slow, but I do think that the writing is good on a technical level.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

'Lost at Sea' was a title with a great premise that seemed to be hindered by uneven plotting and an overwhelming narrative. Dialog was very sparse throughout the first half of the tale, which consisted mainly of the introduction of multiple story arcs/characters and a lot of background detail that had been interspersed throughout the timeline. At around the halfway point, I began to skim the rest of the book to see if the story threads have been pulled together. They were, and well done. Technically, it was a well-written book, but I really struggled with the pacing and the detached, cool tone of the prose. However, with some editing, I believe this book could be an absolute gem!

Thank you to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and Erica Boyce for an ARC of 'Lost at Sea' in excahnge for an honest and voluntary review.

John Staybrook fishes for scallops. And tuna. He's gone out hundreds of times. But one night, he doesn't come back. His family, his fellow fishermen, and the community of Devil's Purse are absolutely in shock. How could this happen?? He was an accomplished fisherman, never known to take unnecessary chances.

Woven throughout the search for John are a young adopted woman's search for her birth mother, another kind of loss. And John's loss of income, due to an unsuccessful season of fishing. And Ella's search for her father.

I read this EARC courtesy of Sourcebooks Landmark. pub date 03/03/20

The summary appealed to me on several levels: I love any family drama, any book that promises to reveal a secret, a small town setting, and the disappearance intrigued me.

A man has disappeared from a fishing town while on a boat during the storm. The story is told from the perspective of several people including his fishing partner, wife, daughter, and the former babysitter for his daughter. The book covers hard topics - infertility, adoption, and drug use. People aren’t always who they seem to be, and even in a small town, there are plenty of secrets.

I struggled at first; there are a bunch of female characters and the perspective is always changing, so it was hard to keep them all straight. Eventually it gets easier. I thought the first half of the book was rather slow; the story picks up in the last half. I really like how Lacey personified (or objectified rather) her insecurities as an insect that eats away at things. It was a very apt comparison. Overall, I liked the book - it was an easy read with some depth to it and the very ending was fitting.