In search of a new start to life, Teagan ran away and met Jack who had his own secrets. And Teagan had to become wary once again. The prose was fast paced and kept me engaged. I liked the subplots which kept twisting after a few chapters. Quite a ride from beginning to end.

A heart-stopping emotional rollercoaster ride, Melissa Wiesner’s The Girl in the Picture is a compelling and captivating novel about trust, betrayal and secrets that readers will struggle to put down.

When a terrible tragedy destroys Tegan’s life and rips her family apart, she finds herself desperate to escape the painful memories and devastating secrets that haunt and persecute her. Tegan needs to make a fresh start somewhere new where her history is unknown and Copper Canyon, Colorado fits the bill perfectly. For the first time in what feels like forever, Tegan feels like a heavy weight has been lifted off her shoulders and determined to start over and try her utmost to lay old ghosts to rest, she begins to try and forge forward into the future unencumbered by her past. Meeting Jack and building a close bond with him seems like the next logical step. Like Tegan, Jack refuses to talk about his past and has drawn a dark veil over his life prior to arriving in Copper Canyon. Tegan thinks she can trust Jack – until she comes across a box he carries around with him wherever he goes in the trunk of his car! Just what is Jack hiding from her? Who is the woman who is in every single photograph in that box? And more to the point, why does Tegan get this terrifying feeling in the pit of her stomach that she knows the woman in the picture?

As alarm bells start ringing, Tegan realizes that the only way she can protect herself is by discovering the identity of the woman in the picture. Tegan will leave no stone unturned until she finds the answers she so desperately seeks. But in doing so, will Tegan at long last find the peace of mind she has been craving? Will the woman’s identity put her mind at rest once and for all? Or will it have the opposite effect and send her running for cover once again?

Melissa Wiesner’s The Girl in the Picture is a stirring, dramatic and intense tale that deftly blends pathos, intrigue, suspense and romance in an unforgettable read that will keep readers absolutely glued to the book’s pages. Melissa Wiesner creates terrific characters that readers cannot help but care about and Tegan’s journey is one that will not only keep them spellbound, but also have them on the edge of their seats desperate to find out what is going to happen next.

A terrific page-turner, Melissa Wiesner’s The Girl in the Picture is sure to delight fans of Diane Chamberlain and Susan Lewis.

Jack and Tegan are on separate road trips when destiny throws them together. Both are harbouring tragic secrets but unwilling to reveal their heartbreak to each other. Can they learn to trust each other and heal their hearts...?
The Girl in the PIcture is a very emotional book about love, loss and grief. Jack and Tegan give us hints of the tragedies they are hiding. They are in denial about their own emotions as well as not trusting each other.
In fact, at first they are highly antagonistic towards each other and this was a great dynamic to introduce them to us. Tegan is more of a free spirit, a writer, and in tune with nature and the beauty of the world. Meanwhile, Jack seems very uptight as he prepares to join his family firm of lawyers.
The friendship betwen the pair gradually unfolds as they learn to open up more and show their true selves. Perhaps more importantly, they also find the courage to face the truth and deal with their own grief.
It was quite obvious that Jack and Tegan would find some common ground and start to enjoy each other's company. I really enjoyed watching the two characters develop, get to know each other and start to heal the heartache they had been enduring. The writing style brings both Jack and Tegan to life and it is impossible not to get completely caught up in their stories.
The Girl in the PIcture was an enjoyable book that will pull at your heartstrings.

I really enjoy when an author writes a story that becomes about more than one thing as I read it. This book is a perfect case in point.
For example, it’s a road-trip story. I loved that aspect. My husband and I took a similar road trip several years ago (NY to CA and back) where we took detours to see specific locations and tourist attractions.
We did it with two cats, but that’s another story.
So, I was able to relate to that part of the story: the sketchy motels, the junk food diets, the hole-in-the-wall bars…except the one we happened into actually involved bullets on the floor.
Again, that’s another story.
But I loved the adventure part of the plot, because it fed into the next type of story it was.
This was also a journey of two characters. Beyond the road trip, it was the story of two people who were searching for answers as they traveled. Individually, they had their own issues that they were dealing with (which I’ll get to in a minute), but their trip actually created more questions.
Both of them were trying to escape (which is the perfect fodder for a road trip). Along the way, they realized that going it alone wasn’t necessarily the best way to deal with things. Which leads me to the third type of book this was.
I have come to the realization that opposites attract is one of my favorite tropes. Maybe it’s because of my personal life, maybe it’s because I find it fascinating to watch (read) two people who have seemingly nothing in common actually find similarities and realize what is really important.
That is the heart of this novel.
I truly loved the arcs of Jack and Tegan, both separately and together. They had each faced tragedy and life troubles and were searching for a future that could provide happiness (as they defined it originally). But again, what they thought would be the solution changed as they traveled with each other.
I didn’t think that either character was overdone or a caricature of a “type.” There was just enough information and background about each to make them believable…and likeable.
And I think that is what made this book so enjoyable – it was even, honest, and realistic. There were no attempts at twists or forcing emotion. It was just real.
Another (possibly more obvious) thing I liked about this book was the road trip being a metaphor for the journey the characters took. The physical for the spiritual, the concrete for the esoteric.
I don’t need to go into details about the backstories, because you can find those elsewhere, and they really didn’t matter to me. The overall goal of the book was crystal clear, and it is what grabbed me and held my attention.
I also liked that the author didn’t wrap it up immediately in a neat bow. Life isn’t like that (most of the time). The way everything was resolved was realistic and gave the story much more credibility.
We all have that person or experience that has etched itself on our souls, that we can’t forget no matter what else happens in life. The author did an excellent job of relaying the importance of those types of connections.
This is by far one of my favorite books of the year.

Well, this has been a wonderful introduction to this author’s works and this book has certainly given me all the feels. It has been a rollercoaster of emotion, ranging from happiness to sadness, surprise, anger and confusion.

I was hooked on this book from the very beginning. Melissa does an excellent job of creating and developing the main characters of Tegan and Jack. They are both loving, reserved characters who are trying to run from some aspect of their past. It was refreshing and original to see a book manage to make this book almost completely about these two characters, their backgrounds, feelings and relationships with very little input from any other side characters. This ensured that I built a connection for the characters and a longing for their happiness that ran a little deeper than usual.

This book touches upon some very difficult issues including death, cancer, suicide and alcoholism but each of these add an emotional wealth to the story and are dealt with carefully and sensitively by this fabulous author.

This has been a book that has broken my heart into little pieces and put it back together again. It’s taught me the love of humanity and the importance of acceptance and communication.

I will definitely be reading more by this author in the near future. I would recommend this emotional and beautiful page-turner to fans of authors such as Amanda Prowse and Sam Vickery.

An amazing page turner. I loved both Tegan and Jack and the troubles that they had had in their lives and how they were trying to start afresh and move on. Great emotional story the draws you in from the first pages

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Girl In The Picture' by Melissa Wiesner.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Melissa Wiesner, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 23rd August 2021.

This is the second book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'Her Family Secret' which I highly recommend.


I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'Perfect for fans of Kerry Fisher, Diane Chamberlain, and Kerry Lonsdale.' I am a huge fan of Kerry Fisher and Diane Chamberlain so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Melissa Wiesner and if this is half as good as 'Her Family Secret' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 38 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is set in Colorado, USA 🇺🇸.

This book is written in third person perspective with the main protagonists being Tegan and Jack. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

'The Girl In The Picture' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Melissa discusses/includes cancer and death of a loved one.

Another absolutely gorgeous book Melissa well done!!! This book is beautifully written with vivid descriptions that absolutely captivate America and brings it to life. The cover and synopsis suit the plot perfectly.

The storyline is a rollercoaster of emotions from love to loss, secrets to regrets and lost chances. It is so heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I was absolutely captivated and absorbed throughout, a beautiful page turner. It is one of this books that will give you hope and happiness when your feeling down. I was addicted to this gorgeous novel. The setting is gorgeous and it makes me want to up and leave on a road trip. The ending was absolutely perfect and I am so glad it ended the way it did. I loved discovering all the different countries and towns on the road trip that I really felt that I was on, I was devastated when I realised I had come to the end and had to unpack my bags. I absolutely loved staying in motels, trying different foods in different diners, discovering the rocky mountains, meeting new people and the feel for community in small town America and watching the binding between Tegan and Jack. I laughed, smiled, felt angry and upset and she'd tears. This book is heartwarming and heartbreaking, uplifting and just an absolutely stunning addictive page turner.

It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.

The characters were realistic and each had their own unique personalities. I loved how circumstances went from so bleak for many of them to working out the way it did. Where there is rain there will be a rainbow and this book and the characters really do show this. I loved the bond between Tegan and Jack and Tegan and Jamie and how Jack and Tegan overcame what was thrown at them. I fell in love with each of them and my heart really went out to them for what each of them went through. I would love to read more about these amazing characters and discover more or small towns in America.

Congratulations Melissa on yet another absolutely stunning success. This would make an absolutely gorgeous movie and I am looking forward to your next successful novel!!!

Overall a gorgeous, addictive page turning heart breaking but at the same time heart warming page turner that will take your breathe away.


Genres covered in this novel include Holiday Fiction, Literary Fiction and Psychological Fiction amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Nicholas Sparks, Kerry Fisher, Diane Chamberlain and ANYONE looking for a beautiful escape.


247 pages.

This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Teagan is in much need of a new start in life. After a terrible family tragedy, she runs away to Copper Canyon, Colorado to escape her past. She carries with her many secrets that she has never told anyone. But when Teagan meets Jack, he is also hiding his past, she feels like she can finally relax, but she may have let her walls down a little to soon. When she discovers all the newspaper stories and the photos that Jack has in the trunk of his car, and keeps with him everywhere he goes, she has no choice but to rebuild her walls. Once again she feels like there is no safe place for her to be, and the only way for her to survive is to continue to keep her family secrets locked up inside. This story was absolutely amazing and the plot twists and turns kept me flipping the pages. Once you open the cover, this story is one that will keep you up all night to finish. I felt so pulled into this story from the very first page, until I closed the book at the end. This story hits all the emotions, and is one to be remembered for a long time.

Thank you Melissa Wiesner for another wonderful read. I thoroughly enjoyed this storyline. I felt as if I was watching a movie playing out in my minds eye. Very descriptive and visually written. I highly recommend this book.

The Girl in the Picture begins with a chance encounter at a roadside diner but for Jack and Tegan the meeting is not without its problems as both of them are escaping painful memories. With not much in common, Jack and Tegan are thrown together on a road trip across some beautiful parts of America, and with overnight stops at tiny run down motels and in picturesque small towns, Jack and Tegan eventually start to open up to each other, but with some pretty heavy stuff going on in both their lives, the odds of a successful relationship between them seems little more than a pipe dream.

What then follows is a lovely story which gradually reveals how these two lonely people have become so damaged. It would appear that both Jack and Tegan are searching for something special but neither of them realise the power of what they have until it's too late. The author writes with a lovely light touch with scenes which made me smile however, I think what makes this story all the more poignant is that there are some important aspects of the story which deal compassionately with grief and loss. Throughout The Girl in the Picture I felt an emotional connection to both of the characters and as their individual stories are gradually revealed, I only wanted what was best for both Jack and Tegan.

With wonderful characters who move quietly into your heart, and filled with all the charm of small town America, The Girl in the Picture is a lovely, warm-hearted story which delights from start to finish.

Melissa knows how to write complex characters with moving backstories that draw you in and make you want to keep reading. The characters will tug on your heartstrings and have you hoping for the best for each of them. I've been fortunate enough to have read ARCs of both of Melissa's novels now and what I especially enjoy about them is the familial relationships, perhaps moreso than the romance. Melissa writes both relationships with authenticity.

This was a very sweet romance with a fairy tale ending – a good modern take on Cinderella, I suppose. Even though entirely predictable, it was engaging and a lovely retreat from the world we find ourselves in today. And it was beautifully written.

My biggest complaint is about the title, the cover and the come-on on the cover. The girl in the picture? That’s not what the book is about. Standing on a pier, looking out into the water? “You can run from your past but your secrets will always follow you” is the come-on on the cover. One main character is working through his grief and trying to move on – not harboring secrets. The other main character is trying to find the best way/place to relocate her ill brother and move forward – again, not harboring secrets. Neither is running from their past, but rather trying to work through it and move forward.

Best wishes to this author (new for me) and to the success of this book. I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is beautiful. I read this novel in just a day and just couldn't put it down. The story and its characters pull you in with teeth and claws and will never let you go. I fell in love with Jack and Tegan and felt their loss and love. The stunning sceneries described adds in to their story. Tegan's positive outlook of life even though going through so much in her life is so endearing to read.
This novel is about finding yourself again. The story touches some hard topics but the author has dealt with them in such a way that it doesn't feel triggering or heavy. Its so smooth that it pulls your heart strings. I am going to look forward to more novels from this author. A very beautiful story which will make you laugh, cry and love life.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved reading Her Family Secret and this was as good as that book was. I was hooked from the beginning in Tegan and Jack's road trip and found it hard to put the book down till I had finished.

Her brother, Jamie was always looking out for, as a life-threatening illness wants to take the person, one in Tegan’s life has always been there, as she’s beginning this trip, to find them the house.

Jack, whose faces a tragedy also begins a road trip from San Francisco to New York City, so he can once again work in the family law firm.

As their paths cross, they don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but one thing they do know is, their lives won’t be as they are now if the people they love aren’t there, with them.

This is a story, which is beautifully written about coming to terms with grief, and finding the strength to and move on.

Highly recommend It.

If there is ever a book that is going to speak to me, it will be one about a road trip. I've been the queen of road trips many times in my past, so this book was like another trip into memories of my own as I read it. The best books remind you of scenes from your own life, and this one does that for me. The main theme of this book is home. Tegan is searching for a home for herself and her brother. Jack is desperately trying to get back to his family home as he flees horrific memories from his past. Thrown together unexpectedly, they are an unlikely pair. Tegan, abandoned as a child, grew up wanting to be a writer. Jack is a wealthy attorney who is somewhat over-protected by his family. On the road, they grow from annoyance to acceptance to friendship and more. They also find there are lessons they can learn from each other and adventures they can take together.

I loved the fact that we are immediately thrown into Tegan's life in a dramatic way at the start of the book, and by the time she meets Jack, you will find your heart already racing. The meeting with Jack is a collision of coincidences that starts an unforgettable journey. The road itself becomes almost a character in the story, as some of the situations they encounter can only occur on a long-distance highway adventure. The differences in their lives and personalities help build strength, as Tegan encourages Jack to sway from his well-planned path, and Jack convinces Tegan to use a little more caution. The Girl In The Picture is an emotional and inspirational story of heartbreak, adventure, letting go, and the search for home. It was a beautiful read.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, Bookouture, via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own

An amazing book I thought it would be a historical book turned out to be a good old road trip loved the story and characters especially Tegan she is written very well and you feel the emotions of the characters. Would highly recommend.

The Girl in the Picture
Melissa Wiesner
8/23/21
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a beautifully written story. Tegan and Jamie haven’t had the easiest of lives. This emotional gripping story is one with many messages. Jamie has always taken care of little sister Tegan but now it’s time for Tegan to take the reins. Jamie is not well and Tegan wants some time for the two of them to get a fresh start away from the secrets that haunt them. Raw and heartbreaking at times this story will question can the truth set you free or should some secrets always stay buried. This is the second book I’ve read by Wiesner and she does not disappoint. The authentic characters will stay with me! I received an early edition of The Girl in the Picture for my honest review and I highly recommend this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
read!

This review has been posted to my Instagram account and Goodreads!

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When Tegan meets Jack in a roadside diner and rescues him from a difficult situation, she has no idea that convincing him to give her a lift will change both their lives Tegan is on a road trip to find the perfect rural place for her and sick brother Jamie - left behind in Pittsburgh - to settle. With her ancient car having ‘died’ she has resorted to public transport and hitching lifts. Lawyer Jack is relocating from the West Coast to New York after a devastating personal event.
From the beginning it’s clear the two are like oil and water. Tegan is a spontaneous, untidy, free spirited character, while Jack is neat and organised. Jack is rich, Tegan poor. Their journey together with its unexpected events, will bring them closer.
I loved this book. I think it would make a great movie. The story, related from both Tegan and Jack’s viewpoints pulls you in straight away. The journey they take together is filled with surprises, sticky situations, and amusing moments. But above all, as a reader you get to know them as people. I was soon drawn into their respective stories, hoping for the best but fearing the worst. It’s an emotional read and all the way I was willing them both to have a happy ending.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture and Melissa Wiesner for an ARC of The Girl in the Photograph in exchange for an honest review.

She wants to leave her old life and the memories behind. She is looking for a new life, a new place to stay and making new memories.

He wants to leave his old life and the memories behind. He is struggling to find a new life and deal with the past.

Somewhere, in the middle of the desert, they meet and life throws them together, whether they like it or not. She is desperate to get away and needs him to do so. He is not to happy about it, but reluctantly accepts her traveling with him. 

They don't like each other very much, but little by little they start to relax and open up to each other...

This is a beautiful story where grief and learning to accept and give it a place is very important. And then of course there is love. True love never dies not matter where you are or how far you are apart. A story where two totally different people learn from each other and start to live again. 

A very engaging book. 4 stars

Thank you

This was a beautiful story about a shared journey filled with emotion. I loved the dynamics of friendship and family. I highly recommend this book and would love to read this author again.

A lovely novel about moving on from pain and grief. Jack and Tegan both have darkness in their past and both are trying to find a new place in the world. An unusual set of circumstances puts them in a car together driving across the country. It's not roast trip romance, although there are hints of it, but rather a shared journey. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very good read.