“Three friends. Two broken promises. One missing manuscript.”
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How do I summarize this book? Perfect for lovers of:

💕Second chance romance
🥹Enduring friendships
⛵️Beachy settings (Pacific Northwest)
🗺️Treasure hunts
📚Books about books
🤕Trauma and healing
💖Found family
⏰Dual timeline

Yes, this one has it all. It was so rich in details - it felt both character driven and plot driven, all in under 400 pages (I sometimes feel shorter books have a hard time hitting both these marks, but not this one!)

I think this one might be coming on vacation with me later this summer for a reread. A huge thanks to @bethanyhousefiction for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Nicole Deese had me from the first page to the last. Such a heartwarming read. Laughed out loud, tears in the tender moments. This book has friendship, romance, trials, healing of hearts and minds. This is a wonderful must read. I was given an advanced reader copy of this very well written book by NetGalley. I am freely leaving my review.

Nicole Deese delivers an amazing book! This story follows three friends through some amazing times and some tough times. Deese delves into grief and the different ways that it manifests itself in our lives. A treasure hunt helps the friends find something amazing in their relationship, as well as a valuable treasure! This is another must-read from Nicole Deese!

I received an advanced copy from Baker Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I was so bored that I gave up at chapter 13. I think the story will draw a lot of people in and I hope they enjoy it more than I did.

What to say? I don't know 😅 I wrote this immediately I finished reading the book, because I didn't want to forget a single emotion that it took me through. In fulfilling Cece's wishes, Joe and Ingrid had to confront every single emotion that came up with memories of their early years together.

Ingrid had to face her grief as well. It wasn't an easy time, and things she thought she knew concerning her father's death weren't so. Secrets were uncovered, and it all came to a head in the last few chapters. I was on the edge of my seat, just flying through the pages to get to the finish, all the while savouring it all, not wanting it to end.

I absolutely loved this story of friendship, second chance, redemption, God's grace, His loving arms always open to heal the brokenhearted and the oppressed. I won't be forgetting this anytime soon 🥹

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC.

The Words We Lost
by Nicole Deese
Pub Date 11 Apr 2023
Bethany House, Bethany House Publishers
Romance




Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley have provided me with a copy of The Words We Lost for review:



There are three friends. There have been two broken promises. There is one manuscript that is missing.


A senior acquisitions editor at Fog Harbor Books in San Francisco, Ingrid Erikson has rejected many manuscripts because of a lack of defined conflict and dramatic irony--two elements she has in abundance in her current life. After the death of her childhood best friend and internationally bestselling author Cecelia Campbell, Ingrid has not only been unable to escape into fiction due to a rare trauma response, but she is also desperate to find closure through Cecelia's missing final manuscript, which she believes will bring closure to her life.



Ingrid fears her future will remain irrevocably damaged after she jeopardizes her career. Nevertheless, Joel Campbell--the man who wrecked her belief in happily-ever-afters--offers her an envelope from his late cousin, Cecelia, asking them to put aside their differences and retrieve a mysterious package in their coastal hometown.



Will Ingrid and Joel be courageous enough to uncover a once-in-a-lifetime love as a result of honoring Cecelia's last request?



I give The Words We Lost five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I thought the book blurb sounded like a book I'd be interested in reading. But I had a difficult time getting past the first third of the book. I'm not one to stop reading a book as I hope it will get better, but I wanted to stop the book several times at the beginning and even through the middle of the story. It felt like the book wasn't edited at all. In that first third, there were so many "ing" or "ly" words that I found myself re-reading to try to get through. I'm talking A LOT of them.

Through the middle, I began to skim pages and it was very slow. And the story seemed to park on most of the characters negative traits. And are we to guess which were the words that were lost? The manuscript? Words left unsaid?

Most of the time I zip through my new fiction books within the day I receive them. This one took me five days to get through. I pushed myself to the finish. I was determined to see if it got better.

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy through NetGalley from the publisher with no expectation in return. My opinions above I share on my own.

I had mixed feelings about reading this book because as much as I love Nicole Deese’s writing I knew grief was going to be a central focus and as someone who has faced several losses in the last few years I wasn’t sure how I’d feel. And while the grief aspect didn’t necessarily affect me emotionally it did set a heavier tone for the book and made it a little slower and harder to read. But through it all the author’s talent shone through and it was still a well written story!
Ingrid was a bit of a harder character for me to get behind personally. I could see how circumstances and losses had shaped her into the way she was but I still had a hard time liking her for awhile. As we got to see the whys a little more it made it easier to understand why she acted the way she did.
Joel was fantastic and I really admired his dedication, hard work, and gentle manner. Seeing him through Ingrid’s jaded view took away a little bit from him at the start but his exceptional character shone through despite that. I may have thought he deserved better than Ingrid but his unwavering devotion to her was endearing and in the end I was happy they found their way back to each other.
So while this wasn’t my favorite from Nicole Deese I still am a fan of hers and looking forward to the next books, I’m just hoping they have a lighter tone!

The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese is a magnificently written story.
I really enjoyed getting to know the three characters.
The characters have a lot of depth and their emotions really showed throughout the story.
A truly remarkable book, with an interesting story and very relatable characters.
A realistic story of friendship, grief, and romance that swept away and kept me turning the page’s.

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

Thank You NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

So, I thought this book was slow moving and miserable in the beginning. And it honestly was. But it was all important stage setting for an absolutely wonderful story, and the deeper theme of grief, and how it changes and molds us and moves through life with us was so important for me to read. I finished my arc and immediately ran to purchase my own copy. I cannot wait to share this book with others.

Nicole Deese spoke so eloquently about so many issues that come to us alongside grief...difficulty in relationships, with concentration and motivation, anxiety and fear, and isolation. I have experienced some of these grief side effects, and have watched others experience them too. This book spoke well to what it looks like to have compassion for others as they walk through grief as well. It was not what I was expecting as I started reading, but it was so well done, and all through a lens of hope.

I loved this book!

I recieved an arc through netgalley, all enthusiastic opintions are my own!

WOW!!!! I am having trouble finding the words to describe how deep and EMOTIONAL “The Words We Lost” by Nicole Deese was!! Nicole is a fabulous author, but she has truly outdone herself with this evocative and heart-wrenching novel🥹 The best word I can think to describe this book is “healing.” The pain and grief of losing a loved one was heavily explored in this novel. I found it very cathartic to read about characters working through their sorrow through their faith in Christ🙏🏻 This story truly healed parts of me that I didn’t even know were broken😭❤️

Ingrid & Joel’s story is one of the most beautiful love stories I have read in a long time. Theirs was a journey with many mountains and valleys, but the culmination of their story was absolutely breath-taking. I particularly loved all the flashbacks to their childhood and young adult years. Seeing their love story through Cece’s eyes thoroughly warmed my heart!!

This book also goes into great detail about the publishing industry which was SUPER fascinating to me!! I just LOVED Ingrid and Chip’s boss/assistant relationship at the publishing house. I sincerely hope we get to see Chip find love in a future story!!👀😍 He was such a fabulous source of encouragement and support to Ingrid!!

Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this thought-provoking and emotional Christian romance story!!

🚨TW: This story explores a lot of heavy themes including grief after losing a loved one, brain tumors, neglectful parents, and alcoholism.
🚨CW: clean romance with just kisses and Christian themes

This book is an amazing journey. A book within a book. Indy, Cece and Joel, fast friends that deal with more tragedy in their young lives than they ever should have. The writing is compelling and the words will stay with me for a long time. I was rooting for Indy and Joel from the start, as well as loving all the strong friendships in this book. Highly recommend!

The Words We Lost is a story about love - the love for those we’ve lost, the complicated love of family, and the second chance at love. It ranks among my all-time favorite books from @bethanyhousefiction and I am so grateful for a gifted copy so I can loan this one out to friends.

What I loved:
- second chance romance
- well executed and unique approach to dual timeline
- story within a story
- small town setting
- great side characters that complimented the central story

I HIGHLY recommend this one! I will definitely be awaiting more books in this series.

The Words We Lost captures the melancholy seaside mood and setting so very well. Told in the present with flashbacks of sorts from a decade ago, it’s the story of three friends – Cece, her cousin Joel, and Ingrid. At the outset, we learn Cece, a wildly successful fantasy author whose career she owes to Ingrid, has died. Ingrid and Joel, once on a sure and steady path to marriage, are estranged; Ingrid’s publishing career is endangered; and Cece’s final manuscript is missing. The author holds onto each of their secrets through much of the book, keeping the reader guessing as to exactly what family secrets drove Joel and Ingrid apart.

This book is a lighter on the romance than Deese's other books and holds an interesting mystery once the story gets going. The characters' journey through grief is cathartic and relatable but didn't hit me the way I suspect it might others.

I'm fast becoming a big fan of Nicole Deese and look forward to every new release. I'm a bit torn about this book, on the one hand it's a beautiful impactful story detailing the impact of grief and the journey through it. And on the other hand it was just so incredibly sad! I know grief is not a happy subject but the story was so heavy and you have to be in the right mind frame to read it. I loved all the characters, so unique and lovable, especially Joel. Because the books was so sad, the ending was especially sweet and tender!

The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese, is the first book in the Fog Harbor series. This was a delightful read. It is about 3 friends and the years of friendship that made them, more like family. Ingrid Erickson is a senior editor for Fog Harbor books. Her last acquisition was of her best friends book series, that was a mega hit. The two girls became friends in a seaside town. Ingrid’s mom passed away and her father was a flawed alcoholic, who couldn’t make the right choices. Cecelia Campbell, has a wonderful mom but her father left them. Her cousin Joel Campbell’s family owns the local hotel and is the center for the two ladies. Over the years there have been many mistakes made, secrets kept and misinterpretations.. the story is so well written, that I had to keep reading to see how this story would play out. The friendship is so real and the feelings are so strong. It’s been a long time since J read a story like this and was totally invested. This was a five star read for me. I think there is no better read than one where you lose yourself while reading it and this book did that. I want to thank Netgalley & the author for my copy, for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this book.. I also am looking forward to reading the second book in the series.

I really enjoy this author but this book was way too long with so many unnecessary details that just drew out the plot. Yes, a good story about friendship, loss and love, but sadly not a must read for me.

A cozy, thoughtful, and well-written book that tackles friendship, grief, and romance. This book definitely has lots of discussion about loss, but I thought it was well written and the characters of both Ingrid and Cece are fully fleshed out. The beginning pace is slower, and some of the book within a book excerpts slowed the story down. Overall, a moving take on overcoming loss and rebuilding a life.

Nicole Deese… you officially have a fan for life.

You have a God given gift for words. I feel inspired beyond measure, and cannot even tell you how many times I cried, and afterwards continued to tear up just thinking about your beautiful words and messages in this book.

There was magic in your words.

I was continually highlighting passages because it was full of so many beautiful quotes. I want to hang them up on my wall for inspiration.

You captured the stages and the emotions of grief so well, but yet the book never felt so heavy that I needed to put it down. I thought the pacing was absolutely perfect. I could savor it, yet I also just wanted to keep going on and on. I wanted even more!

It made me crave friendships and relationships like that. A kind of unconditional love and acceptance that you can have with certain people. It’s so hard to come by.

In my endless gushing, I don’t even have time for a full synopsis on here, but all I can say is this is a story of friendship, first love, how grief can rip you apart, and how family can be found in the most unlikely places. And it’s those people that put us back together again when all else fails. Set amidst the gorgeous backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, you’ll be fully immersed in a story that will touch you in so many ways. And the authors note at the end, don’t skip it!

“But just as a life doesn’t end after a final breath, neither does a story end with the turning of a final page.”

Friends, you need this book!

This story follows Ingrid who works as an acquisitions editor in San Francisco. Her best friend, Ceci, wrote a national best-selling fantasy series, but died from a brain tumor before the last book of the series was published. Ingrid sinks deeply into grief. She ends up being contacted by Joel, Ceci’s cousin and Ingrid’s old flame, about a manuscript that Ceci left for them.