Book Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Wren Waters, is mourning the death of her fiancee and the life they would have shared. Marshall Hendricks, is dealing with immense guilt over his brother’s untimely death. Needing to be in nature the two set out separately geocaching on the PNW trails. But when Wren’s safety is called into question they decide to team up.

Tracey Garvis Graves novel, The Trail of Lost Hearts, perfectly straddles tragedy and hope. While both main characters are dealing with profound loss, they experience a beautiful love story. Perfect for fans of Eat, Pray, Love, Wild, and Happiness for Beginners.

I loved that a large part of the plot centers around geocaching. While I have heard of the term I was unfamiliar with the activity. Geocaching was the perfect choice as it gave Wren and Marshall a common goal.

While nature can be one of the best healers, there is no substitute for therapy. Tracey Gravis Graves did a phenomenal job of showing how everyone deals with trauma differently. Wren and Marshall had very different paths to healing. I thought the mental health representation was wonderfully researched and beautifully done.

Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book. More so than I expected to. I cannot wait to read more from this author.

Special thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Tracey Gravis Graves for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

A emotional and full of feels read with lots of up and downs through out it. There are several heavier situations in this story but they are handled with care and balanced well with lighter, happier moments. The characters are loveable and relatable; you won’t be able to not root for them. Also, if you are a fan of solo travelling and geocaching, this one id definitely for you.

This book will make you question "Is Geocaching somthing I should be doing?"
This is a first rate romance book from the author that gave us "on the island" and it is another romance where setting is as important as story. The woods, the adventure, and nature take a full front seat in this romance that is perfect for anyone that wants a little angst in their romance.

I am a sucker for any story where a woman goes out to nature to heal after a traumatic event. This was not one of my favorites, sadly. I really struggled with a plot device the author used and I found the therapy talk really heavy handed. The trip itself was the strongest part of the novel. I hated it once she went back home.

What a beautiful story! I really enjoyed this book on many levels - the environment (outdoorsy/National Parks), the fun and non-traditional activity that brought them together (geocaching), the characters, their back stories and their personal growth. Ultimately, through the hunt for hidden treasures of geocaches, Wren and Marshall found themselves, and each other. The story was fun and quirky at times but also very serious and tragic at others. I couldn't put it down! I also enjoyed the writing format, as later in the book it changes partly to emails, which is realistic way of communication that isn't used often in novels, and in the case of Wren and Marshall, who were both working through their own person journeys of grief and growth from a distance, it was the perfect platform for them to communicate their thoughts and feelings. I would highly recommoned this book for the beautiful story, but it may also help some with their own personal process of working through grief and finding their way once again. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the advanced copy read.

The Trail of Lost Hearts was my first book by Tracey Garvis Graves, and I can't wait to read her previous books! Her writing is so heartfelt and honest, and I felt like I was sucked into the story.

Wren is out on a hike looking for a geocache and is trying to be the first to find. After finding it, she has a terrifying encounter and Marshall comes to the rescue. After a brief amount of time together and a dinner, Marshall suggests they continue the hunt for the geocaches together. What ensues is an adorable story of friendship, recovery from grief, shock, and romance.

I liked how multilayered both main characters. They popped off the page and came to life. I thought the way Graves handled some pretty tough issues like grief was beautifully done. She made the characters emotions come to life.

A wonderful heartwarming book.
Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.
4.5/5 stars

This particular tale breaks the mold with its unpredictability, a quality I found captivating. The main characters meet cute is far from ordinary, each carrying their own heavy baggage of deep-seated trauma. The growth they experience together feels incredibly authentic and tangible. Themes of cheating, death, grief, and hope are skillfully woven throughout the narrative, adding layers of complexity. Despite a twist that typically wouldn't be to my liking, it didn't deter me from eagerly devouring this story This book captures the essence of real-life struggles and relationships, making it a truly enjoyable read.

This book was very well written and so emotional! I loved the emphasis on counseling, mental health, trust, and love.

Tracey Garvis Graves is easily becoming one of my favorite authors.

I highly recommend this novel and am glad I had a chance to read it!

This was a quick and fun read! Even though the story touches on several difficult subjects (death of loved ones and other things I won't mention or they'd give some of the plot away) I felt like I was reading an uplifting story.
Wren and Marshall, who meet by accident geocaching, are each traveling with hidden emotional trauma, hoping to heal by hiking their way through the grief. It's a love story, but so much more. It's finding your strengths after being beaten down by loss, it's being honest once you've worked through deceit, and it's daring to believe you deserve to be happy.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me this enjoyable story.

Thank you very much @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves. We meet Wren when she is beginning a solo hiking trip. We quickly learn that her fiancé has recently died. A little later on we find out more about him-but that’s kind of a spoiler so won’t reveal that here, but it’s big. Wren really wants to do this on her own, but she runs into a scary situation on the first day, and is rescued by a man who seems to good to be true. The story goes on from there, and it is not a smooth road. Definitely a happy ending, and a pretty heartwarming story. #netgalley #advancedreadercopy #thetrailoflosthearts #traceygarvisgraves #bookstagram #booklover #reader #bookblog #lovetoread #fictionreader #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #takeapagefrommybook #readallthebooks #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #booknerd #whattoread #readingtime #bookaddict #ilovetoread #ilovebooks #needtoread #readallday

Oh my goodness! This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions. I started reading it on my kindle but when the publisher sent me an audio version I switched over and I quickly became immersed in that version. Wren and Marshall meet each other while they are in the wilderness using GPS to find hidden articles. Both have had major losses in the recent past and while Wren opens up to Marshall he cannot open up to her and when it is time for her to go home she knows it is the end for them. When she gets home she has another surprise, she is pregnant. Not Marshall but her deceased fiance. I'm not telling you anything else about this book because this one is definitely worth the read and you need to go into it and find out for yourself! Just know that Marshall does get his head back on straight and come back into her life.

"The Trail of Lost Hearts" is a story of overcoming grief while finding oneself. As Wren is trying to recover from a gross betrayal and loss, she learns to geocache. It's the perfect opportunity to get herself out of her apartment, out of her head, and into nature, where she typically finds a bit of peace.

But one particular day, out on the trail, she encounters a life-threatening situation and is rescued by fellow geocacher Marshall. While she doesn't know what to think about him at first, she realizes that there is safety in numbers, and if she wants to continue on her geocaching journey, it would be better to travel together than alone.

As the story progresses, we learn that Marshall is overcoming his own significant loss, and the two become connected in their shared journey of recovery.

While this isn't your typical romance, what I liked so much about it is how mature it and realistic was. When we have pain to overcome, it's wise to do the work that's needed first before jumping into a long-term commitment, and that's exactly what happens here, with the story spanning more than a year of their lives, including time spent apart as they each pursue the healing they need.

I don't know anything about geocaching, but I do know a lot about grief. And I truly enjoyed this story for the way it handled the topic with sensitivity and realism without becoming morose or depressing.

Thank you to Tracey Garvis Graves, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance review copy.

I was excited to get this ARC back in the fall - thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for access in exchange for my honest opinion. But then I put off reading it for a while. The Trail of Lost Hearts published last month, and I listened to the audio over the weekend, thanks to my library.
Wren has recently gotten into geocaching, finding items that are hidden using GPS coordinates. It’s been the one thing that has helped pull Wren back into humanity after suffering a huge loss - technically two huge losses. While traveling to Oregon from Ohio with the purpose of geocaching, Wren runs into some trouble and luckily Marshall, another geocacher she crossed paths with earlier in the day, comes to her aid. Marshall has also suffered two big losses, and the two end up working together both on geocaching and trying to move on from their respective tragedies.
I liked the first half of the book, where they are geocaching and getting to know each other, much better than the second half, where the book focuses on something else. I appreciated the way both characters were able to discuss their losses and connect to help them heal. I have been trying to put my finger on exactly what didn’t work for me, but I’m having trouble determining exactly what rubbed me the wrong way. I enjoyed the audiobook narrators, and I am sure others will like this one, so I do recommend you check it out. If you’ve read it and can help me verbalize what didn’t work, please send me a message!

What a story!

I didn’t expect to enjoy myself as much as I did. I felt like I couldn’t stop reading due to how chaotic and dramatic this book was!

Wren has a massive life change when her fiancé ends up dead and his WIFE shows up at the hospital, wren decides to go on a hike and meets Marshall, a charming, psychologist who seems to make sparks fly immediately.

The journey Wren goes through, and how her grief challenges and helps Marshall’s grief journey, too is so good and thought provoking. I would read this authors books going forward!

It has been years since I've read a book by this author (On The Island) and although I don't remember many details, I remember enjoying it, so when the opportunity presented itself to read an advanced copy of her latest, I jumped on it to give her books another chance.

Initially, it started out great! I was immediately hooked with the opening and there are two twists that arrive fairly quickly that had my jaw on the ground. I loved the setting of this book. It takes place mostly in the PNW and describes one of my favorite places, Oregon, so I really enjoyed that as well.

This book had the makings to be a decent 4 star read. Unfortunately at the 60% mark, we get hit with another twist and this one is one my least favorite tropes. If I had known this was going to be a part of the story, I wouldn't have picked this book up. And how the main character, Wren, handles it didn't sit right with me either. The whole book gives you an overly dramatic, sappy, soap opera vibe as well that isn't usually my style either. This book reminds me of Eat,Pray, Love meets Elin Hildebrand. If you like her books, I could see you possibly enjoying this one also.

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves. this is my second book by this author and I've loved both. I was hooked from the beginning and flew through this book. This isn't your traditional romance, there is grief, sadness, healing and adventure intertwined throughout the book. I appreciated that the author didn't use the miscommunication troupe even though it could have so easily been a major part of the story. I also appreciated more mature main characters. This has cemented Tracey Graves Graves as a must buy author for me.

Get This Book! SO GOOD! Tracey Garvis Graves can do no wrong in my book. I loved the start of the book with the geocaching and the scenery descriptions were incredible. I could FEEL myself in the woods with her. I think Marshall and Wren were such a powerful duo from the start and I liked how they eased into everything and it wasnt bed hopping on page 5. The plot only gets better when the two fly back to their homes...you wont be able to put it down!! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

. . . ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭒
I obviously read the synopsis before I requested this one on NetGalley, and eagerly downloaded it after being approved, but I didn’t refresh my memory before diving in, and I think I was better for it.

This was a story about healing, trauma, loss, grief, guilt, tragedy, self-discovery, and love. There is definitely some triggers in this book, and right from the beginning, so proceed with caution if choosing to read.

I felt the book was well laid out, and the story progressed naturally, and easily. I liked Wren and Marshall as characters and felt they were written realistically, which is always refreshing.

There’s a lot of strength in healing and continuing on in the face of unthinkable loss, and how multifaceted grief can be, and it’s all featured honestly within these pages.

This story concluded very cleanly, which, while nice, felt a little incongruent with the greater story / journey being told, but it also was nice to see the characters have a peace after all that they endured.

~ 👩🏻‍🦰

.
.
.
#trailoflosthearts #recommendedread #bookreview #booksta #bookishlove #advancedreaderscopy #ebook #bookinfluencer #canadianbookstagram #canadianbookstagrammer #netgalley

This is a book of grief and two individual recovery processes that is also a lovely and well-paced story that brings it to life with great, but troubled characters, Wren and Marshall, that need to find their way to have a chance at an HEA. It has the feels. It's so good it's going on my favorite shelf to read again next year, so you should definitely read it at least once.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This author is an automatic read for me. The book had a slower more "blah" start to me (I have been needing something more upbeat at the time, but picked up. I was invested in the characters and the plot.