This was a nice and easy read despite the topics it touched on. The writing flowed well and felt unencumbered. The story was a bit of a strange one to say the least. I had no idea people even still went geocaching these days.

I was drawn to this book because I have heard so many good things about the author and was excited when I got chosen to read it.

The story is based around Wren and Marshall, two strangers who have both experienced tragedy, hoping nature will help them cope.

I really wanted to Iove this book but it missed the mark for me. I felt like there was a lot going on and it was just unrealistic in some ways.

Thank you to St. Martins Press for allowing me to read this ARC through NetGalley

When this author announces that she has a new book releasing, I immediately add it to my to-be-read list.

The Trail of Lost Hearts was an emotional journey. After a devastating and heartbreaking event in her life, Wren Waters is not sure how to move forward. When a close friend advises her that she needs to get out of bed, leave her apartment, and get on with her life, Wren soon discovers that hiking and exploring the outdoors is just what she needs to breathe again.

As someone who puts herself in the shoes of the characters that she reads about, I could completely understand where Wren was coming from. She experienced something that would leave anyone feeling as though the rug were pulled out from under them. Wren felt a plethora of emotions about what had rocked her world, and I felt them all right alongside of her. When an author can do that, you know it’s a good book.

When Wren decides to go out on a week-long trip to Oregon to geocache, she feels like it’s a step forward, but hiking by herself proves to be more dangerous than she had thought it would be. Luckily, another geocacher is there to come to her aid. Marshall Hendricks is every bit the outdoor and geocaching enthusiast that Wren is, and despite his perfect timing and well-meaning attempts at conversation, Wren is unsure whether or not she should trust Marshall. Again, it was easy to see why she was apprehensive, but in Marshall’s case, I was quietly advising her to go ahead and trust him.

What began as a solo journey for Wren and Marshall soon became a journey of two. Each of them was attempting to find some peace in order to dispel the thoughts and memories that plagued them. They quickly discovered that they enjoyed each other’s company and Wren was finding comfort in Marshall’s calming presence, and maybe even a few other feelings that she had thought were permanently dormant now.

Tracey Garvis Graves has written a moving, mature, thought-provoking novel that certainly touched my heart. There was an easy progression of the story that never felt rushed or inauthentic. Wren and Marshall’s journeys were certainly not without their bumps in the trail, and I will admit that a couple of things surprised me, but it was a journey that was well worth taking.

*4 Stars

This is the 2nd book by Graves I’ve read, the first being The Girl He Used to Know. That one remains one of the most beautiful love stories I’ve ever read, and I’ve recommended it to countless people. This one is also a tender love story, but it didn’t grab me quite the same way. I found the pacing a bit slow and, as an “indoorsy” person, I couldn’t get excited about geo-caching, the activity that brought Wren and Marshall together, but also provided much of the framework for the story.

I appreciate this romance in which the couple, despite tragic circumstances that have left them grief-stricken and wary of starting a new relationship, have the maturity and personal integrity to communicate as openly as their wounded souls will allow them to while acknowledging that trust takes time to build and that healing does not follow a linear path. In The Trail of Lost Hearts, these two start as friends who quickly develop feelings but live thousands of miles apart. What should have been a brief fling turns into so much more but Wren, having been betrayed in the worst sort of way in her previous relationship, isn’t willing to accept anything less than a man who “checks all the boxes” and doesn’t hold anything back. She’s self-aware enough to recognize that and to be honest about her boundaries. The irony is that he, as a psychologist, needs to get help in coming to terms with his own loss so that he can share his feelings and his future with Wren. The question is, will the tenuous connection they made in their week together be enough to motivate them to do the emotional work they need to be together, especially when Wren drops a huge surprise?

If you’re a reader looking for romances with depth, mutual caring and consideration, a focus on relationship-building, and a small touch of spice, this is one worth checking out. If you’re a fan of the great outdoors, even better, since the scenes in Oregon sound breathtaking. Recommended.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

4.5/5 I don’t normally tell my husband about the books I’m reading but since this one had geo-caching and he used to do that with our kids, I mentioned it.

I haven’t been to the PNW and I’m not really into hiking but Oregon sounds beautiful. It’s the perfect setting for the story of Wren and Marshall. This is a great story about forgiveness, healing and love. It’s also about learning to trust your self.

I was so not prepared for The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves. This emotional intense story does not shy away from the hard parts of life or how they leave us anchorless for a while. Reading the description is only the tip of the iceberg for what happens in this story. Wren and Marshall do have their demons to overcome, not necessarily their fault but must be dealt with, nonetheless. So many events that could be considered roadblocks happen in this story that takes place almost a year happen.

It is a poignant story that reminds us to give grace daily to others. I do not know if Wren is right that the universe will send you exactly what you need, I choose to believe a higher power than that is at work. What I can agree with is that in this story Wren and Marshall will be better together. The best.

Wren Waters is on a quest for healing. After experiencing a huge blow to her life, she decides to take trip to Oregon to do some geocaching. On this trip she meets Marshall Hendricks and there’s an instant connection. Whether it’s friends or more, the story follows them both on their paths to healing.

The Trail of Lost Hearts was an unexpected surprise for me. I went into it pretty blind and am so glad I did. First off, this novel has made me want to try geocaching. I’ve always known about it, but it sounds so fun! I was immediately drawn to Wren and Marshall and their journeys both separately and together. Their stories intrigued me and the pacing of the book is really well done.

The Trail of Lost Hearts was a true delight! I really enjoyed it and I’m so happy I had the opportunity to read it. Many thanks to one of my favorite publishers, St. Martin’s Press, as well as NetGalley, for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review! If you love a feel good story with a touch of spice, give this one a try. I highly recommend!!

Another beautifully written book by Tracey Garvis Graves! The Trail of Lost Hearts tells the story of Wren and Marshall, who meet by chance while geocaching in Oregon. Both are struggling with grief and loss. My heart ached for these two characters, and I shed tears more than once. I have no doubt that this book will be one of my favorite books of the year! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance reader copy of this book.

“Grief is a bill and until you pay it, life puts a lien on everything else.”

In an attempt to move past a horrible heartbreak, Wren Waters is seeking solace. Ironically, she finds it in the activity of finding things, also known as geocaching. Her GPS driven hobby, largely misunderstood by others, sends her out in the world, literally seeking objects.

One particular quest sends her to the woods of Oregon, and unknowingly, on the path to danger. Alone and vulnerable, Wren finds herself forced to rely upon the kindness of a stranger to bail her out. The man, Marshall Hendricks, is not only a fellow geocacher, but also a fellow lost soul. So when he suggests they pair up in their search, Wren immediately objects. Eventually though, her inner compass guides her into agreeing.

As Wren and Marshall spend more time together, it’s clear their plan has them veering off their path in more ways than one. But as their relationship progresses past platonic, they suddenly start finding more than they bargained for.

The Trail of Lost Hearts is a sad story about salvation and second chances. While Wren had good reason to be weary of others, I found her self preservation often teetered on selfishness. Where she could be vague and guarded, others could not. Without giving too much away, this hypocrisy had me hoping for a bit more soul searching on Wren’s part, but it never came.

However, if you’re in search of a second chance romance, The Trail of Lost Hearts offers a unique perspective on love, both lost and found.

Have you ever heard of geocaching before?

4.5⭐️

This book is a mix of contemporary romance (first half) and women’s fiction (second half).

I absolutely loved the first half of this book! The meet cute felt realistic and it was steamy!

I wasn’t familiar with geocaching so I learned something new.

I appreciated how their grief brought Wren and Marshall together. Each of them had chosen hiking and geocaching as their way of embarking on a healing journey from traumatic events in their lives, which reminded me of the movie, Wild that was based on the memoir by Cheryl Strayed.

Teaming up for geocaching provided the perfect opportunity for forced proximity between the MCs.

🚨 SPOILER ALERT! 🚨

The third Act breakup happened at mid-point, which was certainly unique. I completely understand why it happened.

However, the second half felt more like women’s fiction than a contemporary romance because it seemed more focused on Wren’s journey towards motherhood.

Marshall felt mostly absent from the second half (until the end) as we only got insight into his emotional growth through emails. That’s why I feel this story could have benefited from a dual POV - I loved Marshall’s character and would have appreciated more insight into his POV!

However, I still enjoyed the novel overall as I like the author’s writing style and appreciate her exploring heavier themes in this book, which added depth to the story.

Tropes:
- Forced proximity
- Accidental pregnancy
- Single POV

TW: death of loved ones, attempted assault, gun violence, car accident, infidelity

First time reading this author, won’t be the last.

When it rains, it pours could be the premise for this book. Just when you think Wren can’t possibly have anything else go sideways, life says “wait there’s more!”

Wren finds out some extremely heartbreaking things about her recently deceased fiancé, which prompts her to rediscover her old self and go on new adventures. She takes up geocaching. This is where she finds Marshall. Thier slow burn friendship to more story runs in the background as Wren works through what she wants her future to look like after her late fiancé’s duplicity.

I really enjoyed this story. Any time a woman gains back her independence and is supported by an amazing man, I’m going to be there for it.

The Trail of Lost Hearts is a beautiful, emotionally captivating story about Wren and Marshall, two people in their 30s reeling from tragedy, who meet when they both go geocaching on a trail in the Pacific Northwest. They are both very likeable and relatable characters, struggling to make sense of their lives and trying to find a path forward in a world they hadn’t expected. The story touches on loss, hope, love, trust, friendship, self-discovery and, ultimately, resilience.

The author captures the emotions experienced by these characters so well that I felt that I knew, cared for and understood them. The novel unfolds from Wren’s perspective but the author effectively uses a series of email exchanges between Wren and Marshall to allow the reader to understand Marshall’s fears and motivations. The relationship between them unfolds at just the right pace and it is full of chemistry. I loved these characters both individually and as a couple. I also enjoyed the secondary characters and felt immersed in the vivid and beautiful descriptions of nature.

I highly recommend this lovely, engaging, emotionally satisfying read.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Will post to my book IG, X and Threads on March 25.

The Trail of Lost Hearts is a beautiful book about two people have lost a loved one and cannot figure out how to move on in life. They meet while geocaching (which I thoroughly enjoyed learning about) and form a team on the trails in Washington state. While they hike they also help each other deal with their losses. These conversations were so on point, I wish I had read this book when I was younger. Wren was always a strong woman and Marshall was such a gentle soul. A heart wrenching read

What can be found on the trail of lost hearts? The unexpected it seems. Halfway through reading, I sarcastically thought “great I know where this is going to go” and I was ready to be b-o-r-e-d. Well I was wrong and it was just unexpected turn after unexpected turn that had me wondering, would things work out for Wren. I got a little emotional at some points. Some of Wren’s choices were surprising. But it showed her growth and desire for openness after what Wren had been through.

This is an open door romance.

I’m also a big fan of Wren’s geocaching playlist, wish we had more of it.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy.

Everything a great book should be. Stunning, adult themes, lives at crossroads, hard decisions with harder follow through, adult love, reasons to cry happy tears, characters who will stay with you for a long time. Absolutely engaging plot that never lets up. A book that will live in my heart for some time. Thank you Tracey Garvis Graves, for writing this book.

This story was both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Wren and Marshall meet by chance while she is traveling in the Pacific Northwest. Both are working through grief and are vulnerable for different reasons. They have a strong connection, but ultimately Wren returns home where she learns some surprising news. When they reconnect, everything is different. This is a well crafted tale of love, loss and finding contentment on life’s journey.

✨ Publication date: March 26, 2024✨

A Trail of Lost Hearts is a Romance by Tracey Garvis Graves that deals with some pretty heavy topics around grief and mental wellness. Read the trigger warnings!!

Wren Waters is on a solo hiking trip to shake off her grief after the death of her fiancé and to face some of the truths she discovered after her died. Wren was hoping this trip would help reset and put her on a path of healing.

Almost immediately into her first hike, Wren is cornered by two guys who aren’t interested in hiking. Realizing she has put herself in a dangerous situation she shouts for help and catches the attention of the other lone hiker she met at the bottom of the trail, Marshal Hendricks.

After Marshal saves Wren, they decide to team up for the rest of the week to ensure their safety. As the days go by and Wren gets more comfortable, she shares her story and her recent grief journey.

Marshal is also on his own grief journey but won’t open up to Wren. They do discover they have chemistry and head towards a short term fling. As their week comes to a close and they have gotten so close, they need to decide if they are both emotionally ready for a relationship.

This is a story or grief and self discovery. There were a few twists and turns throughout the book which were okay but I felt was maybe a bit too much and not needed to draw the story out. I really enjoy this authors writing I think this is my 3rd or 4th book by her but this book is a 3.5 for me!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #traceygarvisgreaves #atrailoflosthearts

I was really excited to read this book. Loved the book cover and wanted to know about geo-catching. I’d also really enjoyed the author’s other book, On the Island.
Unfortunately, this book wasn’t the same quality and didn’t hit home for me. Its themes of anxiety, depression, suicide were handled in a way that made the book bleak and dispiriting. The writing needed more work - bit flat & bland - and didn’t really draw me in. 2-stars
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Nope. Absolutely not - no one would be alone, get attacked, get saved, and then go in a CAR ALONE with the person that saved them. I am so disappointed in this one. The concept was a good idea, but this was an overall miss for me.

Graves is one of those few authors that is on my auto buy list. She never fails to deliver and her latest book, The Trail of Lost Hearts, further cements my opinion. This book is written with eloquent prose and well-rounded characters that I quickly became involved with. Easily one of my favorite books so far this year.
The story is about two people, Wren and Marshall, that have each lost loved ones in tragic ways. They run into each other on a hiking trail while Geocaching. Later during the hike, Marshall rescues Wren from two unsavory characters she has chanced upon. Once they are out of danger, Marshall suggests they can continue as a team for security reasons.
Hesitantly, Wren accepts his offer and the two continue their geocaching together. Slowly, they form a friendship and Wren is able to open up to Marshall about her loss and betrayal. Marshall is a psychologist, and once Wren allows herself to be vulnerable, he is able to help her work through some of her feelings. However, Marshall is still working on his own issues. To top it off, the universe has one more big surprise that will put an even bigger wrench in the works for them. Sorry no spoilers, you will just have to read for yourself and see if they can work through all their ‘STUFF’ and find true happiness in each other.
So much to love in this moving story. The grief, guilt and host of other emotions involved with the healing process was tremendous. Both of these characters needed to work through so much pain and it had me just wanting to give them both a big hug and tell them everything would be okay. I have to admit that I cried right along with them. God I love when an author gives me all feels.
If you like a romance that is more than romance, this book has your name on it. Great characters and a plot that develops so naturally it feels like someone’s true story, it is one of those books that will have you reading into the wee hours to see what happens, just like I did.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.