Wren Waters is still reeling from two unexpected blows in her personal life that force her to look at things from a new perspective and reevaluate how her life was going. It comes as a surprise to everyone - maybe especially even Wren - when she discovers that Geocaching - the activity of searching for caches of hidden objects via GPS - is something that actually makes her want to get out of bed, and out of her head, everyday.

Wren decides to take a solo trip to Oregon to do some geocaching on her own. While there, she meets Marshall Hendricks - a fellow geocacher who is also looking for distraction from things in his life.

Wren and Marshall decide to pair up and look for the caches as a team when it becomes apparent that two is better than going at it alone. What they discover with one another is a kindred spirit needed at just the right time in their lives. It also forces both of them to look at what their futures might hold and if, with all the unexpected things life throws, there might be room for each other.

I feel like Tracey Garvis Graves is a very low-key kind of writer. She comes out with these gentle, thought-provoking stories that don't necessarily hit you right over the head, but they really unfold in a way that makes you appreciate the thoughtfulness put in to telling the story. I haven't read all of the Tracey Garvis Graves' books, but of the ones I have, there's just this certain amount of contentment I find in people figuring out a new direction for their lives when things don't go as planned.

Trail of Lost Hearts follows a lot of these same pathways. Wren trying to build her life again and knowing that, despite what you may want to do, you have to keep moving. Meeting someone who you form a connection with while also acknowledging that you might not be ready for them, but then questioning when you would be ready. I won't lie and say that I was prepared for a bit of predictability.

Then, Tracey Garvis Graves pulls a twist on readers that, honestly, completely reinvested me in Wren's story and not overshadowing with a romantic aspect, but in her own story and at this point, I could not put down this book. I raced to see how events would coincide with Wren's continued healing and it was not a disappointment.

Since finishing, I often think about this book. I think a lot because it went somewhere unexpected, and anytime I book surprises me, I tend to always keep that feeling present.

I will say that I almost wish we had gotten some of Marshall's perspective if only because he is also experiencing a certain kind of upheaval in his life and with how much Wren and Marshall and the headspaces they occupy within the story influence one another, I feel like I would have liked a view from his side as well. But I cannot really fault the story for this because it's so very clearly Wren's journey.

Overall, this is another thoughtful read from Tracey Garvis Graves that keeps in mind the idea of life changing and unexpectedly throwing us on another path.

If you’re looking for a feel good, love story The Trail of Lost Hearts is the perfect read. Marshall and Wren are both emotionally hurting and encounter one another while hiking. They are both likable characters who help each other heal. I learned about geocaching and might have to try it one day.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review,

4.25-4.5 STARS

Set against the Pacific Northwest backdrop, “The Trail of Lost Hearts” takes the reader along on Wren & Marshall’s journey of self-discovery and healing in the aftermath of their personal tragedies. It is a sweet and heartwarming slow-burn romance with no exaggerated drama. While grief and self-recrimination weigh heavily throughout this book, the undertone is always one of positivity and hope. It is an inspirational story with a very unique spin that I won't soon forget.

I have mixed feelings about TGG. Her books often tug me by the heart strings and hook me but then at times they feel a little more weird/off to me. I never would have guessed that I would love a book that involved geocatching - just not my thing. That being said TGG really just pulls you in and gets you to care about these two main characters. I ended up really enjoying my time with this book.

This is such an emotional love story that's born out of grief, but somehow manages to find its own way and flourish. I really enjoyed both of the main characters and I was cheering them on even as their paths had to take their own twists and turns. I've been geocaching a few times and it was so fun to see them bond over the activity and how they each used it to help them cope with their loss. Grief is such a personal journey and I love how Tracey handled such a difficult topic with so much sensitivity. The audiobook is fantastic and I would definitely recommend giving it a listen!

“The Trail of Lost Hearts” by Tracey Garvis Graves
When tragedy strikes, Learning to Live, again,
Surviving a tragedy and over-coming the fears and assumed guilt associated with the event were so well portrayed in this story that I just couldn’t put it down. Yes, my heart broke, and, my funny bone was tickled as this story unfolded. Their lives were imploded by tragedies. The courage required to face the new realities created by those tragedies was so painfilled. And, I kind-a wish I had someone to go geocaching with. It does sound like fun. Happy Reading ! !
Note: This review expresses my honest opinion.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

I have love Tracey Garvis Graves’s previous books and this one did not disappoint. The characters had depth and were perfectly layered and messy. I didn’t want to put this one down because I was whole heartedly rooting for the characters individually and as a couple. There was so much growth and true connection between Wren and Marshall. Loved this one.

I was attracted to the cover of this book and then got invited to read it, so decided to take the plunge. This is a story about a young woman rebuilding her life after a devastating shock and loss. She throws herself into an activity called geocaching, an outdoor recreational activity, sort of a treasure hunting game, where you use a GPS to hide and seek containers along with other participants. She travels to another state on this quest and randomly interacts with a guy who is also dealing with trauma and loss and its resultant grief. Ultimately, through another potential calamity on the geocaching trail, these two collide and wind up teaming up for a week on the geocaching quest.

As the story unfolds, they slowly share the details involving their grief, find solace in each other, but have to decide if they have long-term potential as they live in different states and still have emotional growth to navigate. When Wren returns to her hometown of Ohio, she is immediately met with a further life-altering complication. Wren is a pleasing character, a young woman who has the strength to confront some very hard life events, self-supporting and independent, intelligent and strong- but never afraid to cry.

This was a low-key work of fiction employing topics that pull on the heartstrings. It was a quick, easy, and enjoyable read.

Thank you to the publisher St. Martin's Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves, out 3.26 this will be one you want to add to your TBR for sure!

Wren Waters life threw her two curve balls on the same day, and she was plunged into grief. Grief for what she lost and for the life she thought she would live. She finally stumbled an activity to her her out of bed and outside, which eventually led her to Oregon on a search to find a piece of herself. Marshall Hendricks is also grieving, and looking to find a new normal, after a traumatic event. After bumping into each other they decide to team up and hike together, not knowing they will be exactly what the other needs.

By the synopsis I wasn’t sure what I would think going into this book. But man, I absolutely loved Wren and Marshall. I found myself wanting to hug each of them and just listen to their stories. Their story didn’t feel rushed or out of place, the way it unfolded was perfect. I loved the realness of it all.

My only wish, that it was longer. I didn’t know it was the end until I saw the acknowledgements page sneak up on me. I would love a sequel, an epilogue … anything to continue the story.

Thank you St Martin’s Press for this eARC copy to read and review.

The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves
Narrated by Eric Meyers; Kate Handford

When Wren Waters and Marshall Hendricks meet each other on an Oregon trail, each has recently suffered enormous tragedy. We learn of Wren's first and her tragedy has changed the way she sees the world. She can no longer trust a man, she's determined to survive on her own, she wants to need no one ever again.

Marshall's tragedy comes out slower and actually takes some searching by Wren to uncover more than the very basics. Wren feels like Marshall is holding back and because of what has happened in her life, Wren almost kills their burgeoning relationship due to the demands she puts on Marshall. But then circumstances have Wren holding back from Marshall, too, and she hypocritically justifies it. I guess I spent much of the story not feeling too happy with Wren's POV, because she expects so much more of others than she is willing to give herself.

But overall, I liked the slowness of this story and how it is given time to develop. The characters are given time to feel what needs to be felt, to get the help they might need from the places that can help them. After their first meeting and their fling/hook up/whatever it is while knowing each other for just a week, pulling back seems like a really good idea, and not a good time for Wren to put demands on a guy she has just met. BTW, this is very much an open door no holds barred fling in that first week, for those who like things spicy.

I was able to both read the ebook and listen to the audiobook. I love the title of this story and it especially hit me at the very end of this audiobook, when the music plays at the end of the story. Kate Hanford does the majority of the story narration and she does a great job. When Eric Meyers does his part, it's very meaningful because we are getting at what the character of Marshall has not been able to share earlier. I like how the story goes and even accept that Wren's gut instincts might have led her to a good place in life, after an incredibly not so great year for both her and Marshall.

Publication March 26, 2024

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I wanted to love this book but I just solidly liked it. It has a lot of great elements, and the way it approached grief was very realistic and tender. I thought it featured at times very good communication and expression of feelings between characters.
However the characters never came to life for me. Wren was almost too reserved and inside her head. I wanted more emotion between the characters. I wasn’t sold on the major story change more than half way through either. I’d give this book 3.5⭐️

Tracey Garvis Graves is a special author. From her firsts words you are sucked into the story and its characters. This is such a sweet story and I couldn’t put it down. Thank you for this opportunity to read this book. I highly recommend it!

The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves
Standalone Women's Fiction/Romance, Release Date: March 26, 2024
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy for review purposes. Ana’s Attic accepts no compensation for reviews, and all reviews contain my honest opinion. This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

“Anger is just sadness coming out sideways, Wren.”

The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves is a crossover between women’s fiction and romance. It’s the story of Wren, a remote social media marketer in her thirties who has just lost her fiance and had even more devastating news delivered with that blow. After mourning her life for too long, she discovers geocaching as a way to get out and hike with a fun goal in mind.

Needing more time to heal, she flies to the Pacific Northwest to go on a solo geocaching trip where not only will she find the caches, but also hopefully find herself. There is one particular cache she really wants to be the first to find, so when she meets a nice fellow geocacher on the trail who asks to team up, she turns him down. A few hours later he rescues her from a very dangerous situation, sadly proving that it’s just not safe for a pretty woman alone.

Her rescuer is Marshall, a psychologist on his own healing journey. Though her trust in men is nil, Marshall rescued her once, and given his career he is easy to talk to, so they team up to find more caches, traveling around the Pacific Northwest together.

The best part of this story is Wren’s growth in figuring out her own self-worth. This wasn’t just a love story with another person, but one with herself as well. She started so down on herself and by the end, she was brave and confident. I loved that for her.

"The heart wants what it wants, and hope is one hell of a drug."

The first half of the book was unputdownable and had great pacing and detail that kept me riveted. The second half had a twist that just changed the pacing so much it was jarring. The focus shifted from her and Marshall to the twist and then the whole thing was more generalized and then just resolved quickly.

“Rob showed me what a selfish man looks like. I’m grateful that Marshall constantly reminds me what a selfless man looks like. What a shame it would have been not to have the opportunity to see the difference.”

Likes:
•Truly wonderful writing.
•Mature couple who have had life experiences.
•The amazing character growth.
•The geocaching scenes and scenic descriptions of the PNW.
•Heartbreaking at times while still being hopeful and heartwarming.

Dislikes:
•The second half twist changed the whole pacing of the story.
•She kept a HUGE secret for months.
•I never really loved Wren.
•Wrapped up too quickly.

The Down & Dirty:
The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves was a 5-star read for the first half, but the second half had a twist and I didn’t love how it changed the tone of the book, then a rushed resolution. Still, it was emotional and heartwarming, beautifully written, and had wonderful character development.

Rating: 3.75 Stars, Almost closed door.

The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves
Live March 26
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There’s just something special about Tracey Garvis Graves’ writing that’s hard for me to put into words. She wrote one of my all-time favorite books, On the Island, and though I didn’t love THE TRAIL OF LOST HEARTS quite as much, I still really enjoyed the romance of this book and the way TGG has of taking a love story and “zooming out,” so you can appreciate the whole thing rather than just a moment in time. That’s the closest I can come to describing what makes TGG’s books stand out for me.

Wren is on a solo trip to the Pacific Northwest, where she plans to do some geo-caching. She’s working hard to pull herself out of a depression sparked by heartbreak and tragedy. That’s when Wren meets Marshall, a psychologist that’s getting over heartbreak of his own. Wren is cautious with her heart, but eventually, sparks start to fly. However, that’s just the beginning of this story.

Wren and Marshall - and some of the other peripheral characters - sometimes came off as a bit too perfect, and there is a trope here that I normally don’t love, but TGG does a beautiful job of making it un-yucky. This is a sweet read that will leave with all the feels!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an early digital copy of THE TRAIL OF LOST HEARTS in exchange for my honest feedback.

Women’s fiction is a genre that has my whole heart. The Trail of Lost Hearts was a deeply moving read about a woman mentally recovering from a sudden tragedy and navigating the complicated feelings that transpire after death when there is unresolved emotions. I love me a good grief story and this one really set itself apart from others. I also really loved how the romance was a subplot that took a backseat to the MC Wren’s growth. This one had a trope I’m not particularly fond of it but it actually worked incredibly well here so I’m not going to mention what the trope is, as to not deter others since I think this deserves a chance. Speaking of romance, the love interest Marshall is TOP TIER folks.

I found this very comparable to Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center, but more serious and less romcom (though Wren is a clever character and I found her witty inner dialogue very charming). Highly recommend to fans of books like Marian Keyes.

Wren is struggling with the death of her fiancé and needs to get away. She flies to Oregon to go hiking, where she meets Marshall. For safety reasons, Marshall pitches her on them teaming up to travel and hike and geocache together. Wren is skeptical at first, but finds she enjoys Marshall's company. Will they be able to open up to each other and learn to deal with the traumas they're both reeling from?

I am not a hiker, but I enjoyed the scenery and especially the look into geocaching in this story. I loved that they dealt with deaths in a positive way forward and even though I didn't completely love the main character, Wren, I liked this book. This one is a little Wild/Happiness for Beginners.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Such a sweet and heartwarming story! Wren and Marshall find each other by pure accident on a Pacific Northwest trail while both out geocaching. Both of these lovely humans have experienced major life traumas that they are each working through. What starts as a distrustful partnership grows into so much more. I really love reading stories set in my neck of the woods and I enjoyed the whole premise of using nature as a healing tool. I loved all the characters and watching them grow through the past traumas while keeping up with the curveballs life throws into the mix. This is my first book by Tracey Garvis Graves, but it won’t be my last! She writes a women’s fiction story with so much warmth. Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on March 26,2024

I loved this book! It was so emotional and raw; diving deep into the emotional journey that both Wren and Marshall were on when the universe threw them together! Their independent stories were devastating, but their healing and their path to finding each other was beautiful! I loved every moment! I truly loved Wren's strength and perseverance. Marshall was also a very strong personality and had a healing heart and character (even though he couldn't quite see it for himself), that ultimately spoke to Wren.
I really enjoy the writing style of the author, this is the second book I've read of hers and I can't wait to read more!!

This was a perfect no frills romance, that was just the right amount of heart wrenching. I would recommend it to my family and friends who are looking for a love story that is more serious than funny/cheesy.

The emotional intelligence of the characters really made the plot shine. Hello characters that are self aware and don’t make me want to talk some sense into them. Hello MMC who is a psychologist!!! But who also let the FMC have her space and did not try to over analyze her.

At some point near the middle I was not sure that it was really going anywhere, but boy did it go somewhere. What an emotional twist, that really takes the reader even deeper into the character’s emotional turmoil.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you Tracey Garvis Graves and St. Martins Press!

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

Such a beautiful story of love after loss and the pain of grief. Marshall and Wren come into each other’s lives for a reason. Both are striving to move beyond devastating tragedies. Their chance meeting on a trail in Oregon while both geocaching will set into motion the beginning of the healing process for both of them.

Deciding to team up together after Wren encounters some trouble on a hiking trail, a friendship forms between the two grieving characters. Wren will learn to open up and disclose her feelings and Marshall will be a safe and kind shoulder to lean on. But Marshall doesn’t give Wren the same open honesty as he still finds it hard to talk about his struggles.

As the two part ways in Oregon, Wren goes home and has to face another challenge in her life. Through emails and texts Marshall begins to open up to Wren and this is how his healing process begins. But things have changed, life has gotten a bit more complicated and it is questionable if they can find a trail that leads them back together.

I really enjoyed this story and the journey both Wren and Marshall take together and most importantly, on their own. This book is filled with heartbreak, emotion and love as two lost souls learn to live fearlessly.

“It’s like the rusty gears of my life have finally started moving. It feels good.”