How do you react when the universe hands you a major life blow and you feel like your world is falling apart? This is exactly what the main characters of this novel have to deal with. Gwen is reeling from the death of her boyfriend and the secret that he has kept from her. Marshall is dealing with the untimely and tragic death of his beloved brother. These two characters meet on a hiking trail and attempt to recover from their past hurts and losses. This novel inspires the reader and gives hope to the hopeless. It is well worth reading. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, author Tracey Garvin Graves and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Loved being on this journey of heartbreak and self discovery with the wilderness backdrop! Always a fan of everything this author writes, so I knew I would enjoy this one and I wasn’t wrong.

I have always enjoyed Tracey’s books & was given a digital copy for an honest review. The book follows Marshall & Wren, two wounded souls that decide to embark on an unconventional geocaching trip together after randomly meeting on a trail. It’s a light, sweet read & any fan of Tracey’s work will like this one.

“The Trail of Lost Hearts” is Tracey Garvis Graves’s latest effort and a great story for fans of stories about real people trying to simply get through life’s heartbreak.

I admit I did not even know what geocaching was before reading this book, but the book’s protagonist embarks on a geocaching journey after suffering a few traumatic blows. She meets Marshall who is experiencing his own losses and the two embark on this exploration together.

Though you have some idea where this story could head, you’re not going to mind the trip getting there because of how quickly you find yourself carrying about Wren and what happens to her. I did not find myself carrying as much about Marshall, which made the ending of the book less than satisfying. I wish the story stopped at the end of their adventure, but other readers may appreciate the “after” part of this story.

Three and a half out of five stars.

Thank you the Tracey Garvis Graves, NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel.

I loved this book! I love the “geocaching” aspect of it- it just felt like a different kind of trope and was definitely surprised throughout the book! It was great read and will be recommending to friends. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Moving story and that was hard to put down. I enjoyed the way Tracey wrote this story and how it unfolded. She has a way with her character development that really draws you in almost immediately.

The Trail of Lost Hearts kept me entertained and wanting to know how it would end. I loved the characters and the way they developed throughout the story. Tracey Garvis Graves never disappoints and her latest is great!

Thank you to net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited to read this book because I love Tracey Garvis Graves and I also love geocaching! This was a super cute story between two grieving characters, both on their own journey of healing. I loved the characters, and I loved their journey with each other. This was a quick and enjoyable read and as always Tracey wrote a story I will remember!

Wren and Marshall were grieving for different reasons when they cross paths geocaching in the PNW. It was a fun backdrop to their story of healing and possibility. Loved the ending.

Thank you #StMartin’sPress and #NetGalley for the ARC e-book.

I was thrilled to receive this book from Netgalley as I hav dread everything by this author.

It's a powerful story using the past, nature and hope as the author guides the reader through this journey.

The characters were well developed and I actually felt proud of their accomplishments as they dealt with their past to come to a place of acceptance-without giving away any spoilers.

Whether or not the two characters ended up together wasn't the point. Their journey of healing and hope for the future, whether that meant alone or with someone was compelling.

I have this 4 stars and HIGHLY recommend it to everyone.

This is a remarkable story of two people who meet accidently on a geocaching trail and discover the cache as well as a friendship that develops into the start of a relationship. But each has had recent trauma in their lives, which neither has yet overcome. The characters of Wren and Marshall are just so endearing! The revelations of their lives prior to their chance meeting, had me captivated from the start. Tracey Garvis Graves has written a beautiful story of finding the courage to trust again after trauma and loss, and two people who open their hearts to the possibility of a second chance for love. I found that using the premise of geocaching as the basis of the book to be symbolic of their search for a new direction in their lives. (yes, I am a geocacher!) This is the third book by Tracey Garvis Graves that I have read and look forward to reading more. This is a heartwarming story with an exciting plot that I loved! Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of this review are my own.

RATING: 3.25/5 STARS

I enjoyed the first half of this book more than the second. Wren and Marshall's meeting and the development of their friendship was overall comforting and smooth to read. However, the events towards the end of the book were rushed and I personally didn't connect deeply with the characters' emotions since the pacing was choppy. The ending was satisfying, though. Wren and Marshall faced a lot of challenges and their journey through grief and opening themselves up to trust each other added a nuanced layer to the romance. THE TRAIL OF LOST HEARTS didn't match up to my favorite book by Tracey Garvis Graves (ON THE ISLAND) but overall I did like reading it!

What a sweet story about love, loss, and the journey of self. I really enjoyed the main character, Wren. She was strong and capable but not above making mistakes. I love, love, love, the clear and concise boundaries Graves sets in the stories relationships. This is a must read!

I enjoyed the first half of this book especially the PNW setting and the main characters experience geocaching. The second half of the book felt slower to me. It could've just been a me problem but it took me a little bit to finish. I flew through the first half. I thought the storyline felt a bit choppy. Overall, it was good.

Story of Wren and Marshall with individual painful pasts that meet in a journey of safety, love, and forgiveness. This was my third book I’ve read from this author. I don’t really know what to say because I really wanted to enjoy this one like I did with her previous books. Part of me enjoyed it and the story of Wren and Marshall, yet something was missing. I thought it would pull emotional strings, but it was more lackluster than that. The surprise in the second half wasn’t expected but was adorable. The ending was okay but I wished for more. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my review.

The Trail of Lost hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves is the story of two broken-hearted people who meet while geocaching. Wren's fiance, Rob, was killed in a car accident. Marshall was also grieving, but won't tell Wren what happened.

Wren left Ohio for a week in Oregon geocaching. Marshall was on the same hiking trail, both searching for the same cache. After he rescued her from a threat, they decided to travel together for her safety.

In Oregon, self-service gas stations are illegal. This detail matters because a sequence of events could not have happened as described.

Wren's support system added depth to her character. Marshall was less forthcoming about his life and not as well defined until later in the story.

This was worth reading, but not a keeper for me.

This was just what I needed for an end-of-summer light but substantial read. I didn't want to put it down!

📖 The Details:
The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves

⏱️ Quick Summary:
Wren is on a quest to heal after a tragic and life-changing incident. While geocaching across the country, she meets and teams up with Marshall, who is also on a journey after his own life-changing incident.

💁‍♀️ My Take:
I really liked this one. I was a bit disappointed after the author's previous book that just did not do it for me. But this one did, and more. I truly loved both characters - I felt their pain and joy and connection, and I was rooting for them individually and as a couple the whole time. The book dove into some heavy situations and topics, and gave some great psychological insight (thanks to one of the main characters being a therapist!). It made me think a lot about relationships, grieving, independence, motherhood, friendship, trauma, and more.

Strong Recommend!!

Predictable, yet sweet! It started off strong and then coasted for a bit, but writing was strong enough for me to want to keep reading!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Each novel by Tracey Garvis Graves keeps getting better and better as her style and subject matter matures. In this story, two individuals who are experiencing troubled times in their lives happen to meet while geocaching. Wren and Marshall are each trying to travel solo so that they can put some distance between themselves and the heartache they are facing. When Marshall comes across Wren in a horrible situation he is able to save her and a friendship starts to build as they decide to join forces while geocaching. As a psychologist, Marshall is able to help Wren unpack some of her complicated feelings. As their friendship turns romantic, is it possible to move forward after their adventure when Marshall isn't ready to share his troubles? Wren wants someone who checks all of her boxes and that means full transparency. As life keeps throwing curveballs their way, Wren and Marshall have to grow individually so that maybe they have a chance at a future. On another note, I loved the geocaching element of the story- truly unique and caught my interest.

Tracey Garvis Graves never let's me down. She hooked me from the first page and I couldn't stop reading. Wren and Marshall are the perfect characters in this story. They each fight their own battles with grief and loss. Their road to finding peace brought them together on a magical adventure. IThis book captivated my heart. I'm obsessed with Wren and Marshall. Their lives and their stories. This book was magic, romantic, funny, heartbreaking and beautifully written.

"Standing here with nothing but the blue sky above, I feel like the bird I was named after. My mother chose the name Wren because she thought it was beautiful but also because the wren is a harbinger of spring and rebirth. I am being reborn. I am beginning to soar."