Such a beautiful heartbreaking story that’s well written and had me gripped from page one. While it’s not an easy read with its very real topics, the author has done it in such a way that you can see the story from all sides. Loved this book so much even though I did need a pack of tissues!

EXCERPT: PROLOGUE - TEN YEARS AGO
The minute the front door slammed shut, Jane McCaffrey peeled herself off the floor of her bedroom and clambered unsteadily to her feet. Every muscle protested, begging her to lie back down on the soft carpet until the pain in her body eased. But she didn't have time to wait for the pounding in her head or the throbbing in her bones to subside. And as for the deeper ache in her heart . . .
That would never, ever heal.

ABOUT 'LOVE AND OTHER LOST THINGS': When two lost souls are thrown back together, is it far too late to fix their broken hearts?

Jane McCaffrey is only back in her hometown of Seneca Falls because of her father’s death. She swears she’ll leave again forever—it’s not like her childhood home holds any happy memories. But Jane hadn’t planned on bumping into Nik…

The boy she fell hard for was a skinny teenager with messy hair and his glasses askew. Now he’s broad-shouldered and stands well over six feet tall: but his deep brown eyes are just the same. And when he breathes her name and caresses the fresh bruise on her cheek—like he can’t help but touch her—Jane is thrown right back to the best and worst time of her life.

Jane and Nik once shared everything: kisses, hopes, and teenage dreams. Taking in his blue scrubs and doctor’s ID badge, Jane’s heart lifts that at least one of them got to live their dream. And as they catch up over the beautiful music they once loved, it’s like the years between them fall away.

But Nik doesn’t know the heavy secret Jane carries about the real reason she left town. Or who put that bruise on her cheek… or about her plans to truly disappear, forever.

So when the past comes calling, can Jane and Nik find the strength to fight for each other? Or was Jane dangerously wrong to think she could outrun her secret—and will it destroy them both?

MY THOUGHTS: Love and Other Lost Things promised to shatter my heart, make me sob with joy, and remind me of the beautiful pain of lost love. It did all those things, and more!

It All Comes Back to You was the first book I read by Melissa Wiesner. It emotionally wrecked me. I picked up Love and Other Lost Things intending to take it slowly and savor the author's writing. Instead, I read it in one sitting, unable to take my eyes from the pages, unable to separate myself from Jane and her ordeal. Yes, emotionally wrecked again!

Weisner writes about love in all its forms, real and perceived, good and bad, the benefits and consequences. Although Weisner deals with difficult subjects, including domestic violence, she does so with great care and sensitivity. She writes beautifully, with empathy and understanding.

If you have ever wondered why abused women don't always leave their situation, Weisner may clarify that for you.

Love and Other Lost Things touched the core of me; I ugly cried, I laughed, and I wished with all my heart for a happy ending for Jane.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#LoveandOtherLostThings #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR - Melissa Wiesner’s mother didn’t allow her to watch much TV as a child and instead, made her play with paint, colorful pipe cleaners, random bits of fabric, and other crafty things. This set Melissa up for a lifetime of creative pursuits, and it was only a matter of time before things took a bookish turn.

A night owl, Melissa began writing novels when her early-to-bed family retired for the evening. She is the author of emotional women’s fiction and romantic comedies. Along with her charming husband and two adorable children, Melissa splits her time between the big city of Pittsburgh, PA and rural West Virginia.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of Love and Other Lost Things by Melissa Wiesner for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Well this book totally pulled me in from the start. Wiesner's writing is unforgettable...so smooth and easy to read! I found myself not wanting to stop at the end of each chapter. Well developed characters, realistic dialogue, well paced plot! A great read!

I could not get into this book and that makes me so sad because I've loved a lot of Wiesner's books. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my review

This was a beautifully written book about a painful and sensitive topic. It's a story of a young woman named Jane who leaves an abusive home at the age of eighteen but ends up finding herself in another abusive relationship that's even harder to escape..

The story is told in alternating timelines and goes between present day and times in the past. This is how the author disseminates the necessary information for the reader to understand what the characters have been through and why they are in the positions they are in.

This is more than the story about how a young woman rises above an abusive situation - - even though that is the main story here. It is also a romance because she eventually gets a second chance with her first love. This is the first book I've read by this author but I will definitely look for more by her. Thank you to NetGalley for this early copy.

Melissa Wiesner is probably one of the best kept secret authors. I loved everything about this book! It made me feel all the things as someone who has been through the same cycle as the FMC. Beautifully written and definitely could be a movie!

This book was so emotional for me. I loved everything about it. Melissa is such a great author who is bound to make it big. I absolutely would read more by her and recommend this book to others.

Love and Other Lost Things is absolutely AMAZING! From the very first page, I was hooked. Melissa Wiesner has crafted a beautiful, emotional journey that explores love, loss, and healing in such a heartfelt way. The characters are so real and relatable, and their growth throughout the story is deeply moving. The romance is tender and realistic, with moments that will make your heart ache in the best possible way. The writing is gorgeous, and the story stayed with me long after I finished. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves a moving, well-written story that tugs at your heartstrings!

A beautifully written book about finding home, healing and breaking a pattern of abuse.

Jane McCaffrey flees home suddenly at the age of 18, leaving behind an abusive father, a mother that wont leave him and the only boy she has ever loved, she hopes to start a new life and break the patterns of abuse she has been subjected to, but is this as safe as she thought?
Years later she must return to her hometown to help her mother with the death of her father, she vows not to stay long, but life feels different now and the boy she left behind, he's now a man and he wants answers, why did she leave? what caused the bruise on her face? and who is the little girl that Jane has bought back to town?

This book is heavy in sensitive topics and revolves around domestic violence and child abuse, while the writing is done very well I would go into this book being aware of its contents.
I think the author did a wonderful job when it came to this book, she delved deep into the stories of the women in this story and depicting the feelings and challenges of being in an abusive relationship, she managed to write it all very sensitively and provide differing perspectives of how a survivor would cope and the journey of leaving.

While there was romance in this book and the MMC Nik was one walking, talking green flag - which made the contrast to the abusive characters even greater, my favourite thing about this book was the developing relationship between the three generations of girls in the McCaffrey family. I loved that the bond got stronger throughout and actions that may have been considered weak actually showed the varying signs of strength for the characters, and that they began to understand each other on a deeper level.

There were also a few twists and turns throughout this story that I did not see coming at all, but loved all the same.
I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future and delving into more or there work.

The story starts with her fleeing an abusive situation talking about her pain of leaving home and the man she loves . A decade later she is lead her back home when a tragic event occurs reuniting her with her mother and her first love, Nik. Despite this, Jane intends to leave again, but this time, she is not planning to escape by herself.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Love and Other Lost Things by Melissa Wiesner is a story about fear, survival and love. When Jane meets her worst fears on the best night of her life. Nothing could prepare her for the life she will choose. Hitching a ride out to California, she finds her future looking bright. But a few weeks later, she realizes that she has never felt as tired and scared even with all she has suffered at home with her father. Then the unimaginable happens and she feels trapped. A decade later, she makes a choice that will ultimately change the course of her life, her daughter's life and her mother's. Returning to the sleepy New York town was something she never had any intention of doing but once she's back, she just can't quite understand why she left and why she didn't just put her trust in the people who loved her the most. Though the ending was a bit far fetched, I really enjoyed the storyline. Abuse still has such a stigma and many don't believe the victims. Overall a good, solid read that I would recommend to others.

This was definitely an emotional ride! I didn’t know whether to laugh and cry, or scream and rant - so naturally I did them all.
Jane made you feel so much, even while she continued to try not to feel at all. It was both heart-wrenching and heart-warming to watch her navigate her life and make it the best she possibly could, while protecting those around her. I just wanted to wrap her in a warm hug and hide her away from everything for a little while.
While the events were difficult (emotional and physical abuse) to read, Weisner somehow created a positive and hopeful space. The fact that Jane and Scarlett are survivors was threaded throughout so one never stopped hoping.
Although it was definitely inferred, I would like to know more of Mom’s story

Melissa Wiesner was a new-to-me author when I read The Second Chance Year a few months ago (which I loved ❣️), so I was thrilled to read her newish book, Love and Other Lost Things. It also warms my heart when I see my 🇨🇦 hometown represented in books, so I was very invested in this storyline.
This heart-wrenching read tells the story of a long-lost couple who are suddenly reunited 10 years later, after Jane comes back to her hometown following her father’s death. Jane has been carrying many secrets over the years, including the reason she left town and her love, Nik behind a decade ago.
This was an emotional, but important read about abuse and I hope you pick this one up for your next 📖.

Synopsis:

High school seniors Jane and Nik are inseparable—and one day, have their first stolen kiss. But that day soon becomes the best and worst of Jane’s life…Jane has a devastating family secret. To protect Nik, Jane leaves town… 10 yrs later, after news reaches Jane of her father’s death, she comes home, where bittersweet memories of Nik wait on every quiet street. She runs into him and when he breathes her name and caresses the fresh bruise on her cheek—her heart speeds up just like the first time they kissed. Nik still doesn’t know the real reason she left town. Or who put that bruise on her cheek…

Review:

Melissa writes heartwrenching and beautiful stories with this publisher and this is another win! It addresses some serious topics (I recommend checking out the trigger warnings if you need to) so it's so much more than a love story. It's about growth and rising up and making your own choices. There were some shocking moments as well. The romance is a slow burn second chance romance (a fav of mine!) set in a small town. Highly recommend if you're looking for something deeper.

Thank you to to Bookouture for my digital copy.

A brilliantly written book
Had me from the first page
A book about domestic violence but very well told
And the ending just WOW
Thanks NetGalley

Nik and Jane's love story began when they were children. They had big plans after graduation, but one night Jane leaves town, never to be seen again. Now, ten years later, her father has passed away and her mother needs her. She runs into Nik, and he has grown into a man, but she still has the same feelings when she looks into his eyes. Nik can't believe Jane is standing in front of him, but who put the bruise on her cheek, and why did she run away ten years ago? As they start talking again, Nik begins to figure out why she left and the secret that she has been hiding.

This was a great story, with many ups and downs and it brings all the feels. Highly recommend!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

One reason why my review is under 4 stars is because I struggled to gel with the main characters. I just found them a bit unrealistic and unbelievable at times.

Jane has always wondered why her mother stayed with her abusive father. Jane upped and left her Mother and Father when she was younger and now she is back after his death and she wants answers. Yet, I don’t think she was ever wanting the truth. It’s very intense at times and very emotional. But for me, Jane just didn’t cut it. She done and said things that I found myself rolling my eyes because I don’t think that is was realistic.

Jane has been in an abusive relationship herself. I think Jane was a strong character and it takes courage to pick yourself up and try and escape these relationships.

I loved Nick. I wanted so much more from him and I know that he was rooting for Jane, wanting and needing to be there for her.

The book is written well I just wanted a bit more from the characters, more of the feels and emotion. I felt at times it was a bit draggy.

Thank you to netgalley, Melissa and the publisher for allowing me this ARC.

A classic story of women who always choose a mate just like their fathers. Deciding to break the circle of abuse Jane used the excuse to return home after her father’s passing to escape with her daughter. She plans on using her hometown as a stop before moving on and disappearing for good. Reconnecting with her friends and mom make her second guess everything. They give her the strength to stand up and fight. There were a couple of twists I did not see coming. It was great to see Jane realize what she wanted and taking it. Thank you to NetGalley for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily

Ten years ago, Jane ran away from everything she held dear because her abusive father turned on her. Now she's back and attempting to help her mother over the holidays with plans of never returning, not back to the life she built in California and certainly not back to her childhood town full of people who worshipped her father. But running into old friends and watching her daughter interact with her grandmother has Jane questioning what she wants their future to look like.
It's just so painfully good? I don't want to put another author down to lift Melissa up BUT I will say this is the book I desperately want whenever it deals with a difficult topic; in this case, domestic violence. I need to feel the emotions, the highs, the lows, and most importantly, the victories. I knew Melissa was talented before I read this. And now I find that her range is so incredible that she's an auto-read author for any book I see with her name.
Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Domestic violence is the theme which runs throughout this contemporary story which follows Jane McCaffrey who ran away from her childhood home as a young teenager only go back to Linden Falls some ten years later when her father died. Jane’s return to her childhood home sparks difficult memories especially when she meets again those of her best friends who thought that she had, quite simply, abandoned them. As this complex story unfolds there is a sense of lives coming full circle and with old secrets being revealed now is the time for Jane tell her story to those who were once her closest friends.

This was an intricate look at life in a small American town, a place where everyone knew each other’s business and yet when things were uncomfortable folks tended to look the other way. The author explores this claustrophobic small town atmosphere really well, and brings the place and the people alive in the imagination. I enjoyed getting to know, Jane and meeting her friends, particularly Nik who is a really special person. Whilst the author does a great job of building up a stark picture of everything in Jane’s life, it is in the promise of the future where the heart of the story lies.

Beautifully written and heart breaking in places, Love and Other Lost Things is a compelling read with a dramatic ending I really didn’t see coming.