"𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐈 𝐝𝐨."

Thanks to @bookedwiththeemilys @melissawiesner @bookouture for the #gifted copy of this book!

First off, this story was heavy. It was also achingly beautiful. But if you're triggered by abuse or domestic violence, this might not be for you. Check the TWs.

The idea of second chances is central to the story. I loved the arc that Jane & her mom's relationship went through. The pain they both went through, the loss they felt, their fear and finally their motivation to find a way out...By the end, there was an understanding between the two of them, and that was beautiful. I also couldn't help but root for Jane and Nik. Who doesn't want to root for a second chance at love lost?! I just wanted her to be safe and happy! I loved the little twists at the end too.

Basically, this book broke my heart and put it back together again.

4.5 ⭐

This is my first approach with Melissa Weisner, I had already heard great things about her pen with another of her published books, so when I saw this one I knew that if or if I was going to fall into my clutches, and here we are.

Honestly when I started it I knew nothing of the tropes that made up this story, so the journey was very slow and took me completely by surprise.

It is a very emotional book, the author's pen makes you feel everything that happens in this book, you can not read it and not feel even a hint of all the turbulence of emotions and feelings that the characters are living.

Here we have a story of second chances, where Jane ran away from her hometown many years ago leaving behind not only a home with an abusive father but her best friend, her first love.

Years later, she returns to the town with more luggage than she brought with her on her first day and with the firm intention of not staying in the town any longer than she should and not having contact with anyone. Unfortunately, on his first stop he meets his first love.

This story shows you how when you grow up or have been in an abusive environment for a long time, it is difficult to get out of that circle, no matter how much you want to. It hits hard, especially when you question whether you are worthy of a second chance at love, when you don't know if you have to leave again without looking back.

Like I said, MOVING!
Great read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion!

This is a heart wrenching story that follows Jane, who at eighteen secretly escapes her hometown because of her abusive father, only to end up in a relationship with an abusive partner. How is history repeating itself? This story shines a light on how isolating and terrifying an abused partner can find themselves. Being able to read Jane’s thoughts and emotions really made me understand her decisions and actions. I loved how her mother and Jane’s friends quickly enveloped her back into their circle. And poor Nik was able to finally know what happened to his sweetheart. I also loved the twist at the end! A heavy topic (domestic abuse) that was handled with care and grace.

Synopsis: When Jane returns to her hometown to visit her mother after her father’s death, she doesn’t expect to run into her childhood love, Nik, and she definitely doesn’t expect that he will make her want to stay.

Thoughts: Melissa Wiesner does it again with an emotional romance that will break your heart and put it back together again! This is one of those books you can read in one sitting with dual timelines that leave you needing to read the next chapter. I was drawn into this story right from the start, and my heart broke for Jane as she faced struggle after struggle with bravery and resilience. I appreciated the depth of her character and the exploration of cyclical abuse and the way the system makes it difficult for women to escape abusive situations. It can be difficult to read stories involving domestic violence, and I thought Melissa did a fantastic job of writing a realistic and empathetic portrayal of the difficulties families face in those situations.

Read this if you like:
🌸 ‘Tis the Damn Season
🌸 small town
🌸 second chance
🌸 single parent
🌸 heart wrenching stories

An emotional, impactful book that has a big focus on family drama, sprinkled with that second chance romance trope that really just tugged at the heartstrings. I could not put this book down even if I tried, I needed to know what happens next with our main character after every chapter.

I liked the flashbacks as well, giving us a glimpse into her old life and why she ran away; it gave the book dimension, made us aware of what Jane really is running from and how serious it is.

I also liked that we sometimes got a perspective from Nik, because as a reader, you sometimes want to know what the other characters think, and his chapters just continued to bring the book to life.

The prose also brought the book to life. It was easy to read, the descriptions were not out of this world but carried enough of a punch to really drive this book home, which added to the twist in the end I didn't see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me an ARC for my honest review!

Jane McCaffrey was just a girl when she chose to leave everything she knew behind and forge her own path in the world. At the time she thought she was doing what was best for her, as it wasn't safe to continue to live with her parents, and she knew if she didn't leave then she might never get the chance again. So, she left town without ever giving a second thought to making a return visit... that is until now.

Love and Other Lost Things is a story of lost love, healing, survival, making amends, and second chances. This was a tough one to read as some of the subject matter hit a little close to home, but I will say amongst all the pain there was a message to take away from it. That there is hope, that second chances are possible, and that sometimes walking away is the only answer, the safest answer. Following Jane on her emotional journey really did a number on me, but it was also quite uplifting to see her finally find true happiness too. It was a journey filled with many ups and downs, but also some hope, love and happiness too.

This first time read impressed on all fronts, it was captivating, heartfelt, emotional, and brought a lot of joy too! Highly recommend you take a chance on this one, it's pages will have you mesmerized the whole way through!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

Years ago, Jane fled her hometown vowing never to return. Nik, her first love, never knew what drove her away. After the death of her father, Jane does return home and unexpectedly runs into Nik. Will they be able to reconnect despite the secret between them? A second chance romance that will have you rooting for the power of love

I loved the cover and the title of this book. Together, they held my attention and with the synopsis made me anticipate an emotional roller coaster of a read, where I would find myself glued to the story and unable to put it down . Disappointingly, that did not happen. The subject matter (abuse) was well handled and generally I found the story interesting, but I didn't find myself involved with the main characters (Jane and Nik) and their journey as much as I usually do with novels of this kind. I'm not sure whether it was the way the characters were portrayed, or the writer's voice, or that it simply lacked the kind of plot to keep me on track, but it simply didn't grip the way I had expected it to.. No doubt there are fans of the author who will enjoy this, but sadly it wasn't for me.

I would like to thank Bookouture, the author and Netgalley for an ARC of Love and Other Lost Things in exchange for an honest review.

This is such an emotional book about abusive relationships.
Though I didn’t connect with the characters and the initial lack of self awareness on Jane for the first half of the book I found extremely frustrating.
I adore Melissa’s writing and appreciate as always to be able to read and review! Thank you Melissa and bookouture for the chance to read and review.

Love and Other Lost Things is a story about two generations of women struggling to escape abuse. Jane grew up watching her father abuse her mother and getting away with it because he was the chief of police. When her father turned his abuse on her she fled but somehow found herself in the same toxic relationship with no way out. Jane won’t allow her daughter to witness the abuse and wants to create a safe environment off them both and she’ll use a trip home as the beginning of her escape. The visit with her mother makes her second guess if she could stay and make a normal life for Scarlett but her gut she knows Matteo will never allow it. Jane will have to make some hard choices but she might get the life she should’ve had all along.

This was the first book I've read by this author and I did enjoy it. I have to admit that I expected more from this book as I've read a lot of reviews gushing about how amazing it is.
It is quite a heavy book that deals with the trauma and long lasting repercussions of domestic violence in a sensitive way. It also has a second chance love story to counteract the heaviness of the DV storyline. It is an enjoyable read but some parts, especially the twist at the end just didn't seem plausible.

Melissa Wiesner is truly one of my favorite writers. If she writes a new book, there's no doubt I'm reading it, and though Love And Other Lost Things was a bit of a heavier read and more of a departure from her typical romances, it gripped me just as hard. This story was raw, vulnerable, and touching, and I was rooting for Jane, Scarlett and Nik from the outset.

A story of generational trauma and breaking the cycle of abuse, Love And Other Lost Things both broke my heart and put it back together. I was so proud of both Jane and her mom for their bravery, grit, and determination to create better lives for their children. It is not a story that goes easy on the heart, so heed the trigger warnings and prepare yourself for a gripping, propulsive novel that will keep you flying through the pages until the very end.

This second-chance romance packs a punch and hits shelves in just five days, so get those pre-orders and library holds in now!

Trigger warning ⚠️ domestic violence (dv)
10 years ago Jane ran away from her family, friends, her home town & her 1st true love, nik, after a altercation with her violent father, and no one from her home town has heard anything from her.
Now she's back accompanied by her 9 year old daughter, scarlett, after fleeing her own violent relationship. Of course no one apart from her mum knows why she left & is now back in her home town & people want answers, especially nik who has never stopped loving her, will she finally tell the truth & admit she's been a victim of dv both at the hands of her father & her partner or will she go on living a lie & have to keep running & looking over her shoulder never getting the life & love she deserves.
This book made me feel lots of different emotions I was angry at the beasts who think they can treat women like a punch bags, I was sad that Jane felt she had to lie to protect both herself & the beasts & I was rooting for Nik to help her see she can stop running & make a life for herself & scarlett with him & her friends & mum. This was a great read & I would highly recommend it but be mindful of the trigger warning.

Love and Other Lost Things is a heartbreaking look into the lives of those affected by familial violence and the wide ranging waves of damage that follow.

Jane leaves home at 18 to flee the abuse from the hands of her police office father. The choice wasn’t easy for her. She had to leave her mom behind to endure more pain, and had to leave behind Nik, her closest friend and soul mate.
Life for Jane doesn’t get easier but at least she’s safe from her father. When she returns 10 years later, following the death of her father, old wounds are ripped open and life begins to change shape once again.

This book is a solid look at generational trauma and domestic violence and how sometimes no matter how hard or far we run, we never really escape our pasts.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC before its intended publication date of August 6, 2024.

This book drew me in from the very beginning. I was drawn to Jane and her story. I was a bit surprised to find out she spent 10years of her life just like her mother. I love how it brings to light domestic abuse and the lack of it being taken care of when brought forward. I love how it concluded and how you see her mother in a whole other light. It shows how strong you have to be even when you think you can’t. I like how she took the steps to protect the woman in her family. I was so excited where Jane and her daughter ended up. And so happy the discovered the truth. This books is beautifully written but a bit slow moving at some parts. But for the most part I loved this book, I felt like I was holding my breath quite a bit with anticipation of what was going to happen.

What a heartbreaking and emotional second chance romance.
The story is told in the past and present day,
The main characters, Jane and her mother, go through so much. It was heartbreaking reading about the struggles they experienced.
Family
Secrets
Drama/Suspense
Romance
Domestic abuse
To sum it up, this story will definitely pull on your heartstrings and leave you in tears. But, the ending will have you smiling. Especially the beautiful twist at the end.
Melissa Wiesner is one my go to authors.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to @melissawiesner, @bookouture and @bookedwiththeemilys for the gifted e-book.

I was truly captivated by the book. It tells the story of Jane, who left home suddenly at 18 without telling anyone. Ten years later, she returns home to help her mom after her father's passing. There, she rekindles her love with Nik, but she's holding onto a secret and planning to disappear. Will being back home and seeing Nik change her plans? The way the author portrays the emotions made me feel like I wanted to reach through the pages and hug Jane and her mom.

This book truly captivated my heart. Jane's resilience and determination gripped me from the very beginning. The story's dual timeline kept me on the edge of my seat as Jane's secrets and past were unveiled. The unexpected twist at the end added a delightful layer of depth to the story. It beautifully portrayed the struggles of abuse survivors and the choices they make to protect themselves and their loved ones.

If you're a fan of emotional romance with a happy ending, this book is a must-read for you.

Tropes:
🌸 Second chance romance
🍄 Childhood friends to lovers
😢 Emotional reads
🌻 Small town
💔 Who hurt you?”

Jane and Nick’s road to happiness is both long and painful. I really enjoyed the insight into their complicated history and the bond they never quite grew out of. If anyone deserves a second chance at love, it’s these two.

Please be aware this story deals with some very tough subjects but at its heart is still a love story. One of second chances, sacrifice and finding the kind of love we all want in our lives.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

what i liked first about this book was the fact the author gives you a warning about triggers.... for anyone that has suffered domestic abuse or any other forms of abuse.... so i was able to relax as i had been forewarned and boy was i glad to have had that warning

its not an easy read but it also is... there are some very good moments in between the harshness of certain scenes

but man that ending.... never saw that coming in a month of sundays....

but i was captivated with how the author wrote this book as its not an easy subject to write about and how it was all dealt with

will be keeping an eye out for more of this authors books

Advanced Book Review! Thank you @bookouture and @netgalley for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Wow Melissa Wiesner really knows how to pack a punch! This is my third book of hers with one more to read coming out later this year and I think it’s so interesting that she writes in both the magical realism and the contemporary fiction/romance space – but with quite heavy topics. Read the trigger warnings for this one if you need to because the whole book is based on the cycle of abuse.
When Jane returns to her childhood home after being away with minimal contact for the past ten years, since she was eighteen, most people in the town, including the boy she could have loved, have no idea why she left in the first place, or how hard the past ten years have been and the secrets she’s been keeping. As she begins to reintegrate into the town and reconnect with the people she left behind, she has to make some tough choices about what’s best for her family.
My heart broke at several occasions during this one and I wasn’t sure I could keep going. But I love Melissa Wisener’s writing and ultimately I’m glad I did. This had difficult moments for sure but I enjoyed reading about Jane’s journey and the characters in her life back home. I can honestly say I didn’t see certain things coming towards the end so I was really satisfied with the way Melissa Wiesner wrapped it up.