The best way to describe my experience with THE LOVE WE FOUND : it was the right book at the right time.

**In order for this book to have an impact, you MUST read THE LIGHT WE LOST first!

"Survival is inherently a bit selfish. You take what you need to make it through. To live."

It's been 10 years since Gabe died. His former editor reaches out to Lucy because he wants to publish a book with his old photos to commemorate the anniversary of his death. While going through his belongings, Lucy finds an address in Italy and doesn't understand why Gabe would have kept it. Impulsively, Lucy decides to fly to Italy to do a little research of her own…

The writing is just so beautiful and breathtaking. Lucy's journey through grief, hope and healing was very specific to my current experience so I resonated with her character on a deeper level. The themes are so realistic. I was so impressed with the communication among the characters in all their relationships...the strength and vulnerability was pure GOLD. I really admired how this book was written as a love letter to Gabe. I teared up several times as she pulled at my heartstrings. I love when a story can evoke such emotion. Sequels can be tricky when the first book is so praised but this one gives us satisfying closure. The narrator gives an exceptional performance and I enjoyed every minute of the audiobook. Short chapters are ALWAYS praised . I cannot wait to get a trophy copy to accompany The Light We Lost.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my review. I really enjoyed this read as a continuation of “The Light we Lost”. It definitely should be read in sequence as I don’t think it would be been a stand out novel as a standalone. Overall, it’s not really an earth shattering story but it was nice to see where the lives of the characters take them 10 years down the road. If you loved the original story you’re going to want to read this. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I loved The Light We Lost. It made me cry it was beautiful and tragic and I think about it often. The Love We Found was an unnecessary sequel. The story was perfect and didn't need more. There was nothing particularly wrong with this book, the story just wasn't enough to make me feel the sequel needed to happen.
But all that aside it was a cute read.

I was so excited to get an ARC of this book, the sequel to The Light We Lost which was a five star read for me, and it did not disappoint. Like its predecessor, this was a propelling read full of deep emotion throughout as Lucy navigates love after loss, the growing pains of children getting older and co-parenting through divorce. I really enjoy how Jill Santopolo writes, so much that I didn’t want to put this one down and it got finished in one sitting! Absolutely necessary to read these books in order, so if you haven’t read the first you’ve got time before this one comes out on 3/18/25. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Oh this book 🥹

This is a beautiful story about healing, finding love and closure. So well written and I couldn’t put it down. It was emotional and heartwarming all at the same time. I loved following up with Lucy 10 years later. She is so strong but still struggling about Gabe. She has to make some hard decisions and tries to do the best for her family. I really enjoyed following her journey.

Rounding up to 4.25⭐️
One of my most anticipated books of 2025!
You need to read the first book right before you read this one to get the full effect, I did that and it was “chefs kiss!”
This book is so well done-so many emotions that had me crying. The way this author writes-I felt like I was this character. That her struggles were mine. That her heart was mine,
It’s ten years later and it’s full of grief, loss, single parenting, kids growing up, divorce, moving on, forgiving yourself, and learning that it’s okay to move on. That even though we move on it doesn’t mean we forget.

The Love We Found is a beautiful and emotional sequel to The Light We Lost. I had so many unanswered questions after the first book and felt disappointed that there wasn’t enough closure with the way it ended. The Love We Found answered all my questions and then some!

“Even if they don’t seem to be a big deal while you’re keeping them, secrets are insidious. They work their way into relationships like moths chewing holes in fabric, until you realize that your favorite coat has been destroyed.”Taking place ten years later, Lucy is still very much grieving but also wanting to find ways to move on. She’s tired of the big secret she’s been keeping and ready to come clean and start moving forward.

Sequels often fall short for me, but this one delivered a consistent and touching story that kept me truly invested in the characters. If you enjoyed The Light We Lost and want more of Lucy’s story, then this sequel is a definite must read!

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC. Check this book will be out March 18,2025.

Thank you to Netgalley and G.P Putnam's Sons for allowing me to read a copy of The Love we Found by Jill Santopolo. This book is a sequel to the The Light we Lost which was written 10 years earlier. I think it is necessary to read the first book because Lucy continues to grow and grow in this book. This book was an emotional journey and well worth the read, hoping there will be a third.

Fans of The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo will be elated to read more about Lucy’s story in the sequel, The Love We Found.

“It’s been ten years. In case you’re out there somewhere. In case you’re listening, I’m here. And I have so much to tell you.”

With the same narration style as The Light We Lost, this story felt familiar in the best ways and I cried happy and sad tears for Lucy throughout its pages.

When Lucy finds an address in Rome on a piece of paper in a box with Gabe’s old photographs, she spontaneously decides to buy a last-minute plane ticket to unravel the mystery. Once again her choices in following her heart will change her life.

While The Light We Found broke my heart into pieces, The Love We Found helped to heal it. This story allowed me to spend time with characters I fell in love with years ago, meet new ones, and feel hope and happiness for Lucy and her family.

There’s something about The Light We Found that deeply resonated with me and I think of it often. I recommend it to fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid. And when you finish it, pre-order The Love We Found, which publishes on March 18!

Thank you to @netgalley for the advance copy of this book. I read this in September and when I finished, I immediately messaged the author on IG to tell her how much I loved it. 💛

4 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Jill Santopolofor providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

This book continues the story of “The Light We Lost”, Jill Santopolo’s book that was released in 2017, but it is set 10 years later. It explores the secrets of the main characters and it teaches its readers the impact that can happen if we are to keep secrets from those we love the most. I would not categorize this book as an easy read; it has its sweet moments, yes, but it has a much deeper meaning and lessons written in its pages.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

This is a sequel to The Light We Lost and can be enjoyed without having read the first. I did read the first - 6 years ago! - I barely remember it, and gave it 3 stars. The Love We Found is my fourth book by this author and by far my favorite. It takes place 10 years after the first book. I liked all the characters, especially Dax, Sam. and Bashir. OK, almost all - I couldn't stand Darren right from the beginning. The ending was a bit abrupt. There were a few parts that made me tear up a little, and to me, that's the sign of a good writer. If they can make you feel those emotions, they're doing something right. It's a quick read with very short chapters that I read in one sitting.

This is a continuation of "The Light We Lost" which I have not read. This was my first Santopolo book, and while well written, I felt I needed to have read the first book first (although I got the gist from summaries). Lucy as the MFC takes an adventure to Italy after finding an address in Gabe's things. There's a lot of dialoging with Gabe, even though he's no longer with us. This is a fairly easy read, perfect for vacations and beach time, if you can get behind the premise of the story, which I'm sure a lot of fans of "the Light we lost" will. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC of “The Love We Found”. While at times I found the writing fluffy, or less than substantial, I can’t complain because the story kept me hooked and I finished it in less than 24 hours. Imperfect characters, sweet storyline, happy ending. 4/5 stars.

I was ecstatic when I found out this book was coming, because I had no idea! The previous book, The Light We Lost, is one of my all time favorites and was one of the books that really got me back into reading. When I found out that I'd get to read more of this world? It just made my day!

This book takes place a decade after the first book ended and whew, the emotions in the story are all still there! I may not have shed the amount of tears that I did in the first book (that one blindsided me!), but I still felt all of the feelings with this one. I love her style of writing. It has a way of truly bringing you into the story and making you feel a part of it.

I loved getting to see Lucy, her children, and where her life had taken her after so many years. After the loss she had experienced and the things that had happened, I felt like her situation was realistic in the time it sometimes takes to fully heal. I enjoyed the romance aspect as well, but I do wish it had been a larger part of the story. I would have liked more time with Lucy and her love interest, though I was happy with the outcome. You must read The Light We Lost and then read The Love We Found! I will be looking into her other books, too!

The Light We Lost was a 5 star read for me so I was so excited to see that there was a sequel. This is a true sequel, you should read the first book first. Around the 10 year anniversary of Gabe's death, Lucy is contacted by his editor, hoping to revisit some of his old photography projects. As Lucy looks through the memories of Gabe's life she is drawn to an address in Italy where she uncovers more about Gabe's past and meets someone new who may help to shape her future, It's a before and after in more ways than one. This book is about love, fate, and timing. It is about moving forward. I thought this book lived up to the original.

If you didn't read The Light We Lost first, do that. It works so well together and helps flesh out The Love We Found and helps repair our our hearts that were broken in The Light We Lost. Highly recommend both titles to patrons often. We have already added a couple of copies to our purchase list and have been recommending it to readers already.

The anticipation for this book was absolutely worth it! WOW. (If I could give this book a 10 I would).

If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Light We Lost, stop what you are doing and read it!

The story revolves around Lucy, the protagonist who is still coming to terms with the loss of Gabe nearly ten years after his death. As the anniversary approaches, she receives a call from Eric Weiss, Gabe's former editor, who wishes to commemorate this milestone by publishing a new book featuring some of Gabe's old photographs. While sorting through Gabe's belongings, Lucy uncovers a piece of paper with an address in Italy and a drawing of a young boy, both of which spark her curiosity. Unsure of the significance of the address and why Gabe kept it, Lucy impulsively decides to fly to Italy to conduct her own research. As Lucy embarks on this journey, it becomes a turning point for her long-overdue healing. In Italy, she meets Dr. Dax Amstrong, whose presence ignites a spark in her and suggests the possibility of a new love story just beginning to unfold.

The Love We Found explores relatable themes that had me both laughing and crying. I couldn’t put it down, and Santopolo continues to be one of my favorite authors. Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for granting me early access to The Love We Found in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

If you haven’t read The Light We Lost, I highly recommend starting there before diving into The Love We Found, as it lays the emotional foundation for this poignant sequel.

Set a decade later, The Love We Found draws readers back into Lucy’s world as she continues to navigate her grief over Gabe, her college love. As the tenth anniversary of his death approaches, Lucy is contacted by Eric, Gabe’s friend and publisher, who hopes to re-release Gabe’s book and requests some of his original images. While searching for them, Lucy stumbles upon a photo with an address in Rome—an address she feels compelled to investigate.

Her journey takes her to Rome, where she meets a young man whose life was profoundly shaped by Gabe’s kindness. Through him, she learns about Gabe’s time on the island of Lampedusa, where he documented the lives of migrants fleeing hardship. Determined to understand the full impact of Gabe’s work, Lucy travels to Lampedusa and crosses paths with Dax, a compassionate and magnetic New York doctor devoted to aiding displaced migrants. After years of mourning Gabe, Lucy is surprised by an undeniable connection with Dax. Their time together is fleeting but transformative, forcing her to confront her past and consider a future she never imagined.

Beyond Lucy’s journey of grief and discovery, the novel explores a deeply buried secret—one that threatens to unravel everything she has built. Her youngest son, Sam, is actually Gabe’s child, conceived in a moment of longing and love years before. Lucy and her ex-husband have kept this truth hidden from everyone, including Sam, his older siblings, and their closest friends. But as Lucy begins to believe that Sam deserves to know the truth about his father, she risks upending the life she has carefully constructed.

Jill Santopolo masterfully captures the raw and complex emotions of love, loss, and healing. The Love We Found is a deeply moving exploration of how we hold onto those we’ve lost—both in our hearts and in the choices we make. With breathtaking prose and an emotional depth that lingers long after the final page, this novel is an absolute must-read of the year.

Having loved The Light We Lost, I was very much anticipating The Love We Found. After reading, I, sadly, must say that I don't think a sequel was needed. I loved the heartbreaking emotion of The Light We Lost and hoped that the storyline in The Love We Found would have the same poignancy. What we get instead is an unrealistic, insta-love story with some super cringey sex scenes.

In The Love We Found by Jill Santopolo coming out March 18, Lucy recounts the life of her first love, Gabriel, who she met in college in New York City. Gabriel became a war photographer and Lucy produces children’s programming.

She lost Gabe almost ten years ago, and his editor at the Associated Press wants to do an update of Gabe’s book. Lucy has been asked to share Gabe’s photographs for the project. As she digs into the box of his old photos, an address in Italy written on a scrap of paper is intriguing. Impulsively Lucy buys a ticket to Italy to find who lived at the address.

As she uncovers Gabe’s secret, she encounters Dr. Dax Armstrong, a New Yorker in Italy working with a non-governmental organization. Lucy and the doctor become involved over two days in Italy though they promise to renew their acquaintance when he cycles back to New York.
For seven years, Lucy has been divorced from Darren with whom she shares three children. She had been unfaithful to Darren, having shattered their marriage with the information that their youngest child Samuel was not biologically Darren’s.

With her memories of Gabe renewed through the photo project, she believes it is the right time to tell Samuel about his biological father. Darren, adamant that the time is not right to tell Sammy, feels threatened and refuses. But Lucy wants to set herself free of this secret, hoping to chart a new journey for her broken heart with the doctor she met in Italy.

How will Sammy respond to the news that he has a father other than Darren? What will her two older children think about this change in their family dynamic? What are the next steps she can take to put her regret behind her and forge a life with a new love?

Designed as a follow-up to the Reese’s Book Club pick of 2018 The Light We Lost, The Love We Found can be read as a standalone.

Jill Santopolo is the Editorial Director of Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group. She lives in New York City.
My review will be posted on Goodreads starting February 11, 2025.

I would like to thank G.P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.