4 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this long awaited sequel to Jill Santopolo’s The Light We Lost.

The Love We Found finds Lucy (still narrating to Gabe) 10 years after we left them. She’s navigating life without him, raising her kids as a coparent, and still (or maybe for the first time) dealing with grief. As part of a celebration of Gabe’s photography, she begins helping with a photography project, which leads her to Italy, to sharing secrets, and to potentially even falling in love. But of course, there’s more heartache and tears along the way. Without a doubt, pick this up if you (like me) loved The Light We Lost.

It's been 10 years since Gabe's death when Lucy finds an address written on a scrap of an envelope among Gabe's files and photos. Desperate to know the address' significance, Lucy buys a last minute ticket to Rome. There, she discovers a part of Gabe's life she had no idea about. She also meets a doctor who makes her feel alive for the first time in 10 years. She must decide if she is ready to move forward with her life or if she is going to hold onto the secrets that have kept her stuck in the past.

While The Light We Lost was a little bit sad and tragic at the end, I was never left with the feeling that I needed to know what happened to the characters. I felt like the 1st book was very self-contained and never envisioned a need for a follow-up. The Love We Found was a very beautifully and well written book that continues the frame story of Lucy narrating the events of her life to Gabe. I like that this story had an ending that had hope and positivity. This was a very quick read--I finished in one day--just over 3 hours of total reading.

The Love We Found is the long awaited follow up to Jill Santopolo’s The Light We Lost, first published in 2017. This story should not be read as a stand alone.

In The Love We Found, we jump ahead 10 years from where The Light We Lost left us. Lucy is a single mom, co-parenting with a now remarried Darren and has been asked to help with a book project that has her reevaluating some of her choices. I don’t want to give too much away but I loved this story! I loved seeing Lucy as a mother, I loved how engaging the writing is, and how messy and complicated Lucy is. She has grown and changed from the last time we saw her but she’s still so dynamic and interesting. Jill Santopolo’s writing is not to be missed!

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and Author Jill Santopolo for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oh Jill, you did it again. I forgot how much I loved The Light We Lost. Reading The Love We Found reminded me of that. Her writing is so seamless and easy to read. Similar to Taylor Jenkins Reid in that you forget these stories and people aren’t real.

Gabe and Lucy’s love story is over, but Gabe lives on in their son Sam. Lucy hasn’t allowed anyone back into her heart in almost a decade and somehow Gabe led her to someone really special.

This was a perfect sequel and ending to a beautiful story.

4.5/5 rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy of this one.

The light we lost ,the book that came before this, was a tragic gut wrenching romance. It left me sobbing so I was hopeful when I heard there was a follow up. I don’t know what I expected but I sadly was not as drawn in and it was more of a forced read. There is no way to go into this without reading the first one and experiencing the loss that Lucy went through. The author does recap so a reread is not necessary. Maybe I needed to read the prior book a lot closer to this so that I’d be more attached to the storyline. I’ll try to pick it up again, perhaps with a book club or decision with others about the character growth… but for now it fell flat. I wish I could have gotten into it… maybe in a different headspace

Thank you to the publisher NetGalley for the ARC

I wish I would have read the first book. “The Light We Lost” before reading this sequel. I think I would be able to appreciate it even more. Lucy is a strong character that is dealing with the aftermath of a love lost. How she copes with moving on and how she deals with telling her son the truth.
You can feel Lucy’s pain and string love that she shared with Gabe. I can’t wait to read the first book!

Thanks to Netgalley for this eArc!

This was a wonderful sequel to The Light We Lost. It was beautiful and emotional. I am so glad the author decided to continue this story!

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and Jill Santopolo for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you haven’t read The Light We Lost - stop everything and read that before continuing with this one.

Without any spoilers for the first book…the style of this book (and the first one) was really unique and a cool way for this story to be told.

Lucy is facing several decisions that will impact those she loves. When she’s approached to help put together an updated book, a series of decisions and related consequences help turn her life upside down - in the most heartbreaking and heartwarming way.

I liked the maturity and honesty in this book. Lucy is messy and it’s relatable. I struggled with some of the behavior and immaturity in the last book (although some of it was understandable).

This was a perfect follow up to The Light We Lost, which ended on a pretty big reveal, in my opinion.

This book picks up ten years later, and though this might seem like a huge time jump, it didn’t feel that way at all. We get filled in on all the important in between parts, and then focus on moving the story forward.

I loved seeing Lucy and her family when everyone was a little older. It allowed for her kids to play a big part in the plot, which was really interesting. I won’t get specific for spoiler’s sake, but I liked that there were several moving parts to focus on in this story. It felt realistic and kept me engaged the whole time. There were times where things maybe felt a little more dramatic than they needed to (also how I felt with the first book), but that didn’t bother me too much. This one felt like slightly less of an emotional roller coaster, but I was still tearing up reading the last page.

Overall I loved how this book wrapped up the sweeping love story we got in the first book, and was just as bingeable.

Just a note that this definitely cannot be read as a stand-alone!

The Love We Found is the sequel to the very popular The Light We Lost, published in 2017. It continues the story of Lucy about 10 years later, where we quickly find out she is now a single mom, co-parenting her three children with Darren and his wife Courtney, still mourning the death of Gabe. The novel explores the way in which secrets, no matter how well intended, can damage relationships.

I did read the The Light We Lost years ago but so long ago that I did not retain a lot of details of the story, however there was definitely enough information and narrative to fill in any gaps. Readers will enjoy this follow up which while everyone seemed to have the ability to say the perfect thing at all times, the skill of the author actually caused me to tear up a time or too. It was a little spicy for my taste but that may say more about me than the novel! Overall, it was great to get more of Lucy’s story and her interactions with others, especially her children.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

The Love We Found by Jill Santopolo

3.5/5 Stars

I simply CANNOT believe it’s been four years since I’ve read ‘The Light We Lost’ and that it’s been published for almost twice that. I was so excited to see there was finally a sequel and even more pumped to have been approved for the ARC 🤩 Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher & the author.

Without spoiling anything from the first book, I’ll just say we find Lucy ten years later on a mission to find love after loss and complete a very special project that takes her all the way to Rome. In this second book you’ll find that Lucy navigates her life the same way she did in the past, leading with love in a way that is so authentically and charmingly her.

Something so special to this book was seeing what a great mother Lucy was to each of her three children. I found it really inspiring and endearing, feeling like I got a front row seat to her motherhood journey. I’m wondering if we’ll get a third book that highlights little Sammy and get a story told from his POV? I’d love that.

Lucy’s trip to Rome is something I really wish they spent more time on. While it was effective I feel it could’ve been more powerful and developed. It felt like more of just a detail in the book when it could’ve served as a crucial part of it. I would’ve loved a little more insight into some of the side characters (Eva, Bashir) as well because they seemed so sweet and interesting.

One of the main overarching themes in this book was how destructive secrets can be and I loved that she honed in on that because it’s SO true! I also loved how she made their lives messy because it brought a very realistic perspective to the book.

Overall, this was a really great sequel to ‘The Light We Lost’. It wasn’t nearly as emotional or powerful but special in its own way. Seeing Lucy’s life ten years later and how she found love brought a nice sense of comforting closure to the two books. If you haven’t already, go ahead and read ‘The Light We Lost’ and then look out for the ‘The Love We Found’ coming out 3/18 💕

You obviously can't talk about this book without first talking about The Light We Lost. I would recommend (re)reading that story first to get the full feels of this one. The Love We Found picks up ten years after The Light We Lost. The first fourth-ish (and this isn't a critique, just a notation) reads like a continuation of The Light We Lost, and then, the story transitions into its own. This is very much still a story of remembering and love that endures. That is what makes Gabe and Lucy's story so beautiful. It's also a story about finding love again and all that comes with that as Lucy connects with Dr. Dax Armstrong. It's also a story about family and the love in that with Darren and her kids. I won't share too much about either as the beauty in this one is how those stories progress. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this March 2025 relese.

The Love We Found - Jill Santopolo

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

"Different," I said, "but also the same. We all have some things that are easy and other things that are hard; they're just not the same things."

The Love We Found follows the story of Lucy, who is grappling with the complexities of love and loss after a deeply emotional relationship. As she reflects on her past with Gabe, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, learning about the different forms love can take and how to embrace her future.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC. I found the first book of this series so deeply moving and emotional so I was excited to dive into a sequel. This one was a bit more surface level but I loved following Lucy falling in love again while still staying connected to Gabriel. Lucy’s kids felt a little more intelligent and well-spoken than any kids their age I know so that was tough for me to get past. Overall, I loved seeing Lucy and Dax’s relationship grow and Lucy learn to move on with her life. A solid and thoughtful sequel!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this advanced reader copy of the Love We Found.

This is a long awaited follow up to The Light We Lost and overall, I really enjoyed the story.

As I read, I wished more time was spent on Lucy and Dax’s story line while she was in Italy. I really enjoyed the scenes between the two of them as their relationship grew later in the novel but would have loved more while she was away when they first met.

I thought the author did a great job of writing about the difficulties in navigating Lucy’s complicated relationship with ex-husband and his current wife.

Overall, I really enjoyed the novel and was happy to see a sequel to The Light We Lost.

This is the long-awaited sequel to the Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick and Bestselling book, The Light We Lost. It’s been ten years since Gabe has been gone when Lucy finds a piece of paper in a box of photos when she’s looking through photos for an upcoming exhibit of Gabe’s work. It is an address in Rome. So she buys a plane ticket to follow one last journey and discover Gabe’s secret.

Why Kirsten loves it
I love that we get to check in on Darren, Lucy, and the kids and find out how their story concludes. The book wraps the story up nicely, particularly when it comes to the story of Gabe’s child. I had bittersweet tears streaming down my face at the conclusion.

5/5!
The light we lost is one of those books that I automatically buy as a gift for someone, it's one of my all-time favorites and the sequel, I can already tell will be no different! This was such a beautiful follow up to such a special novel. In all honestly I was nervous to read it but am so glad I did and can't thank Jill Santopolo and the publisher enough for this advanced copy!!

It has been nearly ten years since Lucy's decision at the end of "The Light We Lost". Now, she is making another decision—an impulsive one...

After looking through a box of Gabe's photographs, Lucy finds a small slip of paper with an address in Rome. Why did he keep this scrap of paper? And why was he in Italy?

Without a second thought, Lucy books a flight from New York City to Rome, not knowing what awaits her when she lands. Or how much her life will change afterward...

"The Love We Found" feels more family-centric, the characters more mature and settled, and I loved it more. Ten years can make a difference in how one views almost everything, and I found that to be true here with these characters.

A lot of life has happened since the end of "The Light We Lost", and Lucy once again speaks to the reader in a first-person narrative, recounting her experiences. Lucy is a beautifully drawn character with strength, empathy, and resilience. She carries the emotional weight of her family on her shoulders. Rarely considering her own needs.

This sequel is packed with prominent themes of hidden truths, family dynamics, confronting the past, and embracing the future. I felt more emotionally connected to the story and its characters this time and cried happy tears more than once.

"The Love We Found" is an almost perfect sequel to the first book. Be sure to read the first book before you dive into this one to get the full impact of Santopolo's beautiful series.

4.5⭐

Thank you to Shelf Awareness Sweepstakes, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and Jill Santopolo for the DRC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I am so frustrated!!! I requested this book on NetGalley, but I had no idea that it was a second part of the story!! UGH

Anyway, I did read the first one before I started this and now that I have read both- I am unwell thank you

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the arc!

This was without a doubt one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I was late to the party and read The Light We Lost a few months ago. That book changed me as a person. I have never felt heartbreak in a story quite like that. I felt such a connection to Lucy and her story that I could not wait to read about her journey in the decade since we last heard from her.

This was the perfect sequel. When I read that there was going to be a new love interest, I felt that nobody could compare to the original love story, but truthfully, this love journey through grief and healing was written so beautifully. You cannot help but to root for all of our characters and want what is best for them after everything they have been through.

The way this was written as basically a love letter to Gabe, even after all this time. There was something so cathartic about Lucy talking to him as if they were having a casual conversation and she was filling him in on everything he has been missing out on. I don't think I will ever fully recover from the heartbreak of losing Gabe but this sequel definitely healed my heart, at least partially.

This book just felt so raw and so real. Every struggle that Lucy went through felt like it could be happening to me and I related to her so much. Jill does such a wonderful job writing about struggles, grief, healing, parenting, careers, love, loss, and strength that it feels like she is in my head at times writing out my exact thoughts.

I loved reading about an older FMC and MMC finding love. It felt really tender, and sweet that after everything these characters have been through that they could still find happiness.

Towards the beginning of the book, I was honestly crying during every other page. I was an absolute blubbering mess. It felt like my heart was being ripped out and stomped on. I was so happy when in the middle the sadness dimmed down a bit and we could focus on some of the other issues more like co-parenting and friendships. It felt like a breath of fresh air. The ending truly felt like a punch to the gut, even though it felt a bit rushed. I wish we could've spent more time talking about the gallery, seeing Sammy's and the other kids reactions to it, and when Lucy finally went to Gabe's grave. I wish Sammy could've went as well. I wish there was an extra 50 pages honestly to add in all of that stuff.

Nevertheless, this was an incredible read and I am so grateful to Netgalley for the ARC. It felt like a part of me healed after reading this. This is the perfect book for anyone who is struggling with loss, grieving a loved one, someone who feels stuck in life and isn't sure if they are making the correct decisions, or for those who truly just love an incredibly written, unique, and absolutely heartbreaking read.

Thank you Jill also for the incredible story telling. You are a gift!

Same Lucy, same amazing, poetic writing. Such an incredible follow up to the first. I could read a million books in this series.