Rating 2.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for allowing me read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book had the components to make a dramatic, engaging YA read—tragic backstory, mysterious fire, missing parent, and a love-triangle with a moody "bad-boy" co-worker and the ex that dumped you the day of the fire that upturned your life. Unfortunately, this one didn't quite make the cut for me.

The pacing was painfully slow. I kept waiting for things to pick up, but the plot dragged on with repetitive scenes. I'm guessing the build-up was to increase the suspense, but it instead made me surprised every time I ended a chapter to find yet another one. During the ending, everything seemed to happen all at once and finale felt like it was being crammed in.

I don't have many opinions on the characters, but the relationship between River and Logan felt temperamental and just added to my overall confusion.

I will say, as a person who usually predicts plot twists, I did not see the majority of them coming in this book. That's probably the reason I kept turning the pages of this book. I just wish the journey to get to them hadn’t been so slow and drawn out.

Overall, despite me wishing the pacing was a little more balanced, I think this is one of those books that keeps you hooked just enough to finish it. However, I think many people would enjoy this book to its whole, so why not give it a try!

Fast-paced, dramatic thriller. Twisty. Dark.
Relentless suspense. This book had me gasping. The twists. The turns. It unpacks a lot (grief, loss, substance abuse, abandonment, forgiveness) creating the feels from the start.

Free e-ARC was provided to me by the publisher for my honest feedback!

Thank you to Sloan Harlow, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A fast, twisty, and engaging read.

All We Lost Was Everything by Sloan Harlow tells the dramatic tale of River, an Arizona girl grappling with the death of her father and disappearance of her mother at the same as she falls in love. The story is melodramatic at times similarly to If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin, but that's almost what makes it entertaining. It's like a new adult soap opera or Lifetime movie with the amount of twists that happen in the last 50%. While I found it hard to get hooked in the beginning of the book, I was in for the second half because we were discovering new, key information in every chapter. I had to keep reading. Anyone looking for a soap in the form of a book should pick this up.

River has had her life turned upside down. Her mom disappeared a year ago, her dad was killed in a house fire a couple months ago which nearly took her life too, and her boyfriend Noah broke up with her the night of the fire unexpectedly. While trying to put back the pieces of her life, she meets Logan at the diner where they both work. Logan is a nice distraction from the chaos that has infiltrated her life. But soon, new information is brought to light making River question if the fire that killed her dad was set on purpose. Who would do such a thing and where did her mom go?

Review:
This book is marketed as a young adult thriller/romance. I would say that it definitely leans young adult and way more romance than anything. There are thrilling aspects in the book, but the majority is more so romance. The overall story line is great. The synopsis pulled me in, but the actual story is extremely slow. I didn't feel as though anything was happening until you get toward the end where everything is told to you. I did like the twist at the end and didn't see it coming. I just wish that it was more thrilling throughout the entire story and at a faster pace. Overall, this story wasn't for me, but I do think it will be for others, so please do not let my review deter you. I haven't read Sloan's debut novel yet, but I definitely will still be picking it up as I have heard such great things about it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sloan Harlow, and Penguin Group for this ARC of All We Lost Was Everything in exchange for an honest review!

This book is an emotional and thrilling journey filled with love, loss, mystery, and unexpected twists. At the center is River Santos, a young woman who suddenly inherits a large sum of money from an anonymous source. Reeling from her mother’s mysterious disappearance and the recent fire that claimed her father’s life, River is left to navigate her grief and uncertainty with only her best friend, and exvNoah by her side. Still holding onto hope that her mother might return, River refuses to touch the money until they can share it together.
However, things take a turn when Logan, her brooding and unexpectedly charming coworker, begins to take an interest in her. As their connection deepens, River begins to uncover secrets that make her question everything she thought she knew. Who can she trust? What really happened to her parents? And is she ready for the truth?
This story swept me up in its emotional depth, intriguing romance, and layered mystery. From heartbreaking loss to a swoon worthy bad boy romance, it all builds toward a jaw dropping twist. A standout YA mystery with strong storytelling and well developed characters, definitely worth the read.

*Thank you to Sloan Harlow, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the digital copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Some books make you feel like your heart’s been cracked open and laid bare. All We Lost Was Everything did just that—and I’m still reeling.

River Santos is a girl surrounded by ashes. Her dad is gone, her mom’s missing, and her life feels like one long, unanswered question. When a mysterious $2 million lands in her lap, everything shifts. Secrets unravel. Grief collides with danger. And just when she thinks she’s hit rock bottom, love walks in—with haunted eyes and a soul that understands hers too well.

Sloan Harlow doesn’t just write a story—she guts you with it. River’s voice is raw and real. The grief? Tangible. The mystery? Addictive. And Logan? He’s broken in the exact way that makes your heart ache and hope all at once.

This book isn’t just about loss. It’s about the messy, complicated, painful path to healing. It’s about how love can grow in the darkest cracks—and how sometimes, what saves you isn’t a person, but the truth you’re brave enough to face.

I didn’t just read it—I felt it. Every. Single. Word.

3.8 ⭐️
I really enjoyed the book, I felt the grief from the characters and teared up at times. I loved Sloan Harlow’s previous book “Everything We Never Said” so much, so I think I was comparing it to that a lot, but I still loved this book. It was a good read and will definitely be recommending to others!

3.25
This is one of those books I truly wanted to love. It started off slow but it was good, and the FMC is Filipina. Unfortunately, the final third didn’t quite land for me. It felt rushed, with too much happening all at once, which took away from the impact.

This was a little too spicy for a YA book but that's just my opinion. I should have expected that when it was described as "sexy". There's nothing wrong with this book, I'm just not the audience.

River always has had a loving family. Even when her mom needs to take breaks for mental health solo hikes in the Arizona wilderness, her dad steps up and is supportive. She has the greatest best friend, Tawny, who is always there for her and practically is a part of the family too. But now it has fallen apart. Her mom left and has been gone for months. Her dad died in a mysterious fire that almost killed River as well. She’s now scraping by living with her aunt and the support of Tawny’s friendship. The most confusing thing for her, however, is the mysteriously moody boy that she waits tables with at the local cafe. Will he be her salvation or just the creator of more unanswered questions?

This novel was really more of a coming of age young adult novel with a healthy romance thread to support the protagonist’s growth. There was also some thriller vibes that follow the disappearance of River’s mom and her dad’s death. I enjoyed the novel with its twists and turns, there were only a few spots where the story bogged down a bit or felt unrealistic. Overall a good read! 4 stars.

Based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy (uncorrected proof) provided by Penguin Young Readers Group/G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you!

🥀ARC review🥀

All we lost was everything by @sloanharlowauthor
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Wow! Wow! Wow! I didn’t know what to expect going in. I like going it blind and getting surprised and man this didn’t disappoint. I couldn’t not have guessed the twist and turns in this book. I sat with my mouth hanging open in complete shock. I cannot wait to dive in to more that you have written. I am thoroughly impressed 💥

Holy crap on a cracker, this book was incredible. New author for me, and I'll definitely be reading more. This authors writing reminds me of one of my favorite authors, Amanda McKinney, well written, full of twists and turns, gut wrenching, and finally the OMG moment at the end that drives it all home. I love these stories that from the start has you trying to figure out who's involved, and at each turn of the page you're lead in a different direction. Your heart truly breaks for the lead characters, young, yet their tragic life happenings change their lives forever. Truly a great book.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

3/5 stars
All We Lost Was Everything is well written and it delves into grief, memory, and identity with a quiet intensity that lingers.

That said, the story didn’t fully land for me. The pacing was uneven, and some characters felt more like ideas than fully fleshed-out people. I appreciated what the book was trying to do, but I found myself wanting more development—especially toward the end.

Thank you net gallery for the Arc

River has suffered unimaginable loss in her life. She is so grateful for her aunt and friend Tawny who are there to support her. Then an attractive man named Logan starts working with her. Everything River has ever known is about to change.

The story was good and definitely picked up in the end but was rather slow to build.

When eighteen-year-old River Santos's house burned down, she lost everything. Her world changed when her mother goes missing and her father dies in a house fire during her senior year of high school. She’s left with an additional mystery after an anonymous person donates $2,000,000 to her GoFundMe fundraiser. River Santos is stuck—in her job at the diner, in the dead-end town. Her mother has been MIA for nearly a year, and the only people she can count on are the aunt she lives with and her best friend Tawny. Things feel like they’re turning around when Logan—the hot guy at the diner who’s always ignored her—seems interested. It’s complicated by her ex-boyfriend Noah, who she really needs closure with, and the fact that Tawny doesn’t think either of them is good enough for River. But love takes a backseat when new information surfaces about the fire. After all these months trying to move forward, River is forced to rethink everything—including the idea that maybe it wasn’t an accident after all. But who would commit this accident? Why did her father died? River isn’t sure who to trust but she needs to figure it out, fast. Because someone has more than love on their mind. They want revenge. Who? Why?

The author writes that River felt like things are turning around when Logan—the hot guy at the diner who’s always ignored her—seems interested. It’s complicated by her ex-boyfriend Noah, who she really needs closure with, and the fact that Tawny doesn’t think either of them is good enough for River… but the tension between River and Logan can’t be denied. But love takes a backseat when new information surfaces about the fire. After all these months trying to move forward, River is forced to rethink everything… including the idea that maybe it wasn’t an accident after all. But who would commit this deadly act? Why? Who? River isn’t sure who to trust or who to turn to, but she needs to figure it out, fast. Because someone wants revenge.They want revenge.

The author writes a story that's grounded in grief and that explores the ways loss can change our perceptions. The novel includes drunk driving, parental loss, fire, and family trauma. The plot twists around. In this fast-paced thriller, Harlow captures the complexities of human emotions from grief to love. Her characters are well developed. Together, the characters move the plot with increasing speed through jaw-dropping twists. Letters incorporated into the story present other points of view, bringing more book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Absolutely a must read. She hit the nail on the head. You are wrapped in and in a chokehold from the very start. Fast paced amazing read.

This book started slow but then it got crazy busy. All in all it was great and I loved it !! I’m glad that river and Logan finally got together they were so cute together.

This book hooked me right away with its mysterious premise—River survives a house fire she doesn’t remember escaping, and the only clue is a dreamlike memory of someone pulling her out and kissing her temple. Then a massive anonymous donation—two million dollars—shows up on her GoFundMe page, and she has no idea who it’s from or why.

Logan, the love interest and coworker, is broody and secretive. His point of view is included in short, darker chapters that add tension, but I found his character didn’t have much room to grow, which made it harder to connect with him. And just as things are getting complicated, River’s ex-boyfriend Noah reappears—the one who broke her heart and left without explanation—bringing even more emotional chaos to her already fragile world.

As River starts looking into her father’s past (after discovering something unsettling in his safe deposit box), her life begins to unravel. The story explores themes of grief, trauma, and identity, with a strong emotional undercurrent.

While I was initially intrigued, I struggled to stay connected to the characters as the plot became somewhat…unhinged. Unfortunately the book just didn’t quite land—but I can see how others might enjoy it.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC!

All We Lost Was Everything by Sloan Harlow was a pretty good read. I liked the mystery and the emotional layers, especially how River dealt with so much loss and confusion. The twists kept me guessing, and even though some parts felt a little over the top, I was invested in finding out how it would all play out. I wouldn’t call it a new favorite, but I definitely enjoyed it and gave it four stars.