I was skeptical because I didn’t think I would enjoy this as much. I enjoyed some parts and some I did not. I love with a book has twists and shock factors, and this had that. I also love that I could feel the characters emotions deeply!

I’m honestly just not a huge fan of love triangles and that’s the vibe I was getting. I also just felt like River couldn’t catch a break and I was feeling so bad for her!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

🎉✨Happy Pub Day and Book Review✨🎉
All We Lost Was Everything by Sloan Harlow @sloanharlowauthor

𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘞𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘞𝘢𝘴 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 follows eighteen-year-old River Santos, whose life is upended when her father dies in a house fire and her mother disappears. The plot thickens when an anonymous donor contributes $2 million to her GoFundMe, prompting River to question the motives of those around her.

This was an absolutely gripping read! I went into this thinking it would be a YA novel made up of about 70% grief, 25% romance and 5% thriller. Instead, I got an emotional storm of grief, secrets and love in all its messy forms on a thrilling roller coaster ride.

In this fast-paced thriller, Harlow captures the complexities of human emotions from grief to love. Her characters are well developed, especially Logan, who has an ideal blend of depth and attractiveness. The romantic tension with Logan adds another layer—not just the swoon-worthy kind, but the kind that complicates everything in a way that feels real.

Although I could actually guess who the arsonist is, it doesn't spoil the reading experience. There are also some darker and more mature themes (read: spiciness) in the book—it's definitely on the edge between YA and new adult. Oh, do read the TWs as well before going into this one as some parts do hit heavy.

Overall, this is a fun and enjoyable blend of thriller and romance, layered with emotions and grief. While it’s enjoyable, it might not leave a lasting impression.
𝓜𝔂 𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Thank you @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse @penguinteen for gifting me this read in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an opportunity to read All We Lost Was Everything.
This was a rollercoaster. It’s been a while since I have read Young Adult. This is probably categorized as New Adult because it has sexy scenes, but it had the Young Adult vibe. I liked it. It brought me back to wanting to read more.
I loved the story arc. It had mystery, love, grief. It made me mad at times because I was thinking these characters really need to communicate. It’s important. And tell the truth.
Overall it was a fun read that can easily be swept up in one or two readings. I enjoyed it!

Imagine losing everything...your shelter, your possessions, your favorite objects. That's what happens to River. But in the midst of her tragedy, she's gifted two million dollars through her Go Fund Me account. Who could have given that amount of money? River finds herself tumbling down a rabbit hole in this discovery, and everything is not coming up roses.

For what is supposed to be a Young Adult thriller, All We Lost Was Everything certainly explored the boundaries of adult themes with the intimate scenes and forced romance. The premise certainly draws the reader in, but the plot development left a lot to be desired. There are some elements that are just not thought out well, very unbelievable. The chemistry between River and Logan wasn't very sparky but the author seemed to push that on the reader. While the plot twists were good, the fluff in between could have been written so much more differently.

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

River's life has been torn apart by tragedy. Barely escaping a house fire and losing her dad in the process is heart wrenching. Supposedly, faulty wiring is the cause due to the age of their home. Her mom disappeared a year ago while on one of her hiking adventures, so she moves in with her aunt.
She works at a diner trying to keep up with bills that sometimes are left unpaid. Her best friend Tawny sets up a GoFundMe account to alleviate her expenses. The situation begins to change when an anonymous person donates two million dollars into it.
While working at the diner, River has a love/hate relationship with Logan who also works there. His bitterness portrays a bad boy attitude and manages to challenge her ex-boyfriend Noah. She has bad taste in guys.
I failed to read the first one in this series, so I felt like I missed the legit feelings of the characters' personalities. Even though the author does a fantastic job at delivering the story, it is my own fault to think I read the first one. There is so much sadness in the book I felt a roller coaster of emotions. So many of the characters including River shows resilience with a constant rotation of love and pain. The mystery factor was intriguing with a reopening of her father's death investigation, as well as the anonymous donor. With these twists, it keeps the suspense rolling.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

All We Lost Was Everything
by Sloan Harlow
Pub Date: May 06 2025

All We Lost Was Everything is a fast paced thriller! Very suspenseful, dark and twisted! This book is perfect for YA readers looking for a good murder mystery with some romance, but also a good read for adults. I felt the book was a little too long but definitely worth the read!

Synopsis: A sexy, dark romantic thriller—with a shocking twist. River Santos is stuck—in her job at the diner, in her dead-end town, in her grief. Her father died in a house fire just a few months ago, 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 the tension between River and Logan can’t be denied. River isn’t sure who to trust or who to turn to, but she needs to figure it out, fast. Because someone has more than love on their mind. They want revenge.

Thanks to #AllWeLostWasEverything #NetGalley and #PenguinGroup #PenguinYoungReadersGroup for providing me an E-ARC of this book.

All We Lost Was Everything by Sloan Harlow was such a great story. I was intrigued and thought the writing was amazing.
This sexy, dark romantic thriller that kept my attention from the very beginning.
The author's writing style is descriptive and immersive.
This had an interesting, gripping plot that kept my attention and left me satisfied.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

All We Lost Was Everything by Sloan Harlow is a captivating dark romantic thriller with a surprising twist that immediately drew me in and kept me engaged with every gripping page until the conclusion.

All We Lost Was Everything is a YA romantic thriller about a young woman forced to start over after losing her father and home to a fire.

During her senior year of high school, River Santos is dumped by her longtime boyfriend—and just hours later, her house burns down, killing her father. Months earlier, her mother had left for an extended solo hiking trip, and River now has to move in with her aunt while she navigates her grief. But on the day of the funeral, an anonymous donation of $2 million is added to River’s GoFundMe, and she struggles to move on without knowing who the mysterious benefactor is. In the middle of it all is Logan, her handsome new coworker, who is strangely cold and standoffish toward her.

This is an angsty upper-YA mystery with a lot of romance and twisty reveals. It kept my interest, but I found much of the plot unrealistic and convoluted. The relationship between River and Logan started out kind of intriguing but quickly slid into corny and over-the-top territory.

I unfortunately couldn't get into this book and had to DNF it about 40% through. The plot and the characters were just not enough for me to connect with this story.

I thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing to read this story in exchange of my honest opinion.

This was a decent thriller, I wasnt expecting too much as it being a YA so I wasn’t disappointed. I just feel as though the writing of the story could have been better put together and I was able to figure out what was happening pretty quick. But it was a decent read and I’ll recommend.

River has lost almost everything and everyone she holds dear. While suffering loss after loss, she has endured despite all the pain. Her mother, who had a habit of disappearing to spend months hiking, has been missing for over a year. Her boyfriend broke up with her on the same night that her father died in a housefire that River barely survived. River has been drowning in her grief while living with aunt. Her best friend, Tawny has been supportive and with the two of them she has been getting by.

When Logan, the super-hot guy at work, beginning to give her attention, things are beginning to look up despite the lingering questions River has about her mother's whereabouts and what caused the housefire that killed her father.

This is a captivating YA read that had a nice amount of tension, longing, attraction, mystery, and twists to keep the pages turning. Again, this book is YA, and it feels it, but if you are down for that, this will be an enjoyable fast read for you. This is a nice pairing of romance and mystery. Plus, there was a shocking reveal which I did not see coming. I love it when that happens.

If you enjoy YA books, you may just enjoy All We Lost Was Everything!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of All We Lost Was Everything is set to be published on May 6th 2025.

All We Lost Was Everything was a compelling and emotional read that kept me turning the pages late into the night. The writing flows smoothly, and the pacing builds a great sense of intrigue, making it easy to get swept up in the characters’ world.

That said, I found myself occasionally unsure of the book’s intended audience or genre. At times, it felt like a YA novel, but then it would pivot into themes and scenes—especially the steamy moments—that felt more appropriate for an adult audience. The mix of romance, mystery, and women’s fiction kept the story unpredictable, but it also made the tone feel a bit uneven in places.

One aspect that stood out to me was the use of dual POV and the interwoven "letters from mom." These additions offered emotional depth and helped layer the narrative, though the timing of the letters sometimes felt abrupt or unclear—especially when they seemed to appear after texts from River. I imagine the formatting may make more sense in the final print version.

Harlow does a strong job of tackling difficult themes—grief, abandonment, addiction, responsibility, and first love—in a way that feels both sensitive and impactful. There's a lot of emotional weight in this story, and I appreciated how thoughtfully each plotline was resolved. The theme of forgiveness, in particular, was handled with maturity and realism.

Overall, this is an intense, twist-filled read that balances emotional growth with romantic and suspenseful elements. I recommend it—but for a more mature YA audience, ideally 18+, due to the presence of sex, violence, and emotionally heavy content.

This was such a gripping and fast-paced thriller that had me hooked! There was so many twists and turns that kept me immersed. This was mostly an enjoyable read, the writing wasn't the best and it was pretty trope-y but regardless this was a fun read!

It says dark romance but I wouldn’t categorize as that, it felt more tragic as the main character (river) loses everything she owns and her father in a deadly house fire. Only she comes to realize it might not be an accidental fire.

Same concept of a bit of insta love, secrets GALORE, trusting easily only for it to be broken (who would have guessed). VERY a quick young adult read, but can’t say it’ll stay in my mind forever or even till the end of this year. LOTS of spice but found it kind of sizzled out at least for me and wasn’t necessarily captivated by the relationship.

If you’re looking for a quick young adult read with broken trust, secrets, and quick budding romance this is the one for you

River Santos house goes up in flames. She is pulled out of the fire to safety but tragically loses her father. She works in a cafe with her best friend Tawny and hot waiter Logan. Their lives intertwine and dark secrets come to light. This was a touching romantic mystery that had me glued to the pages. Loved the characters and the twists. Thanks NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Publish date is May 6, 2025.

The eye-catching cover and title couldn’t have been better for Harlow’s new YA novel with a dark romantic thriller vibe. ‘All We Lost Was Everything’ will most likely appeal to mature readers like me and late teens, so don’t think twice about letting them dive in. Not only was I kept on my toes while trying to guess the whys and wherefores, but it also gave me that loss-of-innocence feel, a wake-up call in disconcerting yet better words.

River Santos sets out to discover the truth after her world came tumbling down in a way hard to imagine. How she’d come out of it unscathed when someone she cared deeply for didn’t, and who the generous benefactor could be, became a challenge. Were they taking responsibility, or were sinister motives involved? To top the lot, her ex-boyfriend is hovering in the background–I didn’t dislike him, and a seemingly amicable co-worker she’d bonded with is acting out of the ordinary. Trusting no one except another co-worker/good friend, her story becomes a real page-turner just after I’d passed the midpoint.

Although River and the MCC’s slow-burning romance didn’t distract me from the narrative per se, I had trouble connecting to him. He and River are trying to navigate different traumas, but observing him struggling to show his true feelings, blowing hot and cold, and not being honest with her, exasperated me. What I did like, however, was eventually getting to hear his side of the story.

A family member’s disappearance and letters River received, not saying from whom, just added to the confusion. That being said, Harlow cleverly built the emotional suspense by gradually unveiling the reasons behind them, and what shocked me even more was the unexpected. Whilst I generally suss out twists, never in a million years did I see this one coming! Told from dual POV, Harlow has explored grief, loss, betrayal, trust issues and the complex dynamics of family relationships. In a nutshell, Harlow has delivered an intriguing read that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

Many thanks to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for the ARC.

eARC Review: All we lost was everything by Sloan Harlow

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pub date: May 6 2025

My first book to read by Harlow & it truly won't be my last! I really enjoyed this writing style in this romantic thriller. The plot kept thickening as the story was told and came to light or connected the characters in some type of way. River was sure dealt a rough hand, with everything she encountered & managed to find out.
Yet I did honestly admire her strength & resilience, when in the end she was able to overcome all that had happened to her in the short span of time. The dynamic of River & Logan was intense from the start, I liked being able to see their romance develop overtime as well as how it concluded. Logan had some things to work on & come clean about, which is why it was understandable for River not to fully trust him at times by having her guard up. I am surprised at how much I liked reading this, and I would really recommend it to someone looking for a thriller with not only romance, but also very suspenseful plot twists in it!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I didn't know I'd enjoy this story so much. A mix of romance and suspense, with touches of angst and River's incredible development.
This book shattered me and put the pieces back together again in so many ways that I lost count of them.
A lot of twists and I absolutely fell in love with the characters.

*Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, and Sloan Harlow for an eArc in exchange for my honest review!***

"All We Lost Was Everything" follows the perspectives of River Santos and Logan Evans. Upon first "glance," it would seem that the two were destined to never become acquainted with one another. However, time and the proper spaces allowed for the two to get to know one another. When secrets get revealed, is the love enough for the two or will they lost everything?

Where do I even begin with my thoughts? Harlow wrote this book in a way that tackled serious issues/topics so beautifully. I was able to connect with the characters in a way that is not always common. River has the absolute best friend and aunt that help hold her together through the grief she faces. The book is fast-paced and you cannot see the plot twists coming...at any point.

This book is a must-read. You do not have to be a Young Adult to enjoy this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the read!