I enjoyed this. It was not life changing, but still a fun read. I thought it was perfect for summer vacation and I love the found family trope.

Thoughtful story of 2 women who find that they are related, and that their father hid an unpublished manuscript telling the story of one of his loves.

RaeAnne Thayne delivers a heartfelt, emotional story of family, secrets, and second chances in The Lost Book of First Loves. With her signature warmth and compassion, Thayne explores the bonds that tie us together—and the ones we never knew we had.

Alison Wells grew up adored by her famous father, novelist Carson Wells, but losing her mother at a young age left her with unanswered questions. When a DNA test reveals a half-sister she never knew existed, Ali is determined to find Juniper Connolly and uncover the truth about her family’s past. But instead of a straightforward reunion, Ali becomes Juniper’s intern—never imagining she would one day save her sister’s life.

For Juniper, a driven and independent woman, a sudden health scare forces her to reexamine her priorities. When Ali offers her the chance to escape to her family’s Wyoming cabin, Juniper reluctantly accepts. There, beneath the sweeping beauty of the Wyoming landscape, the two women must face the secrets and lies that shaped their lives—and begin building the sisterhood neither ever expected but both desperately need.

Thayne’s writing is warm and immersive, drawing readers into the emotional journeys of both Ali and Juniper. The novel beautifully balances the tension of long-buried family mysteries with tender moments of connection and healing. Themes of identity, forgiveness, and the true meaning of family are woven seamlessly into a story that feels both intimate and universal.

Fans of RaeAnne Thayne’s signature blend of emotional depth and heartwarming storytelling will find The Lost Book of First Loves a moving and uplifting read—perfect for anyone who believes that love, in all its forms, can heal old wounds and create new beginnings.

I got an ARC from netgalley to review.

This book is cute! Weirdly close to home for me, as a friend of mine experienced a similar cardiac event to the one featured here. Some cute tropes with the big city woman coming to the small town, and the characters are all pretty likeable. It's cheesy in places but a generally very enjoyable read. Not spicy at all, just sweet.

really enjoyed this book and the journey of the main character and all that they went through. It kept me on my toes and what would happen in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book started off exciting and captivating, but then it just.... nope. I was expecting a beautiful book of sisterhood but I found that Juniper and Allison are just not really close, and didn't think that they bonded at all - it was more of a story about how they found love? Which is fine, it just wasn't what I expected.

I also didn't really feel much towards the romance - it was just a bit muted and not really all that heartfelt. It has the fact that it is a very light read going for it, as it would be nice between two heavy books as a palate cleanser - sadly I read it between 2 beautiful romance novels so it just wasn't memorable at all.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc. All opinions are my own. I have to admit I really hated the title of this book. I found it syrupy and sappy and overall wouldn’t have picked it up by title. The description lured me in which I’m glad for since the book was quite enjoyable once I read it. I would recommend this book. It kept me interested and I enjoyed it. I am NOT a romance book fan but this was different and cute.

In this charming new book about love and family, readers follow Alison Wells as she copes with the death of her father, literary icon Carson Wells, and the discovery of a secret sister she had never met or heard about. After finding her sister Juniper, Ali takes a job as Juniper’s intern as she plans how to tell Juniper the truth, but Juniper’s experience of cardiac arrest forces her to take a step back at Ali’s family’s cabin in rural Wyoming. As the two women spend time together and discover the secrets and lies their lives were built on, they might have the chance to find a new family and love when they were least expecting it. Packed with great details and complex characters, readers will love the alternating perspectives and complex relationships in this powerful and emotional new book from RaeAnne Thayne. The characters are the stars of the book, and their relationships really help build out their character arcs. The emotional storyline is absolutely fantastic, and their differences keep their distinct arcs and paths separate so readers aren’t confused. Brilliantly written, emotional, and fascinating, readers will love this charming and heartwarming new release and its cozy Wyoming setting.

Such a good read! Perfect light read with a great plot in a beautiful setting. very cute read but predictable.

The Lost Book of First Loves, by Rae Anne Thayne, is a story about two sisters and family secrets. There were a lot of interesting characters in this book, but it was not a book that I enjoyed.


Alison seeks out an internship at a company in Seattle to get to know her boss, Juniper. Unfortunately, Juniper has a cardiac event, and Alison never has the chance to tell her that they are sisters. The women end up moving back to the family ranch in Wyoming for Juniper to rest and recuperate.


The writing style of this book was difficult for me to get through. It felt like the author was describing each situation from many angles and in multiple ways, instead of just allowing events to unfold. The writing did not contribute or add any emotion to the story, even in critical moments between family members or couples.


Also, the pacing of this book was extremely slow. Ali‘s intent to reveal the truth to her half sister starts before the book begins, but it takes her hundreds of pages and months to actually tell her sister the truth. It felt like each part of the story was very long, and not much happened by the end. This book really did not hold my interest, and I struggled to finish it.


I did enjoy the caring relationships between all of the characters in the book. The small town and ranch where they lived in Wyoming was very charming. The book ends on a happy note for all, but I frankly had lost interest by that point.


Thank you too, Raye Anne Thayne, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Such a story, such a wonderful experience reading RaeAnne Shayne's THE LOST BOOK OF FIRST LOVES. Telling the story of two sisters finding one another and forging a relationship, this book captured me heart and soul, took me into the murky, marvelous connections between sisters, family, and what you do with a complicated past that lands you with a person you never knew existed yet who brought you back to life. The setting in Wyoming was fantastic, so vivid and engaging, heightening the tension and the tentative ties formed between two relatable, memorable characters. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

The Lost Book of First Loves
Author RaeAnne Thayne
Available now!

Thank you, @uplitreads @canarystreetpress and @raeannethayne, for my #gifted copy of this beautiful novel. This is my second novel by RaeAnne, and I feel like reading a novel by RaeAnne should be added to my summer reading bucket list. Her novels have a signature theme to them - perfectly paced, light by heartfelt, of belonging, family, love - and all of it's wonder and complications- and of hope.

I loved the dynamic between Alison and Juniper, but not more than I loved their growth and paths to finding love for themselves and for another. It is truly a perfect summer read. And what a beautiful cover too!

This was such a great story. I really enjoyed the reveal that they were half sisters. I can't imagine what that would be like to find out after both of their parents had passed. I loved watching the relationship between them grow even though Juniper had no idea that they were related. The romance that they both find is also interesting. I loved finding out why the book was also titled the way it was it didn't make sense to me until the end. Overall a great book with a sweet and wholesome story line.

I love this book. The subject of genealogy searches is such a hot topic. Ray Anne's handling of such a sensitive subject will really pull you into the story. What's not to love, family secrets, friends to lovers and new loves plus the mystery, can imagine the surprise of doing something so innocent in finding you have a relative. You didn't know you had best friends new sisters

Alison finds out through a DNA test that Juniper, a woman she’s never met before, is her half sister. Alison decides to take up an internship at Juniper’s job and ends up becoming her assistant. While Juniper is an extremely healthy individual, she ends up suffering from cardiac arrest and is saved by Alison. In order to recover from this event, Ali suggests that Juniper comes to stay with her family in Montana to have a calm place to recover and not think about work.

Unfortunately, this book did not do a lot for me. It was a bit repetitive and slow paced as it went on. While I enjoyed the relationship with the love interests, I feel that the author focused more on those relationships than the relationship between Alison and Juniper, which I thought was the main point of the story. If there were a lot of scenes between and Alison and Juniper building their relationship, they weren’t very memorable.

However, I did enjoy the small town element and side characters. If you like a small town read in Montana and want something that requires low brain power, you may enjoy this. It wasn’t a bad book, it just didn’t do much for me.

Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for an ARC of this book! 💕

This was such an intriguing story!

Allison and Juniper's relationship was for sure rocky at first, but then, under "special circumstance" they were sort of forced together. Ok, well Allison forced them together lol. But they became true friends, and I really enjoyed seeing their friendship blossom. But when the truth comes to light, well that's when Thayne's storytelling shines. I loved the way she wrote it. I won't give any spoilers of course, but it was just so well done.

Contemporary fiction fans are in for a treat with this one! It's family fiction at its finest.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Are you looking for a good book to read this weekend? Something easy and sweet, Center around family? Check this out, The Lost book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayer.
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While there is definitely romance in here, I felt like my focus was on family, found family and legacy. I sunk right into this group of characters. They were very likable and relatable.
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After taking a DNA test and learning she has a sister she had never heard of before, Allison takes a job as Juniper’s intern in order to get to know her and find out what happened. Juniper doesn’t know she has a half-sister. She does know that she has a new intern to fire.
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She does that and next thing she knows, she is dealing up in the hospital after a cardiac arrest, and that intern, Allison, is right there with her, offering her a place to rest and recover.
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There is so much more to this than that very brief and basic overview. So much that is worth you discovering. This book has been recommended to me and now I am recommending it to you.

RaeAnne provides a solid story about a variety of ways to love as well as stories of friends to lovers. The importance of finding family, love and friendship. Allison's beloved father passed away suddenly, one of the last things they did together was take a DNA test to find out whether there are any long lost relatives. Allison is shocked when the results show that she has markers that reveal that she has a half sibling. Research shows that Juniper Connolly a high power executive is that person. Working undercover as her intern to get to know Juniper better isn’t really her dream job and after a few weeks she is in the process of getting fired when Juniper clutches her chest and passes out. This time Allison knows what to do, not like when her father passed away and she takes charge starting CPR immediately. Which per the doctors had saved her life. Now told to take it easy and adjust to her new lifestyle Juni is surprised when her intern invites her to her ranch in Wyoming. That she would be welcome to stay if she prefers more privacy at her dad’s writing cabin. Once she realizes that Carson Wells was Ali dad and also a favorite author of her mother and herself, although confused about the offer from Allison being almost a total stranger, she decides to go. The plot centers on how and when to tell Juni about her father. A few are in on the secret and the more they get to know each other the harder it is to tell the truth. The story has several versions of love, lost love, new love, friends to lovers. Many thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.

Alison Wells learns, after her author father Carson Wells passes, that she has a half sister she didn't know about. Determined to figure out whether she is someone she wants in her life or not she sets out to meet the woman. She ends up getting a job as Juniper's intern but soon realizes she doesn't know how to broach the subject of them being sisters. Juniper has never worried about her health but when she has an unexpected heart attack her life changes. Alison her intern saved her and ends up inviting her to recuperate at her family's cabin in Wyoming. The two begin to form a friendship and Alison has to find the right time to tell Juniper the truth she has kept secret. Follow these two women as grow as friends and share their feelings for the future. Will the two form a sisterly bond or.will that not.be.in the cards for them?

I immediately fell in love with this story and loved it from beginning to end! This book is cheesy and predictable in all the right ways- just like all other RayAnne Thayne books that I have read.

This heartwarming read is filled with lost love and second chances, found family and strong friendships, and the kind of small-town charm that makes you want to pack your bags and head to Wyoming. It made me want to head out and hike the same trails as the main characters!

The story is told through multiple points of view and unfolds in a layered, emotional way that kept me turning the pages and reading quickly.

I loved all of the characters and was rooting for eaxh of them from the beginning. It’s a comforting, feel-good read that reminds you it’s never too late to find love.