A DNA test reveals that Alison has a half-sister, Juniper. June has a heart attack at work and Ali, who has gotten an internship at June's company, manages to save her life and she takes her to her mountain hometown to recuperate.

I liked the story--it was clean and not too complicated. Two things that I didn't like--first, I could tell a few chapters in who was going to pair up with who. Also, I wish that Ali had told June about their relationship earlier because The Big Reveal got put off again and again until it was aggravating.

All in all, a pleasant summer read!

An interesting look at how DNA testing affects peoples lives. The tale is told from the view point of a young woman who finds out about a half sister through DNA testing that she and her father had taken before his sudden death. The story opens with the half sister, Juniper, a high powered exectuive intending to fire an intern, Alison, who she doesn't know is her half sister and Alison is still trying to work up the courage to tell Juniper when Juniper has a cardiac situation and Alison jumps in to administer CPR. The continues with Alison offering Juniper a place to recuperate. The reader is lead through a series of finding out about Alison famous author father, having a high powered prosecuter neighbor who Juniper doesn't like and the two womem and the man going through the dead father's things. The story goes full circle as the sisters learn things about the father that make more questions to find answers for. The story wraps with an emotional, poignant and happy ending. There are lots of questions, lots of answers and lots of love to go around. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

RaeAnne Thayne wrote this perfectly, I really enjoyed that it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. The concept worked well overall and was glad it had that romance element that I wanted and enjoyed from this type of book. The characters had that charm to them and was glad I got to read this.

What an opening scene! I started this book and then didn't do anything else until I finished the story. I was hooked from page one. I liked the story being told from various perspectives. I think I enjoyed June's point of view most. But each was enjoyable. I enjoyed how the sister's relationship evolved. I thought Ali is a little immature, but that would be accurate for her age. The story makes me want to see some of the Wyoming mountains. I liked the story of family as well as the romantic interests for both sisters. All in all this one may be one of my favorites for the year. I received a copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Alison may be the worst intern at Juniper Connolly’s company. In fact, Juniper was in the process of firing Ali when she (June) suffered a cardiac arrest, despite being fit and young. Amazingly, it was Ali who saved Juniper’s life. For reasons that the reader learns, Ali knew CPR.

After her hospitalization, June is invited to recuperate at Ali’s ranch and accepts this offer. The ranch was the home of well-known author Carson Wells.

Ali and June share an important relationship as readers learn early on. What is their relationship to the deceased Carson and to each other? How do things go between these two and the other characters? Read this one to find out. Also, learn more about the title of the novel.

I very much enjoyed this newest book by Ms. Thayne. I liked the characters, relationships and settings. Anyone who enjoys women’s fiction may want to give this one a look.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

I was a bit disappointed with this book. My1st book by this popular author. Ali’s father recently passed. He was a famous author.. Ali finds out she has a1/2 sister, June. Story was predictable, characters were likeable, setting in Wyoming was lovely. I just had a hard time staying with the story until the end.

After reading the 1st few sentences of this story, I was a bit worried about where this story would go, but I was delighted with the many avenues of of it! I loved the characters and their interactions with each other. My favorite "character" was Hank. I like how June became so attached to him.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading The Lost Book of First Loves, but it turned out to be a lovely surprise. The story follows Ali, a young woman who’s heartbroken after the recent death of her father, a well-known author she was very close to. While trying to cope with her grief, she takes a DNA test and discovers she has a half-sister—someone she never knew existed—and becomes determined to find her.

This is a touching story about love, loss, family, and finding hope again. The small-town Wyoming setting is beautifully described and really adds to the atmosphere. You’ll find moments of romance, strong friendships, and the kind of emotional healing that feels both real and meaningful.

The Lost Book of First Loves is a story that stays with you—it’s warm, emotional, and full of heart. RaeAnne Thayne does a great job of taking you on a journey that feels both personal and uplifting.

One of my favorite authors does it again! This book will tear at your heartstrings and keep you up reading all night! When something unexpected brings two people together you never know what will happen. But you will want to!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

After her author father dies, Ali discovers Juen, a half-sister she never knew about and ends up saving June's life. Before revealing their connection Ali invites Junet to the family ranch to recover. Nice story, though a bit predictable

A quick overview of the exposition: Allison finds out she has an older half sister after her father dies. She takes an internship under her sister as a way to get to know her but doesn’t tell her sister the real reason she’s there. Things don’t quite go as planned when her sister,Juniper, has a cardiac incident and Allison saves her life. On a whim Allison invites Juniper to their father’s ranch in Wyoming to rest and recover.

I usually love found family stories but this one was just okay. If I had to sum up why, I’d say I wanted more. The sister relationship took a back burner to the two budding romances. The romances were somewhat predictable, and it felt like unnecessary conflict was created to try to make them less predictable.

I was pulled in at the beginning, but it dragged a bit in the middle and then the ending felt too rushed. A bit too Hallmarky for me; heartfelt but lacked depth. I liked it but didn’t love it so 3 1/2 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Juniper Connelly doesn't know it but her life is about to change in ways she would have never expected.

The Lost Book of First Loves is a book about June and Ali. Two women whose lives have no reason to intersect but because of a DNA test they discover secrets in the pasts of others that change their lives dramatically.

I loved how this was told in multiple pov's. It gave such a great perspective into the overall storyline being in the minds of each character.

This is a found family, feel good read with a few sides of romance.

I was really consumed by this book and loved every moment spent between the pages.

**Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed. **

RaeAnne is able to write a fantastic, meaningful, family story. She puts so much heart into every story. This tale tells a story of love, loss, kindness and hope. I felt like I could feel their emotions and struggles. It is such an uplifting, wonderful story.

I was able to read the Lost Book of First Loves thanks to NetGalley. Another fantastic summer read by RaeAnne Thayne. Alison Wells grew up with Baer famous author father. When her dad dies, she takes a DNA test and discovers a sister she didn’t know existed. Juniper is a corporate executive in Seattle, after a health episode, she goes with Alison back to Wyoming to recover. The recovery will change her life in every way. This was a great reminder that life can change on a dime. Rad this book.

I was not familiar with the author before picking up this book but was pleasantly surprised. In this day and age when so many authors rely on explicit sex scenes and foul language to tell their stories, it’s refreshing to read someone who can develop lovable characters and complex situations for an endearing, yet clean rom com. Alison is totally unqualified for her intern job and is in the process of getting fired when her boss, June, has a fatal heart attack. Alison performs CPR and the paramedics bring her back to life. Believing that June might be a half-sister, Alison invites June to come back to her Wyoming ranch to recover. And although June can’t figure out why Alison is being so nice to her, she accepts. A great summer read alternating chapters between June and Alison, it is a story of lost love, unweaving the past, second chances, and found family. Read while sitting out on the deck at the lake, I couldn’t put it down. 4.5 stars rounded to 5. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! RaeAnne Thayne is one of my favorite authors and I think this book is one of the best she has ever written. I loved the storyline and the ending did not disappoint.

After receiving the results from a DNA test, Alison Wells discovers she has a half sister she’s never known about, connected through her late father, renowned author Carson Wells. Ali takes a job as and intern for her long lost sister, Juniper Connolly, only to save her life amidst a terrifying health scare, and invite her home to her family’s ranch in Wyoming to recuperate, despite having not shared what she knows about their genetic connection.

I absolutely loved the setting of this book, and felt fully transported to the family’s Wyoming ranch through the author’s beautiful and descriptive writing. This is such a feel-good book, and I loved the relationship that develops between June and Ali, as well as their respective romantic relationships. This is also a book of healing and growth, and I felt for June and she tried to adjust to her new life following a terrifying health scare.

MEMORABLE QUOTE: “A good story becomes part of you, whispering truths and stirring emotions long after the final page is turned.”

Thank you to UpLit Reads, Canary Street Press, and NetGalley for my gifted physical, digital, and audio copies!

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this lovely book for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Juniper, Allison, Beckett , Xander and their complicated relationships. The characters were well thought out and Carson the deceased author brought three of them together. I would enjoy reading a second book about how their lives played out. I would highly recommend this book.

The perfect book! I adored each moment that I read it. I loved the characters and their growth throughout the book. They were relatable and genuine.

I’ll be honest—women’s fiction isn’t usually my go-to genre, so I went into The Lost Book of First Loves with measured expectations. That said, RaeAnne Thayne delivers a thoughtful, if slow-paced, story about two estranged sisters brought back together by a death in the family and a mysterious old book that stirs up long-buried memories.

The heart of the novel lies in the dynamic between Julia and Sienna, whose relationship is layered with misunderstandings, emotional distance, and the weight of shared history. Thayne handles their story with care, digging into themes of forgiveness, identity, and the often complicated process of coming home—emotionally and literally.

For me, the lack of strong forward momentum made it hard to stay fully engaged at times. There’s not a lot of plot, and the conflict is more internal and reflective than external, which may appeal to fans of quiet, introspective fiction. Personally, I found myself wishing for a little more urgency or unpredictability. The book also hints at romance, but it never becomes the focus—something that might appeal to readers tired of formulaic love stories.

In the end, I appreciated the emotional honesty of the characters and the idea that healing doesn’t always come in big, dramatic moments. It’s a solid choice for readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories about family, memory, and reconciliation—but if you're like me and prefer more plot-driven fiction, it might feel a bit meandering.