Loved this book and how it wrapped around to a famous author! It kept me interested all the way through!

The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne is a moving, heartfelt, heartwarming story about friendship, found family, lost love, chronic illnesses, and second chances, as half-siblings discover one another later in life, and more.

Alison Wells and Juniper Connolly are strangers who share a link, one that Juniper doesn't know about; after the results of a DNA test reveals they are half-sisters After completing law school, Ali takes a job as a marketing intern in Juniper's company; needing an excuse to meet her. As Juniper is about to fire Ali, she suffers a cardiac event. Fortunately Ali had recently taking a CPR course, after the death of her famous novelist father from a heart attack, and was able to work on June while waiting for paramedics; saving her life. Ali invites Juniper to recover at her late father's ranch in Wyoming, so she can get to know her and work up the nerve to tell her that they are most likely sisters. While at the ranch, June becomes involved in reading the journals of her favorite author and what she discovers will rock both of the sisters’ lives.

Ali has an amazing family support system: her grandmother, a family friend in Beckett (Beck) Hunter, and her best friend Xander Scott. This is more than June has; or so she thinks. She has her two company partners, who have been friends from college, but they have their own lives. June has been living her life at a fast pace, is now forced to slow down. While she recovers, with the support of Ali, Beck and his dog Hank, she does a lot of soul searching; surprised by the spark between her and Beck, one neither expected.

Ali is at a crossroad with her own life, trying to decide if the legal profession is really what she wants for her career. She and Xander have been best friends since grammar school, sharing a deep, unique friendship. It was beautiful watching it grow and blossom. These four have a lot going on, lots of interconnected relationships, and a whole lot of love as these sisters find true happiness with each other and with the men that love them fiercely.

Ms. Thayne wrote a story that reaches the soul; the soul of her characters as well the soul of her readers. This story draws the reader into the lives of Ali and June, two women navigating the complicated terrain of family secrets, personal discovery, and unexpected love. The themes of vulnerability, forgiveness, and the redefining of what family means are skillfully explored and the small-town Wyoming setting provides a perfect backdrop for these revelations and heart-to-heart connections. The Lost Book of First Loves is an absolute must-read; a story that stay with you long after the final page.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley #HarlequinTrade #TheLostBookOfFirstLoves

This was such a beautiful, tender, emotional story that touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes. Who knew how DNA results would drastically change the life of Juniper Connolly, VP of Move Inc. I enjoyed watching June change as she spent time in Wyoming at the Painted Sky Ranch where her biological father had lived. She was there to rest and recuperate after Alison saved her life with CPR.
I liked Alison who was at a crossroad in her life with a lot of big decisions to make, including passing the bar in Wyoming so she could follow in her mom's footsteps. She also needed to tell June, her boss, that they were half sisters but the timing never seemed right.
I enjoyed the struggles that both June and Alison were going through when they were getting to know each other outside of work. They were both struggling in their relationships and feelings with men. June was overwhelmed with feelings for Beckett, a neighbor at the ranch and Alison was struggling with her feelings for Xander, her best friend since grade school.
It was also fun to read about the mystery of a third book written by Alison and June's dad, writer Carson Wells. It appeared that the book was about a love story between Carson and E and that the book was never published. That mystery tied oon perfectly with the themes of hope, secrets, and family. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

This book told a sweet story. I like many of the plot lines including sisterhood, found family, a little mystery, 2 romances. But overall most of the storylines didn’t feel complete to me. I also was looking for a bit more nuance in the writing. I really liked the overall premise of the book, but I just felt something lacking.

Alison Wells is working as an intern for Juniper Connolly. It’s not work that she enjoys, but the reason she’s taken the job is to get to know June and to share some information with her. Ali’s father has recently died from a cardiac incident and Ali refreshed her CPR skills. June has decided to let Ali go because the unpaid internship isn’t working out. During the meeting June experiences cardiac arrest, and Alison saves her life.

June has a lifesaving procedure and she’s been ordered to take it easy. Ali suggests that June comes back to the family ranch to relax and recover. There June meets a man that she has disliked (despised?) from afar. He used to be a District Attorney, but he’s now in another location and he does beautiful, artistic work with wood.

Ali must study for her law board exam, so she goes back with June, although they are staying in different homes. June is in the “writing cave” that was used by her favorite author, who happened to be Ali’s father. June has been granted permission to read through the journals written by the author.

Ali is happy to have her best friend also home, He was a nerd in school, but he’s become a huge success with his internet travel videos.

Both women are shocked to develop romantic feelings for these men. And June is not pleased when she finds out the secret that Ali has been keeping.

The romances are clean, with kissing the extent of the passion. Any reader can enjoy this book.

The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne is another multi-layered story of complicated relationships that tugs masterfully at the heartstrings. Thayne has a gift for creating complex families - both biological and family of the heart - that take me on an emotional journey.

I enjoyed not only the unfolding story of Ali and June but also the romantic journeys each of them traveled. The themes in the book are plentiful, including found family, forgiveness, acceptance, second chances (in life, career, and love), self discovery, and mapping new paths. That could be a bit much but in Thayne's skilled hands, they are interwoven with care and finesse, leading to an organic evolution of a realistic and relatable journey.

Another facet of Thayne's writing that I enjoy is her ability to set a vividly depicted scene. She brought Wyoming to life through her descriptions, immersing me in it's majestic mountains and beautiful valleys. I felt as if I was right there with June as she discovered the healing medicine of nature and the first tendrils of belonging.

If you're looking for a heart-tugging story of healing, hope, family, and endearing romance, add The Lost Book of First Loves to your summer reading list.
4.5 stars

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
Fair and unbiased review

Alison Wells is working as an intern for Juniper Connolly. June is not least impressed with her work and is going to let her go. During the meeting June experiences a cardiac arrest and Alison saves her life.
Alison went to work for June to learn about her since she found out she is a half-sister. Alison's father passed away 6 months ago, and she can't ask him about the unknown sister June. Alison stays with June and asks her to come to her home in Wyoming to recuperate.
Carson Wells was a famous author and left a lot of journals and June is asked to go thru them to put them in order. Alison has not told June she is a half-sister and keeps putting it off.
Wonderful story of finding family and a more peaceful life.

This was a beautiful found family story. RaeAnne Thayne's books are light, heartwarming, and uplifting, with intriguing plots, diverse characters, and a focus on relationship building, and she does a great job of conveying all of this in The Lost Book of First Loves. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline, the blossoming romances, and the lovely Wyoming setting. It's a perfect summer read.

Thank you @uplitreads and @raeannethayne for the #gifted ARC via NetGalley, and the finished copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #giftedbyuplit

I love RaeAnne! And The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne was such an incredible read!
The characters are engaging and enjoyable.
I really enjoyed this story. It was sweet, full of forgiveness, secrets, family, community and more.
This authors writing is always captivating. She never disappoints.

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

This is such a heartfelt story about friendship, secrets, first loves and found family. This book is mostly a women’s fiction but there are hints of romance and a little bit of mystery in the story. This story follows Allison who discovers she has a half-sister after taking a DNA test. She decides to take an intern job at the place where she works to get to know June. A medical emergency brings them even closer together. A perfect summer read!

I enjoyed reading The. Lost Book of First Loves by ReaAnne Thayne. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

The title as well as the blurb for The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne had me eager to read it. I was prepared for an emotional and heartwarming tale. The book has likeable characters, and I loved the setting. Allison’s ranch sounded like a wonderful place to live. I wanted to move into Carson’s writing retreat (cozy cabin, porch, books galore, woods, and handsome neighbor whose dog stops by often). I found the DNA storyline to be a letdown. I expected crying, hugging, or maybe a confrontation. The ending to this particular thread felt like the author reached her maximum number of pages, so she had to resolve it immediately (they acknowledge that they are sisters and that’s all they wrote). The other storyline was about the missing manuscript. I wondered what secrets it held. I was disappointed when little was said about the manuscript. More time was devoted to the search than what the manuscript contained. The Lost Book of First Loves has a feel-good ending, but I wanted an epilogue (I had unanswered questions). The book is told from multiple points of view with varied pacing, and it was way too long (could have easily cut sixty or more pages). The Lost Book of First Loves is a pleasant, straightforward story, but it doesn't leave a lasting impression.

The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne is a sweet wonderful story set in Wyoming. We meet Alison Wells, whose father, Carson (famous author) passed away. Alison decides to take a DNS testing for her family, and when the results arrive, she is surprised that there is a female match that she never knew about. Alison then goes to Seattle to become an intern at a company, and meets (the secret sister), June Connelly. June is one of the main leaders of the company partners, who have been friends from college.

After a few months Alison is fired, since she really did not know much about the system. However, the day she was fired, June has a major cardiac arrest that Alison, was able to use her ability and save her life.

While recovering in the hospital, Alison offers her father’s cabin in Wyoming for June to de-stress and slowly recover. After some thought, June agrees and goes to Wyoming with Alison to spend the free time in their small town. June will meet some of Alison’s family and friends, especially her grandmother and Beckett Hunter.

After a short time, June and Beck become close, and she begins to feel the spark between her and Beck. I loved Hank, Beck’s dog, who was so wonderful, and always coming to the cabin to bring June to Beck’s house. Adorable.

Alison also finds her special person, in Xander Scott, who have been best friends since grammar school. They have a unique friendship, which will slowly see their relationship change after so many years, and love will find a way.

There was a unique situation with June reading all of Carson’s books, and discovers that there must be a missing manuscript, which they can’t find. But in time, June will be the one who will find it. During that time, June will also learn from Alison that she is her sister, as the manuscript kept revealing a lady in the books with the name E, which led to June’s decease mother; confirming that they are sisters.

The Lost Book of First Loves was a sweet, wonderful story revolving around two women, secrets, love, happiness and a missing manuscript that changes everything. Once again, RaeAnne Thayne gives us a fantastic story that was so very well written. I really enjoyed the book, and suggest that you read The Lost Book of First Loves.

“...broken hearts didn't mend. A person simply had to learn how to accept the scars."

RaeAnne Thayne's light, heart warming, uplifting, cozy stories always make my heart happy. Her stories always have an intriguing plot, diverse characters, and usually focus on relationship building that is sure to pull at your heartstrings. Set in Wyoming at The Painted Sky Ranch, The Lost Book of First Loves is a “story about two women, a family secret and a lost manuscript that changes everything…”

I am a sucker for a small town, multigenerational, found family story. The setting sounded like the perfect place to escape and was described so well that I could easily picture it in my head. I loved all the characters, they were all easy to relate to and likeable. I thought the way that the women first met was unique and enjoyed watching their relationship grow as they tried to find answers and the lost manuscript. I would have liked to have seen a little more about their relationship building but did enjoy the side romance relationships that were blossoming too.

The audio book made for a great immersive experience. The narrator, Vanessa Johansson, did a great job with giving each character their own voice. Her tone and pacing were spot on and helped bring the characters and story to life.

Thank you @uplitreads, @readmirabooks, @htpbooks_audio, and @raeannethayne for the #gifted ARC, ALC, and finished copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Lost Book of First Loves is a wonderful, feel good women’s fiction story of found family, friendship and just life. It was a great palette cleanser, and I have found RaeAnne Thayne is good at that!
I adored the dynamic relationships in this story and watching these two woman finally get everything they wanted. It left me with a smile upon finishing the book. Not to mention the beautiful scenery depicted throughout the entire story! The setting scenes were exquisite. I can’t wait to see what RaeAnne has for us next.

Okay, so The Lost Book of First Loves is one of those books that starts with “I took a DNA test on a whim” and ends with “surprise family AND emotional healing,” which honestly feels like something that should come with a user manual. Or at least a flowchart.

Let’s set the scene: Alison finds out she has a secret sister thanks to the magic of 23andMe (shout-out to impulsive decisions with long-term consequences), and her next logical move is to infiltrate her half-sister’s professional life as an intern. Because confronting long-lost siblings through LinkedIn would just be too boring, apparently.

Then Juniper, the sister in question, has a cardiac arrest, because this book said, “You know what would really bring these two together? Sudden organ failure.” So Alison saves her life, despite being fired, because that’s just how chaotic good characters roll. And to de-stress, Juniper agrees to go stay in the Wyoming wilderness with the intern who is absolutely not hiding a major secret. Nothing suspicious here.

But let’s talk about the titular “Lost Book.” This mysterious manuscript is teased like it’s going to be earth-shattering, full of revelations, confessions, and maybe a hidden treasure map. Instead, it shows up late, says a few cryptic things, and then everyone moves on like, “Cool, anyway let’s bake a pie.” I HAD QUESTIONS. Like, what exactly did this manuscript say? Was it a memoir? A barely disguised piece of literary therapy? Why was it so game-changing if no one actually seems to… change?

Also, the ending. Look, I was strapped in for emotional closure, possibly some ugly crying, and maybe a group hug under the Wyoming stars. What I got was… vague resolution and an open-ended vibe like the author just sort of waved gently at the plot and whispered, “That’s enough.” No real confrontation, no big emotional breakdown, just a “We’re sisters now!” shrug and a closing credits roll.

That said, the writing is solid, the characters are likable, and the setting makes you want to go live in a rustic cabin with a secret manuscript and a surprise sibling too. So yeah—it was fine.

I wish I could give this more than five stars! RaeAnne did another amazing job on the story with wonderful characters.
Can you imagine thinking that you’re an only child and then on the death of your father, you find out that you have a half sister.
Well, that’s what this book is about. Family dynamics, heartbreak,healing and romance.
Alison takes a job as an intern, and her boss just so happens to be her sister Juniper. Only Juniper has no idea whatsoever that Alison even exists! When Juniper has a medical issue, caused by stress. Alison convinces her to come back to Wyoming with her and heal while staying on her farm.
And this is where the story starts to unwind, and two romances begin. One between Beck and Juniper, and another between Allison and Xander.
I highly recommend this book !
And I thank you to NetGalley and RaeAnne for this ARC in return for my honest review.

i recived an ARC from NetGalley of this book. Ali takes a DNA test and finds out she has a sister she never knew about, so she sets out to meet her. Juniper never knew she had a sister. Juniper has a cardiac arrest and her assistant Ali saves her. Ali proceeds to invite her to her wyoming home to recuperate. Juniper wants to go because her favorite author is Ali's deceased dad. They find some old files and notebooks with notes from Ali's dad, containing an unpublished manuscript, mentioning Junipers mother. So Juniper finds out she is Ali's sister and has to deal with finding family you never knew existed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
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Raised by her literary icon father Carson Wells, Alison Wells always felt loved, even though her mother died when she was a teen. But when she takes a DNA test on a whim and discovers she has a sister she never knew about, it’s clear there are things her father didn't tell her before he died. Determined to meet Juniper—her half sister—and unravel the truth of what happened all those years ago, Ali finds herself taking a job as Juniper’s intern. She’ll eventually figure out a way to tell Juniper the truth of their relationship. But she never could have imagined what would happen next…

Juniper Connolly has always been incredibly healthy…until she wakes up in the hospital after experiencing cardiac arrest, with her new—and recently fired—intern to thank for saving her life. It’s clear June needs to de-stress her life a little, so when Ali offers her the use of her family’s cabin in a small Wyoming town, June has no reason not to go. But when she arrives, her life will never be the same.

Under the wide-open spaces of the Wyoming summer sun, Ali and June will untangle the secrets and lies their lives were built on to discover who they really are and what family really means. But even more than that, they'll build a real relationship with one another and finally become sisters.
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You can always count on RaeAnne Thayne. In this book, she gives us another of her touching novels, exploring family relationships, both family of origin and found family, set against the beautiful backdrop of Wyoming. I loved the exploration of this sisterhood, and it was a pleasure to experience the growth and change that the characters went through as the story progressed. And not to worry! There was also some of Thayne's trademark romance thrown in for the reader's enjoyment.

First and foremost, thank you to the publisher and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I loved this story and it was definitely worth the read!