The Lost Book Of First Loves is the heartwarming story of two women connected by DNA, their legendary and beloved author/father, and the lost manuscript he left behind after his death. Allison Wells takes a DNA test and finds out she has a sister. As she begins to forge a relationship with her half sister, Jumiper, while holding the secret of their relationship, she tries to uncover her father’s secrets.

This is a wonderful novel of found family and the bonds of sisterhood. I absolutely loved it and will be recommending it all summer long.

I look forward to every book RaeAnne Thayne releases and this book was a fabulous five star story. The interchanges between the characters are very real and the family relationships are so enjoyable. All of the characters in this book are likeable and you find yourself cheering for them to do well. The setting in Wyoming is described so well, you just want to hop on a plane and go out to stay at a ranch. If you are looking for an emotional, family oriented read then this is the book you should pick up, you won't be disappointed. I was lucky enough to obtain an audiobook format of this book and the narrator did a great job. It was an easy and enjoyable listen.

This is an easy summer story to get into. It has the typical elements that a summer beach read would have - a little romance, family, a secret, small towns etc. It didn't necessarily stand out as something really unique, but it was a good. time. I gave up on the audiobook after a while and finished with a hard copy. I didn't like the narrator's male voice ... she made the young handsome love interest sound like an old man. I couldn't get the image out of my head and kept forgetting who the character was supposed to be.

Title: The Lost Book of First Love
Author: Rae Anne Thayer
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Vanessa Johansson
Publisher: Harlequin Audio/Canary Street Press
Pub Date: June 3, 2025
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Pages: 351

Alison (Ali) Wells' and her father Carson Wells who is a famous author have a close relationship. And like on his ranch “The Painted Sky” located in Wyoming. Ali’s mother died when was young so it seems lit has always been the two of them plus her grandmother. Ali Is twenty-six has a Law degree and still needs to take the Bar Exam. She decides to take a DNA test. The results indicate there is another female who matches her DNA, He father recently passed so did not see the results nor told her he has another daughter. Alison sets out to find her half-sister Juniper (June) Connolly.
She discovers June is a thirty-four Marketing executive in Seattle. June has always been an athletic ran track in high school and continued at the collegiate level. She and her close friend decided to open their own business ‘Move Inc. June is looking for an intern as her current one got an offer to a great full time position. Although Ali has no tech experience, she is high educated so should be trainable.

However, Ali doesn’t like the high stress of the corporate world; which June thrives in. Both Ali and June know this internship is not working.
Ali has not found a way to tell Juniper the truth of their relationship.
June plans to let her go and asks if she would come to her office.

When she arrives at June’s Office, she found her on the floor not breathing.
Connolly has always been healthy…however experienced cardiac arrest, and nearly died. June needs to de-stress so when Ali offers her the use of her family’s cabin in a small Wyoming town, June decided it just might be the rest she needs. Turns out that Carson Wells was her mother’s favorite author, June has a signed copy of one of his early books. SO she is pleased when she finds she will be recuperating at his Ranch. Hmmm

I love the interaction with Grandma Loretta – actually the situation at the Ranch was interesting.
Awww I was hoping for a sweet HEA story.

Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Audio and Canary Street: for this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 3, 2025.

The Lost Books of First Loves is a heartfelt, emotionally grounded novel that leans into women’s fiction more than traditional romance—and that’s exactly what makes it shine. It’s a story about identity, hidden truths, second chances, and the slow, sometimes painful process of healing.

Alison Wells is driven by grief and curiosity when she uncovers a life-altering secret after her father’s death—a secret that leads her to Juniper Connolly, a half-sister she never knew existed. Their connection begins under shocking circumstances—Ali saving Juniper’s life—but what follows is a deeply human exploration of what it means to be family.

Set against the wide-open, restorative landscapes of Wyoming, the story lets its characters breathe, process, and begin again. Juniper, a tightly wound exec from Seattle, reluctantly accepts Ali’s invitation to the family’s remote cabin. There, she meets Beck—a quiet man with his own past—and slowly opens up to the possibility of something real. Meanwhile, Ali and Xander’s lifelong friendship edges toward something more tender and lasting.

This book isn’t about quick fixes or easy answers. It’s about flawed people trying to do right by each other, learning that love—whether romantic, familial, or platonic—requires honesty, risk, and vulnerability. The relationships are layered and believable. There’s humor, heartbreak, and a bit of mystery (an unpublished manuscript adds an extra twist), but the emotional core is what holds it all together.

If you like stories that dig into what makes us human—loss, love, identity—The Lost Books of First Loves delivers with grace and depth. Highly recommend. Narration was wonderful