The last few years of RaeAnne's books haven't been my favorite, but this one felt like her old work that I loved so much. I didn't love the audio narration which made it challenging to get through. But all in all, it was a nice story and I liked the romance of both couples.

3.5

After a DNA test reveals an unknown sister, Allison connects with Juniper by taking a job as her intern. After a medical emergency, June recuperates at Ali’s family cabin in Wyoming, giving them a chance to unravel family secrets, forge a true sisterhood, and find lasting love.

Fans of sweet small-town romance and women’s fiction will adore this novel. It’s a feel-good read with a steady pace and likeable characters. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ARC!

4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

🎧 AUDIOBOOK review 🎧

I loved this audio and this book. I enjoyed the narrator and it flowed nicely! RaeAnne always tugs at my heartstrings and this one was no different. The exploration of family and sisterhood is beautiful!

The Lost Book of First Loves was a moving, feel-good story of friendship and found family with a bit of romance mixed in!

Still reeling from the death of her beloved father, Carson Wells, a famous literary author, Alison is informed from a DNA search that she has a sister, Juniper Connolly. Why didn’t her father tell her?

In order to get to know her sister and tell her their connection, Alison takes an internship at Juniper’s company, but before Alison shares her bombshell, Juniper collapses. Alison suggests she recuperate at her ranch, The Painted Sky in Bridger, Wyoming.

Juniper’s reeling from the shock of what happened and isn’t sure why Alison would make such an offer. However, the sound of recovering at the ranch of the late Carson Wells, a favorite author, is too good to pass up. She strikes up a reluctant friendship with another rancher, Beckett Hunter.

Alison needs to figure out how to tell Juniper and study for the bar exam, when she’s not sure she wants to be a lawyer. And then there’s Xander Scott, her best friend who’s back in town. Alison’s feelings for him are complex.

Both Alison and Juniper were at a crossroads in their life. I was invested in their journey, as they sorted out the mystery of the past and what they wanted for the future. I soaked in the gorgeous mountain setting, which was almost a character in itself!

I alternately read and listened to The Lost Book of First Loves and recommend either version. I’ve listened to and enjoyed Vanessa Johansson’s narration in the past and she did a wonderful job bringing all the characters to life!

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.

I have both the e-book and the audio version. The narrator is great.

I love RaeAnne Thayne books! Allison is an unpaid intern at her half sister’s company.She’d just discovered she had a half sister and she wanted to get to know her.Juniper is Allison’s half sister and in the middle of firing Allison she collapses.Allison saves her life.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?

The Wyoming setting was lovely and I appreciated the subplot around Juniper's heart condition and the device she had to wear. AND, I of course, immediately fell in love with Hank the dog!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:

Multiple POV
Found Family
Family Secrets
Sisterhood
Second Chances
Humor
Atmosphere
Slow Burn
Romance

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

Steady

Thank you so much @uplitreads @raeannethayne @readmirabooks @htpbooks_audio #giftedbyuplit

𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: The Lost Book of First Loves
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: RaeAnne Thayne
𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿: Vanessa Johansson
𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: June 3, 2025
4⭐️

💚 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 💚
Allison was raised by her literary author father, who recently passed, and left Allison with questions when she realizes she may have an unknown sister. She takes a DNA test and follows it back to Juniper, whom is a successful business woman. Allison applies to be her intern, and in an unexpected moment, she saves Junipers life on the job. Allison invites Juniper to recover back at her family ranch on Wyoming.

Back in her hometown, Allison has the chance to catch up with her best friend and Juniper has the chance to relax and read some journals of Allison’s father. Allison is trying to figure out when to tell Juniper about their familial connection, and both sisters start to discover themselves and new relationships in the wide open spaces.

I enjoyed the relationships the two sisters discovered with their new guy friends, and I liked Allison’s journey to be more confident in what she wants in life. Both learn to take a leap of faith when it comes to exploring new adventures. I liked the discoveries that Juniper found while organizing and reading their father’s journals. An unknown manuscript is always a fun discovery!

I would have enjoyed taking a deeper dive into some of the journals and history of the author father! Those seemed very intriguing and added an additional lawyer to the family connection between everyone.

Overall, this was a sweet, endearing story of two sisters who learn about themselves and discovery more about their family too. Both experience growth and new relationships in a beautiful setting!

🎧 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 🎧
Vanessa Johansson did a great job narrating this multiple POV book. She was easy to understand and I could listen as fast as I wanted. Since this story had two female POV and one male, I do wish there were additional narrators so that the POV was easier to distinguish, especially among the two sisters!

💚 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
💚 DNA Tests/ Unknown Family
💚 Friends to More
💚 Self-Discovery
💚 Author Stories

I immediately sank into this story and loved it from beginning to end! Set against the stunning backdrop of Wyoming—a place that holds a special spot in my heart—this book brought all the feels.

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 explores grief, healing, and the beauty of new beginnings, all while secrets bubble to the surface and shape the characters’ journeys. Told through multiple points of view, the story unfolds in a layered, emotional way that kept me turning the pages.

The characters were all incredibly likable, and the emotional depth of their stories made the whole book feel so personal and real. It’s a comforting, feel-good read that reminds you it’s never too late to rewrite your story. 💛

🍿 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: I am a huge fan of RaeAnne Thayne’s Cape Sanctuary series, so I jumped at the chance to read a standalone by her. The Lost Book of First Loves is a beautiful story about hidden love, family secrets, and two women who don’t know they are related… until they do.

🤩 𝚃͏𝚑͏𝚎͏ 𝙱͏𝚎͏𝚜͏𝚝͏ 𝙱͏𝚒͏𝚝͏𝚜͏: This book is jam packed with lovely characters, and I couldn’t help but love every single one of them. Thayne’s writing never ceases to impress, and it’s very emotional and engaging. There are multiple viewpoints which I enjoyed, and I loved that I got to know each character so well. She also did an excellent job bringing the summer in Wyoming setting to life.

🎧 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃: I thought Vanessa Johansson did a great job overall, however, I do think this is a scenario where there should have been a full cast. I found myself getting confused during Ali’s and Juniper’s viewpoints since she didn’t really change her voice to differentiate them. Plus, I really wanted someone for the male viewpoint, and I think that would have made it hit even better. That being said, Johansson is a fantastic narrator, and I would still recommend the audio.

💭 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴: The Lost Book of First Loves definitely got me a little misty eyed, and there is a bit of romance on top of a minor mystery. This was a great blend of genres, and it made for an entertaining but moving read. While it does tackle some sensitive subjects, it is mostly a lighter read that will leave you with the warm and fuzzies.

T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: 💌🪵✍🏼🔐

𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🙅🏼‍♀️ (None)

A cute and cozy family drama about two long lost sisters. I enjoy the setting of Wyoming as well as the narrators of the audiobook.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me.
Just nothing really going on.
I didn’t like that the one character was rude/mean to the male character (I can’t even remember names at this point) for his past ‘inaction’ at helping her friend in an assault case. I didn’t like that the main character hid the fact she was sisters with her boss- and found it far fetched the boss would agree to go stay at the ranch, without really knowing eachother (and firing her just before her accident). I don’t know- I just couldn’t get on board with the characters, not a lot was happening, so I gave up 🤷🏼‍♀️

Wyoming has recently made it to my bucket list of travel destinations and after reading this book, I really want to go. RaeAnne did a fantastic job transporting me there.

This is a lovely book about found family. It's so heartwarming and the perfect book to read when you just want to feel good.

The audio production was very well done, and the format is perfect for this story

A sweet and touching story set on a ranch in the soaring Wyoming landscape. It’s a journey filled with secrets waiting to be uncovered, newfound sisters to be discovered, and blossoming romances to be explored.

I’ve read several of RaeAnne Thayne’s books, and while her Christmas stories are some of my favorites, she always manages to write characters that are kind and endearing. Once again, she has captured that warm and hopeful sense of found family, leaving you with a heartwarming feeling and a deeper understanding of what it means to love unconditionally.

I loved the beautiful and vivid descriptions of the land, lakes, and sky that surrounded the cabin where Alison and Juniper were staying, so much so that I want to take a trip to Wyoming sometime soon.

3.5 🌟

Thank you @raeannethayne and @uplitreads for this gifted book.

Thank you @harlequinbooks #Harlequinaudio for the gifted audiobook via #NetGalley narrated by Vanessa Johansson.

3.5 Stars
This book was a walk down a lovely meandering trail that doesn't go up a hill or down a valley, just ambles along with pretty flowers along the way. The story isn't bad, Alison Wells, the daughter of a famous writer, finds out after her father's death that she is a DNA match with someone else, a very close someone else, a half sister. She finds Juniper Connolly and tries to get to know her without telling her exactly who she is. Before she can get much further than that, Juniper has a heart attack right in front of Ali, who jumps in to save her life! After her release from hospital, Ali convinces Juniper, alone with no close family, to come stay at the ranch she grew up on with their father, while Ali struggles to find the right time to tell Juniper the truth.

This story has the makings for a real tug at your heartstrings story. It just never made it. Even the reveal of sibling relationship is....meh. Both sisters have a romance as subplot, and while going through Carson Wells' diaries and journals they come upon information that changes their perception of each of their pasts. But still...no real moving moment. It wasn't unpleasant; it wasn't badly written; it just failed to capitalize on all the emotional turmoil that could have been, and that for me was a loss.

What an uplifting book. This is my first book from this author, and I really enjoyed her writing style. The book centered around friendships, family, grief, secrets and new beginnings. I loved the multiple POV's in this story. The characters were likeable and I was rooting for all of them. This is a perfect summer read.

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!

This was such a fun read. I did a combination of reading the physical copy and listening to the audiobook. I really liked the characters and thought they were well written. I was rooting for them all to find their happy endings. The Wyoming setting made me want to book a trip there because it sounded amazing.This book is about family, second chances, and finding yourself. I highly recommend this one!

The Lost Book of First Loves is a warm and easy read, perfect for fans of small-town charm and second-chance romance. RaeAnne Thayne’s writing is cozy and comforting, and the book touches on themes of healing, family, and rediscovering old passions. That said, the plot felt a little too predictable at times, and some character arcs could have used more depth. It’s a pleasant story, but it didn’t leave a lasting impact. A solid choice if you’re in the mood for something light and heartwarming, but not particularly groundbreaking.

I enjoyed this sweet story that pulls at your heartstrings.

Juniper is trying to let one of the young interns go. And in the blink of an eye, she wakes up in the hospital. She has had a heart attack and the intern, Alison, has saved her life. Next thing she knows, she is in Wyoming staying at Alison’s family cabin. She must decompress and no better place than the wide open spaces of Wyoming.

But…Ali has an ulterior motive to her invitation. She has discovered, through a DNA test that she has a sister. And that sister just happens to be Juniper.

I loved both Ali and Juniper. They are both so different. I love how their relationship grows throughout this tale. And don’t forget the romances blooming for both. This will keep the reader rooting for all involved.

This is narrated by Vanessa Johansson. I liked her. She did tend to get a little breathless in spots. But, they may have been just me.

Need a sweet, heartwarming read for a road trip…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel for a honest review.