The Lost Book of First Loves: A Small-Town Contemporary Romance Novel about Two Sisters Discovering Family Secrets
From New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne comes a brand-new story about two women, a family secret and a lost manuscript that changes everything...
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.
Don't miss SNOW KISSED by RaeAnne Thayne--a cozy holiday romance about a single mom, a borrowed date, and the kind of Christmas magic that turns a simple deal into something real
More stories by RaeAnne Thayne:
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.
Don't miss SNOW KISSED by RaeAnne Thayne--a cozy holiday romance about a single mom, a borrowed date, and the kind of Christmas magic that turns a simple deal into something real
More stories by RaeAnne Thayne:
- Snow Kissed
- The December Market
- 15 Summers Later
- Christmas at the Shelter Inn
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
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.
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.
RaeAnne Thayne just became an author I will keep my eye on after reading The Lost Book of First Loves. The story offers character growth, some mild suspense regarding the mystery of their father, and a slow-burn romance with some humor sprinkled in.
I cared about the characters and wanted to know how the story would unfold. While I usually like some on-page intimacy in my romance books, there’s so many layers to the book that I didn’t feel anything was lacking.
Overall, readers who enjoy women’s fiction or contemporary genres, and love a good laugh with some introspective themes, I guarantee The Lost Book of First Loves will hit the spot.
More book reviews at https://cantinabookclub.com/reviews
I cared about the characters and wanted to know how the story would unfold. While I usually like some on-page intimacy in my romance books, there’s so many layers to the book that I didn’t feel anything was lacking.
Overall, readers who enjoy women’s fiction or contemporary genres, and love a good laugh with some introspective themes, I guarantee The Lost Book of First Loves will hit the spot.
More book reviews at https://cantinabookclub.com/reviews
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.