Review: The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne

 

The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne

Publication Date: June 3rd 2025 by Canary Street Press & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 7mins

Narrator: Vanessa Johansson

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

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!

4 Stars

Book Description:

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, Allison 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 that she’s never heard about before, it’s clear there are things her father never told 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 in the small town, 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.