Isn't It Romantic?

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The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves
Published by St. Martin's Press on March 26, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

New York Times bestselling author Tracey Garvis Graves takes readers on a life affirming journey, where two lost souls find the unexpected courage to love again.

Thirty-four-year-old Wren Waters believes that if you pay attention, the universe will send you exactly what you need. But her worldview shatters when the universe delivers two life-altering blows she didn’t see coming, and all she wants to do is put the whole heartbreaking mess behind her. No one is more surprised than Wren when she discovers that geocaching―the outdoor activity of using GPS to look for hidden objects―is the only thing getting her out of bed and out of her head. She decides that a weeklong solo quest geocaching in Oregon is exactly what she needs to take back control of her life.

Enter Marshall Hendricks, a psychologist searching for distraction as he struggles with a life-altering blow of his own. Though Wren initially rebuffs Marshall’s attempt at hiker small talk, she’s beyond grateful when he rescues her from a horrifying encounter farther down the trail. In the interest of safety, Marshall suggests partnering up to look for additional caches. Wren’s no longer quite so trusting of the universe―or men in general―but her inner circle might argue that a smart, charismatic psychologist isn’t the worst thing the universe could place in her path.

What begins as a platonic road trip gradually blossoms into something deeper, and the more Wren learns about Marshall, the more she wants to know. Now all she can do is hope that the universe gets it right this time.

After her world began to unravel, Wren started listening to the universe. First, it introduced her to geocaching, and then it brought Marshall into her life. They were both reeling from the loss of someone , but together they found a way to heal and the way back to themselves.

I was thinking about the most disappointing part of this book for me. It was the ending, and I believe it's because I was loving this story so much, I couldn't bear for it to be over. Marshall and Wren's journeys were something special. Painful at times, but also inspiring, and I adored every second.

This was a beautiful story of grief, healing, and self discovery. Marshall and Wren were hurting in very different ways, but both carried around a lot of pain and quite a bit of guilt, too. It took a long time for Marshall to reveal the full story of his brother's death, and his guilt was tied to the way he died. It was tragic and terrible and so, so sad, while Wren's situation was quite complicated. Her fiancé being killed in car accident was awful, but it got worse after he died. Wren was left mourning the loss of the man she thought would be her husband while also beginning to doubt her judgement and herself.

Though I rooted for both of them, it was Wren's personal journey I found so compelling. She had to face some serious situations following Rob's death, and it forced her to really dig deep and re-examine many things things she thought were true. And just when she made so much progress, the other shoe dropped, and Wren had to dig even deeper as she continued moving forward with her life. I was very proud of all the progress she made and those lines she drew in the sand.

I have to admit, I kind of loved that it was geocaching that helped Marshall and Wren get back out into the world. It's an interesting hobby and it took them to some beautiful places out in Oregon. Though I am a person who would don an "Indoorsy" shirt with no shame, I am always awed by the beauty of nature.

As for the romance, I adored these two together. They had great chemistry, and things were just easy between them which was a big change for both. Though their relationship had an expiration date, a deep friendship formed. It was one that physical distance could not sever, and I was giddy with the way it all played out.

Overall, this was a thoughtful and lovely exploration of love, grief, and self. Both characters made so much progress with themselves while providing support to each other as they hiked and healed.

*ARC PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER

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Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young
Published on July 11, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

Winnifred "Win" McNulty has always been wildly independent. Not one to be coddled for her limb difference, Win has spent most of her life trying to prove that she can do it all on her own. And, with some minor adjustments, she's done just fine.

That is until she has a one-night stand with the incredibly charming Bo, a perfect stranger. And that one night changes everything.

While Bo is surprisingly elated to step upto the plate, Win finds herself unsure of whether she can handle this new challenge on her own or if she’ll need a helping hand.

Together, Win and Bo decide to get to know one another as friends and nothing more. But, as they both should know by now, life rarely goes according to plan.

The warm-fuzzies started with the author's note where she shared her fears about embarking on motherhood with her "little hand" (same as Win). Bonam-Young did a great job getting me ready for this sweet romance which touched my heart in so many ways.

I instantly fell head-over-heels for both Win and Bo. I have a thing for people who are a bit wounded and are lucky enough to find that "someone" who accepts them as-is. That was the case with both Bo and Win.

Win had been in what sounded like a very toxic relationship. When she relayed stories about her ex, I was spitting mad. And, Bo's last year hadn't been that great either. He had lost his fiancee and his leg to cancer. It brought me great joy that they found each other, and that circumstances led to them becoming friends and more.

And can we talk about the way they fell for each other. I swear my face hurt from how much I smiled as I watched these two grow closer and closer. Bo and his sweet cinnamon roll ways were especially delightful, and heck, I was moved to tears on several occasions. I was just so happy for them!

I feel like this book had everything. A couple to root for, amazing and quirky supporting characters, lots of humor, emotional depth, and a grin-worthy epilogue. This one filled my heart with to bursting and left me in a great feel-good mood.

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