Published by Berkley on July 7, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
When a Hollywood starlet is unexpectedly reunited with the costar who broke her heart, their chemistry has her questioning what’s reel and what’s real in this heartfelt summer romance about first loves and second chances.
It’s been ten years since the fateful summer Scarlett Everhart filmed The Lost Letter, the tearjerking romantic drama that catapulted her to worldwide fame and set her on a collision course with Ryder Perry, the movie’s intense, irresistible leading man. The pair’s fiery onscreen chemistry captured audiences' hearts—while their whirlwind affair offscreen shattered Scarlett’s into a million pieces. Determined to move on, she made a vow: to focus on her career, leave Ryder in her past, and never, ever look back.
A decade later, Scarlett’s kept that promise. She’s become one of Hollywood’s most bankable leading ladies and is on the cusp of the biggest role of her career. And if she’s been unlucky in love, at least she’s managed to put her ill-fated relationship with her former costar—and the public’s obsession with the pair’s star-crossed romance—behind her. That is, until a sudden twist of fate thrusts her and Ryder back together in the seaside South Carolina town where they first fell in love, then fell dramatically apart.
As old sparks reignite, Scarlett is swept back into the love story that once defined her life, forcing her to reckon with the choice that tore them apart…and the devastating secret she’s been keeping since their breakup all those years ago.
It had been a decade since she walked away from her first love, and Scarlet had successfully avoided Ryder since as their stars continued to rise. But now, they will be reunited to raise funds for the seaside town where their star-making movie was made. Facing the past is never easy, but it could also be a second chance at love for Scarlet and Ryder.
I have said it a million times, there is nothing more satisfying than a second chance romance. The whole idea of Scarlet and Ryder missing each other, pining for each other, and carrying a torch for each other for a decade just makes my sappy heart skip a beat. Watching them in the THEN and NOW had me wondering how this union was ever severed. There was so much love and passion, what exactly came between them that made it crumble? The closer the reveal came (and it's a long wait!), the more theories I had. In the end, I was right, and my heart still broke into a million pieces. The tears!
But then, there were so many moments that moved me in the good way. Ryder had grown so much, and he seemed very focused and determined to win Scarlet back. I am trash for those sorts of actions. Remember, I am product of the-boom-box-over-the-head sort of grand gestures. All those little things built up to this moment when my heart just burst, and I could no longer hold back the happy tears. I was so overjoyed, my heart overflowed.
I will admit that I have never been that dialed into Hollywood gossip, so the fact that this was inspired by the hate-to-love relationship of Ryan Gossling and and Rachel McAdams did not register until it was explained, but by no means did this mean any less to me. I absolutely adored taking this walk down memory lane and then to the future with Ryder and Scarlet as they healed from their past and took a second chance on forever together.
Published by Simon & Schuster on August 26, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction
Rating:
Goodreads
From the author of Broken Country, a captivating drama about how one man’s quest to uncover the truth about his adoption changes everything he knows about love, loss, and the unbreakable bonds of family.
Luke and Hannah live a happy and stable life in London, working in jobs they love as they prepare for the arrival of their first child, Samuel. All his life, Luke has known he was adopted, but he’s never felt the need to seek out his birth mother—until he becomes a father himself.
Spurred by the connection he feels to his son, Luke’s search leads him to his birth mother Alice. Their first encounter is surreal, a sharp prick that barely scratches the surface of a painful past that neither of them has fully confronted.
Alice sinks into memories of her life as a young artist in 1970s London, and of her tragic whirlwind romance with an enigmatic musician who would become Luke’s father. Meanwhile, Luke spirals as he comes face to face with his feelings of abandonment that he worked so hard to bury. But at least Alice seems keen to make up for lost time by looking after Samuel—until her doting grandmother act takes a sinister turn for the worse.
As the truth of who Alice is and the story behind her heartbreaking decision to give up her baby come to light, she and Luke must reckon with the sacrifices they’ve made in the pursuit of love and belonging.
After becoming a father, Luke wanted to know more about his birth parents, but this walk down memory lane may prove more painful than he thought.
This is my second book from this author, and she really known how to stoke my emotions. The story was told in dual timelines - one in the present from Luke's point of view and the other in the past from Alice's point of view.
Luke was looking for a connection like he felt with his son, but he was not getting that from Alice. In fact, Alice seemed to form a bond with Samuel that unnerved Luke and has him questioning the stories he was told about his past. A bit of tension builds as the story alternates between the past and present. The past seemed so promising, but it was riddled with painful moments for Alice. My heart broke when all was revealed.
I must admit, there was a part of the timeline that felt unnecessary. I think it was there to make it lean towards being a psychological thriller, but it was just really sad to me. I still greatly enjoyed the story and appreciated the growth the characters experienced.
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