LOST AND FOUND SISTERS
Series: Wildstone #1
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Author: Jill Shalvis
Release Date: June 20, 2017
From New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis comes her first women’s fiction novel—an unforgettable story of friendship, love, family, and sisterhood—perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover, Susan Mallery, and Kristan Higgins.
They say life can change in an instant…
After losing her sister in a devastating car accident, chef Quinn Weller is finally getting her life back on track. She appears to have it all: a loving family, a dream job in one of L.A.’s hottest eateries, and a gorgeous boyfriend dying to slip an engagement ring on her finger. So why does she feel so empty, like she’s looking for a missing piece she can’t find?
The answer comes when a lawyer tracks down Quinn and reveals a bombshell secret and a mysterious inheritance that only she can claim. This shocking revelation washes over Quinn like a tidal wave. Her whole life has been a lie.
On impulse, Quinn gives up her job, home, and boyfriend. She heads up the coast to the small hometown of Wildstone, California, which is just a few hours north, but feels worlds apart from Los Angeles. Though she doesn’t quite fit in right away, she can’t help but be drawn to the town’s simple pleasures…and the handsome, dark-haired stranger who offers friendship with no questions asked.
As Quinn settles into Wildstone, she discovers there’s another surprise in store for her. The inheritance isn’t a house or money, but rather something earthshattering, something that will make her question everything she thought she knew about herself, about her family. Now with a world of possibilities opening up to Quinn, she must decide if this new life is the one she was always meant to have—and the one that could finally give her the fulfillment she’s searched so long for.
Admittedly, I was a bit nervous starting this book because this was marketed as Women’s Fiction and not romance. And I always get nervous when it’s WF because I happen to love my HEA…and well…WF can be downright depressing and drab. But it’s Jill Shalvis! I trust her and I wasn’t disappointed.
This book rocks!
It was humorous but also poignant, and the characters are flawed but still completely relatable, which is always a plus.
Lost and Found Sisters is a story about Quinn Weller who is still grappling with her sister’s death a couple of years ago. Her sister’s accident had hit her so hard that she still hasn’t moved on emotionally from it. She’s contemplating how empty her life is and how numb she felt but doesn’t really know how to get out of it when she meets a lawyer who told her some devastating truths about Quinn’s life. And this is where the story really gets interesting for me.
Quinn, driven by curiosity left LA and went north to Wildstone, California in order to uncover the secrets of her past and the inheritance that she’s going to receive. Quinn’s own expectations were upended when she arrived in Wildstones. She’s not only discovering the secrets of her own past and her own family, she’s also getting involved in the lives of the people in Wildstone, especially Mick’s.
Mick is a Wildstone native who ran out of town the moment he graduated high school. He’s now a successful businessman who’s temporarily back to help his mother get on her feet after his father’s death. He had no plans of coming back to Wildstone permanently. When he meets Quinn, he’s drawn to her and she to him but because Mick isn’t really staying in Wildstone and Quinn is dealing with some family stuff, their relationship started off tentatively without any promises.
With Lost and Found Sisters being tagged as Women’s Fiction and not Romance, I was a bit prepared for the romance to be thin and secondary. While the romance between Mick and Quinn isn’t the main focus of story, it’s still well developed and substantial, in my opinion.
There is also a secondary set up romance between two characters that I hope would develop into something more in the future. And since this is looking to be another series, we might be getting their book as well.
Romance aside, I enjoyed Quinn’s journey as a character. She came to Wildstone expecting one thing and came out with so much. The secondary characters are well drawn and complex. They do have personalities of their own. They’re not there just to advance the plot of the main character. I actually wanted to know them, which is a testament to how talented Ms. Shalvis is for making me care about these secondary characters.
Wildstone itself is a character in the book. Its landmarks and struggles feature heavily in the book. The town feels alive and populated by real people. I’m definitely looking forward to visiting and discovering more of its secret in the coming books.
As of right now, I’m happy with how this book turned out. It exceeded my expectations. And yes, I highly recommend this book to everyone!
