Tracey Garvis Graves

Wren needs to get away, life has handed her a big lemon, and geocaching in Oregon seems perfect. Enter Marshall helping her out of a sticky situation, and dealing with his own lemons. Can these two put the past behind them make lemonade?

Enjoyable, fun, fast read. It was perfect for me after finishing a slower moving book. Situations were ‘picked from the headlines’, not necessarily relatable but realistic by todays standards. I’ve never done geocaching, but I admit it does sound fun. I loved the descriptive scenery, Oregon is a place I’d love to visit. I can’t say I loved Wren, I found her naive. She demanded transparency and honesty, but didn’t fully follow her own rules. I could appreciate Marshall, helping others but putting his issues second. First book by this author and I look forward to reading her again.

Thanks to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.… (meer)

The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves is an exploration of grief, healing, and finding solace in nature. It’s a look at how you put yourself back together when your loss isn’t recognized, when you’re grieving something that wasn’t really there. Can you give yourself to another when you’re in the midst of chaos, or will you both suffer.

After life deals Wren a one-two knockout punch she’s “in dire need of experiences that will put [her] rage and sadness behind [her]”. She heads to Oregon to hike and geocache where she meets Marshall, a fellow traveler seeking his own renewal. As Wren and Marshall travel together, Wren opens up while Marshall becomes more closed off.

This is a beautiful story that is ultimately uplifting, but know yourself as a reader going in…where you are personally. I’m a lover of nature, feel most at home surrounded by my tree friends, so thought I’d love this story. I did, but it was a more difficult read for me right now as I strongly identified with Wren’s grief. That made it a much more melancholy read for me than it would have otherwise been. This speaks very much how accessible and vulnerable Graves has written Wren’s character.

I think it’s an excellent book for lovers of Katherine Center’s Happiness for Beginners, and readers who want romance with wanderlust, and a little Eat, Pray, Love.

I received an early copy from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, via Netgalley.… (meer)

Wren has been dealt a blow by life. She decides to travel and do some geocaching. She just wants to be alone. But, she runs into Marshall Hendricks. She was a bit short with him, she hopes he got the message. But when Wren finds herself in a dangerous situation, she is very glad to see Marshall!

Wren is definitely not looking for love. She has had enough! But after Marshall saves her, she knows she must be nice. And this turns into a great friendship. Wren finds herself wanting a bit more!

These two are so cute together and have such adorable chemistry, especially since neither one is looking for the other. It just happens! Makes for a cute story you can’t stop reading!

I have read almost all of this author’s books. I have enjoyed every one. My all time favorite is The Girl He Used to Know . So add that one to your list as well!

Need a “not looking for love” romance…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.… (meer)

Graves is one of those few authors that is on my auto buy list. She never fails to deliver and her latest book, The Trail of Lost Hearts, further cements my opinion. This book is written with eloquent prose and well-rounded characters that I quickly became involved with. Easily one of my favorite books so far this year.
The story is about two people, Wren and Marshall, that have each lost loved ones in tragic ways. They run into each other on a hiking trail while Geocaching. Later during the hike, Marshall rescues Wren from two unsavory characters she has chanced upon. Once they are out of danger, Marshall suggests they can continue as a team for security reasons.
Hesitantly, Wren accepts his offer and the two continue their geocaching together. Slowly, they form a friendship and Wren is able to open up to Marshall about her loss and betrayal. Marshall is a psychologist, and once Wren allows herself to be vulnerable, he is able to help her work through some of her feelings. However, Marshall is still working on his own issues. To top it off, the universe has one more big surprise that will put an even bigger wrench in the works for them. Sorry no spoilers, you will just have to read for yourself and see if they can work through all their ‘STUFF’ and find true happiness in each other.
So much to love in this moving story. The grief, guilt and host of other emotions involved with the healing process was tremendous. Both of these characters needed to work through so much pain and it had me just wanting to give them both a big hug and tell them everything would be okay. I have to admit that I cried right along with them. God I love when an author gives me all feels.
If you like a romance that is more than romance, this book has your name on it. Great characters and a plot that develops so naturally it feels like someone’s true story, it is one of those books that will have you reading into the wee hours to see what happens, just like I did.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.… (meer)