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fsmeurinne's review
4.0
I was deeply moved by the story of Wren Waters, who, following personal tragedies, finds an unexpected refuge in geocaching. This activity leads her on a transformative journey in Oregon, where she crosses paths with Marshall Hendricks, a psychologist facing his sorrows; their initial pragmatic alliance for safety blossoms into a profound bond, offering both a chance at healing. The book beautifully explores themes of grief, recovery, and the healing power of nature and human connection. I was particularly drawn to the unique backdrop of geocaching, which metaphorically underscores the story's exploration of searching for meaning and hope amidst life's trials. It's a poignant and uplifting tale that resonates deeply.
tinlizzyd08's review against another edition
4.0
I’m not a big romance reader but this one is well done and I’d say worth the read. It’s not easily predictable which I like (in fact, there’s a little surprise mid book I didn’t see coming at all!) and definitely not sappy with overworked feelings to prey on emotions like romances can be wont to do. This is my first book by Tracey Garvis Graves and I’m interested in checking out what else’s she’s got out there.
My only real criticism of the book was the pacing. The first half is a day by day, minute by minute story, full of detail and nuance. The second half changes to a more generalized and sped up timeline, and I felt it a bit rushed. Events happen pretty quickly and some big decisions are made with little explanation or reasoning, just an overnight change of heart, which made them less believable to me. But overall, a solid, quick read, great for snuggling up with a coffee on the couch.
Wren Waters finds herself in the Pacific Northwest on a trip to get away from her life after being dealt a pretty serious blow. She plans on hiking and geocaching by her lonesome but after a bad experience with two men who catch her alone out on the trail, she realizes this might not be the safest idea. Thankfully, a stranger and fellow hiker comes to her rescue before the two men could do any serious harm. Wren’s not really down for romance, but she also wants to finish her hiking week in safety and they decide to spend the week geocaching together. I won’t share the rest of the story so you can experience the tale unfolding yourself, but there’s some good twists and turns along the way and Wren has to do some true healing and personal exploration to get to a place where she’s ready to live again.
I won an ARC of this book on Goodreads and enjoyed getting to read this one early! The review is unsolicited and is my own.
My only real criticism of the book was the pacing. The first half is a day by day, minute by minute story, full of detail and nuance. The second half changes to a more generalized and sped up timeline, and I felt it a bit rushed. Events happen pretty quickly and some big decisions are made with little explanation or reasoning, just an overnight change of heart, which made them less believable to me. But overall, a solid, quick read, great for snuggling up with a coffee on the couch.
Wren Waters finds herself in the Pacific Northwest on a trip to get away from her life after being dealt a pretty serious blow. She plans on hiking and geocaching by her lonesome but after a bad experience with two men who catch her alone out on the trail, she realizes this might not be the safest idea. Thankfully, a stranger and fellow hiker comes to her rescue before the two men could do any serious harm. Wren’s not really down for romance, but she also wants to finish her hiking week in safety and they decide to spend the week geocaching together. I won’t share the rest of the story so you can experience the tale unfolding yourself, but there’s some good twists and turns along the way and Wren has to do some true healing and personal exploration to get to a place where she’s ready to live again.
I won an ARC of this book on Goodreads and enjoyed getting to read this one early! The review is unsolicited and is my own.
verbivoracious's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
winemakerssister's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
Crinkles & Sprinkles
After her life is upended, Wren goes on a journey - both literal and figurative. She's grieving and angry and escapes to the Pacific Northwest to go hiking and geocaching. There she meets up with Marshall, another geocacher, and after escaping a scary situation with his help, they end up deciding to continue their trip together. As friends and co-geocachers.
This is a quiet book... almost calm in nature, and basically divided into two sections. The first section is the hiking/geocaching and the second, Wren's life once she returns home. Even though there's a pretty strong romance, I'd definitely put it the Women's Fiction genre because the most important element is Wren's process of healing and growing as an adult able to cope with challenging situations. And better understanding her own needs and wishes.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of the audiobook. My opinions are my own.
Crinkles & Sprinkles
After her life is upended, Wren goes on a journey - both literal and figurative. She's grieving and angry and escapes to the Pacific Northwest to go hiking and geocaching. There she meets up with Marshall, another geocacher, and after escaping a scary situation with his help, they end up deciding to continue their trip together. As friends and co-geocachers.
This is a quiet book... almost calm in nature, and basically divided into two sections. The first section is the hiking/geocaching and the second, Wren's life once she returns home. Even though there's a pretty strong romance, I'd definitely put it the Women's Fiction genre because the most important element is Wren's process of healing and growing as an adult able to cope with challenging situations. And better understanding her own needs and wishes.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of the audiobook. My opinions are my own.
jampatgrant's review against another edition
DNF @63%. I want to preface that I have read 3 of TGG’s books and loved them, however, I did not like this book at all, almost from the very beginning. The writing was so blah and cathartic, I kept questioning if this is the same author who wrote the other books. The dialogue felt unrealistic.
Things were happening extremely fast in this book there was no time to actually like the characters, much less root for them. The surprise twist in the second half is where I tapped out, from there I could tell the direction the book was going and I had no interest to continue.
Things were happening extremely fast in this book there was no time to actually like the characters, much less root for them. The surprise twist in the second half is where I tapped out, from there I could tell the direction the book was going and I had no interest to continue.
michellesbeachreads's review
4.0
Wonderful book! This was the first book in a long time that I couldn't put down. I listened to the audiobook and Kate Handford's narration was perfect. I was captivated from the first chapter and enjoyed following Wren and Marshall's story of love, loss, grief, and new beginnings. The hiking adventures and the slow burn of going from friends to lovers was nice; however, I could have done without a chapter or two in the middle. The plot twist added another level to Wren's character and the story of healing on both parts was well written.
While we often focus on being in the wrong place at the wrong time, this book is a good reminder to also think about the times we were in the right place at the right time. The universe will always give us what we need.
The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars was the 2 middle chapters that I feel we didn't need. This was my first book by Tracey Garvis Graves and I look forward to reading her other books.
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an ARC of "The Trail of Lost Hearts" in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion.
While we often focus on being in the wrong place at the wrong time, this book is a good reminder to also think about the times we were in the right place at the right time. The universe will always give us what we need.
The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars was the 2 middle chapters that I feel we didn't need. This was my first book by Tracey Garvis Graves and I look forward to reading her other books.
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an ARC of "The Trail of Lost Hearts" in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion.
denaiir's review against another edition
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Murder and Pregnancy
earthgirl207's review against another edition
melindakiernan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
aallyoop_reads's review
4.0
4.5 stars!
I am a huge fan of Tracey Garvis Graves, and was ecstatic to receive an early copy of The Trail of Lost Hearts. As expected, this book was hard to put down. I flew through the short chapters and was swept up in the budding romance between Wren and Marshall. There were a lot of surprising twists throughout, that kept me engaged. I rooted for Wren as she dealt with unexpected and difficult events. I didn't think I would enjoy a story so focused on geo-caching, and I learned a ton about the activity! What a great read!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I am a huge fan of Tracey Garvis Graves, and was ecstatic to receive an early copy of The Trail of Lost Hearts. As expected, this book was hard to put down. I flew through the short chapters and was swept up in the budding romance between Wren and Marshall. There were a lot of surprising twists throughout, that kept me engaged. I rooted for Wren as she dealt with unexpected and difficult events. I didn't think I would enjoy a story so focused on geo-caching, and I learned a ton about the activity! What a great read!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.