All We Lost Was Everything

by Sloan Harlow

A sexy, dark romantic thriller—with a shocking twist—by the author of Everything We Never Said.

River Santos is stuck—in her job at the diner, in her dead-end town, in her grief. Her father died in a house fire just a few months ago, her mother has been MIA for nearly a year, and the only people she can count on are the aunt she lives with and her best friend Tawny.

Things feel like they’re turning around when Logan—the hot guy at the diner who’s always ignored her—seems interested. It’s complicated by her ex-boyfriend Noah, who she really needs closure with, and the fact that Tawny doesn’t think either of them is good enough for River… but the tension between River and Logan can’t be denied.

But love takes a backseat when new information surfaces about the fire. After all these months trying to move forward, River is forced to rethink everything… including the idea that maybe it wasn’t an accident after all. But who would commit this deadly act? And why?

River isn’t sure who to trust or who to turn to, but she needs to figure it out, fast. Because someone has more than love on their mind. They want revenge.

Genres: Romance, Thriller, Young Adult, Mystery, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Dark Romance

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 6, 2025

About the author

Sloan Harlow was interested in writing from a very young age. "Everything We Never Said," is her debut novel. She lives in Georgia with her black cat, Pabu, trying to eat as much Ube ice cream as possible.

https://www.instagram.com/sloanharlow...

Reviews

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

All We Lost Was Everything written by Sloan Harlow wasn't a horrible book by any means, in fact it was enjoyable with some shocking twists and turns, I felt the grief from the characters, don't get me wrong it was a very sad story, but it didn't make me cry like I was hoping for. I enjoyed this book for the most part, but the romantic scenes were very childish and a bit weird. When I first read the synopsis, I was hoping this book would make me sob, but unfortunately I only shed little tears here and there. I absolutely loved this authors debut novel last year Everything We Never Said by Sloan Harlow, but All We Lost Was Everything was just a mid read for me. As many of you know or should know by now, I'm a sucker for a pretty cover, and of course I think that cover is beautiful, so I had to get my hands on a copy immediately. I know many people will enjoy this book, so please don't let my review discourage you from reading this heart breaking story, in fact, please do yourself a favor and add this book to your to be read list, and or mark your calendars for May 6th, 2025 for the publication of All We Lost Was Everything written by Sloan Harlow. This definitely won't be my last from this author despite this book being a mid read. Those twists and turns had me looking like a deer in headlights, I was completely shocked and stunned.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND PENGUIN GROUP AND PENGUIN YOUNG READERS GROUP FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!!

"💗🙏It's not blood money-it's a life line. Just take it and say thank you💗🙏".

"😭💔My mom is gone. My dad is dead. And my life will never be the same😭💔".

"💝🎤May you find your muse. May I find my voice💝🎤".

"👿😲When I said everyone has secrets, I wasn't suggesting you stalk me to find out mine👿😲".

"🌵I'm not sure you are a real Arizonian if you haven't been stung by a scorpion🌵".
-Okay, I lived in Arizona for eight plus years and have never been stung by a scorpion before, does this not make me an Arizonian?

"💖💯I have already been through yesterday, and once was enough, thank you very much💖💯".


River Santos has been through hell and back. River's house caught on fire, she lost everything, her guitar, her songbooks, her diaries, her clothes, she lost everything, but most importantly she lost her father, Jay Santos. Jay was the only one who lost his life to the fire. The fire department says the fire caused extensive damage, they can't exactly say what caused the fire, but it was probably electrical issues since the house was so old and half broken. Ever since the fire, River has been deemed "lucky" she survived. After her eighteenth birthday, River's mom just left without a goodbye, she never even showed up to Jay's funeral. Jay Santos was a football coach at Mojave Prep and loved by many. Now River works at Gertie's diner. Logan Evans has been working at Gertie's diner for seven months, he literally hates River, he never talks to her, rarely smiles or shows any emotion toward her whatsoever besides irritation, so are they friends or enemies? Logan lost his mom Helen Evans, she was diagnosed with lung cancer, she went for surgery to remove the tumor but died under anesthesia. I have so many mixed feelings toward Logan, at times he was so rude, and other times he was so sweet. Logan is a master manipulator and a liar, he was such an angry kid in high school.

On his first day at the diner, River accidentally crashed into Logan with a tray full of Diet Cokes, and since then they have been on the wrong foot. It turns out that Logan and River have both been feeding Tigery, the stray cat behind the diner. Logan and River both long for people that were taken from them too soon. Logan always flirts with River but always makes excuses and runs, they even binge text each other after Logan found River crying on a crate of oranges. Okay, let's get to the romantic aspect, their make out sessions were so weird, Logan would lick inside River's ears and she likes it, I'm sorry but that was just weird to me, it was like they didn't know how to make out, they would just suck each other's faces. River's best friend, Tawny McGill set up a GoFundMe for River because she was constantly behind on bills, homeowner's insurance had lapsed. After the fire, River had literally nothing to her name, so Tawny decided to help out her best friend. The GoFundMe donations would come in tens of thousands dollars from people River knew and even people from faraway states who had heard about her story, someone anonymously donated two million dollars. Throughout the story, River is on a mission to find out who donated two million dollars to her GoFundMe. Again, I appreciated the mystery aspect of this book, but the romance aspect was just so weird to me, like I don't know, licking the inside of someone's ear makes me a little uncomfortable. I don't want to say too much, so if you want to know more and be surprised and shocked, please do yourself a favor and read All We Lost Was Everything.

[ari [gin’s vrsn 🩵] [semi ia] · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf at 47%

i’m sorry but i couldn’t stand the writing, or the characters, or the plot.

really it was all just trashy. and not trashy like a reality tv show you want to binge.

i’m guessing this just wasn’t my cup of tea, but usually i love thriller/romance books.

this just wasn’t it.

it all seemed so surface value and even tho this book was supposed to be tragic and dripping in grief, i just couldn’t connect.
the emotions didn’t feel real to me.

i would’ve rather spent my time studying for the test i have coming up then have wasted it on this 🫤😀

[⭒emmi⋆m ⭒ · Rating 3 out of 5]

#𝘗𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘛𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 #penguinteen 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 #gifted 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺! ✨

3.5 🌱| Fast-paced, dramatic thriller. Twisty. Dark. Relentless suspense. This book had me gasping. The twists. The turns. It unpacks a lot (grief, loss, substance abuse, abandonment, forgiveness) creating the feels from the start.

[Kimberly R · Rating 4 out of 5]

River Santos house goes up in flames. She is pulled out of the fire to safety but tragically loses her father. She works in a cafe with her best friend Tawny and hot waiter Logan. Their lives intertwine and dark secrets come to light. This was a touching romantic mystery that had me glued to the pages. Loved the characters and the twists. Thanks NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Publish date is May 6, 2025.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast, exciting read!! I enjoyed all the characters, especially River. She struggled so much with all the losses in her life.

I love twisty plots but this one was almost too much… I would have been perfectly happy with an ending at about 80% of the book. 4.5 🌟Just my opinion!

Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think you NetGalley for the eARC
I honestly really enjoyed this! I was a little nervous going in because her other book was just "ok" for me, but this one had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! It's a nice ya thriller with a side plot of romance, I honestly didn't guess most of the plot twists till right before they happened. I will say though that while yes I didn't guess them some of them weren't great plot twists, but the fact that I still didn't guess them gets the book bonus points. This author really improved from her last book and I love that! This book is perfect for YA readers looking for a good murder mystery with some romance, but it's definitely for older YA readers.

[zolarex · Rating 5 out of 5]

this story is everything

and these plot twists... this book constantly surprised me and I couldn't predict a single thing

[b00k l0v3r · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy plot twists
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
🌶️

😈 Content Warnings
• Parental death and house fire
• Grief and emotional betrayal
• Family secrets and manipulation
• Teen alcohol use and romantic tension  

💕 Tropes
• Grieving heroine
• Secret‑beneath‑the-tragedy mystery
• Love‑interest with hidden depths
• Dual POV
• Small-town setting with big lies

📖 Perfect for Readers Who Liked/similar books…
• One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
• If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin
• Everything We Never Said by Sloan Harlow

🧭 Age Recommendation
14+

🎵 Song Match
“Fix You” by Coldplay

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 solid stars! I read Harlow's debut last year and devoured it within a sitting or two, and her 2nd book was no exception! Another dark, romantic thriller that is *technically* YA, but doesn't read like one necessarily. The characters are definitely young (high school/early college) which I typically don't love, but don't mind in these! Loved the mystery, short chapters and twists! If you're in a reading slump, her books are a great way to get out of it!

Thank you NetGalley & PenguinTeen for the ARC!

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those dramatic, cheesy YA reads that you just can't put down.

So, sometimes you just need a captivating read, even if it's not the most well-written. Are the characters mostly tropes, without much behind them? Oh well. I still couldn't put this book down: I found it totally addictive.

River loses her dad in a house fire and her mom has disappeared. While she's grappling with that, she falls for Logan, who works with her at the local diner. He too has a deceased parent. Logan is, of course, the smoldering bad boy type. River has a "ride or die" best friend in Tawny, who also works at the diner, and a rich ex, Noah, who dumped her shortly before the fire changed her whole world.

EVERYTHING is a wild mix of romance and mystery. It walks and talks like a YA read, but there are certainly some steamy scenes. While I was intrigued by River and Logan's love story, I'll admit that it was pretty much insta-love, and what really got me hooked were the portions delving into the fire, her mom's disappearance, and her parents' past. There are some awesome decent twists and surprises along the way.

This story is rife with the histrionics of teenagers--many of the chapters end with dramatic declarations--and River and Logan are hot one day, icy cold the next. Still, if you let yourself go with the flow, it's enjoyable to get caught up in their spectacle and craziness.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers in return for an unbiased review.

[kaz ruby 𐙚 ‧₊˚ ⋅]

DNF’d @ 25%

I fear this is just a tad too YA for me, hence the no rating. i’m sure YA me would’ve ate this up tho so honestly i do recommend it to my YA loving peeps, maybe it’ll work for you better than it did for me

[Iris Bicho · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apesar de super deprimentes adoro os livros desta autora, super viciantes com várias reviravoltas e uma escrita incrível. Se não leram nada da autora preparem se para não puderem confiar em ninguém.

[Nishana · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a ARC

this book was... an interesting experience. i tried to give it the benefit of the doubt the entire way through, especially since it was a thriller and i wanted to believe that maybe the author was trying to mislead the reader with the sub-par writing... unfortunately i was wrong.

everything about this book read like an unedited wattpad story. every character existed solely as an archetype (the bad boy love interest, the ex boyfriend, the best friend) and none of them actually felt like real characters with personalities. there was no complexities or layers to a single supporting character in the story.

additionally, the mystery element was very predictable. not a single red-herring, and everything was just revealed so easily and conveniently. there was one part in particular, where the protagonist picked a lock within seconds with absolutely no explanation of how she learned to do something like this. like i mentioned, it all felt too easy.

it also felt as though both the author and publisher don't know who the target audience for this book are supposed to be. the book is published under penguin's ya imprint, reads as very ya and has a teenage protagonist, but then for some reason is marketed as "sexy and romantic". and then reading the book, everything is very ya aside from the multiple dragged out sex scenes/makeout scenes. sex scenes sometimes do have a place in ya books, considering that sex can be part an important part of the teenage experience, however, these very much read as adult romance-type sex scenes. it just didn’t make sense within this story.

the romance also was not well written in the slightest. since logan barely had a personality, the romance felt like it lacked so much substance. everything just moved so fast and it felt as though the two characters were more in lust than love. logan as a character very much read as a perfect stereotypical brooding love interest. every single action of his felt like it came out of the fantasy of what a straight girl would want in a dream boyfriend. nothing about him actually felt like a unique and believable character.

my final opinion of this book is that it needed some serious editing. like, several more rounds of drafts before it went to the printer. it is so underdeveloped in every aspect despite its interesting synopsis.

[Katie Followell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the copy of "All We Lost Was Everything"! If my honest review makes you curious, this book is expected to be published in May of 2025!

AWLWE was a very enjoyable story to read, in my opinion. It flowed well, and there were nights where I had to stay up late to see what was going to happen next.

My thought oftentimes was that I couldn't tell what this book was supposed to be. Sometimes I thought it was a YA book, sometimes I thought romance, sometimes I thought mystery, sometimes I just thought women's fiction. Of course, books don't have to be just one genre-- but when you sometimes can't tell if this is aimed towards teenagers-- a steamy sex scene (which there are a few) seemed a little surprising. I also was very confused because the "letters from mom" really started to appear halfway through the book and it was typically after River had texted her, so I was like "oh so she wrote back?" Maybe these sequences will be more understanding in physical print.

This is a fun read and the twists are insane. I do recommend it, but I recommend it for ages 18+. There are some dark emotions with it, sex, violence, etc.

[Crush Critiques · Rating 2 out of 5]

There’s so much going on in this book. A lot. Yet despite everything going on, it’s a bit repetitive at times when it shouldn’t be. It also seems like the author was unsure of what genre they wanted to write and therefore just threw a bunch of random plot elements in to see what happens, which muddled up the story somewhat. Pacing seemed a bit off to me as well.

There’s also the insta-love relationship which was completely underwhelming and imo unnecessary. I think Logan would have been a much more interesting character had he remained as aloof and uncaring as he started out. He seemed really bland and underdeveloped to me, like he was more of an idea rather than an actual person. Note, there is some spice in what is otherwise a YA novel, so potential readers should keep that in mind.

My main issue with this book however is that one of the plot points is based on a 2 million dollar donation to the FMC’s Go Fund Me being completely anonymous. That isn’t possible. All donations are visible to the organizer and the members; it can only be anonymous to the public. That’s a big plot point to have incorrect and to be missed by editors.

There’s a few other minor issues that should have been fixed/addressed but weren’t, like the bank forgoing company policy regarding safety deposit boxes simply because they know who you are, or picking a lock in seconds despite never doing it before.

I think I might just be the wrong audience for this book. It definitely reads as YA despite the spice, and I’m sure it would be an enjoyable read as long as you don’t question anything written and just take it as fact (like the anonymous $2Mil). There’s lots of twists and a whole lot going on, so I can see how this would be enjoyable for some, unfortunately that wasn’t me.

I received an ARC of this book via G. P. Putnam’s Sons/Penguin Random House and NetGalley, however this review is completely my own unbiased personal opinion, left of my own volition.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of ALL WE LOST WAS EVERYTHING by Sloan Harlow in exchange for my honest review.***

ALL WE LOST WAS EVERYTHING grabbed me from the getgo. I became immediately invested in River’s story.

Sloan Harlow did a magnificent job making River well-rounded. I’m so glad Harlow didn’t fall into the trope of making River the grieving girl who pushes everyone away, until a manic pixie boy made her realize she could accept help. Harlow accepted the GoFund me, albeit reluctantly, she accepted support from her best friend Tawny and her aunt Tita Anna. River was strong, yet vulnerable.

The plot of ALL WE LOST WAS EVERYTHING was filled with twists and turns that made sense as well as red herrings.

Hopeful YA writers should read ALL WE LOST WAS EVERYTHING for a masterclass on storytelling.

[CYIReadBooks (Claire) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I probably expected more after reading the description, but I couldn't get past the 33% mark. The pacing felt very slow with too much time spent on repetitive moments that didn't move the story forward. I had difficulty connecting with River and the other characters.

The house fire that sets everything off seemed suspicious, but the story didn't dig into enough early on to keep my attention. The same with River's mom disappearing without a trace -- a mystery that was just left there without enough mystery or clues to keep me engaged.

I wanted to enjoy this novel, but the pacing and flat characters just didn't make it worthwhile to keep me interested. Maybe the pacing picks up later, but it I just didn't have it in me to move forward. A one star DNF at 33%

I received a DRC from Penguin Young Readers through NetGalley. This review is my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Kimberly Hoisington · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the characters to be annoying, and the main storyline to be predictable. I might have enjoyed reading this when I was in high school, but definitely not as an adult.

[Sandra Castro · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book opens with grief, guilt, and a heavy sense of aftermath. A group of friends, a devastating loss, and a past that refuses to stay buried set the tone for a story that wants to explore how one moment can fracture everything that comes after.

The narrative moves between the present and the memories leading up to the tragedy, slowly revealing what really happened and who carries the blame. There’s emotional weight here, the characters are dealing with grief, secrecy, and fractured relationships, and the atmosphere stays somber throughout.

Some moments hit hard, especially when the truth starts to surface and friendships begin to unravel. However, the pacing can feel uneven. Certain emotional beats are repeated without adding much depth, while some revelations that should land harder feel rushed or underexplored. A few characters blur together, making it harder to fully invest in everyone’s role in the story.

Overall, "All We Lost Was Everything" has a strong emotional core and an interesting premise, but it doesn’t fully deliver on its potential. It’s reflective and heavy, but not always gripping, and the impact of the story fades a bit once the mystery is resolved.

[meg *ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi ia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an eARC in exchange for an honest reviews.

I loved Sloan Harlow's other title Everything We Never Said, so I was excited to see this pop up and dive in when I had the time.

This was not a horrible book by any means, in all reality, it was the good. The emotions, grief, twists, and turns. I just felt like some of the outbursts were... too much, too emotional... and it just wasn't anything like her last title between the writing. It was just more of an okay read for me, but don't let me review discourage you or anyone else from reading it at all.

[Samm 🍄🥀🌙🪐⚡️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to #NetGalley , thge publisher and Slan Harlow for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

Honestly, this was a good book. It wasn't something that will sit with me for a long time after, but I enjoyed my time with this book. It was a very fast paced read.

I think I honestly just read to many books with plot twists that I very rarely do not see them coming, so for me the big reveal was a little predictable - BUT STILL ENJOYABLE.

I definitely will be giving this authors other work a chance.

[Lizzy Brannan · Rating 4 out of 5]

GRIT STRONGER THAN BLOOD and LOVE HOTTER THAN FIRE.

River Santos works at the local diner with the strangely aloof Logan Evans and her best friend Tawny. It's been nine months since her house burned to the ground and she lost everything, including her father. As she scrambles to rebuild her life, living with her Tita Anna, she begins to uncover dark pieces of her family's past. Life begins to pivot when Logan saves her from a situation with her ex. He is doing his best to steer clear of River, but they seem to magnetize instead. Logan is hiding something. What happens when River begins to learn the truth and loses more than she thought she had?

Sloan Harlow managed to create real characters in which the reader is allowed into the healing process of trauma. In my opinion and experience, this does not happen often in books. Most of the time, a writer skips over healing and barrels into the next inciting incident. But in this book, there is both. It's impressive and admirable for a YA read. The dramatic irony and sequence of events are a draw to this novel. This is the stronger of Sloan Harlow's two novels so far. It's worth the time!

[Fizah(Books tales by me) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating 3.5
Thanks to Penguin Teen and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for review copy in exchange for an honest review

The main character, River Santos, has been going through a lot—first losing her dad in a fire and then having her mom disappear. After her childhood home and memories are burned in the fire, she has to move in with her Tia. She’s stuck in her town with the same people, their sympathy, and her old job. When Logan, a new guy at work, suddenly seems interested after ignoring her for months, life stops feeling that bad. Her best friend Tawny doesn’t think it’s a good idea, and her ex, Noah, is back in town.

It was a thriller, but not gonna lie, I was really into Logan and River’s story. It was cheesy romance, but I needed that 😂. Also, the romance was 18+, so the book was targeted toward a bit older audience. I found River and Tawny’s friendship a bit lacking. The story behind the fire and the mystery around River’s mom kept me hooked. The book does a great job of mixing romance and mystery. I didn’t see any of the twists coming because I was too involved in the romance *guilty*. However, the ending felt too much to me. Just when I thought everything was wrapped up, surprises kept coming, which made me wish the story had ended a little earlier.

If you like a fast-paced mix of romance, suspense, and mystery, you’ll probably enjoy it.

[Anni (annithebookaholic) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an arc of this book. All opinions are completely my own.

This was a good thriller! I really liked the characters and how the different relationship dynamics played into the story. The writing was good and done in a way that suits the book.

The ending was sooo good, and while I did see it coming, I felt like it was the most perfect way to conclude the book. Overall, I really recommend this to anyone looking for a thrilling read.

Finally, I do want to note that while this is marketed as a young adult thriller, I would personally categorize it more towards new adult as the characters are 18, and the explicit scenes in this are also more 18+ in their nature. It's definitely suitable for the older side of YA readers but not the younger ones, at least in my opinion.

[౨ৎ Allison ౨ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5 stars. Gasping for air actually bc wtf was that plot twist.

[Julianne Breton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ça été un peu long avant que j’embarque dans l’histoire, mais finalement j’ai vraiment aimé! Une histoire d’amour entremêlée avec une intrigue et des punchs vraiment surprenants!

[Jaded book lover 🤓 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The cover is what initially peaked my interest, but ultimately I decided to give it a shot thinking this would be an easy read, just a typical romance with perhaps a few twists and turns - which I do rather enjoy. I really wasn’t expecting this to keep me engaged, but I found the complexities of the storyline, characters and how everything plays out in the book rather surprising. Most of the time with thrillers I have the ending figured out well before I’m half way through…..I was correct in thinking there would be some twists but things didn’t exactly play out as I had thought they would.

I got the same vibes with this book that I did when reading some of Colleen Hoover’s books and also the first book of the Knockemout series (Things We Never Got Over) by Lucy Score. I will absolutely be sharing this book with fellow romance readers. Those that are considering the description of dark romance, please keep in mind that all though there are spicy parts, this is not smut. If you’re looking to dabble in a mysterious, drama filled romance with some steamy sections, then this might be just the book for you. I will throw out there that there may be a few triggers for those who are sensitive to alcohol abuse, loss of a parent, and grief.

I would like to thank Sloan Harlow, NetGalley, and PENGUIN GROUP for the advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review. Very rarely do I give out five stars but this book really caught my attention and kept me wanting to know how everything would work out in the end. I can’t wait to see what Sloan Harlow comes up with next

[Natalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book hooked me right away with its mysterious premise—River survives a house fire she doesn’t remember escaping, and the only clue is a dreamlike memory of someone pulling her out and kissing her temple. Then a massive anonymous donation—two million dollars—shows up on her GoFundMe page, and she has no idea who it’s from or why.

Logan, the love interest and coworker, is broody and secretive. His point of view is included in short, darker chapters that add tension, but I found his character didn’t have much room to grow, which made it harder to connect with him. And just as things are getting complicated, River’s ex-boyfriend Noah reappears—the one who broke her heart and left without explanation—bringing even more emotional chaos to her already fragile world.

As River starts looking into her father’s past (after discovering something unsettling in his safe deposit box), her life begins to unravel. The story explores themes of grief, trauma, and identity, with a strong emotional undercurrent.

While I was initially intrigued, I struggled to stay connected to the characters as the plot became somewhat…unhinged. Unfortunately the book just didn’t quite land—but I can see how others might enjoy it.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC!

[Katie Vogel · Rating 5 out of 5]

River Santos's life is upended when she loses her father and her house in a fire. With her mother MIA, she tries to pick up the pieces and carry on with the help of her best friend and her aunt. The mysteries are endless - why did her boyfriend break up with her? Who is the anonymous donor to her Go Fund Me page? Where is her mother and why hasn’t she returned? This thriller (with some romance!) was enjoyable and I didn’t see any of the twists coming.

That said, there were some clunky moments. Specifically, the placement of the letters from mom. I think they should’ve been their own sections and not placed randomly at the end of some chapters. I also wasn’t totally sure who the target audience was for this book. It gave me YA vibes, but then there were some romantic scenes that gave me pause - the characters are technically adults but I felt that some of the sexier scenes were more graphic than I’d expect from an otherwise YA seeming novel.

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Random House for the advanced copy.

[Ana M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great YA read! It had the right amount of romance, suspense, and twists. It is not smutty, which I liked. And talk about twists!! I didn't see them coming! I loved the fact that almost each character had a secret, and they just kept getting better and better!

I recommend it! 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.