When tragedy shatters Crimson Sage’s world, strength feels like a cruel myth. Still reeling from loss, she’s forced to confront a painful truth, and her survival demands more than grit—it demands heart.
Sometimes love forces you to fight…
Enter Josiah, the rugged foreman whose dangerous charm and addictive presence turn her life upside down. When he slings her over his shoulder and tosses her into the ranch’s pond with a gruff ultimatum—sink or swim—Crimson learns that love can be as brutal as it is beautiful.
Sometimes love blooms in the most unexpected places…
In the raw, untamed landscape of the Idaho wilderness, heartbreak lingers like dust in the air, and secrets never stay buried. But Crimson and Josiah’s fiery connection sparks hope from the ashes of despair, offering second chances, because sometimes you have to be lost in order to be found.
The Lost and Found is a steamy. yet clean closed door romance featuring he falls first, forced proximity, and protective hero tropes with faith elements—be sure to read the Author’s Note at the beginning for trigger warnings.
Author of steamy, yet clean and closed door romances. Classy, sassy, steamy, and clean...
A child of divorce and abuse, E. L. Irwin found escape in reading and writing. She’s a self-described romantic-rebel who wears her heart on her sleeve and tends to shoot from the hip on subjects that matter. E.L. lives in the Pacific Northwest on a small farm with her husband, children, and multiple animals. When not reading or writing romance, E.L. enjoys, riding horses, going for drives, tattoos, antique shopping, starry nights, the smell and sound of rain, a deep red wine, a smooth whisk(e)y, camping, bonfires, and hanging out with her horses, cows, chickens, ducks, and goats.
Yet again, E.L. Irwin delivers another powerful and emotional read. Josiah and Crimson’s story is a total tearjerker that takes you through every feeling imaginable: heartbreak, pain, hope, healing, and just enough suspense to keep you turning the pages.
Crimson’s life changes in an instant. After losing her parents, she and her brother Ethan are sent to live with their grandfather on his ranch, which also serves as a group home for troubled boys. While unpacking, Crimson finds a box of letters her mother left behind and uncovers a devastating secret that adds even more weight to her grief. It hits her hard, and it starts to completely consume her.
Josiah, one of the main ranch hands who helps her grandfather run the home, has been quietly watching over her since she arrived. He gives her space to grieve, but when he realizes she’s been isolating herself for too long, he steps in and pushes her to start living again. As he helps her heal, Josiah opens up about his own past, and together they begin to find light in the darkness.
But not everything on the ranch is peaceful. One of the boys starts to take an unhealthy interest in Crimson, putting her safety and everyone’s nerves on edge. Josiah becomes fiercely protective, determined to keep her safe, even if it means keeping her close. What’s not safe, though, are their hearts. As their feelings deepen, both struggle to stay within the boundaries they’ve set. Josiah has more relationship experience, while Crimson has been waiting until marriage, and their growing attraction tests their resolve. When insecurities and doubts creep in, Crimson has to learn to trust Josiah’s words and actions instead of the fears telling her she isn’t enough...or she risks losing the one person who made her want to live again!
Watching these two fall in love is such a beautiful journey. I can’t wait to read the next book now that I’ve met Fynn.
I received a complimentary copy, and this review reflects my honest opinion.
Content Info: This is a closed-door romance with level 3 intimacy. There are no explicit scenes, as the couple is waiting until marriage, but the kisses are definitely steamy. The story also touches on sensitive topics, including sexual assault, child abuse, and the death. Read the authors content warnings.
Warning: I am not a professional writer, I’m a basic girl with a decent vocabulary. I was given this ARC to read and review with MY personal thoughts.
My first thoughts I have to write are as follows:
WOW. This is my first EL Irwin book and it will NOT be the last!
Characters: Well fleshed out. Dynamic arcs.
Plot: The plot, plots. And then it thickens.
Setting: Beautiful ranch in Idaho.
Trigger warning: A few, but nothing overtly happens on page.
Writing: Very well done. Dual POV.
Spicy? Issa bell pepper. Only kisses. Our man has a firm resolve to respect boundaries. 🤌🏼
Let’s talk about it.
Characters: FMC: Crimson. Petite blonde. Would seem fragile but is so, so strong. Her mental fortitude is so well done. You see she has weaknesses, just like all of us, but she digs deep and overcomes them, no matter how difficult.
MMC: Josiah. Big, burly, tattooed, pierced, red-headed stud muffin that is all alpha male. But boy is he a cinnamon roll for our girl and a SWOON worthy one at that. He falls first and he falls SO hard. He’s going to protect her from everything, including herself, until his dying breath. We love to see it.
Side characters: Billy, Ethan and Gracie are well fleshed out characters that definitely add to the story, they don’t just exist for funsies. The bad guys? Give you the ick immediately. There’s one character, I won’t name them, but I think my feelings for this person has changed from their introduction to the end of the book. I’ll be interested to see if they show up elsewhere in the series.
Plot: Well thought out, some twists and turns. The predictable parts weren’t predictable in a bad way. Like you knew what/something would pass but not HOW it would end up happening if that makes any sense haha. Ideas weren’t half baked, everything flowed so well. The story takes place over about a year and a half, I believe, but nothing seems rushed or unfinished. The big to do? Knew who it would involve but WOW I wasn’t expecting THAT! Kudos for writing that pivotal scene SO well. The climax happens toward the end of the book, but that mountain we climbed to get there? Perfection. Our main characters have so much chemistry and tension, it’s lovely without going into any of the hot and heavy steam, which I so appreciate.
Setting: This I can sort of spoil without spoiling. Set on a ranch in Idaho, small town. Well described without going into so much detail you get lost in the weeds, if you will.
Trigger warnings: Nothing is graphic or overtly on page, but taken directly from the author’s website: grief and depression are experienced by the FMC, as is the topic of rape, child abuse, sexual assault, self-defense, and abortion.
Very well done and I can’t wait to devour more of her books!
**UPDATE/10-27-21** Just wanted to give readers a heads up. Currently, The Lost and Found, is NOT available to purchase (unless you'd like to purchase a signed paperback copy directly from me) because my publisher has decided to close its doors and has reverted all rights back to me. I have recently signed with a literary agent and hope to have some good news soon regarding the availability of this novel. In addition to this, I am in the process of plotting a sequel that will be about Cam, Rafe, and Fynn, Sage's three friends from Nags Head, North Carolina.
I forgot how much I loved writing this story, forgot the emotion... Josiah and Crimson have a special relationship. I hope you enjoy reading their story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks, and take care!
HOLY MOLY BATMAN. Just when I thought I knew where this book was going, I was shocked at the plot twist that came. The amount of times I had to cover the screen so I wouldn't read ahead is too many to count. I cried, I laughed out loud, I even screamed. The bond I felt to the female main character amazed me. And oh my heavens the male main character. He reminded me so much of my husband so maybe I'm biased. Just read it to find out for yourself ;)
I just finished reading Lost and Found, E.L. Irwin’s second novel. For me, the story and characters had an intriguing aura of realism and truth. Erwin didn’t just guide her readers through the story she seemed to immerse them into the story. Irwin achieved two goals with Lost and Found. She created an entertaining story line for young readers and she infused that story line with a message. The message is that life is a journey of both good and bad experiences and that life goes on in spite of those experiences. Ms. Irwin used a unique technique to develop her characters, Sage and Josiah. She introduce Sage’s character in a rush at the start of the book. Josiah’s character revealed itself slowly over the length of the book as Sage became more involved with her young counterpart. The different character development techniques worked off each other as a dance of sorts. I rate Lost and Found four and a half stars just because I would have preferred more closure on some of the story threads. I count E.L. Irwin high on my list of my favorite and most impressive people. I highly recommend Lost and Found. As a techy, I am also looking forward to Ms. Irwin’s future foray into science fiction. by Jeff Bailey author of The Defect
I had a ton of mixed emotions when it came to this story. In the beginning I was so intrigued and couldn’t get enough. By the middle I felt like putting it down and just not finishing it. I stuck it out and the end got better, but it fell short for me. The ending was good, don’t get me wrong, but I felt it could have been a lot better than it was. I also thought it was quite predictable and I knew what was going to happen by the middle of the book as soon as certain characters were introduced. I don’t want to put any spoilers on here so I won’t go in to much details, but I did like the happy ever after at the end. I loved Crimson and Josiah, the two main characters. I would have loved to hear more about Crimson’s grandfather Billy and more about Crimson’s parents. Also, I was dying to hear more about the “wolf” of a man named Josiah and more about what made him the man he is today. Overall, It was an enjoyable read and that's why I gave it 3.5 Stars. I think this author has a lot of potential and I would give the author another try. This was reviewed by Leandra for HeadTripping Books.
I just want to say that I don’t normally leave reviews. I was looking for a Christian romance with some romantic suspense and tension and this author delivered in spades! I’ve been married for over 30 years and I have to say, I’d want a Josiah for my daughter! I have a wonderful husband myself but every mother wants the best for her kids, and that includes them finding a great partner in life. The H and h are great together. I loved how Josiah communicated his desire for Crimson but respected her as well. There was never any doubt about his or her desire for each other. They got to know each other outside the sexual tension and became friends first and for most. I’ve shared this book with my 15y/o daughter in hopes she can understand how she should be treated by a man (not a boy). The other characters, villains in the story, were portrayed well. There was enough detail to let you know what was going on but not enough graphics to make it uncomfortable to read. Overall a great book! I’ll be looking for the next in this series as well as others from this author for sure! Great job!
The Lost and Found will be re-released November 16, 2025! It got a complete revision, a new blurb/book description, and cover. I just uploaded the new one, but it may take a couple days to display here. Just wanted to give you a heads-up. So far, Betas are loving it. *Happy dance* When it publishes, you can get in on KU and Amazon. Stay tuned.
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I was privileged to read the ARC. While it is a closed-door romance, don't let that mislead you. The book still delivers steamy moments, and you can feel the intense desire between the characters. Crimson and her brother are recovering from a loss, and Crimson uncovers a secret she is struggling to accept. She is immersed in grief, but Josiah appears to understand exactly what she needs to heal. Josiah is a strong, rugged man who may seem dangerous at first. His charm begins to draw Crimson in, yet she is also healing and growing into a confident woman who knows her desires. This book is available on Kindle Unlimited.
The Lost and Found is my favorite of EL Irwin’s books. Gritty topics, a unique setting, passionate, respectful chemistry, and that thread of suspense kept me always eager to go back to finish reading. I really enjoyed this story!
What an intense and emotionally read. Josiah and Crimson’s story is beautiful and heartbreaking. They are both so strong and learned to persevere through hard times. I am always so taken by EL Irwin’s words and can never get enough. Four stars
I was given an advanced reader copy of this book for an honest review free of persuasion from the author or anyone else affiliated with this book.
I felt so sad for Sage and her little brother, Ethan. Their parents are killed in a car wreck and they are left alone with no known family. Until their grandfather, their mother's father, shows up and takes custody of Ethan and offers a place for Sage. Their lives have been turned upside down and inside out. Part of this is being moved from Virginia to Idaho. You are brought into the deep darkness of Sage's existence. Her turmoil and depression and dedication to her brother are the main issues she is dealing with.
I really liked this book. The author did a great job of putting you right into the emotions of a young woman. She makes the story seem so real. I enjoyed seeing Sage brought back into feeling and living rather than barely existing.
I would highly recommend this book for young adults and anyone else who enjoys a love story with all the ups and downs of characters dealing with their own demons and searching for a happy ever after. The story is clean. There is no gratuitous sex or other situations that require anything more than maybe a PG rating. It is refreshing to read this type of story.
I immediately fell in love with Josiah. He was perfect for Crimson, tender and patient. I loved the way their relationship progressed. Crimson had a lot to overcome, and at times, this wasn't an easy book to read due to subject material but the author did a great job in telling the story. I loved that it was a dual point of view, both Josiah's and Crimson's. There was just enough push and pull between the two main characters, steam and intrigue to have me finishing this book in one day. I couldn't stop reading. E.L. Irwin has a way of telling a story that immediately draws you in and refuses to let go until you turn the last page.
I will say that while I don’t mind romance in the books I read I’ve never really read a full romance novel. I decided to read The Lost and Found by E. L. Irwin as it’s 2nd book birthday was this week. Wow! I absolutely loved it! It had everything that a great novel needs. A great story, characters you care about, suspense and yes romance. What I loved is that the author was able to do all of this without feeling the need to include language or sex. Yes it got steamy at times but never over the line. I commend her for that! I will be reading her other book Out of the Blue soon. Please do yourself a favor and read her books! She’s also a very kind and appreciative author!!
This is a great story. It's we'll written. The story wasn't rushed. I absolutely loved Crimson and Josiah and how they interacted. Josiah was definitely my favorite. The more I read of him the more I loved him. E.L. Irwin has a great talent for telling stories.
This was my first by E.L. Irwin and I enjoyed it so much! I really loved the beautiful journey of Crimson and Josiah falling in love. There is a pretty dynamic plot that keeps you on your toes. You think it is going one way but then surprise, plot twist! Set in a small town on a ranch. Crimson and her brother Ethan’s life change in a second and find themselves moving to Idaho with a Grandfather they didn’t know about. Josiah works on the ranch and helps Crimson with starting to live again and work through her grief. Their story takes you through a lot of emotions but has you constantly wanting to turn the page and know what is next! *Closed door romance with no explicit scenes. Plenty of steamy kisses but our MMC respects boundaries and they are waiting for marriage *
I was one of the lucky ones that was able to read this as an ARC reader. This is my opinion only.
Clean Romance (closed door) Passion Love
The story is great, it's a slow burn, and it deals with real-life situations. How to deal with loss, and on the other side, how to deal with a troubled past. I was glued to the book until around the 50% mark, then I got into, ok I know what needs to happen in order to have a happy ending. At times, it was just dragged out a little. You were definitely able to feel the passion and love between both of the main characters, and also had some old-fashioned characteristics you don't see that often anymore.