First Love Last Love: A Novel

by Adele Griffin

A Star is Born meets Christina Lauren’s Love and Other Words in this deeply romantic, emotionally sweeping novel about first love, fame, and the long road to finding yourself—even if it takes a lifetime.

When the past collides with the present—literally—one woman must decide if the life she built is the one she truly wants, or just the one she chose.

Vida Jamison favors the reliable and the unsurprising—the things she can count on. But all it takes is a winter storm, a chance encounter, and a familiar voice to turn certainty into quicksand.

Elijah Beck, her first love and most enduring wildcard, is back in town.

He might have struck gold on the stage, writing the soundtrack to the lives of a generation, but for Vida, he’s just the one person who has always known how to get under her skin. Elijah, for all his talent and magnetism, has spent a lifetime being wanted but never quite held—by the industry that made him famous, by the fans who adored him from a safe distance. When an accident lands them in the hospital, Vida has to face the question she’s spent two decades avoiding: Is Elijah her greatest mistake, or the love she was always meant to find again?

Nostalgia is a tricky thing. The past can pull you under just as easily as it can set you free.

Genres: Romance

368 pages, Paperback

Expected publication November 3, 2026

About the author

I'm on Goodreads a lot as a reader-- my author bio has always been a copy-paste of my Wikipedia. But now it seems like the right time and place to delete the old 3rd person official bio and add some backstory on my upcoming book FIRST LOVE LAST LOVE. (It's out November 3, and available now on NetGalley.)

Growing up in a single-parent home in Rhode Island, I was often in my mother's Toyota Corolla as she juggled work with bank and grocery errands, plus three kids' dentist appointments and after-school activities. A lot of car time! Her go-to calm was music, so her glove box stacked with cassette tapes, including Dan Fogelberg's The Innocent Age. There was this one particular song about an old romance meetup-- years later in a grocery story on a winter night-- that absolutely gutted her. My little brothers and I never would have asked, but we knew this song was Not making her think about our dad. And every time she played it, she was lost to private old memories. I was probably writing that romance in my head even then.

What happens when the great love of your life suddenly returns? How much of that first love is about the person, and how much of it is about who you used to be? And if that old song comes calling, do you stay inside the life you've carefully built, the one that makes sense, or risk it for the possibility of another self, another life?

This story belongs to Vida and Elijah, but I think the pull of these choices belongs to everyone. Writing the book certainly made me think all about ambition and motherhood and marriage and regret, and all the younger selves we have to leave behind-- and I think that's one of the the things I enjoy most about writing-- you begin somewhere that feels so real and known, and then by the end, you've made something so unexpected, and a whole different space from where you began.
xA.

website: www.adelegriffin.com


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Open Road Media interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSa3P...

Reviews

[Amee · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review. Thanks to NetGalley for the First Love Last Love ARC. My opinions as always are my own so take them with a grain of salt, but I’m a bit on the fence with my opinion of this one, so I’m settling with a 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4 since I did finish pretty quickly.
For me there was zero lag in the pacing, which is usually such a bugaboo for me, but each chapter felt intentional to moving the story along, which I appreciated. And the story itself was a pretty tough one. When the excerpt on the back of the book compares it to “A Star is Born” you know there is going to be a tragic love fueled by addiction and trauma designed to make you cry. Check, check and finally check. The angst had me turning the page definitely.
Here is where I’m on the fence. We have chapters narrated by our fmc, Vida, our MMC, Elijah, and a few from Elijah’s mother. Then there are also chapters which are meant to give substance to our mc’s history together. Between all of these different modes of telling the story, it just didn’t work for me how it was put on page. We needed their history I just didnt like the mode in which we get it.
Be prepared for a happily ever after which might not be the one you want, but I did feel it fell in line with the characters and their lived experiences. I’d definitely recommend to those who like the drama of angst within a romance, but are prepared for an unconventional HEA 🥰

[Jenn]

DNF. Sourcebooks sent me this one, but it's really not my thing. Standard, non-romcom romance and boring to me.

[☆Laura☆]

2


Vida Marie ha pasado años construyendo una vida estable, convencida de que el pasado está donde debe estar. Pero una noche se encuentra cara a cara con Elijah Beck, el chico que alguna vez fue su refugio, su primer amor, su primer desamor y la persona que marcó su vida.

Elijah Beck conoce demasiado bien lo que significa escapar. La fama, los errores y los años han cambiado muchas cosas, pero no la forma en que una sola mirada de Vida puede desordenarlo todo.


___

Vida y Elijah son una parea tóxica. Él cae mal con todo lo que hace y le hecha la culpa a su adicción, pero con la capítulos de pasado se ve que desde que la conoció cambio mucho y su relación se volvio extraña, ejemplo cuando se rompió la pierna para estar igual que ella o cuando se corto porque ella pasaba tiempo con sus amigas.

Vida se supone que ve que él no esta bien. No quiere ese estilo de vida para ella, pero aun así vuelve una y otra vez, ¿por qué? no tengo idea. Al leerlo, (sobre todo cuando se volvió famoso) no hay razón para que siguieran juntos ni que ella cayera una y otra vez. En el presente una vez que lo ve termina en la cama y se le olvida su esposo. Cuando se revelo lo de L, me quede en shock y no entendí como después de eso seguía enamorada, mejor dicho obsesionada con él.
*Esta separada de su esposo, pero no divorciados ni con pensamiento de hacerlo. Además, hay momentos en lo que ella lo quiere de regreso, pero solo necesita ver a E para olvidarse de todo y todos.

Mejor Miriam (la mamá de E) se dio cuenta que por más que amara a su hijo y que lo intentara ayudar, nunca iba a cambiar y que lo mejor era seguir con su vida y vivirla para ella. Cuando conoció a Tom se dio cuenta que era justo lo que Vida necesitaba y pensó que por fin sería el final de de V y E.

Sentí feo por Tom porque él si amaba a Vida y al final fue el premio de consolación, quería más para él.

Al leerlo no veía como podrían terminar juntos, él era veneno y ella lo dejaba salirse con la suya. Les juro que después del accidente automovilísticos sabía que no tendrían un buen final ya fuera si quedaban juntos o separado.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Suzanne O’Donnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vida is faced with an impossible question: continue living the life she has, or explore the path she could have taken with her first love. The story follows her as she navigates love, regret, and the choices that shape who we become.

Did I expect to enjoy this? Absolutely not. Did I end up getting quite invested? 100%. 😂

This is so far outside my usual thriller comfort zone, but I actually found it to be a really cosy, heartwarming read. It had all the ingredients you’d want from a romance, and I found myself genuinely rooting for Vida. She was such an easy character to get behind, and I really enjoyed following her journey.

My biggest issue was the ending. It just felt a little… meh. I wanted Vida to have to make a more definitive choice, and I finished the book feeling like I wasn’t quite as satisfied as I’d hoped to be. Maybe that’s perfectly normal for this genre and I’m just showing my thriller-reader colours! 🔪😂

That said, this book has definitely made me more open to reading Adele Griffin again. Even though romance isn’t usually my thing, I found the writing engaging and the story kept me turning the pages. If you’re looking for a gentle, emotional read about love, timing and “what ifs”, this could be one for you.

[Lizzie Fusco]

"For lovers of Daisy Jones" - add to cart.

[Karen Axnick · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading many reviews that sing the praises of this novel, I find myself puzzled by the descriptions of this love story. What others viewed as an emotionally layered, intense relationship was, to me, a sad reflection of a deep bonding rooted in the wounds of childhood. Each of the main characters sought solace in each other’s company as children, which was unsustainable as they reached early adulthood. Each one’s life took a different trajectory – one a traditional married life and the other a meteorically rise and fall as a musician/songwriter. When they reconnect twenty years later, they have an opportunity to reconcile – to lay to rest the tumultuous aspects of their bond and find the purity of the love that underlies their connection.

Ultimately, I found the storyline too fragmented and fraught with emotional instability to be an enjoyable recreational read. This is not a traditional love story, but the ending, after all the drama, was satisfying. I can only offer a mild recommendation for this book.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since they were children, Vida Jamison and Elijah Beck have felt this magnetic pull to one another. No matter what transgressions, Elijah has committed, Vida has always forgiven her friend. But years ago, Elijah let stardom get to his head, and Vida had to make choices to go her own way. Now, Elijah is back and begging for a second chance. But should the love they once shared remain in the past, or is there a chance of a bright new future?


There's no denying it: I’m a sucker for stories that take me on an emotional roller coaster. I was completely consumed by these two main characters, even as I could see the train wreck coming from a mile away. I couldn't help in judging Eljah and Vida for some of their decisions during the course of the narrative. However, I knew there had to be an underlying reason in their history that made them so dependent on each other. Rest assured, Adele Griffin does flip back and forth in the MC's history, sometimes from the perspective of Miriam, Elijah's mother. I thought that addition really made this storyline even more compelling.

Sadly, this one isn't out until November, but trust me, it will be worth putting on your towering TBR.



Expected Publication 03/11/26
Goodreads Review 29/08/26
Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Karen T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks so much to Landmark for the free book!

So this one broke me a little bit. I had no delusions that this would be a fluffy rom com, but the layers upon layers of emotional backstory really did knock me off my feet. Both of our main characters are presented as very complex, each battling their own demons. Their relationship, past and present, exemplifies the incredibly powerful hold that first love can have, both as a blessing and a curse. We see the push and pull from both perspectives. Vida knows that Elijah is not a stable presence and often leaves destruction in his wake (sometimes literally), yet cannot help but be drawn to him. Elijah is similarly drawn to Vida, yet is reminded, both by others and himself, that he isn’t good for her. I found this push and pull fascinating, and I also found myself not actually knowing how I wanted this one to end. Unlike most romances, this one definitely does not follow a path of predictability, and I was completely hooked for most of this read, especially past the halfway point!

Thank you to Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Erich · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Love, Last Love is a haunting, emotionally complicated novel.

What stayed with me most was the way the book captures the gravitational pull of early wounds: abandonment, shame, family silence, and the desperate wish to be chosen by the person who seems to understand your personal damage. The characters don't always behave wisely. They misread need as devotion and make choices that are painful to watch. The novel understands how easily love can become entangled with rescue, longing, memory, and self-deception. Elijah's relationships at the center are difficult because he's difficult. He and Vida are shaped by childhood damage, loneliness, need, and ideas of what love is supposed to feel like, and the emotional cost accumulates.

I found the novel strongest when it resisted easy moral sorting. Nobody comes through untouched or gets to be innocent or monstrous. The result is a story that feels tragic in the old-fashioned sense: as so much of what happens begins long before the characters have the power to understand it. All in all, its an unsettling but beautiful book about first love, and the dangerous comfort of being known by someone who also knows where you are weakest.

[Evelyn Velazquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an emotional rollercoaster in the best way possible. As someone who reads a lot of romance and deeply appreciates stories centered on personal growth, Vida and Elijah’s journey truly resonated with me. The author does a fantastic job of blending the glamorous but isolating reality of Elijah's fame with Vida's deeply relatable need for stability and control. Their reunion after two decades apart doesn't feel rushed; it feels heavy with history, unresolved feelings, and the very real question of whether we are living the lives we actually want, or just the ones we settled for. The forced proximity during the winter storm and the hospital stay was the perfect catalyst to force them to finally communicate.
I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 only because the pacing dips slightly in the middle section, and I would have loved to see just a bit more of their present-day dynamic outside of the hospital setting to fully solidify their new beginning. However, the emotional payoff is absolutely worth it. It’s a beautifully written, sweeping novel about nostalgia, facing your past, and finding the courage to choose love again. Highly recommended!

[Kathleen Sleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks so much to Landmark for the free book!

First Love Last Love by Adele Griffin really stayed with me because of how emotional and complicated the relationships felt. I was especially touched by the love story between Elijah and Vida. Even though it was obvious that Elijah made Vida’s life far more complicated, there was still something deeply moving about the connection they shared and the way neither of them could fully let go of the past.

I also loved how the mixtape chapters slowly pieced together their history. Those sections added so much depth to both characters and helped me understand why their relationship continued to have such a strong hold on them, even years later.

One of the most beautiful parts of the book for me was the relationship between Luke and Elijah. Their bond brought a softer, more emotional side to the story and added another layer to Elijah’s character beyond the romance.

What made the story feel especially heartbreaking was that, although Vida had Tom and had built a different life for herself, she never truly moved on from Elijah. Even after the pain he caused by suddenly reappearing and uprooting her life again, their connection still lingered. That mix of love, hurt, nostalgia, and unfinished feelings made the story feel very real and emotionally honest.

Thank you again to Landmark via NetGalley for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Advanced reader copy received through Netgalley

Elijah and Vida Marie become best friends as children and share a deep bond that verges on the magical. As both choose different paths in life, their connection becomes unstable. It seems that none of the characters really learn how to grow throughout this book, they just keep making the same choices over and over again which became slightly frustrating. I found a lot of this book to be predictable which isn't an inherently bad thing but I do wish things had been teased earlier on as it becomes quite obvious quite quickly what is about to unfold in the next few chapters.
Although some of the plots in this book felt thrown in and not quite relevant, I did enjoy the concept of this book, it is a classic trope. It's left me with some complicated feelings.

[Maranda LeeAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and Adele Griffin for the opportunity to ARC read this book.

First Love, Last Love is an emotional, messy, and heart-wrenching read. Adele Griffin masterfully captures the brutal ache of loving someone caught in the grips of addiction and fame. The main characters, Elijah and Vida, had me completely hooked from beginning to end!
You can truly feel the characters' vulnerability, devotion, and raw grief on every single page. I think what really adds to this book is when the author goes back in time and gives us glimpses into not only Elijah and Vida's past, but also from the perspective of someone very important to them both. While the pacing slowed down a little bit in the middle of the book, the emotions I felt while reading will make this an unforgettable read!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a story both gripping and frustrating

Two kids that grew up as best friends/ the ying to their yang/ the other part of their soul but life and simply growing up threw them into different paths. With challenges such as fame, substance abuse and a very dangerous, impulsive nature, Elijah struggles with finding an everyday peace in his life. Whereas Vida Marie has worked hard to find her norm and herself.

There were twists that I was predicting but also didn't see coming, this story had me hooked, routing for them but also utterly frustrated with the characters and not quite fulfilled.

Thank you Netgallery, Landmark Sources and the Author for allowing me to ARC this book, greatly appreciated.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by Adele Griffin and now I'm completely inspired to read more. This was such a sweet romance. There was so much depth and emotion instilled between the characters that I felt like I really knew them and their history. I loved the tug between them and their past and the way your first love can hold such a significant part of your heart.

While this story wasn't groundbreaking for the romance genre. There were a few parts that were predictable, they in no way took away from the story. The writing was done very well and I was captivated by the characters and it was them that made me feel every bit of love and heartache from start to finish.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the chance to read this e/arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Shelbi Dion | Redheadbooknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to @bookmarked for the e-ARC on @netgalley!

If you’re here for a sweet romance story, this is not it. If you’re here for a childhood friends to lovers romance where one of them becomes a rock star who struggles with alcoholism and lives a wildly different life than the other one—and are willing to get your heart ripped out while reading it—welcome in.

This book is what it is for broken children to fall in love too young, go through trials, break each other’s hearts, and still be unable to let go. This book will make you smile, make you cry, make you mad, and make you yell “choose the other option!” over and over.

Yet, I enjoyed it. My heart was in my throat at the end. It felt like real life events unfolding and the tears started rolling.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#LandmarkPartner

[Sheri Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of First Love Last Love, Adele Griffin you made my heart cry. The love story of Vida and Elijah, two kids that find each other, their hearts and souls that love but just can't make it. Luke the bond between them, the child that is the one good thing out of the whole situation. Tom who stands by Vida, who struggle with Elijah. This story will wrap its arms around you, pull your heartstrings, make your eyes leak, and in a remember that one you loved your deepest. This book broke me at times, I will give it 5 stars I don't often. Read the book, let your heart break just a little.

Come back to your Review on the pub date,

[Gina Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this novel. I really enjoyed this dual-POV novel, which follows the characters’ relationship over several decades. Both carry their own trauma and find comfort in each other as children, but as they grow older, life and its challenges gradually pull them apart. The book gives a powerful insight into addiction and the effect it can have not only on the person struggling, but also on those around them. At the same time, it highlights the importance of forgiveness and how offering someone another chance can sometimes make all the difference. A solid 4 stars from me.

[Suna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley.

This book is a cautionary tale of what happens when you enable toxicity.

At no point was I routing for any of the characters. The MMC was deeply troubled from an early age and only got worse. The FMC dealt with deep routed parental issues surrounding abandonment which in turn was beneficial for the MMC.

The choices being made when there were clear red flags was baffling. Obviously people try to do the best they can with what they’ve got but at some point you need to look in the mirror and be honest with yourself.

Had anyone in this book sought professional help, the outcome would have been much different.

[Hero · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m a fan of second chances and first love tropes, especially with a long separation, so I was excited to read First Love Last Love. It started out nicely with the FMC running into her old flame in a supermarket during a snow storm, but then the story got dizzying with the multiple POVs between the two main characters, Vida and Elijah. Then there was a random chapter from the POV of someone named Miriam and a Dennis. It was just too confusing and I could not keep track of who’s saying or doing what and when

[Molly Burkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC

This book pulled me in and didn't let me go until the end.
It's an emotional story with complicated characters. There was a strong connection between Elijah and Vita that started in childhood and even as adults never went away. The addiction portrayed in this book gives us an insight into the struggles and damage it does not only for the addict but also for those who love them.

I enjoyed the Mixtape chapters and how it gave us more of the backstory.

[Priscilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a book that can sweep you right up into its intensity about first love. This isn’t a “second chance” love story, but about how people move forward when a defining love echoes through their life. It reminded me a bit of Daisy Jones.

[Elisa Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of one's first love, so all encompassing that you feel each other's pain.

A love that is challenged by life circumstances and roads travelled.

Broken apart by addiction and yet still drawn together.

These characters will break your heart.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely emotionally invested in this deeply romantic and heartfelt story about first love, fame, and the long journey of discovering who you're meant to be.

Vida and Elijah share a deep, meaningful, and complicated history. Their first love shaped both of their lives, but time, distance, and life's choices pulled them apart. When a winter day unexpectedly brings them back together, old feelings resurface, forcing them to confront the past.

The chemistry between Vida and Elijah was undeniable, and their shared history made every interaction feel authentic and emotionally charged. Their story is filled with longing, regret, hope, and the enduring power of first love.

This beautifully written novel explores love, loss, second chances. It reminds the reader that while the past can hold us back, it can also guide us toward the future we were always meant to have. It is an emotional, unforgettable story that stayed with me long after I turned the final page.