Notes of the Past

Library Love Notes #3

by Alyssa Milani

Three years after a night of grief, passion, and heartbreak, Wren never expected to see Lawson again, let alone with her son by her side.

Still haunted by war and battling PTSD, Lawson returns to Beaver Creek carrying more than just emotional scars. He carries a love he’ll never let go of.

As secrets unravel and old wounds reopen, Wren and Lawson must confront the truth about that stormy night, the life they lost, and the chance they might still have.

Can love heal what time and silence nearly destroyed, or will the past keep them apart for good?

One night changed everything. Three years later, the truth could rewrite their future.

196 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 9, 2026

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Alyssa Milani for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I so wanted to love this 😭 the themes of teenage love, adult yearning & combined trauma sounded like a package that should work beautifully together.

However, I thought the pacing was way off; the story starts off with the main characters’ best friend & partner dying, yet it’s barely mentioned after the prologue. The fact that Wren seemingly couldn’t be happy unless Lawson was with her rubbed me up the wrong way, and Mason was treated absolutely horribly, even after being a perfect gentlemen about the whole situation.

Overall, Milani seems like an author who I’d be interested in and I desperately wanted to root for her main characters, but this one sadly wasn’t for me.

[PrettyLadyMaine Writes · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC read

Wren lost her best friend Daisy due to over dosing on prescribed medication. Wren had to call her best friend ex Lawson Miller to inform him of her death. They all been knowing each other for years in 12th grade Lawson started dating Daisy even though Wren had her eyes on him.

The day of the funeral Wren and Lawson gets drunk and have sex in the back of his car. Even when he told her he was going to the military. Dunk and not thinking Lawson finishes inside her. After taking her virginity then ghosted her is dead wrong even if he didn’t know it was her first time. They were supposed to be friends he claimed he wanted her from the jump but Daisy talked him out of it said he didn’t have a chance with Wren

Wren wrote Lawson letters while he was away to let him know he’s a father but he never once wrote her back.

Almost 4 years later Lawson is back in their small town and runs into Wren inside the grocery store. He meets her son. Their son. He doesn’t know is his since he never answered her calls or letter of her trying to tell him about their child.

Lawson mother gave Wren the wrong address Lawson put two and two together and figured out his mother never liked Wren when the two of them hung around unless Daisy was around she was happy. Lawson confronted his mother about the letters after a little while she gave in and he got the three letters Wren had sent him. His mother knew he was a father and said nothing. Did nothing.

I like Wren mother she always knows what’s up and what to say. Woah 😮 mega twist I wasn’t expecting that Rita I see why Lawson acts the way she does towards Wren now. But they aren’t the same person I wouldn’t treat her differently just because her mom did what she did.

“Wren means short winged songbird.” Lawson has a tattoo on his wrist in honor of Wren.

Happy ending for Wren and Lawson.

[Sarah Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book in the library notes series had me not able to put it down. We follow Wren who works at the library children’s area and Lawson who has returned from military duties with ptsd and some trauma. They were childhood friends who had one drunken night together after her best friends funeral after revealing feelings for each other even though Lawson was involved with Daisy her best friend. It was drunken and pained and he unknowingly took her virginity.

Fast forward to a few years later when Wren runs into Lawson at the grocery store with their son. But Lawson doesn’t know that the child with her is his from their one drunken night as they haven’t spoken since and her letters to him were never received. They fall into each others orbits again and the feelings they both had but never shared are finally spoken but Wren has a dutiful boyfriend who is caring and non problematic and patient. It takes her a little to mull over what to do in acknowledging her feelings. The book delves into therapy and ptsd and how it impacts everyone around. You see Lawson go on a healing journey through therapy and group meetings to better himself for Wren and his son.

[Nickole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rcvd an ARC from the author.

We meet Wren and Lawson at their friends funeral. Many drinks later and a heart to heart about their feeling for one another one thing leads to another. Gast forward 3 years and Wren is living her life with her son Noah. She has written to Lawson when she was pregnant to tell him he was going to be a father but her letters went unanswered. Lawson is home after 3 years in the military. He runs into Wren at the grocery store and sees her with a kid...Lucky man she has. Wren is shocked to see Lawson...of course she knew he was back in town but planned to never see him and when he is talking to her son she freaks out. When they meet out and about Lawson learns that Noah is his..he has a son! He wants to be there for them but also needs to work on his PTSD. Wren has been dating a man named Mason and he has been wonderful but he is now Lawson. Wren and Laweson have been thru alot and they learn some truths that they didn't know. Will their past define their future?

[Aleksandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notes of the Past by Alyssa Milani was such an emotional second-chance romance filled with heartbreak, healing, and family drama. Wren and Lawson’s story starts in grief and chaos, then slowly unfolds into something tender and hopeful years later. The mix of secret baby, missed letters, unresolved feelings, and Lawson struggling with PTSD made this story incredibly emotional without losing the romance at its core.
I really loved watching Lawson realize everything he missed and try to step up for both Wren and Noah. Wren’s strength through everything she endured made her easy to root for, and the small-town atmosphere gave the story an extra cozy feeling despite all the emotional damage flying around. The twists surrounding their families definitely kept things interesting too — and Lawson’s mother had me side-eyeing every page she appeared on.
Alyssa Milani delivered a heartfelt story about grief, forgiveness, love, and finding your way back to the people meant for you. Emotional, messy, and packed with feelings in the best way.

[Selina Messina · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a strong element of maturity in the characters and how the story unfolds thanks to that. So often we read stories with miscommunication stemming from childish fear. But here we get this magical story of rekindled soul mates finding each other thanks to their son.

One of the things i didnt realize id appreciate so much is the emphasis on the theme of healing in this story! Through all the heartache and sadness of this story, emotional healing feels like the center of it!

Loving the fact Wren was honest with her mom! She needed someone in her corner! The little twist about the mom at the end... I NEEDED MORE! Very unexpected!

The story feels real and not overly dramatized or fictional. You can imagine and feel the story, which gave me feels throughout! My heart was invested in these characters, and hoping their story ended happily!

And who doesn't love a few spicy scenes to keep us on our toes 😉

[Sarah Reapz · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are back in the small town of Beaver Creek for book three in the series of Library Love Notes.

What an emotional heartbreaking mess.
From misunderstandings to mistakes and even betrayal, this had such a messy history for the main characters.

This is Wren and Lawson's story, a drunken one night stand she never expected to see him again with her son by her side three years later after he left to go to war.
I was truly routing for someone else but I enjoyed how this panned out in the end.
I loved the twists you gave us that I didn't expect to see and kept me hooked.

I'm looking forward to the spin off, it's definitely needed after we loved that character so much. Deserves so much love.

Thank you for allowing me to receive an advanced readers copy I loved it.


Tropes:
Second chance
Friends to lovers
PTSD/anxiety rep
Single mom
Love triangle
Small town
Librarian

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC.

This is my third book in the Beaver Creek Library Series.

Wren is a single mom who works as the children’s librarian while raising her three year old and living at home with her mom.

Lawson just returned home after three years in the army. He hasn’t had any contact with Wren and never received her letter. Why he didn’t have access to email is weird.

Overall the story is predictable but progresses nicely. Some details irked me- like who builds a tree house above a pool? Why is a pool uncovered in Canada in the cold temperatures?

Even so this is my favorite of the library notes series thus far.

There’s about 3 spicy scenes and an overall 3/5 on spice.

[Dave and Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damaged. Everyone is damaged to one degree or another.
Some people do it to themselves while some do it to others.
Love is like an energy. It is not lost or destroyed but turned into another force until that energy is reshaped back into love.
This story shows how everyone can be damaged ... but ... how reaching out for help and believing in yourself and others can not only reshape your life but others around you.
A realistic and beautiful story.

[Nifer Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐3🌶️ ARC Dual POV First Person 196pgs
Library Love Notes, multi author series, #3
🇨🇦 Authors, settings, and characters
Wren and Lawson
These two have delt with a lot 😳 , lots of which wouldn't have happened if it weren't for third party's interference. While I'm not 100% sold on the MMC, I did really feel for the trauma he experienced.
Felt bad for Mason, he seemed like a good guy. Looking forward to his spin off story.

[Jennifer Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved everything about this book. As I was reading this book, I did not want it to come to an end. This book has a beautiful flow, the events were messy and pulled at my heartstrings.

This book is filled with major character growth throughout the book. I loved how messy and beautiful the storylines were.

Just a book you need to check out! I do hope to see more from these characters.

[Jackiedaytona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was this a story about the healthiest start to a relationship ever? Probably not. Was it a great one that I could not put down and had me deeply invested in their happy ending? Definitely!

A lot of the tropes in Notes Of The Past are not my usual cup of tea but Alyssa’s writing had me rooting so hard for Wren and Lawson (and Noah)

Definitely recommend giving this one a read! I received it as an advanced reader copy and was so happy to have had the chance to read it.

[Dawn Smit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book feels more reality than fiction. Real characters with real heartbreaking emotions having grown up conversations about dealing with trauma and life's challenges by reaching out for help

Beautifully written story, soul mates reunited, an adorable dinosaur loving kid and a few fun spicy scenes... and then the preview of the next book 😱 sign me up immediately

Thank you Alyssa for the fantastic ARC opportunity 💕

❤️ How I Rate Books
⭐ didn't like it
⭐⭐ it was ok
⭐⭐⭐ I liked it
⭐⭐⭐⭐Loved it!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazing! Will reread!