Between Lost and Found

by Shelly Stratton

Janelle Marshall's life is finally going according to plan. Her perfect, upscale career--and her perfect, successful boyfriend--will make her future as secure and predictable as her childhood never was. And with luck, Little Bill, the grandfather who raised her will someday understand why she'd rather play it safe than be impulsive. But just when she should be happiest, she gets a distressing call: Little Bill has gone missing. Now Janelle must go to the one place she's long avoided--the tiny mountain town of Mammoth Falls, South Dakota.

Tracking down her eccentric grandfather is easier said than done, and Janelle has no choice but to stay as long as it takes. Yet little by little, she's drawn in by the unique town, the helpful locals, and their distinctly straightforward ways. Before long, she realizes that those who also care about Little Bill are struggling with their own vulnerabilities--and secrets as deep as the mistakes they try to set right. As Janelle learns to draw on their support and hard-won experience, she'll challenge her past, comes to terms with her present--and chart her own surprising course forward.

Vibrant, heartfelt, and uplifting, Between Lost and Found is about gaining the courage to take chances, learning to let go, and rediscovering the family--and the self--you thought you knew...

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Mystery

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 25, 2017

About the author

Shelly Stratton is the penname of an award-nominated author who has published almost a dozen books under another pseudonym.

She is married and lives in Maryland with her husband and their daughter. Visit her at her web site www.shellystrattonbooks.com to learn more about her work.

Reviews

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second reading
This was a good, quick read defining the difference between lost and found. I found it more intriguing the second time around.

I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Shelly Stratton, and Kensington Books - Dafina in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all, for sharing your work with me.

This is an excellent change-of-pace novel, with honest protagonists, an intriguing mystery, and lots of interesting travel that I very much enjoyed. Ms. Stratton very thoroughly defines that vague concept of lost and found, I will look for more by this author who has written also under the name Shelly Ellis.

Reviewed again, March 26, 2023, at Goodreads, Barnes&Noble, and BookBub.

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did find this book a little slow, not my usual reads and I could not get into it, however much I tried to.
With her grandfather missing, Janelle had to go back to her home town and search for him..and that is the gist of the story.
Shelly Stratton has written it well, Janelle's search involved both her grandfather and her soul. Slowly and surely, Janelle gets to know herself and the residents of the town.
On the whole it was a mediocre read for me..

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 3 out of 5]

i received a copy of this book from net galley. it wasnt really what i expected.. it was a good story but not really my thing

[Jennifer Ladd · Rating 2 out of 5]

Crazy storyline. No heat romance. Meh

[Sally Kilpatrick]

I really, really enjoyed this book about a woman who has to leave her life to find herself. Janelle lives in DC and is about to marry the "perfect" man, a steady guy who'd never disappoint her as her father did when she was a child. Grandpa knows best, however, and concocts a scheme to get Janelle out to South Dakota and away from the not-so perfect man who's about to propose.

Stratton really gave me a picture of small town South Dakota, and I think it was her ability to delve into her characters. Well-rounded and fully fleshed out her characters stole the show. More subtly, the story details how we human beings react to one another, the differences we see and those we don't, our fears and insecurities. Many of these characters are flawed, but I felt such sympathy for them nonetheless (I'm especially looking at you, Connie)

Such smooth prose, too!

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of controversial choices sets the stage for this story. Little Bill and his girlfriend create a ruse to prevent his granddaughter from marrying the "wrong" person. Janelle takes the bait and flies to remote South Dakota, only to learn her grandfather has vanished. The reader knows where he is but the townspeople don't.
From there it's mostly a character study. Life in small town America (a frequent theme in novels lately?), getting along with the girlfriend, dealing with strong emotions, unexpected romantic feelings. A few events to move the story along, then an explosion of activity. The characters evolve a lot in two weeks.
A good read and thought provoking. Four and a half stars.

[T.A. Beasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something about an unexpected call and being told your parent, sibling or grandparent is missing. The air leaves your lungs while nerves are on edge. This is how Janelle Marshall felt when she received a similar call about her grandfather in, Between Lost and Found by Shelly Stratton. Little Bill’s girlfriend, Connie calls Janelle with the news even though she knows there is a hidden meaning. It is funny reading, what our family members will do when they feel the mate you have picked is not right for you. Little Bill knows there will be consequences for the event he puts in motion, but to him he has to in order to save his granddaughter from hurt and pain.

Janelle puts her career and wedding plans on hold to rush to search for her grandfather. After settling in Mammoth Fall, Connie shows her around and introduces her to some of the townsfolk. She starts to feel comfortable seeming the small town has friendly people especially Sam. Sam is the local sheriff and the man who is heading the search for Little Bill. Janelle reminds him of someone from his past, which draws him to her. As the search continues, Janelle starts to learn a lot about her grandfather, her fiancé and her attraction to Sam.

Between Lost and Found was a moving story about a grandfather’s determination to protect his granddaughter from marrying the wrong man even though his strategies may have been over the top. It was also about a woman recognizing were she belonged instead of the make believe world she was existing in. This book had a hint of drama mixed with suspense and mystery, which I love in a book. The anticipating of finding Little Bill and the affect his absence had on everyone in town was unbelievable as well as seeing if Sam and Janelle would let their attraction grow into something more. I definitely recommend this book to others and look forward to reading more of this author’s work.

Teresa Beasley
A&RBC Review
4 Stars

[Gina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I just could not get into this book - it should have taken me about 1-2 days to read it, but it took me about 3 weeks to read. When I would pick it up, I was just not excited about reading it. The story started out kind of weirdly, and it felt a little slow and it didn't pick up at all. I didn't feel it was suspenseful, since there are glimpses of Little Bill's experiences from time to time throughout the book.

I also could not connect with the characters; there was not a single character that I felt was very likeable and they all seemed pretty one dimensional. In addition, there were several things that struck me as odd. First, at the beginning when Janelle is in the middle of her housewarming party and her boyfriend stands up to to make an important announcement, Janelle takes a call from her Grandfather right in the middle of the announcement (as though she is not even interested in the announcement). Also, when Janelle connects with her mother only once when Little Bill is found to be missing, her mother continues on with her vacation, and we never hear anything from her again... Janelle makes the decision to drop everything go searching for her grandfather without really discussing things with her "serious" live-in boyfriend, but gets upset that her boyfriend may be eating seafood while she is gone (she is allergic); it seemed almost ridiculous to me.

Unfortunately, this book is not something I would recommend.

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Between Lost and Found is a well-written book that just felt a bit flat for me. Probably a 2.5 stars, due to the strength of the writing.
Basically, a young professional woman who is about to get engaged flies to South Dakota because her grandfather may be missing. During her one week stay, she discovers new things about herself that change her life.
The book contains some mystery, some romance, small-town coziness and a lot of characters searching for happiness.
Overall, the story was OK, it was well-written, but there were just too many things that defied reality for me. For example, the main character's mother (who is the daughter of the missing gentleman) is on vacation and never seems very concerned that her father may be in harm or dead. There is a scene where a woman who we know is in her 50s gets into a fight with another woman who had just been performing a musical number at a festival, and the woman is described as being "twice her age". That would make her over 100 years old. Missed details like that bother me. The book is long and detailed for the most part, except for the last chapter or two where everything wrapped up a bit too easily and cleanly.
Because of the author's writing skill, I would try another one of her books, but this one was just OK for me.

[Gayle Cappelluti · Rating 2 out of 5]

I cannot say I liked this book...but I didn't hate it either. I think I felt annoyed by frequent editing errors, and by contradicting details like...the stink of the porta potties was sure to intensify as the temperature raised, but then a couple of paragraphs later, it was so cold, there was ice to avoid on the sidewaltk and it was so cold, characters were hunched into the wind. So which is it?
I thought the premise was a bit silly, a beloved grandfather convincing his girlfriend to pretend he is missing so his granddaughter will fly across the country, halting her engagement to a man he didn't approve of, then actually disappearing. I found it farfetched, and a bit ridiculous. Yet, somehow, I had to keep reading until the climax I fully expected came to pass.
At the outset, Janelle is a successful Type-A perfectionist, driven to distraction if her table isn't symmetrically set. Her busy life is upended during her and her boyfriend's house warming party when she receives an anonymous call saying Pops had disappeared. She drops everything to fly across the country as her grandfather, the man who raised her when her father dropped his responsibilities, actually disappears from his life. Nothing will ever be the same for Janelle.

[Lyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a decent enough book, but it was honestly kind of bland. I reeeeeeally didn't like the way that Janelle and her fiancé talked to one another - maybe this is just me, but I really just don't like people using terms like "honey", because it rarely seems sincere... and yeah, it felt like their affection was kind of forced, and that they obviously didn't like one another. It's kind of obvious even from the back of the book that the two of them weren't going to work out, and the way the story started to begin with was kind of messed up - I mean, really, pretending that you disappeared just to HOPEFULLY get your granddaughter to not marry a guy you don't like?
From that, you know he actually disappeared, or we wouldn't have a story.
It really was a decent story, despite the questionable circumstances starting it (because everyone was okay in the end), but I just can't get past the fact that pretty much all of the affection in the story seemed forced to me. And honestly, the ending was kind of funny... as well as Janelle describing Sam as pale, white, skinny, whatever it was.
Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

[Sharon Jacksack]

I am on a mission to read more authors of color, especially women authors. I didn't pick this up for that reason, however. It just looked like a cute romance book, a nice diversion from the heavier fare that I've been reading lately. But checkbox check and check.

The book is fairly standard romantic fiction fare. The characters are quite well drawn, with plenty of depth, and Stratton does a decent job giving them distinct voices. But a romance is a romance, and we know from the get-go how this one is going down. I did like the mystery of where did Pops go. I give Stratton extra props for spinning that one out. Also, I was just in the area that she describes - the black hills area, and you really do get a sense of place from her writing. Extra points there.

All in all, a decent little romance with good characters and a nice sense of place.

[Payton 🌻 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between Lost and Found tells several stories intertwined beautifully. Not only does it tell the story of finding one who’s physically missing, it also tells the stories of finding oneself along the way. Throughout this book, there were many moments that resonated with me and I’m sure many other readers, as Janelle moves through the ups and downs throughout the journey of searching for herself.

This book is full of twists, turns and unexpected moments. It made me laugh, made me cry, I gasped and even felt butterflies at points.

If you’re looking for an intriguing read that leaves you flipping page after page while you join the characters on their journey, I’d recommend giving this one a try! Not only is it a good read, it also poses several reflections throughout. Does one ever truly feel completely found?

[Caitlin Janke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy through Goodreads First-reads.
Between lost and found is a great read. It has a mix of suspense, family and romance. The dynamic between characters give them a real feel. You get to witness some of the main characters points of view and see how they see things even if its only for one chapter. Shelly Stratton has a writing style that really flows making this a hard to put down novel.
I loved her main character Janelle’s perseverance to find answers and the way she pushes through everything. She is what makes the story what it is and I don’t think it would have been the same if the author had changed any of her personality.
Between lost and found is a 2017 must read.

[Ramona · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all I would like to thank Goodreads, Dafina Books (Kensington Publishing Group) and Good reads for the opportunity to read this novel. This was more than a novel about a missing grandparent, it dealt with many societal issues, familial relationships, interracial relationships, drugs, alcohol, class and how the characters dealt with the things life threw at them . It was a quick and interesting read and I am glad I had the opportunity. Thanks for a good read!

[Lbaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, it was humourous, and had interesting, realistic, relatable, quirky characters.
I really didn't know what was going to happen next. You could see something coming, and it did, however, something else sideswiped you at the same time.

The only character that I thought was unnecessary was Janelle's mother, that character added little/nothing to the story. The characters Connie and Yvette were wonderfully written, conflicted, sad and joyful.

[ShayBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good read. I enjoyed the storyline and how one or more of the characters were between lost and found whether it was physically or emotionally. This storyline was different from the other books this author has written and she did not miss a beat. Great change from her other writing style and look forward to more by Shelly Stratton.

I received this ARC from the author for an honest review.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be a sweet story about love and forgiveness. Janelle, Connie, and Sam are all feeling guilty about a choice in their lives. The story held my interest and had a nice ending. I think I could have predicted the ending but sometimes that is just what the book (or maybe even you) needs.

[Sue Fernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Jenelle, the main character, plays life along the safe route, until her grandpa goes missing. She returns home to look for him, and she finds sometimes shaking things up isn't bad. This is about what's important in life, what are you willing to change? I enjoyed this title.

[Survivor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book through Goodreads. I was very interested in the description given. Although I think this was a very good read, I was left with unanswered questions. I didn't see many connections with the ending of the book. I would have liked to seen more romance between Sam and Janelle.

[Danica B · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one took me such a long time to read! Between pregnancy books and a couple of other novels, I kept coming back to it expecting something "more", but it was very anticlimactic in the end. I honestly would not recommend.

[Marcia Adversalo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. While I do prefer less waffling in my female characters, I loved that she figured out why she was that way during the story. Growth is super important. The book was easy to read and enjoyable.

[Huguette Larochelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

i win this book , it was a good read, i usury read true stories , or biography ,but i like this book.
keep you guessing and want to know what happen , there a suspense that keep you reading .

[Sonia Reppe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the cover should be more romantic, to better represent the feel this novel.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't think the characters were developed in such a way to add much to the overall story and I think the overall story got lost somewhere along the way.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick read, but nothing earth shattering. Lost grandfather, granddaughter who comes to find him...finds love instead with sherriff and eventually grandfather is found. No big revelations.

[Marge · Rating 2 out of 5]

A young woman's life is changed forever when she receives the call that her grandfather has gone missing.

[Kariss · Rating 4 out of 5]

An very enjoyable read. A great - I need a day away book.

[Bobbie Coates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thus book had all the feels! I loved the ending, so open with endless possibilities and still wrapped up.

[Patrice M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay story- nothing too heavy, a teeny bit of mystery, a little corny.