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Lost and Found
A dancer who cannot dance and a doctor who cannot heal find in each other the strength to love.
History books will call it The Great War, but for Benjamin Holm, that is a misnomer. The war is a disaster, a calamity, and it leaves Benjamin profoundly wounded, his mind and memory shattered. A year after Armistice, still struggling to regain his mental faculties, he returns to Paris in search of his closest friend, Elias.
Benjamin meets Louis Donadieu, a striking and mysterious dance master. Though Louis is a difficult man to know, he offers to help Benjamin. Together they search the cabarets, salons, and art exhibits in the newly revitalized city on the brink of les années folles (the Crazy Years). Almost despite himself, Benjamin breaches Louis’s defenses, and the two men discover an unexpected passion.
As his memory slowly returns, Benjamin will need every ounce of courage he possesses to recover Elias’s story. He and Louis will need even more than that to lay claim to the love – and the future – they deserve.
History books will call it The Great War, but for Benjamin Holm, that is a misnomer. The war is a disaster, a calamity, and it leaves Benjamin profoundly wounded, his mind and memory shattered. A year after Armistice, still struggling to regain his mental faculties, he returns to Paris in search of his closest friend, Elias.
Benjamin meets Louis Donadieu, a striking and mysterious dance master. Though Louis is a difficult man to know, he offers to help Benjamin. Together they search the cabarets, salons, and art exhibits in the newly revitalized city on the brink of les années folles (the Crazy Years). Almost despite himself, Benjamin breaches Louis’s defenses, and the two men discover an unexpected passion.
As his memory slowly returns, Benjamin will need every ounce of courage he possesses to recover Elias’s story. He and Louis will need even more than that to lay claim to the love – and the future – they deserve.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2019
28 people are currently reading
244 people want to read
About the author
Liv Rancourt
58 books189 followersLiv Rancourt writes romance of all kinds. Because love is love, even with fangs.
Liv is a huge fan of paranormal romance and urban fantasy and loves history just as much, so her stories often feature vampires or magic or they’re set in the past…or all of the above. When Liv isn’t writing she takes care of tiny premature babies in the NICU. Her husband is a soul of patience, her kids are her pride and joy, and her dogs – Trash Panda and The Boy Genius – are endlessly entertaining.
Liv is a huge fan of paranormal romance and urban fantasy and loves history just as much, so her stories often feature vampires or magic or they’re set in the past…or all of the above. When Liv isn’t writing she takes care of tiny premature babies in the NICU. Her husband is a soul of patience, her kids are her pride and joy, and her dogs – Trash Panda and The Boy Genius – are endlessly entertaining.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
October 11, 2019
This story was out of the ordinary for me but I’m grateful I took a chance on it. I’m still fairly inexperienced with my historical dabbles and I believe this story would have been a struggle for me several years ago. Interesting how our preferences shift and taste changes. On that same note, I would hesitate in saying this story will be for everyone. Why? It is rather slow and ticks along at a leisurely pace. For some, including my former self, this could be frustrating. However, I was intrigued and caught in a dreamy trance, eager to follow along and desperate to soak up the sights along the way. I mean, Paris in 1920? What’s not to love about that!?
What's to like: I’ll admit that I was slightly confused at first. Which I do believe was rather the point. You see, Benjamin was not only confused but lost. Lost and missing important pieces of the puzzle in his head. There is only one thing that he is certain of, he needs to find Elias. As he wanders the foreign streets of Paris with only a battered photo of his best friend he slowly picks up clues. When his surly neighbor joins him on his search, his heart lifts and his foggy mind starts to clear. Shell shock. Fascinating and yet disheartening how humans react to trauma. Combat doesn’t only destroy bodies but minds as well. And Benjamin’s mind is broken. Things just don’t make sense…until Louis. Louis unlocks something in Benji. Louis did not escape fate’s harsh hand either. But he is a survivor and he’s determined to pull Benji from the clutches of despair threatening to destroy him. I stumbled a bit at the beginning of their story but as soon as the shadows began to clear, I was completely vested in their journey.
What's to love: First of all, did you see the cover? I was taken aback by the beauty of it. So lovely. Just as these men are. I found myself blissfully content to close my eyes and imagine I was there. The formal dialogue and bits of French slowed my roll even more but elegant attire and charming exchanges made me smile. I’m a Downton Abbey addict and I could easily picture their refined dress. I loved the setting. I loved the neighbors. I loved witnessing the power of love demonstrated here. It was as if Benji had been in a coma and was slowly awakening, coming back to life. And when he was finally free of the barriers holding him back, he discovered who he truly was and who he was always meant to be. A visit home to Vermont brought great clarity to piecing the pieces of Benjamin back together. It’s not often that I share quotes but I think this one is exceptionally insightful…
“I leaned against him, or rather we leaned against each other. I gave him stability, and he gave me strength, and finding this point of balance left me relieved beyond measure.”
*sigh* He’s not lost any longer. This tender tale will take you back in time, remind you of the havoc of war, and fill your heart with hope. And a magnificent epilogue adds a final polish that had me bursting with delight.
Beware of: If you’re looking for explicit scenes, I’ll save you the trouble…it’s not here. The power of the romance between these two gentlemen lies with a flittering touch and a deep stare. The horrors of war leave scars that aren’t always visible and our young doctor is a prime example of such afflictions. And this quiet journey will gently pull you along as both men find comfort and peace.
This book is for: Historical fans will most definitely enjoy this and as well as anyone searching for a heartwarming tale confirming how love can bring you back and breathe life back into your soul.
Book UNfunk
What's to like: I’ll admit that I was slightly confused at first. Which I do believe was rather the point. You see, Benjamin was not only confused but lost. Lost and missing important pieces of the puzzle in his head. There is only one thing that he is certain of, he needs to find Elias. As he wanders the foreign streets of Paris with only a battered photo of his best friend he slowly picks up clues. When his surly neighbor joins him on his search, his heart lifts and his foggy mind starts to clear. Shell shock. Fascinating and yet disheartening how humans react to trauma. Combat doesn’t only destroy bodies but minds as well. And Benjamin’s mind is broken. Things just don’t make sense…until Louis. Louis unlocks something in Benji. Louis did not escape fate’s harsh hand either. But he is a survivor and he’s determined to pull Benji from the clutches of despair threatening to destroy him. I stumbled a bit at the beginning of their story but as soon as the shadows began to clear, I was completely vested in their journey.
What's to love: First of all, did you see the cover? I was taken aback by the beauty of it. So lovely. Just as these men are. I found myself blissfully content to close my eyes and imagine I was there. The formal dialogue and bits of French slowed my roll even more but elegant attire and charming exchanges made me smile. I’m a Downton Abbey addict and I could easily picture their refined dress. I loved the setting. I loved the neighbors. I loved witnessing the power of love demonstrated here. It was as if Benji had been in a coma and was slowly awakening, coming back to life. And when he was finally free of the barriers holding him back, he discovered who he truly was and who he was always meant to be. A visit home to Vermont brought great clarity to piecing the pieces of Benjamin back together. It’s not often that I share quotes but I think this one is exceptionally insightful…
“I leaned against him, or rather we leaned against each other. I gave him stability, and he gave me strength, and finding this point of balance left me relieved beyond measure.”
*sigh* He’s not lost any longer. This tender tale will take you back in time, remind you of the havoc of war, and fill your heart with hope. And a magnificent epilogue adds a final polish that had me bursting with delight.
Beware of: If you’re looking for explicit scenes, I’ll save you the trouble…it’s not here. The power of the romance between these two gentlemen lies with a flittering touch and a deep stare. The horrors of war leave scars that aren’t always visible and our young doctor is a prime example of such afflictions. And this quiet journey will gently pull you along as both men find comfort and peace.
This book is for: Historical fans will most definitely enjoy this and as well as anyone searching for a heartwarming tale confirming how love can bring you back and breathe life back into your soul.
Book UNfunk
August 31, 2022
A very interesting story. The "mystery" of the missing friend had a pretty obvious outcome, but what wasn't so obvious was how the events unfolded to bring us to the beginning of this story. And it was interesting to see events from Benjamin's POV, as he grapples with his memory loss and tries to put himself back together, not just mentally but emotionally.
I wasn't sure what to make of Louis at first, but he grew on me pretty quickly. As we see more of him and learn more about him, his earlier behavior makes sense. It's not spelled out, but you get enough information to figure it out if you're paying attention.
But this story is just as much about Paris post-WWI as it is about Benjamin or Louis, and the city is almost another character as Benjamin's search for his missing friend takes him all over the city, from its highest peaks to its lowest dredges. It really anchors you into the place and time the story is taking place.
There were a couple of continuity errors that jumped out at me while I was reading, though nothing too drastic, and a stray typo or missing word here and there. Overall, it's pretty clean though, especially considering it was written during NaNoWriMo. I would've liked to see an epilogue set quite a bit later than the one we got, considering this it taking place in Paris post-WWI, and we all know what's coming nineteen or so years later, so I can really only consider this an HFN.
I wasn't sure what to make of Louis at first, but he grew on me pretty quickly. As we see more of him and learn more about him, his earlier behavior makes sense. It's not spelled out, but you get enough information to figure it out if you're paying attention.
But this story is just as much about Paris post-WWI as it is about Benjamin or Louis, and the city is almost another character as Benjamin's search for his missing friend takes him all over the city, from its highest peaks to its lowest dredges. It really anchors you into the place and time the story is taking place.
There were a couple of continuity errors that jumped out at me while I was reading, though nothing too drastic, and a stray typo or missing word here and there. Overall, it's pretty clean though, especially considering it was written during NaNoWriMo. I would've liked to see an epilogue set quite a bit later than the one we got, considering this it taking place in Paris post-WWI, and we all know what's coming nineteen or so years later, so I can really only consider this an HFN.
October 5, 2019
3.5 stars
An unusual book. I liked the setting (Paris in the early 1920s) and the premise: Benjamin is trying to track down his old friend Elias, but is hampered (or maybe misled) by the PTSD that's affected his memories. Rancourt is good on the little details that convey atmosphere, and there's a excellent sense of place and time - both Paris in early summer and later a Frost-ian Vermont autumn.
She's good too on the sense of dislocation Ben feels -uncertain of his past, uneasy with the foreign environment he finds himself in, and worried about his future. I liked the slow friendship he establishes with the prickly Frenchman Louis Donadieu, which is all the time contrasted / threatened with the absent Elias. The Elias story works well; its conclusion is convincing, and it's also a natural cause and catalyst in Ben's romance.
Where the book fell short for me was in the writing style. It's told in the 1st person (past tense), which, for me, means we should be very close to the narrator - in his head. But Rancourt gives Ben such a formal manner of expressing himself that actually we're completely distanced from him. I get that books written in the 1920s were indeed more formal than more modern ones, and if this were setting out to be pure pastiche I'd rate it higher.
But I think we're expected to sympathise with Ben - it's theoretically an angsty story. Only it all reads as if it's happening to someone else. For example, there are a couple of places where Ben, describing nominally intimate scenes, sounds like a lecturer instead of a man at the mercy of his body.
"I stayed in bed for three days, rising only to void."
and
"His tongue flicked my chin, sending a throb to my organ. My organ. That one part of my anatomy I generally ignored."
Although intellectually I liked the story and how it worked out, the writing got between me and real emotional involvement.
It's the first book by Liv Rancourt I've read, and there's enough good stuff there to make me want to read something else of hers to see whether my problems with this book were a one-off. I hope so.
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for my unbiased review.
An unusual book. I liked the setting (Paris in the early 1920s) and the premise: Benjamin is trying to track down his old friend Elias, but is hampered (or maybe misled) by the PTSD that's affected his memories. Rancourt is good on the little details that convey atmosphere, and there's a excellent sense of place and time - both Paris in early summer and later a Frost-ian Vermont autumn.
She's good too on the sense of dislocation Ben feels -uncertain of his past, uneasy with the foreign environment he finds himself in, and worried about his future. I liked the slow friendship he establishes with the prickly Frenchman Louis Donadieu, which is all the time contrasted / threatened with the absent Elias. The Elias story works well; its conclusion is convincing, and it's also a natural cause and catalyst in Ben's romance.
Where the book fell short for me was in the writing style. It's told in the 1st person (past tense), which, for me, means we should be very close to the narrator - in his head. But Rancourt gives Ben such a formal manner of expressing himself that actually we're completely distanced from him. I get that books written in the 1920s were indeed more formal than more modern ones, and if this were setting out to be pure pastiche I'd rate it higher.
But I think we're expected to sympathise with Ben - it's theoretically an angsty story. Only it all reads as if it's happening to someone else. For example, there are a couple of places where Ben, describing nominally intimate scenes, sounds like a lecturer instead of a man at the mercy of his body.
"I stayed in bed for three days, rising only to void."
and
"His tongue flicked my chin, sending a throb to my organ. My organ. That one part of my anatomy I generally ignored."
Although intellectually I liked the story and how it worked out, the writing got between me and real emotional involvement.
It's the first book by Liv Rancourt I've read, and there's enough good stuff there to make me want to read something else of hers to see whether my problems with this book were a one-off. I hope so.
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for my unbiased review.
June 15, 2022
Set in Paris shortly after the end of World War One, Lost & Found is the story of a traumatised young American doctor who returns to Paris to search for his best friend, who has been missing since before war ended. It’s the compelling story of one man’s search for so much more than an absent friend and expertly intertwines that search with a slow-burn, antagonists-to-lovers romance. The setting of post-war Paris is so perfectly captured that the city feels like a character in its own right, and the pervasive sense of melancholy adds poignancy without being overwhelming.
Benjamin Holm, a Harvard-educated doctor, and his childhood friend Elias Simmons joined up to fight before the US entered the war and travelled to the front together. But as far as Ben can recall, he returned home alone after the Armistice, and now, a year later, he’s back in Paris intent on finding Elias, whom he hasn’t seen since… he can’t quite recall. He’s easily confiused and his memory is impaired; he knows there are things he can’t remember and is frustrated by that, but the one thing he’s clear on is that he needs to find Elias. He has nothing to go on really, just a vague recollection that they’d agreed to meet up there after the war; knowing that Elias liked to paint, Ben decides to ask around the artistic community and to scour the city until he finds him. To that end, he wanders the streets, showing a battered photo of his friend to all and sundry in the hope someone will have seen him.
Ben is renting a small apartment in Montmartre from Madame Beatrice, a genial lady who takes more than a passing interest in her tenants and who suggests that another of them, Louis Donadieu – Ben’s downstairs neighbour – might be able to help in Ben’s search. Ben is surprised – whenever he’s encountered the handsome and enigmatic Donadieu he’s been prickly and rather abrupt – but sure enough, the next morning, he approaches Ben over breakfast and offers his help. Mme. Beatrice clearly has excellent powers of persuasion.
As the two men spend time together walking around the city, sharing meals and just talking. they begin to know and understand each other, learning about their losses and fears. Ben is glad to have Louis with him, to have the assistance of someone who knows the city so well, but there’s also something else there, an attraction that’s clear to the reader in the way Ben admires Louis’ grace and dark good looks, but which Ben ruthlessly squashes. It’s just as clear that the attraction is mutual, and that Louis is more than a little bit jealous of the loyaty and affection Ben feels for his missing friend. But Ben’s memories continue to prove elusive, and it emerges that some of those gaps are very specific; whenever he tries to recall the last time he saw Elias, how they parted, even how the war ended – nothing. And the more he tries to remember about his relationship with Elias, the more it eludes him. It’s confusing and frustrating – and terrifying.
Ben’s amnesia and PTSD are extremely well conveyed, and there’s a very real sense that the single-mindedness of his search for Elias is his sub-conscious’ way of preventing himself from thinking about things he doesn’t want to dwell on. Clearly, there was something more between Ben and Elias than friendship, but that Ben has closed his mind to that possibility – which is perhaps not all that surprising given the time period – although the author shows, in subtle ways, that Ben is more aware of his sexual orientation than he admits even to himself. She does a terrific job when it comes to showing Ben’s sense of unease, the disconectedness he feels from his past and his uncertainty about his future. His frustration at not being able to remember, and later, his horror when bits of memory begin to bleed through, are palpable, and the truth of what actually happened is both terrible and heartbreaking.
Louis comes across as arrogant to start with and he’s very blunt in a way that’s actually good for Ben, because he doesn’t coddle him or hold back from making Ben think about things he doesn’t want to think about. He’s prickly but sweet and vulnerable, too, having suffered his share of loss, albeit in different ways. He had been a rising star in the ballet world until he contracted polio - which almost killed him and ended what could have been a glittering career. Even though we never get into his head – Ben’s is the sole PoV – we’re able to feel his grief and sadness at the loss, and can see that his aloofness and insistence that “men like us seldom take things seriously” are a form of self-protection, walls behind which to hide the true extent of his feelings to Ben.
Their slow-burn romance is nicely done; a tentative friendship underpinned with unacknowledged – on Ben’s part at least – attraction that evolves into more. The constant presence of Elias in the background doesn’t impinge on it or turn it into a love triangle (thankfully!); it serves as a catalyst – for Ben and Louis to spend time together and for Ben to start to rediscover his sexuality – and adds tension to the story in a way that feels natural and convincing.
While I had a few small niggles – I’m sorry, but I can never read the word “organ” without laughing (I even wrote a blog a few years back about awful euphemisms in romance novels) – I only had one major issue with the book, which is the sometimes stilted, overly formal manner Ben has of expressing himself. That sort of formaility is in keeping with the time period, it’s true, but Ben even thinks formally when he’s in his own head, and when that happened I found it difficult to feel a connection with him; he talks/thinks about himself in a way that feels as though he’s talking or thinking about someone else. This put him at something of a remove, which, for a first person protagonist we’re supposed to sympathise with, made for an odd choice.
That’s my only real reservation, however. Lost & Found is heartfelt and bittersweet, a lovely and ultimately uplifting story of love, healing and acceptance.
Benjamin Holm, a Harvard-educated doctor, and his childhood friend Elias Simmons joined up to fight before the US entered the war and travelled to the front together. But as far as Ben can recall, he returned home alone after the Armistice, and now, a year later, he’s back in Paris intent on finding Elias, whom he hasn’t seen since… he can’t quite recall. He’s easily confiused and his memory is impaired; he knows there are things he can’t remember and is frustrated by that, but the one thing he’s clear on is that he needs to find Elias. He has nothing to go on really, just a vague recollection that they’d agreed to meet up there after the war; knowing that Elias liked to paint, Ben decides to ask around the artistic community and to scour the city until he finds him. To that end, he wanders the streets, showing a battered photo of his friend to all and sundry in the hope someone will have seen him.
Ben is renting a small apartment in Montmartre from Madame Beatrice, a genial lady who takes more than a passing interest in her tenants and who suggests that another of them, Louis Donadieu – Ben’s downstairs neighbour – might be able to help in Ben’s search. Ben is surprised – whenever he’s encountered the handsome and enigmatic Donadieu he’s been prickly and rather abrupt – but sure enough, the next morning, he approaches Ben over breakfast and offers his help. Mme. Beatrice clearly has excellent powers of persuasion.
As the two men spend time together walking around the city, sharing meals and just talking. they begin to know and understand each other, learning about their losses and fears. Ben is glad to have Louis with him, to have the assistance of someone who knows the city so well, but there’s also something else there, an attraction that’s clear to the reader in the way Ben admires Louis’ grace and dark good looks, but which Ben ruthlessly squashes. It’s just as clear that the attraction is mutual, and that Louis is more than a little bit jealous of the loyaty and affection Ben feels for his missing friend. But Ben’s memories continue to prove elusive, and it emerges that some of those gaps are very specific; whenever he tries to recall the last time he saw Elias, how they parted, even how the war ended – nothing. And the more he tries to remember about his relationship with Elias, the more it eludes him. It’s confusing and frustrating – and terrifying.
Ben’s amnesia and PTSD are extremely well conveyed, and there’s a very real sense that the single-mindedness of his search for Elias is his sub-conscious’ way of preventing himself from thinking about things he doesn’t want to dwell on. Clearly, there was something more between Ben and Elias than friendship, but that Ben has closed his mind to that possibility – which is perhaps not all that surprising given the time period – although the author shows, in subtle ways, that Ben is more aware of his sexual orientation than he admits even to himself. She does a terrific job when it comes to showing Ben’s sense of unease, the disconectedness he feels from his past and his uncertainty about his future. His frustration at not being able to remember, and later, his horror when bits of memory begin to bleed through, are palpable, and the truth of what actually happened is both terrible and heartbreaking.
Louis comes across as arrogant to start with and he’s very blunt in a way that’s actually good for Ben, because he doesn’t coddle him or hold back from making Ben think about things he doesn’t want to think about. He’s prickly but sweet and vulnerable, too, having suffered his share of loss, albeit in different ways. He had been a rising star in the ballet world until he contracted polio - which almost killed him and ended what could have been a glittering career. Even though we never get into his head – Ben’s is the sole PoV – we’re able to feel his grief and sadness at the loss, and can see that his aloofness and insistence that “men like us seldom take things seriously” are a form of self-protection, walls behind which to hide the true extent of his feelings to Ben.
Their slow-burn romance is nicely done; a tentative friendship underpinned with unacknowledged – on Ben’s part at least – attraction that evolves into more. The constant presence of Elias in the background doesn’t impinge on it or turn it into a love triangle (thankfully!); it serves as a catalyst – for Ben and Louis to spend time together and for Ben to start to rediscover his sexuality – and adds tension to the story in a way that feels natural and convincing.
While I had a few small niggles – I’m sorry, but I can never read the word “organ” without laughing (I even wrote a blog a few years back about awful euphemisms in romance novels) – I only had one major issue with the book, which is the sometimes stilted, overly formal manner Ben has of expressing himself. That sort of formaility is in keeping with the time period, it’s true, but Ben even thinks formally when he’s in his own head, and when that happened I found it difficult to feel a connection with him; he talks/thinks about himself in a way that feels as though he’s talking or thinking about someone else. This put him at something of a remove, which, for a first person protagonist we’re supposed to sympathise with, made for an odd choice.
That’s my only real reservation, however. Lost & Found is heartfelt and bittersweet, a lovely and ultimately uplifting story of love, healing and acceptance.
October 15, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
Lost and Found is a wonderful bit of historical romance fiction. If you enjoy enemies to lovers, I think you’ll enjoy this because of how cool Louis acts towards Benjamin—even when it’s patent that all Louis wants is Benjamin’s undivided attention.
I also got hooked on the substantial thread about Benjamin’s missing memories. At first, I thought Benjamin was just being coy about not remembering, but as the fuzzy or incomplete (or just plain lacking) memories persist as an element in the story, I began to understand the significance. It was obvious that Benjamin suffers from some kind of amnesia, but we learn it’s caused by PTSD (“shellshock” in the period). What was poignantly ambiguous is whether it was the trauma of war itself (the actual shells going off) or the destruction they wrought that affected Benjamin more profoundly. There are slight nods to the effects of PTSD, such as Benjamin jumping at the sound of a car backfiring, but we eventually learn the depth of the problem and it all ties to Elias. I love the suspense that Elias embodies.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
Lost and Found is a wonderful bit of historical romance fiction. If you enjoy enemies to lovers, I think you’ll enjoy this because of how cool Louis acts towards Benjamin—even when it’s patent that all Louis wants is Benjamin’s undivided attention.
I also got hooked on the substantial thread about Benjamin’s missing memories. At first, I thought Benjamin was just being coy about not remembering, but as the fuzzy or incomplete (or just plain lacking) memories persist as an element in the story, I began to understand the significance. It was obvious that Benjamin suffers from some kind of amnesia, but we learn it’s caused by PTSD (“shellshock” in the period). What was poignantly ambiguous is whether it was the trauma of war itself (the actual shells going off) or the destruction they wrought that affected Benjamin more profoundly. There are slight nods to the effects of PTSD, such as Benjamin jumping at the sound of a car backfiring, but we eventually learn the depth of the problem and it all ties to Elias. I love the suspense that Elias embodies.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
October 4, 2019
Lost and Found, Liv Rancourt
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: LGBTQIA, Romance
One of the reasons I love LGBTQIA reads is that the romance that always seems to have that extra edge of passion. Maybe it's because of the barriers, historically it was illegal, punishable by prison, and even now in our supposed enlightened terms its still frowned on. People still carry that bigotry and make life difficult for those who want to love outside what they feel is *right*. Sad isn't it that we can't all just live and let live in real life. Still, it makes for some fabulous fiction.
When we meet Ben its clear to see the War ( WW1) has affected him mentally, but of course its an age when such things were not only largely unknown but unspoken too, and he's kind of floundering along, single mindedly searching for his childhood friend Elias. He can't explain why he needs to do this for a friend but he just has to.
Its clear to the reader than they had more than just friendship, but in times like those Ben seems to have shut off his mind to the possibility that they were more, that he is attracted to men. Who can blame him when any hint of liking your own sex carried the taint of Unnatural, the threat of prison, the ostracising in society and employment prospects. Awful isn't it that we could send people off to war, to die for their country but not let them live as they chose.
Louis is also a tenant in the building where Ben has rented a room, and at first he seems so surly, dislikable, rude. Yet their landlady is one of those who gently interferes in folks lives, caring about them as friends, really looks after her tenants, and somehow she engages Louis to help Ben. Together more they start to understand each other, learn about the things that plague them both, and Ben discovers some surprises about himself that he'd locked in his mind.
Its a wonderful story, a beautiful romance, with all the period details that allowed me to feel there with them. Books like that work best for me, where I almost feel part of the story, and am happy or sad along with the characters. Its not just Ben and Elias but a host of others here that made the story so real, they became people I felt I knew as friends.
At the end Liv talks about the story and says a certain part was at the suggestion of her agent. I'm so glad she took that advice, without that section it would be a good read, with that addition it becomes a great read. That part really moved me, let me understand Ben more, made the feelings between Louis and Ben more concrete, made the problems they faced more real.
I love it when a book delivers a love story but makes the characters have real issues, face seemingly immovable barriers to their love, and lets those problems take over a complete section of the story, not just a couple of pages. Ben needed that, I needed it ;-) and it really made the ending more satisfying.
Stars: Five, a perfect historical read, full of tenderness and emotion.
Arc via author
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: LGBTQIA, Romance
One of the reasons I love LGBTQIA reads is that the romance that always seems to have that extra edge of passion. Maybe it's because of the barriers, historically it was illegal, punishable by prison, and even now in our supposed enlightened terms its still frowned on. People still carry that bigotry and make life difficult for those who want to love outside what they feel is *right*. Sad isn't it that we can't all just live and let live in real life. Still, it makes for some fabulous fiction.
When we meet Ben its clear to see the War ( WW1) has affected him mentally, but of course its an age when such things were not only largely unknown but unspoken too, and he's kind of floundering along, single mindedly searching for his childhood friend Elias. He can't explain why he needs to do this for a friend but he just has to.
Its clear to the reader than they had more than just friendship, but in times like those Ben seems to have shut off his mind to the possibility that they were more, that he is attracted to men. Who can blame him when any hint of liking your own sex carried the taint of Unnatural, the threat of prison, the ostracising in society and employment prospects. Awful isn't it that we could send people off to war, to die for their country but not let them live as they chose.
Louis is also a tenant in the building where Ben has rented a room, and at first he seems so surly, dislikable, rude. Yet their landlady is one of those who gently interferes in folks lives, caring about them as friends, really looks after her tenants, and somehow she engages Louis to help Ben. Together more they start to understand each other, learn about the things that plague them both, and Ben discovers some surprises about himself that he'd locked in his mind.
Its a wonderful story, a beautiful romance, with all the period details that allowed me to feel there with them. Books like that work best for me, where I almost feel part of the story, and am happy or sad along with the characters. Its not just Ben and Elias but a host of others here that made the story so real, they became people I felt I knew as friends.
At the end Liv talks about the story and says a certain part was at the suggestion of her agent. I'm so glad she took that advice, without that section it would be a good read, with that addition it becomes a great read. That part really moved me, let me understand Ben more, made the feelings between Louis and Ben more concrete, made the problems they faced more real.
I love it when a book delivers a love story but makes the characters have real issues, face seemingly immovable barriers to their love, and lets those problems take over a complete section of the story, not just a couple of pages. Ben needed that, I needed it ;-) and it really made the ending more satisfying.
Stars: Five, a perfect historical read, full of tenderness and emotion.
Arc via author
December 7, 2020
"Lost and Found" is set in post World War I Paris, with Rancourt beautifully recreating the mystique and magic of the era. Our characters briefly meet the Parisian avant-garde including Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, and a newcomer, Ernest Hemingway briefly flits through the pages. While reading this book, I could vividly recall walking the streets of Montmartre in the shadow of the Sacré-Coeur during my trip to Paris.
Just as a perfect Paris afternoon must be slowly savored, you need to set aside any expectations of a quick read and just immerse yourself into the setting, and the slow careful reveal of American doctor Benjamin Holm and the enignmatic Louis Donadieu. Impeded by severe post-traumatic memory loss, Ben has returned to Paris to find his boyhood friend Elias; they both served in the war yet Ben returned home alone and has returned to Montmartre to track down Elias. He struggles to make sense of the war, make sense of his haphazard memories, and recall his fleeting memories. He is hampered by his inability to remember.
Louis Donadieu is hampered by a physical impairment that has left him as a dance instructor instead of a premier performer. He lives in the shadow of what he has lost, and that commonality draws Louis and Ben together. Their relationship slowly develops and as with most things in this book, it's a bit slow and a bit hesitant, but it's definitely worth the wait.
But while I appreciated the slow course of their relationship and the gradual unfolding of Ben's truth, toward the end of the novel the author takes a direction that did not work for me, personally. I don't want to reveal too much, but I felt the final 30% of the book could have been tightened up. But again, your mileage may vary.
Overall, I give Rancourt kudos for a wonderful setting as well as Ben's journey to uncover his past, and give "Lost and Found" 4.5 stars.
I received an ARC from the author, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
Just as a perfect Paris afternoon must be slowly savored, you need to set aside any expectations of a quick read and just immerse yourself into the setting, and the slow careful reveal of American doctor Benjamin Holm and the enignmatic Louis Donadieu. Impeded by severe post-traumatic memory loss, Ben has returned to Paris to find his boyhood friend Elias; they both served in the war yet Ben returned home alone and has returned to Montmartre to track down Elias. He struggles to make sense of the war, make sense of his haphazard memories, and recall his fleeting memories. He is hampered by his inability to remember.
Louis Donadieu is hampered by a physical impairment that has left him as a dance instructor instead of a premier performer. He lives in the shadow of what he has lost, and that commonality draws Louis and Ben together. Their relationship slowly develops and as with most things in this book, it's a bit slow and a bit hesitant, but it's definitely worth the wait.
But while I appreciated the slow course of their relationship and the gradual unfolding of Ben's truth, toward the end of the novel the author takes a direction that did not work for me, personally. I don't want to reveal too much, but I felt the final 30% of the book could have been tightened up. But again, your mileage may vary.
Overall, I give Rancourt kudos for a wonderful setting as well as Ben's journey to uncover his past, and give "Lost and Found" 4.5 stars.
I received an ARC from the author, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
October 5, 2019
4.5 stars rounded down.
This is a lovely, quiet book that is almost as much a love letter to Paris just after WWI as it is between the two MCs. It is also a great story about the effects of shell shock and war. I felt so bad for Benjamin, even before we find out how his mind was tampered with by well-meaning, but ultimately clueless doctors. Louis was harder to know because we are never in his mind as we are Benjamin's, but his pain over the loss of his passion, dance, was tempered by his acceptance of himself even if he was unable to trust in Benjamin's feelings.
There were some slight missteps for me in that occasionally some things felt a bit repetitive, but that may be because this was an ARC that I won, so I'm not sure if it was the final copy. I also felt that, at times, the story got caught up in Paris and lost the focus I would have preferred to see on Benjamin and Louis. But these are minor things.
I loved the secondary characters, all of them, they were so well-written that I felt the connections between all of them. Even when, as in the case of Louis's old friends that connection was toxic. I loved that Benjamin's family didn't know what to do with him because they had no way of understanding what he'd been through. The other people that lived in the house with Louis and Benjamin were lovely.
There is a lot of loss in this story, but the ultimate message for me was that we can move beyond loss to find happiness with those who have also suffered, but have made it through.
This is a lovely, quiet book that is almost as much a love letter to Paris just after WWI as it is between the two MCs. It is also a great story about the effects of shell shock and war. I felt so bad for Benjamin, even before we find out how his mind was tampered with by well-meaning, but ultimately clueless doctors. Louis was harder to know because we are never in his mind as we are Benjamin's, but his pain over the loss of his passion, dance, was tempered by his acceptance of himself even if he was unable to trust in Benjamin's feelings.
There were some slight missteps for me in that occasionally some things felt a bit repetitive, but that may be because this was an ARC that I won, so I'm not sure if it was the final copy. I also felt that, at times, the story got caught up in Paris and lost the focus I would have preferred to see on Benjamin and Louis. But these are minor things.
I loved the secondary characters, all of them, they were so well-written that I felt the connections between all of them. Even when, as in the case of Louis's old friends that connection was toxic. I loved that Benjamin's family didn't know what to do with him because they had no way of understanding what he'd been through. The other people that lived in the house with Louis and Benjamin were lovely.
There is a lot of loss in this story, but the ultimate message for me was that we can move beyond loss to find happiness with those who have also suffered, but have made it through.
November 20, 2020
Taking place in Paris 1920 the setting is magical. The City of Lights shines brightly with the descriptions given. Times are more formal during this time and we can see this in the mannerisms of the characters.
Benjamin is one of the walking wounded after the Great War not in body but in mind. PTSD has left him a broken bitter man struggling mightily to regain his mental capabilities.
This war doctor returns to Paris to find his closest friend, Elias.
It haunts him greatly that no matter how much time he spends searching Paris or how many people he asks about him he still remains clueless.
He meets a man in Paris, Louis who helps him search Paris high and low to no avail.
As they spend time together searching for Elias a passion develops between them.
The book is a bit angsty and the relationship has it's ups and downs.
What will happen as Benjamin's memory slowly returns? Each man has an issue holding them back mentally and physically they are trying to desperately to work through . Benjamin must go home to his family, how will this affect things?
Wartime trauma,layered characters and descriptive scenery.
Published October 4th 2019
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Benjamin is one of the walking wounded after the Great War not in body but in mind. PTSD has left him a broken bitter man struggling mightily to regain his mental capabilities.
This war doctor returns to Paris to find his closest friend, Elias.
It haunts him greatly that no matter how much time he spends searching Paris or how many people he asks about him he still remains clueless.
He meets a man in Paris, Louis who helps him search Paris high and low to no avail.
As they spend time together searching for Elias a passion develops between them.
The book is a bit angsty and the relationship has it's ups and downs.
What will happen as Benjamin's memory slowly returns? Each man has an issue holding them back mentally and physically they are trying to desperately to work through . Benjamin must go home to his family, how will this affect things?
Wartime trauma,layered characters and descriptive scenery.
Published October 4th 2019
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
December 30, 2019
I have to admit I was a little frustrated with Ben and his seemingly aimless/unstructured search for a 'missing' best friend in the streets of Paris before it suddenly became clear to me that it was Ben himself who is 'lost in Paris'. The author skillfully winds back the fog in Ben's mind/memories as he makes slow headway with his quest, injecting romantic intrigue with the addition of a brittle & injured Louis, who's reluctantly recruited to assist Ben. Rancourt is a new author for me and I've enjoyed her historical M-M romance offering very much.
October 21, 2019
This was such a lovely read. Liv's books are always so vivid... I feel like I was in Paris after WWI taking this journey alongside Benjamin..
And what a journey it was... I don't want to give anything away.. let's just say it was very emotional as he searched Paris for his childhood best friend who was missing after the war.
Highly recommend!!
And what a journey it was... I don't want to give anything away.. let's just say it was very emotional as he searched Paris for his childhood best friend who was missing after the war.
Highly recommend!!
December 13, 2020
Atmospheric
I enjoyed reading Lost and Found. A lovely, romantic, atmospheric , feel good story set in the most magical and beautiful - to me - city in the world, Paris .
I just reviewed Lost and Found by Liv Rancourt. #LostandFound #NetGalley
I enjoyed reading Lost and Found. A lovely, romantic, atmospheric , feel good story set in the most magical and beautiful - to me - city in the world, Paris .
I just reviewed Lost and Found by Liv Rancourt. #LostandFound #NetGalley
December 3, 2019
Multifaceted WWI era romance with beautifully interwoven themes, seriously erotic scenes and a lovely story
Lost and Found is a book worth your time. It themes - pain so severe that it blots out memory, the crumbling of faith as a generation falls into the abyss of WWI, the tensions between family and self-fulfillment, and the courage required to love - are beautifully interwoven. Set in 1920 Paris, it tells the story of Benjamin Holm, a doctor traumatized during the war by an attack on a battlefield hospital and who is now trying to find his best friend, and Louis Donadieu, a dancer whose career was ended by polio. There are diamonds scattered throughout in the form of compact sentences that take difficult thoughts and feelings, the kind experienced away from the eyes of others in personal, private moments, and condense them into small, sparkling revelations. Like aphorisms, these insights not only allowed me to reflect on my own experiences, and provided comfort that others shared them, too, but also opened up new possibilities for consideration. More than once I found myself stopping to unpack their nuances and implications.
I was surprised, in a good way, at how sexually intense the story became. There are writers who write erotic scenes that titillate and excite, and then there are those whose eroticism excites and reveals simultaneously - whose descriptive precision and observant acuity not only helps us imagine the feel and slide of skin as one thigh presses against another, but how such a transitory sensation, or a momentary emotion, echoes and ripples through the tributaries and currents of a life. This author's sentences do just that, with a startling economic efficiency. She uses condensed, direct words that pare an experience down to it's core. They resonate because they strike with precision, demonstrating that our most private experiences often find sympathetic echoes in the lives of others.
The first third of the book feels slightly disjointed, with some staccato, choppy descriptions, but afterward everything starts to fall into place. The disjointed feel might be calculated, as it gave me a sense of what Benjamin may be experiencing. At the halfway point, I ended up caring about the cast of characters, some of whom are cool and distant, with rough cut edges, while others are warm and charming, but all drawn with precision and an eye for detail. I also came to appreciate how the author captured century-old attitudes towards self-sufficiency, pride, and propriety, and also her skill in exploring the central role that manliness played in the lives of men.
I'm grateful that Elin Gregory highlighted this book in a post, or else I might not have discovered it.
Lost and Found is a book worth your time. It themes - pain so severe that it blots out memory, the crumbling of faith as a generation falls into the abyss of WWI, the tensions between family and self-fulfillment, and the courage required to love - are beautifully interwoven. Set in 1920 Paris, it tells the story of Benjamin Holm, a doctor traumatized during the war by an attack on a battlefield hospital and who is now trying to find his best friend, and Louis Donadieu, a dancer whose career was ended by polio. There are diamonds scattered throughout in the form of compact sentences that take difficult thoughts and feelings, the kind experienced away from the eyes of others in personal, private moments, and condense them into small, sparkling revelations. Like aphorisms, these insights not only allowed me to reflect on my own experiences, and provided comfort that others shared them, too, but also opened up new possibilities for consideration. More than once I found myself stopping to unpack their nuances and implications.
I was surprised, in a good way, at how sexually intense the story became. There are writers who write erotic scenes that titillate and excite, and then there are those whose eroticism excites and reveals simultaneously - whose descriptive precision and observant acuity not only helps us imagine the feel and slide of skin as one thigh presses against another, but how such a transitory sensation, or a momentary emotion, echoes and ripples through the tributaries and currents of a life. This author's sentences do just that, with a startling economic efficiency. She uses condensed, direct words that pare an experience down to it's core. They resonate because they strike with precision, demonstrating that our most private experiences often find sympathetic echoes in the lives of others.
The first third of the book feels slightly disjointed, with some staccato, choppy descriptions, but afterward everything starts to fall into place. The disjointed feel might be calculated, as it gave me a sense of what Benjamin may be experiencing. At the halfway point, I ended up caring about the cast of characters, some of whom are cool and distant, with rough cut edges, while others are warm and charming, but all drawn with precision and an eye for detail. I also came to appreciate how the author captured century-old attitudes towards self-sufficiency, pride, and propriety, and also her skill in exploring the central role that manliness played in the lives of men.
I'm grateful that Elin Gregory highlighted this book in a post, or else I might not have discovered it.
October 4, 2019
4.5 stars rounded up.
The author does a fabulous job in setting the scene and anchoring the story and its characters firmly in the time period. The descriptions are fantastic and give a great sense of place, as well as time, and also the mood of both of those. I thought the story was very visual, with each scene easy to imagine, rather than just being words on the page.
I was drawn into Benjamin’s story immediately, and needed to know what had happened to Elias. I thought the author captured Benjamin’s PTSD well. I felt his frustration in not being able to remember, and his terror later as those gaps in his memory start to finally, slowly, fill. His reaction to his attraction to Louis felt realistic, and I thought his sensibilities were very much those of a man of that time.
I could feel Louis’s grief in his inability to dance, despite the emotion being through the lens of Benjamin’s perspective. I enjoyed reading about his and Benjamin’s begrudging at first—on Benjamin’s part—friendship and then more. Although I’d at first been drawn into the book by Benjamin’s search for Elias and the mystery behind that, I quickly became invested in wanting to make sure that Benjamin and Louis got the life they both wanted, or at least what was possible during that time.
I liked the strong supporting cast too, especially Richard and Beatrice. Despite her brief appearance, I liked Margaret Anne too. She was very empathetic, unselfish, and sensible.
I also liked that the author didn’t shy away from Benjamin’s faith and his struggle to reconcile it with his war experiences. I thought his reaction felt very realistic. So did his family’s expectation that he’d come home, settle down with a local girl and go into practice with a local physician.
I found the ending very satisfying, especially the scene between Benjamin and Louis toward the end of the story.
I’d recommend this story to readers who enjoy historicals that don’t shy away from the horrors of war, have wonderfully detailed settings, interesting layered characters, and a story that keeps you turning pages.
The author does a fabulous job in setting the scene and anchoring the story and its characters firmly in the time period. The descriptions are fantastic and give a great sense of place, as well as time, and also the mood of both of those. I thought the story was very visual, with each scene easy to imagine, rather than just being words on the page.
I was drawn into Benjamin’s story immediately, and needed to know what had happened to Elias. I thought the author captured Benjamin’s PTSD well. I felt his frustration in not being able to remember, and his terror later as those gaps in his memory start to finally, slowly, fill. His reaction to his attraction to Louis felt realistic, and I thought his sensibilities were very much those of a man of that time.
I could feel Louis’s grief in his inability to dance, despite the emotion being through the lens of Benjamin’s perspective. I enjoyed reading about his and Benjamin’s begrudging at first—on Benjamin’s part—friendship and then more. Although I’d at first been drawn into the book by Benjamin’s search for Elias and the mystery behind that, I quickly became invested in wanting to make sure that Benjamin and Louis got the life they both wanted, or at least what was possible during that time.
I liked the strong supporting cast too, especially Richard and Beatrice. Despite her brief appearance, I liked Margaret Anne too. She was very empathetic, unselfish, and sensible.
I also liked that the author didn’t shy away from Benjamin’s faith and his struggle to reconcile it with his war experiences. I thought his reaction felt very realistic. So did his family’s expectation that he’d come home, settle down with a local girl and go into practice with a local physician.
I found the ending very satisfying, especially the scene between Benjamin and Louis toward the end of the story.
I’d recommend this story to readers who enjoy historicals that don’t shy away from the horrors of war, have wonderfully detailed settings, interesting layered characters, and a story that keeps you turning pages.
November 28, 2019
Loved the post-WWI Paris setting, but the romance didn't work for me. I couldn't understand the initial enmity between Ben and Louis, and I didn't buy it when that turned to attraction and love. The narrator, Ben, was extremely closed off from his own thoughts and feelings, which made sense as he was suffering from PTSD and memory loss, but it contributed to the lack of connection with Louis. I liked but didn't love Rancourt's Aqua Follies, so I guess her voice just doesn't quite work for me.
October 9, 2019
Beautifully written, bittersweet, evocative, poignant, 1920's Post-WWI Paris, brooding dancer, tormented doctor, HEA. It doesn't get much better than this.
March 27, 2020
This was a good story, but I don’t know if it is really for me. I must commend the author on the writing though. The history of the story, the feelings of the war, the PTSD, the trauma, guilt and so much more were spot on. It’s not an easy story to deal with. Maybe I’m just not in the right frame of mind for this story today, because I don’t want to downplay how well it was written. It’s just a darker story. As wartime stories and the aftermath usually are.
Benjamin has gone back to Paris in a hurry to find his friend Elias. His mind is so blank of things and there are often days where he feels like he can’t even remember his name. While searching for Elias, the owner of the building keeps checking on him and sends a neighbor to help him in his journey. But Benji has a hard time being around Louis. One, because the man never seems to smile, and two, because he brings out feelings in Benji that are confusing him. At every stop he makes to find Eli, more and more his memories are returning. He has flashbacks and moments of terror, but is starting to get back in the swing of things by helping a few with needs from a doctor such as he. But it’s not until he revisits the hospital that more is coming back and finally the final piece has been filled. During this, his relationship with Louis has grown more, until the final piece clicked and then things seemed to fall apart. Especially when it was time to go back home. Now Benji needs to decide what is more important in his life. Being stuck in the past, or moving forward with a man that has brought him back to life.
I truly feel heartbroken for Benji in this story. Without the modern conveniences of today, healing and recovery was often harder in those days. Wartime, period, always brings some sort of PTSD, I don’t care who you are. There are too many things the eyes see and the mind can’t seem to get past. So for Benji, I was heartbroken at parts of his life missing while trying to deal with the PTSD. And it was even worse, when the final piece clicked into place. I hate war. I hate what it does to people and how the effects are so lasting and harsh. I have a cousin who was in Vietnam and to this day, he’s still not right. So this story is hard to read at some points. And sometimes it seemed harder because Louis seemed like such a jerk. Sometimes I just wanted to shake the man. Like Benji was beneath him or something. But I can’t give him too much grief if he was helping bring Benji back to life. And he truly was. He was helping Benji cope, even when Benji wasn’t aware he needed it. So it was a back and forth kind of thing.
It truly is hard to read at some points, but it’s a good story. The author nailed a lot of things in it and I appreciate it. So give it a try and see what you think.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
Benjamin has gone back to Paris in a hurry to find his friend Elias. His mind is so blank of things and there are often days where he feels like he can’t even remember his name. While searching for Elias, the owner of the building keeps checking on him and sends a neighbor to help him in his journey. But Benji has a hard time being around Louis. One, because the man never seems to smile, and two, because he brings out feelings in Benji that are confusing him. At every stop he makes to find Eli, more and more his memories are returning. He has flashbacks and moments of terror, but is starting to get back in the swing of things by helping a few with needs from a doctor such as he. But it’s not until he revisits the hospital that more is coming back and finally the final piece has been filled. During this, his relationship with Louis has grown more, until the final piece clicked and then things seemed to fall apart. Especially when it was time to go back home. Now Benji needs to decide what is more important in his life. Being stuck in the past, or moving forward with a man that has brought him back to life.
I truly feel heartbroken for Benji in this story. Without the modern conveniences of today, healing and recovery was often harder in those days. Wartime, period, always brings some sort of PTSD, I don’t care who you are. There are too many things the eyes see and the mind can’t seem to get past. So for Benji, I was heartbroken at parts of his life missing while trying to deal with the PTSD. And it was even worse, when the final piece clicked into place. I hate war. I hate what it does to people and how the effects are so lasting and harsh. I have a cousin who was in Vietnam and to this day, he’s still not right. So this story is hard to read at some points. And sometimes it seemed harder because Louis seemed like such a jerk. Sometimes I just wanted to shake the man. Like Benji was beneath him or something. But I can’t give him too much grief if he was helping bring Benji back to life. And he truly was. He was helping Benji cope, even when Benji wasn’t aware he needed it. So it was a back and forth kind of thing.
It truly is hard to read at some points, but it’s a good story. The author nailed a lot of things in it and I appreciate it. So give it a try and see what you think.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
May 13, 2020
4.5 Stars
Lost and Found (m/m romance and historical fiction) by Liv Rancourt is set post WWI - a refreshing change from the majority of books I've read set during or after WWII (which I like, but a change of scenery is good) with the beautiful city of Paris as the backdrop, is a complex and emotional story about war, love and loss.
Benjamin, an American doctor, traumatized during the war, returns to Paris to find his best friend and fellow soldier, Elias, who he was supposed to meet up with after the war.
Benjamin soon meets Louis, a dancer who has lost the use of one leg due to polio. He offers to help Benjamin on his quest to find Elias, and who better to help than a Parisian who knows the places where Americans hang out?
I don't do spoilers, but I will say that despite Louis being a tough personality on occasion, he helps Benjamin not only in his search for Elias, but for himself. Louis makes Benjamin think about things he doesn't want to, but must if he is to solve the mystery of Elias as well as other things from his past. I say mystery because things come to light, little by little, like small clues, that kept me wanting to turn the page.
The romance, an important part, but in my opinion not the main theme, comes as a natural progression between two people who are thrown into an emotional situation and get to know and trust each other.
Lost and Found is Benjamin's story, so it's smart and understandable to have the story told from his POV, but I would have liked a few chapters sprinkled throughout in Louis' POV, to get a better idea of his thoughts. This is a personal preference and didn't hinder my enjoyment of the book at all.
This is a perfect book if you're a fan of romance and historical (which was well researched and written for the time period) and even if you aren't, but are looking for something different. Either way, you won't be disappointed.
Lost and Found (m/m romance and historical fiction) by Liv Rancourt is set post WWI - a refreshing change from the majority of books I've read set during or after WWII (which I like, but a change of scenery is good) with the beautiful city of Paris as the backdrop, is a complex and emotional story about war, love and loss.
Benjamin, an American doctor, traumatized during the war, returns to Paris to find his best friend and fellow soldier, Elias, who he was supposed to meet up with after the war.
Benjamin soon meets Louis, a dancer who has lost the use of one leg due to polio. He offers to help Benjamin on his quest to find Elias, and who better to help than a Parisian who knows the places where Americans hang out?
I don't do spoilers, but I will say that despite Louis being a tough personality on occasion, he helps Benjamin not only in his search for Elias, but for himself. Louis makes Benjamin think about things he doesn't want to, but must if he is to solve the mystery of Elias as well as other things from his past. I say mystery because things come to light, little by little, like small clues, that kept me wanting to turn the page.
The romance, an important part, but in my opinion not the main theme, comes as a natural progression between two people who are thrown into an emotional situation and get to know and trust each other.
Lost and Found is Benjamin's story, so it's smart and understandable to have the story told from his POV, but I would have liked a few chapters sprinkled throughout in Louis' POV, to get a better idea of his thoughts. This is a personal preference and didn't hinder my enjoyment of the book at all.
This is a perfect book if you're a fan of romance and historical (which was well researched and written for the time period) and even if you aren't, but are looking for something different. Either way, you won't be disappointed.
November 15, 2020
Thanks to Netgallery and the author/publisher for this ARC!
I really really wanted to love this book and although I enjoyed it, the pacing left me feeling a little flat and disconnected to some fairly decent characters and narrative.
The basic premise: struggling with memory loss and trauma from the war, Benjamin, a doctor, finds himself wandering Paris in the 20s searching for his best friend, Elias. He meets ex-dancer, Louis, and a handful of other characters who aid in his search, which becomes more about Benjamin rediscovering his memories and embracing new romance and his sexuality. It's a relatively quiet story with a lot of emotional punch and internal development, tackling themes of internalised homophobia, PTSD and disability.
Lost and Found is heartfelt, lonely and at times, romantic, but I think this book could benefit from some pacing changes and structural edits. The romance is solidly built and grows into something you really start to root for, but the problem lies within the lack of grounding in the writing; Benjamin's wandering self makes you feel at times bored and wanting to skip sections until you get to some interesting dialogue and actual development.
On the one hand, I want to praise the author's intent; I appreciate there must be a struggle in creating a mood of inner development and poetic sadness without pushing the reader away. On the other hand, I personally couldn't quite ever fully connect to the characters or the story fully. It's a good read, but I found myself skipping bits or cringing at the over-use of the word 'organ'.
Depending on personal taste I think this story will either be an easy but forgettable read or something you could lose yourself in.
I really really wanted to love this book and although I enjoyed it, the pacing left me feeling a little flat and disconnected to some fairly decent characters and narrative.
The basic premise: struggling with memory loss and trauma from the war, Benjamin, a doctor, finds himself wandering Paris in the 20s searching for his best friend, Elias. He meets ex-dancer, Louis, and a handful of other characters who aid in his search, which becomes more about Benjamin rediscovering his memories and embracing new romance and his sexuality. It's a relatively quiet story with a lot of emotional punch and internal development, tackling themes of internalised homophobia, PTSD and disability.
Lost and Found is heartfelt, lonely and at times, romantic, but I think this book could benefit from some pacing changes and structural edits. The romance is solidly built and grows into something you really start to root for, but the problem lies within the lack of grounding in the writing; Benjamin's wandering self makes you feel at times bored and wanting to skip sections until you get to some interesting dialogue and actual development.
On the one hand, I want to praise the author's intent; I appreciate there must be a struggle in creating a mood of inner development and poetic sadness without pushing the reader away. On the other hand, I personally couldn't quite ever fully connect to the characters or the story fully. It's a good read, but I found myself skipping bits or cringing at the over-use of the word 'organ'.
Depending on personal taste I think this story will either be an easy but forgettable read or something you could lose yourself in.
April 15, 2021
What a deep, thought provoking and heartfelt story! Set primarily in Paris, Benjamin Holm, a Harvard trained doctor who had volunteered in the Great War and after treatment for trauma, returned to Brattleboro. Missing elements of his memory, he returns to the City of Light seeking his childhood companion, stay up on the Butte Montmartre. At his lodgings, he meets Louis Donadieu, a former ballet dancer now teaching as a result of polio.
Ben's search for Elias across the expanse of the city, paints a wonderful homage to the French capitol. Rancourt includes some historic figures at "the salons" as well as the day-to-day on the Place de Tertre. The difficult awakening of these two damaged men's acknowledgement parallels Ben's recovery of some horrific memories of the end of the war.
The characters, while fictional, feel real, with the inclusion of the secondary players. Descriptions are on point, wonderfully written, visual. Ben's sojourn ending with a return ticket, the farm life in Vermont contrasts starkly with city life. His despondency is brilliantly portrayed, and his decision to try again reads like the sun breaking through a tumult of storm clouds.
A review reader will recognize that I'm a Francophile and have such a love for things French, including Paris. Also a fan of historic fiction, Lost and Found has hit on so many of my happy spots that I will recommend it widely. Brilliant writing and exceptional story.
Ben's search for Elias across the expanse of the city, paints a wonderful homage to the French capitol. Rancourt includes some historic figures at "the salons" as well as the day-to-day on the Place de Tertre. The difficult awakening of these two damaged men's acknowledgement parallels Ben's recovery of some horrific memories of the end of the war.
The characters, while fictional, feel real, with the inclusion of the secondary players. Descriptions are on point, wonderfully written, visual. Ben's sojourn ending with a return ticket, the farm life in Vermont contrasts starkly with city life. His despondency is brilliantly portrayed, and his decision to try again reads like the sun breaking through a tumult of storm clouds.
A review reader will recognize that I'm a Francophile and have such a love for things French, including Paris. Also a fan of historic fiction, Lost and Found has hit on so many of my happy spots that I will recommend it widely. Brilliant writing and exceptional story.
November 20, 2020
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
"Lost and Found" was absolutely lovely.
I requested it because I love the 1920's and I love stories about the aftermath of WW1. A love story between a soldier and a wounded ballet dancer in Paris during the roaring Twenties sounded just like my thing but I definitely wasn't expecting this book to be so lovely and warm but also bittersweet and hard.
Benjamin, our main protagonist, is a complex man, full of self-loathing and shame and a desperation that makes him hard to like at times. I did appreciate him though, his tenacity and sweetness, and I found the author's portrayal of his memory loss and his shell-shocked mind very realistic.
Louis, on the other hand, I loved with my whole soul. He's snarky and tough and resilient and sweet and vulnerable. He blew my mind and broke my heart.
The whole cast of side characters were lovable and wonderful and they made Paris feel like home to me too.
I loved the setting. Liv Rancourt has a gift when it comes to painting Paris with such vividness: you can actually feel and see the light and darkness the city is full of.
If you're looking for a lovely '20 atmosphere, lost and broken souls that find each other (and also lots of descriptions of food and wine!) "Lost and Found" is the book for you.
"Lost and Found" was absolutely lovely.
I requested it because I love the 1920's and I love stories about the aftermath of WW1. A love story between a soldier and a wounded ballet dancer in Paris during the roaring Twenties sounded just like my thing but I definitely wasn't expecting this book to be so lovely and warm but also bittersweet and hard.
Benjamin, our main protagonist, is a complex man, full of self-loathing and shame and a desperation that makes him hard to like at times. I did appreciate him though, his tenacity and sweetness, and I found the author's portrayal of his memory loss and his shell-shocked mind very realistic.
Louis, on the other hand, I loved with my whole soul. He's snarky and tough and resilient and sweet and vulnerable. He blew my mind and broke my heart.
The whole cast of side characters were lovable and wonderful and they made Paris feel like home to me too.
I loved the setting. Liv Rancourt has a gift when it comes to painting Paris with such vividness: you can actually feel and see the light and darkness the city is full of.
If you're looking for a lovely '20 atmosphere, lost and broken souls that find each other (and also lots of descriptions of food and wine!) "Lost and Found" is the book for you.
December 27, 2020
I was positively surprised I liked this book as much as I did. See, I am not France's biggest fan, I blame my France teacher for that. This book however... This book was wonderfully written, the story kept me engaged and even though it had technically three sex scenes - one hand, one mouth, one actual penetration - I was mostly fine with reading them because they were well written and it wasn't too clicheed. Also, I've never been able to step out of a well written LGBTQ post war novel, so the history nerd inside me was overly satisfied.
Benjamin was such a wonderful character. He was real. Marked by the war, but with a purpose and an engery of life I enjoyed reading.
Louis was also absolutely perfect in every way - I picked up a crave for broken souls who are being mended again like Louis was. The ending almost left me in tears.
The plottwist however - I was not prepared for that one. Not at all and I really sat in front of this book with my mouth hanging open for a moment. What an amazing, yet sad addition to an already wonderful story! It lifted my spirits and broke them at the same time and I love it when a books touches my lile this one. I am so happy to have been able to read this book and to find it almost, almost perfect. I was a bit biased though, because of my loathing to my French teacher which sadly ruined the experience a bit.
I received a free ARC by Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Benjamin was such a wonderful character. He was real. Marked by the war, but with a purpose and an engery of life I enjoyed reading.
Louis was also absolutely perfect in every way - I picked up a crave for broken souls who are being mended again like Louis was. The ending almost left me in tears.
The plottwist however - I was not prepared for that one. Not at all and I really sat in front of this book with my mouth hanging open for a moment. What an amazing, yet sad addition to an already wonderful story! It lifted my spirits and broke them at the same time and I love it when a books touches my lile this one. I am so happy to have been able to read this book and to find it almost, almost perfect. I was a bit biased though, because of my loathing to my French teacher which sadly ruined the experience a bit.
I received a free ARC by Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2021
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.
Benjamin lived through war, survived to Armistice, but cannot remember so much of what happened. Clinging to what he does know, he travels to Paris in an attempt to find his best friend Elias, who also fought in the war. In Paris, he meets Louis, a dance teacher who can no longer fully dance, and Louis offers to help him in his search. As they travel around Paris, they find themselves falling for each other, but Benjamin must reconcile what he's been taught and what he can't remember with what he truly feels.
With not being able to travel right now, being able to read about Paris like this was wonderful. The descriptions really come alive and, though I visited in a different time period, it made me remember what it was like to be in that amazing city.
Benjamin and Louis's romance is definitely a slow burn, but it makes complete sense given their backgrounds and what they are going through. I was rooting for them both as individuals and as a couple the entire story, and was very happy with where they ended up.
This book does not pull punches when it comes to sorrow and loss, but there is so much love and life in the story as well.
Benjamin lived through war, survived to Armistice, but cannot remember so much of what happened. Clinging to what he does know, he travels to Paris in an attempt to find his best friend Elias, who also fought in the war. In Paris, he meets Louis, a dance teacher who can no longer fully dance, and Louis offers to help him in his search. As they travel around Paris, they find themselves falling for each other, but Benjamin must reconcile what he's been taught and what he can't remember with what he truly feels.
With not being able to travel right now, being able to read about Paris like this was wonderful. The descriptions really come alive and, though I visited in a different time period, it made me remember what it was like to be in that amazing city.
Benjamin and Louis's romance is definitely a slow burn, but it makes complete sense given their backgrounds and what they are going through. I was rooting for them both as individuals and as a couple the entire story, and was very happy with where they ended up.
This book does not pull punches when it comes to sorrow and loss, but there is so much love and life in the story as well.
November 14, 2020
Set in early 1920s Paris, Benjamin is on a mission to find an old flame and memories he has lost.
This was an interesting read, however, I had mix feelings reading this story.
Some parts I enjoyed. Like how Liv portrayed Benjamin's PTSD and memories loss through out the story. And Louis kept me coming back for more. (More Louis wouldn't have hurt)
But also didn't enjoy the writing style and found it to bland at times or me rolling my eyes at some choice in wording.
"The water barely covered my lap, doing little to disguise the swelling of my organ."
The story is definitely worth reading and hard to really put into words.
Was giving the Arc from netgalley for an honest review
This was an interesting read, however, I had mix feelings reading this story.
Some parts I enjoyed. Like how Liv portrayed Benjamin's PTSD and memories loss through out the story. And Louis kept me coming back for more. (More Louis wouldn't have hurt)
But also didn't enjoy the writing style and found it to bland at times or me rolling my eyes at some choice in wording.
"The water barely covered my lap, doing little to disguise the swelling of my organ."
The story is definitely worth reading and hard to really put into words.
Was giving the Arc from netgalley for an honest review
November 17, 2020
A wonderful story set in Post WWII Paris with complex characters and an entertaining storyline. Benjamin and Louis started off on the contentious side but their connection slowly evolved into something more as Louis helped Benjamin search for his missing friend. Wartime trauma and a life interrupted by disease, these characters were anything but simple and their journey made for a engaging read.
*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley*
*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley*
May 17, 2021
It's a bittersweet mm romance set mostly in Paris after World War I. A US Army doctor returns there to find his childhood friend. Unfortunately, his memory is missing large chunks of time. He meets a man in his boardinghouse who helps him with his search, and also to face up to his same-sax attraction. Other neighbors give him aid as well. It's written in a very literary style.
December 22, 2020
A bit of a slow burn and some hurt/comfort. A good story with believable characters that I cared about. Definitely had a HEA, but because it was historical and it took place in Paris between the wars, I felt like there could have been something in the epilogue about getting through WWII.
October 15, 2023
Different, at times interesting, but often a struggle to stay with it. Definitely not one of my favorites even though it had a slight pull to keep me going.
June 19, 2022
A lovely story! Characters who live and breathe and make you hope for their happiness. And Paris! Good writing and a great grasp of setting and character development. Kudos all around!
February 10, 2022
A Roller Coaster Along the Seine
This is such an unusual, and innovative, love story that forces you to keep going even though virtually every detail of every day in the life of American-in-Paris Benjamin Holm is put before us, page after heartbreaking but hopeful, page.
This is truly a book that requires that you read the blurb or else you might ditch it around mid point. But then things start moving more closely together between WW I veteran Benjamin and Louis, who rents an apartment in the same building, despite their previous pithy relationship.
This is a serious study of PTSD before it was diagnosed beyond "shell shocked," and the revelations surrounding Benjamin's war experience come through slowly but surely in a way that will take your breath away and sear your heart.
But stick with it. There are very few MM books that take place in this era in Paris, no less, and I doubt if i will come across another anytime soon that is as satisfying, or brilliant.
This is such an unusual, and innovative, love story that forces you to keep going even though virtually every detail of every day in the life of American-in-Paris Benjamin Holm is put before us, page after heartbreaking but hopeful, page.
This is truly a book that requires that you read the blurb or else you might ditch it around mid point. But then things start moving more closely together between WW I veteran Benjamin and Louis, who rents an apartment in the same building, despite their previous pithy relationship.
This is a serious study of PTSD before it was diagnosed beyond "shell shocked," and the revelations surrounding Benjamin's war experience come through slowly but surely in a way that will take your breath away and sear your heart.
But stick with it. There are very few MM books that take place in this era in Paris, no less, and I doubt if i will come across another anytime soon that is as satisfying, or brilliant.
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