Very good read! This title was filled with emotion and drama. The characters were relatable and engaging. I would recommend this author!

I usually read and review anything Jennifer Ryan writes as soon as it comes out on the other platforms. As always I forgot to leave my review here. I really loved the book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a Hallmark movie from beginning to end. Not a good or a bad one, a 'by the book one'. Literally nothing happens - sure the characters do stuff and have conversations but the entire conflict and all the bad stuff that takes place is in the past. Sarah has had a very rough life and now suddenly she is getting everything she ever wanted and more. Because that's how it happens, right? Luke is not a cinnamon-roll hero, he is like a dozen batches of cookies with frosting and sprinkles on top. He is just as over-the-top awesome as Sarah's past was over-the-top bad (without being tragic, that would not be fitting in a Hallmark movie, not ever as a backstory). so, if you want a really mellow comfort read where nothing but good, very good and extremely good things happen to two perfect people, read this. My three rating is based on the fact that it's not badly written and probably has its audience, I'm just obviously not in it.

This was a book that kept me interested and tugged on my heartstrings. Sarah, who is widowed, is forced to visit her estranged former mother in law when she threatens to sue for custody of her kids. She agrees to visit for six weeks and is pleasant.y surprised by her connection with Luke, who is the lawyer who sent her the mother in laws demands. This book definitely deals with dysfunctional family relationships. It takes awhile fo ether mother in law and sister in law to see their deceased son/brother for his actual self. The romance between Sarah and Luke is handled well. The book really handles the premise that our past should not hold us back from future happiness. The interwoven relationships are handled well and in a realistic way. This is a book I would recommend if you are in the mood for a book about a women’s journey to finding her happiness.

Lost and Found Family by Jennifer Ryan was a wonderful romance!

I love small town/ranch settings so I loved that aspect of the book. The challenging mother in law aspect was what made the book. You saw Sarah doing everything possible and more to do things right and I loved how everything came together in the end!

I first discovered Jennifer Ryan through her romantic suspense novels but I've come to enjoy her stand-alone, women's fiction stories as well. Ryan is a master of the dysfunctional family unit, creating characters that draw you in and keep you engaged while immersing the reader in twisty stories that are overflowing with secrets and betrayals.

Sara, the lead character of this book, is a hard-working mom trying to maintain a balance while growing her successful company and caring for her two young sons. I liked her, respected her, admired her, and was cheering her on from start to finish, especially in light of the verbal abuse and casual disregard she endured from her late husband and his family. How that woman came through all that was thrown at her - from childhood to present day - with her positivity, kindness, and ability to forgive intact, not just surviving but thriving, is beyond me.

I like that Luke's suspicion of Sara (fed by her mother-in-law) isn't drawn out a long time. Once true facts come to light, his allegiance shifts and a relationship begins to develop, not only with Sara but with her sons as well. I really enjoyed the scenes between Luke and the boys. Luke is at a bit of a crossroads and has an individual journey to travel as well. I enjoyed the evolution of his character and his relationship with Sara. And I adored his family!

The story moves along pretty well until it hits about the 80% mark, when it began to slow down for me. Though I understand what the author was trying to convey in those final chapters, they felt a bit extraneous to me. Still, Lost and Found Family is a complex, deeply emotional, and satisfying story that reinforces Jennifer Ryan's immense storytelling skill and a book I recommend.

*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

Jennifer Ryan wrote a wonderful story about a remarkable woman who suffered through family secrets in order to protect others and through all of this she embraces her true self and finds love for the first time.r

Sarah Anderson puts aside her own comfort and takes her two sons to spend time with their grandmother even though at every turn she is ridiculed by her mother-in-law. For years she has hidden the truth about what her life was like with her husband. Because of information that her son constantly told her Margaret is convinced that Sarah is an unfit mother and threatens to take legal action. So Sarah agrees to spend six weeks with Margaret so she can spend time with her grandsons.

Luke Thompson is an attorney and part-time rancher and family friend to Margaret. Margaret convinces Luke to investigate Sarah’s past. He quickly learns that everything Margaret believes is true is totally wrong and that her son was not who he lead her to believe. He learns that Sarah is a devoted mother and a warm, caring person that he really wants to get to know. Luke gives Sarah the love she always craved and a real family.

Sarah shows a remarkable ability to forgive once she reveals she secrets she has kept hidden about her deceased husband and also a secret she had no idea existed. A remarkable story about what one woman will do to have what she never had: love and family.

I wonder what secrets her husband had,

She is a walking heart attack.

Charming.

Sleepwalking must be so scary.

Why did the idiot man answer the investigator's call in front of her?

Eww, Larson.

Tomatoes really are gross.

Ooh, surprise twist.

Suck it, Bridget.

Aw, poor Nick.

And just when you think that man was a twat, more things come out.

She doesn't spend Christmas with her father?

That's an interesting ring, especially for a man.

Best baby announcement ever.

I received this advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Anderson has picked herself up and put herself and her boys back together after the death of their father and her husband. He left quite a lot for her to pick up and her mother in law blames her for all sorts of things as she has been living with truth that her son provided before his death. She insists the boys come and visit her, so Sarah picks up her life and relocates for six weeks that will eventually change her life.

A great romance that of course the reader knows the outcome of the story from the beginning, but what a ride it was. What I loved most about this story was the focus on Sarah as a career woman on top of being a single mom. It was so interesting to read about how she sacrificed so much to build a business that her boys could be proud of and to keep up the facade that her mother in law had of her late husband.

Sarah was a great character to follow for a story. From a great work ethic to an interesting past to uncover, I really enjoyed how Jennifer Ryan built this character and this story. Although this book could be on the cusp of instalove as this couple fell in love quickly as she was visiting her ex mother in law, for some reason it still felt as though it was a slow burn and it worked for me.

Be warned there were a few steamy sexy scenes, but for a girl who likes the door closed, the plot was so good, that I could skim right past and enjoy the story. I have read a few Jennifer Ryan books and she is climbing the ladder to become an author that I am loving and really appreciating her variety of genres she writes.

True story: this morning I sent Julie a message about two books I read recently by the same author, Jennifer Ryan. It went a little something like this:

Beth: I need to write down my thoughts about the two Jen Ryan books I read this weekend.
Julie: Oooo how were they?!
Beth: I love her books so I 100% enjoyed them. I’d actually read one of them before because I’ve had the ARC for a while and I love the series, so naturally I read it as soon as I got it. LOL I couldn’t wait even though I knew I’d read it again before I wrote a review for it 🤷🏻‍♀️
Julie: LOL I love that. There is nothing like that feeling of an anticipated book hitting the Kindle that you HAVE TO READ NOW.
Beth: YESSSSSSSS
Julie: Someone needs to bottle that shit.
Beth: We’d be overnight billionaires. “

Clearly the conversation spiraled out of control from there, with us discussing what we’d do with our billions. Definitely go to Scotland, to fulfill Julie’s Scottish dreams since her husband has yet to. Also, find a beach to relax on with all the books and cocktails, find a nice warm fire to read by with all the books and spiked hot chocolate, and . . . well, I think you get the idea.

Regardless, the point is that there are some books you just cannot wait for. You sit though months of being patient, then they’re on your e-reader and you’re dropping everything to be able to start right now. A lot of Jennifer Ryan’s books are like that for me. I’ve been reading them for years and I know her style and stories are going to give me what I need. Feed my reader’s soul, if you’ll allow me some poetic license.
Of course, that meant having two on my Kindle at one time was cause for flail-inducing excitement.

What two books am I talking about, you ask? Lost and Found Family, which releases July 6, 2021, and True Love Cowboy, the one mentioned above, which is out August 24, 2021. Both are cowboy books — though not related in anyway — and both left me feeling awash with good feels and ready for bed so I could get to work on imagining my life as the woman who captures a cowboy’s heart. (Side note: caught a redneck’s heart instead. It’s eye-opening, TBH, even after 15 years.) Basically, I loved both of these romance novels and you’d best believe they’re in the reread pile. Or in the case of True Love Cowboy, the re-read again pile.

Now, let’s get to the books themselves, starting with Lost and Found Family. If you recall, we did a Family Series Spotlight a few months back with Kaylee Ryan and Melanie Moreland, centered around the importance of family and the difference ways they can come together. In the case of Lost and Found Family, found family (à la the title) is where it’s at. Sarah is the widow of a man who left betrayal and heartache in his wake, along with a painful rift between her and his mother, Margaret and sister, Bridget, and all she wants is to piece her life — and family — together. Truly, the way Sarah is treated by Margaret and Bridget is almost painful to read; I was in my feels from page one as Sarah struggled to balance doing what she had to do, what she knew she should do, and what she wanted to do. Through it all, the mother in me — who would do most anything for her kids — tried to reconcile how a parent could be so obtuse to her son’s behavior and flaws with the knowledge that I would probably defend and believe my kiddos to the nth degree too, especially if they’d died young and unexpectedly.

Did I like Margaret? Oh, hell no. Did I maybe, sorta, unwillingly understand her position? Yes. And that’s one of the things I love about Ryan’s books; she can make you see things from a new perspective. Then she contrasts that with a love story that’s got a feeling of rightness and inevitability, even if, timeline-wise, they happen quickly. That’s what happens with Sarah and Griffin, and with Trinity and Jon from True Love Cowboy. They meet, sparks fly. They get to know one another, feelings grow. They spent time together, feelings deepen. The storm hits (metaphorically speaking, of course), they endure.

And my heart knows that it’s all going to be okay.

The conflict in Ryan’s books is, more often than not, brought on by external factors, and that works for me. I love seeing couples get tested and coming out stronger than ever. In the case of Griffin and Sarah, that test is relentless from the start — first, the hostile mother and sister-in-law, then a surprise “gift” left by the late husband — and through every I must know what happens next moment, I was sure of their HEA. Which, yeah okay, you could argue that all romance books have a for-sure HEA (or HFN, at the very least), but this is a different kind of surety, one that comes from the knowledge that, because they didn’t let the little things tear them apart at the first sign of trouble, their HEA is actually ever after.

Even once the book ends.

The same can be said for Trinity and Jon. True Love Cowboy is the third book in the McGrath series, and the fourth book featuring a McGrath sibling. (Tough Talking Cowboy, about the oldest McGrath, Drake, is part of the Wild Rose Ranch series, which I also (unsurprisingly) highly recommend.) Their test is a little more physical than the verbal and emotional insult that Sarah suffers, but nonetheless, it’s a test that the couple can bear together. And with the help of family. For Sarah, that means the family she builds from the wreckage of her old life. For Trinity and Jon, it’s the merging of two families who work together to build a better future for everyone.

I love that these are romances novels that are easy and sweet and heartfelt and cute, but not limited only to the love that the central couple finds. It radiates outward, encompassing all elements of the story. Does that mean that there are no storms? No, of course not. Ryan guides these couples and her readers through the dark moments, sometimes with necessary heartbreak and tears, and rewards them with a true fairytale ending.

True love. Found family. Books that you can count on to feed your soul, put a smile on your face, and open your mind to the possibility of finding a love like that. Books that you can’t wait even an extra minute to read because you’re that excited.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have anticipation to bottle and a Scottish dream to enable . . .

Luke and Sarah are a good couple to read on the Fourth of July with all of the sparks that fly between them. Like any woman who is trying to juggle it all. It is always better when you have a man like Luke knowing your limits.
This is a great vacation read!

I really liked this book in the beginning however by the time I reached the half way mark I was over it. At first Sara seems like a strong women faced with a past she would rather move on from and enjoy her family then it feels like the author made her so perfect she became unreliable and annoying, seemed like a victim and has to play it up to make her self look better and feel better. I was not a fan of Luke at all he was a jerk from the get go and he just overall seem to play well into the craziness. By the middle of the book it seems like everything gets cleared up and that should be the end only to keep playing things out and it just seems too much. I did like the boys they seemed to have such a sweet spirit about them with all they faced. This book does have adult content and may not be suitable for all readers.

Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now on and make a brand new ending ~~ Carl Bard ~~

I still remember the first book of Jennifer Ryan’s that I read and was ecstatic to find a her and I totally would be lost if I don’t get to read her books to feed my reading addiction; be it her new releases or just the countless times I have fallen back to read her previous works.

Meet Sarah Anderson - a woman who lost herself in the struggles of life, yet found her very self as a successful and enterprising business woman, a mother who adored her two boys, an employer who has the best interests of her employees at the core of her organization treating them as family, and a genuine and honest friend to the very few people she has in her life. With not one single bad bone in her body, empathy and compassion running in her blood, sensitive and generous to the depth of her soul, she may be a fictional character sketched by Jennifer Ryan, but they do exist, and I can truly relate to this very character and personality.

And her soulmate in the making, nothing but the best in Luke Thompson - a successful attorney and a cowboy, caught between the family dynamics of Sarah and her dead husband’s famiy, his heart and mind at a war even as he falls for her but questioning her actions, he’s got some decisions to make. Spending time with Sarah and her boys, and as her family secrets come to light, making decisions that would effect his future has never been difficult.

“Lost And Found Family” is a wholesome story of a woman choosing a life that is important to her, empowering herself by working hard on the right things leads to a successful career, losing a past that was hurtful and finding a present that only would lead to a future that she always had wanted. Take this journey with Sarah Anderson and Luke Thompson as they finally become a family that they’ve always dreamed of, a brand new ending.

Jennifer Ryan always had an exceptional writing and narrative skill and no review will do justice to her books unless read in person Writing a book is never, ever easy and she has not one wasted word in this amazing story. She’s taken life as is and has put in a book that breathes this very life as the story unfolds. A true reader’s pleasure!

Received an ARC from William Morrow Custom House via NetGalley

An extremely sweet book about heartbreak, survival, and love. Sara Anderson is the epitome of survival. She has overcome all the odds to become a successful leader in the tech industry, mother, philanthropist, and friend. So much has gone wrong in her life that it takes quite a lot to ruffle her feathers now but when it comes to her kids, she will protect them and her relationship with them no matter what. Luke Thompson is a small town rancher and a big city lawyer rolled up into one handsome facade. He's been burned by one too many women so he doesn't trust his feelings for Sara at first.

These two start out with a really fun antagonistic relationship. Some of the banter was one sided because Sara is so cool but her lack of response was enough to get a rise out of Luke. Because of their forced proximity, they spend a lot of time together but I had a hard time rationalizing how much time Sara spends working with how much time she spends with her kids and how much time she can devote to a new relationship. In spite of that her relationship with Luke seemed to sprout suddenly. I would have liked a little more of a transition but overall the story was lovely.

I was hesitant on reading this story BUT I'm glad I did. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. It kept my interest and made me feel as if I were part of the story. Every once in a while I enjoy a book where you don't have to think too much, nor keep track of many characters. I was able to read this and just enjoy the story.

Will post in July at the Romance Reviews Today site. http://romrevtoday.com/ and blog: https://romrevtoday.blogspot.com/

LOST AND FOUND FAMILY – Jennifer Ryan
William Morrow
ISBN: 978-0-06-300351-4
July 6, 2021
Contemporary Fiction

Carmel, California – Present Day

Two years ago, Sarah lost her husband, Sean, leaving their two boys fatherless and the company they owned nearly bankrupt. Since then, she has rebuilt their software company into a thriving business, though it comes with the expense of working long hours. The children’s grandmother, Margaret, hasn’t seen them since Sean’s death, but since the woman blames Sarah for his death, it is for the best to not continue the festering. Out of the blue, Sarah receives a letter from Margaret’s attorney, Luke Thompson, with a demand that she bring the children to visit their grandmother for six weeks or she will take her to court for custody. Rather than fight it, Sarah agrees to the visit.

Sarah and her two boys arrive in Carmel at the home of Margaret. The reception is chilly, compounded by the fact that Luke Thompson is also there. Margaret immediately starts throwing accusations about Sarah and how badly Sean was treated. Sarah tries to remain calm. She chose to not tell her mother-in-law the truth about Sean in order to keep Margaret’s memories of her son happy. But for the next six weeks, her patience is tested. Meanwhile, Luke continues to grill Sarah. She disputes a lot of what he is accusing her of yet won’t elaborate. Luke decides to get a detailed background check on Sarah and the circumstances of Sean’s death. He soon learns some surprising things that have his views of Sarah changing. Luke is soon attracted to Sarah. Margaret warns him that Sarah will reel him in like a Black Widow. Is Luke making a mistake? What is the truth behind Sean’s life and death?

A family torn apart by the death of a prodigal son and father is the central theme in LOST AND FOUND FAMILY, a family drama set in Carmel. Sarah was raised in foster homes until a dastardly uncle claimed her, and then he abused her. She was finally discovered by her father, but the damage was done. Sarah earned her way to college and graduated with honors. It is there that she met Sean, a charismatic man who not only married her, but he also used her grit and intelligence to start a software company. It is clear as this tale opens that Sean wasn’t the perfect husband everyone had thought him to be. But sadly, he painted Sarah as a self-absorbed woman who pushed Sean over the edge. In fact, Sarah is the one who kept the company afloat. It is Sarah who worked (and continues to do so) long hours even as she nurtures her two adorable boys.

Margaret is still grieving over losing Sean and it’s easy to understand why she blames Sarah. Her plan is to take her grandsons away from their mother because Sean had told her that Sarah was an unfit mother. Throughout most of LOST AND FOUND FAMILY, Margaret’s feelings about her daughter-in-law don’t change. Meanwhile, Luke is slowly discovering Sarah is not the pagan he expected. She works long hours—often into the early morning hours—but is always there for her sons. Soon, he is falling for her. Since he knows the truth about Sean, when will he tell Margaret?

LOST AND FOUND FAMILY is filled with emotion and drama as Sarah tries to avoid a confrontation with Margaret. Luke wants to help Sarah, but she refuses. How long will he be forced to sit silently while Sarah is belittled by Margaret? The truth will eventually come out, and when it does, will it lead to a change in the relationship between the two women? Find out about all the drama and emotion by buying a copy of LOST AND FOUND FAMILY.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

LOST AND FOUND FAMILY by Jennifer Ryan. I really enjoyed this story. When the heroine rises from a not so great childhood and turns into an amazing woman, it makes my heart sing. That being said, at times, I felt Sara was just a wee bit too perfect and was the ultimate over achiever. Despite that, I really liked both Sara and Luke. This was, simply put, a heartwarming tale of over coming adversity and hardships and working hard to get what you want in life. I enjoy Ms. Ryan's writing style and the plot, too, was easy to follow and enjoyable. (received ARC from NetGalley for honest review)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. The cover is what drew me in on this one...I just got a feeling of peace when I looked at it...It didn't totally fill me with peace as I read it though. Sarah is our main character, a mom trying to do right by her kids after their dad died all while running her own company... Suddenly she is receiving a letter from a lawyer saying that her mother in law is threatening to sue for custody if Sarah does not bring them for an extended visit right away. To be fair, it had been quite awhile since her husband died and the boys are very young. But that mother in law? Totally could not stand her or the snotty sister in law that both treated Sarah like absolute dirt. And I lost some respect for Sarah as she let them treat her that way not just when they were alone but in front of other people...Turns out the husband treated her like crap too and she let him...this one was a little too cliche for me and like I said, the in laws made it very hard to keep going...sometimes I would get so angry that I could only read for 10 or 15 minutes at a time and that is never good. When I was able to get into the book and stay into it, I enjoyed the story line but it didn't happen too often.

This is a good book. It is about trying to see good in people. Luke has heard so many bad things about Sara. But he finds out they are lies. He sees her as a wonderful person.

3.5 stars

Sarah Anderson is a young widow and mom of two boys who is keeping her late husband’s secrets. When her antagonistic mother-in-law threatens a custody battle, Sarah takes her two boys to see their grandmother. Luke Thompson is a neighbor and lawyer to the mother-in-law’s family, and he is tasked with digging up dirt on Sarah.

This was an interesting premise but I was left wanting more from this story. The drama between Sarah and her MIL was fun, but the sister-in-law was a true brat. The relationship between Sarah and Luke moved at light speed, in my opinion. It was hard to believe that they fell in love in just a few short weeks. There was also very little tension between Luke and Sarah; I never thought I’d say this, but give me a little angst!

The revelations about Sarah’s late husband were not surprising; he sounded like a horrible cad. I was glad to see a portrayal of a smart business woman is Sarah, taking her husband’s failing business and making it a success. She was an amazing woman and far more forgiving than I could ever be.