This is an emotional story of love and loss and moving on instead of being pulled under by grief. The pacing was a bit off, and it could've benefitted from a tighter edit, especially in the beginning. The grief angle could be triggering for some readers. This is not a light read, by any means. Thankfully, there is a light/faith/hope angle that helps balance things a bit.

I thought the writing in this book was beautiful and loved that it was set in the Pacific Northwest. It spoke about grief in a poignant way I just could’ve avoided the God talk (but that’s just for me!)

I've never read anything by Nicole Deese before, but the premise for The Words We Lost sounded both heartbreaking and interesting, so I was pleased to have the chance to read an ARC. Now that I've finished, this will certainly not be the last book by Deese that I read!

TWWL is a story that expertly blends grief, brokenness, love, redemption, friendship, and hope into something that will have readers smiling through their tears. Ingrid and Joel are so deep in their grief, but their mission--to find their friend's lost manuscript--forces them back together to face the hurt and the relationship they once had. Neither character is perfect, but they both feel incredibly real and relatable. The secondary characters are quite well-developed, too, and I can't wait to see who are cast as the stars in the next book in the series. (Fingers crossed for Chip x Allie!)

This story handles flashbacks in an interesting way, and the information that is provided through these scenes provides a look into the mind of Cece, Ingrid's best friend and Joel's cousin. Cece's death is the catalyst for the entire story, so it feels strange that she's not there, but through her memories, her personality, creativity, and love for her family--both by blood and by bond--truly shine. Cece was the one who brought together the three friends, and her clever methods for bringing people together even after she's gone make her a fun character.

While this is a heavy book, it's filled with reminders that God is with us in the grieving and the brokenness. He brings people and circumstances into our lives during the hard times to help lift us up and bring us hope, and that's exactly what happens for Ingrid, Joel, and the rest of Cece's family and friends. The characters' faith is woven organically into the story and in a way that isn't preachy, which may help this tale reach a wider audience.

The Words We Lost isn't exactly what I would call a "happy" book, but there is happiness throughout as well as a happy ending. However, grief is a major factor in the characters' lives, and while that's a difficult topic, Deese handles it with grace and honesty, giving readers a chance to mourn with Ingrid and Joel as well as to celebrate the happy memories they share. If you're looking for a book that will truly make you laugh and cry all at once, The Words We Lost is the book for you.

When I pick up a book and can’t put it down, I know it’s good. That’s The Words We Lost, by Nicole Deese. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I read the first pages, but that’s all it took to reel me into a story that became real in my mind and heart.

Ingrid Erikson, a senior acquisitions editor for Fog Harbor Publishing, struggles to deal with the grief of unexpectedly losing her closest friend and top-selling author, Cecelia Campbell, some months back. This loss has devastated her personally, as well as professionally, when she has a rare trauma response that prevents her from reading fiction.

When Joel Campbell, the man she once thought would give her happily-ever-after, gives her a sealed envelope, Ingrid finds herself back in Port Townsend, Washington, retrieving a package Cecelia left for both her and Joel. Ingrid hopes it’s the missing manuscript Cecelia never turned in to the publisher. Instead, the manuscript is an unlocking of many secrets that answer some of Ingrid’s life questions.

As she and Joel go on a hunt for the missing manuscript, Ingrid comes to terms with many things from her past and discovers some truths with the power to transform her future.

I loved this story. Though Cece wasn’t a living character in the book, her presence is made known. Port Townsend came to life for me as well. Deese does a beautiful job of describing the town in a way that makes it another character. The relationships between the characters is nuanced and authentic. And the secondary characters are wonderful!

This story holds some unexpected plot twists, which makes it fun. But, it also touches readers on an emotional level with its depth and honest exploration of grief and surviving it. As Ingrid and Joel work through their grief, I laughed, and I cried (probably more cried).

The themes of learning how to survive grief and come to a place where peace can be found spoke to my heart. And the theme of how deep friendship can go radiated from the pages.

If you enjoy contemporary fiction with a romantic thread and depth, as well as a very satisfying ending, pick up The Words We Lost.

***I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to share a review. All opinions are my own.

When the shock and trauma of losing her best friend cause Ingrid Erikson to lose her ability to read, she finds ways to hold on to her dream job as a senior acquisitions editor for Fog Harbor Books. A helpful assistant, rehearsing her pitches to the publishing board, and starting counseling have all helped her stumble along. But her luck runs out.

Ingrid’s only hope for keeping her job forces her to do the one thing she promised never to do. Return to the small town on the Washington coast she called home during her tumultuous teen years. The place she found her best friend, Cecilia Campbell; the place she found and lost her true love, Cecilia’s cousin Joel.

When Joel shows up in San Francisco with a letter from Cecilia, Ingrid knows she must return. Her boss agrees to Ingrid’s absence if Ingrid promises to find Cecilia’s last manuscript—the final in Cecilia’s wildly popular fantasy series.

Going home means facing feelings she couldn’t deal with a decade ago. It means spending time with Joel reading a memoir of their lives. Each day reveals clues—clues to the manuscript and clues to the truth of what happened to her father.

If Ingrid and Joel can make it to the end of the memoir, they might gain treasure beyond their wildest imaginations.

What I Loved About This Book

Deese delves into the healing power of friendships, forgiveness, and love in this tender novel. The mystery of the manuscript, avoiding invasive fans, the antics of a loyal assistant, and new friendships keep the reader riveted to the book from beginning to end. We all have regrets in our lives, and The Words We Lost provides a treasure map for relationship do-overs and second chances.

Fans of Erin Bartles and Denise Hunter will enjoy this book.

How ironic that I'm struggling to find the words to review a book about lost words. Ha! If I could only use one, I'd describe Nicole Deese's new release as exquisite. This is a powerful, moving story about love and loss and finding our way forward when grief threatens to take us down. I loved the structure. This is technically dual time, yet written in a unique and compelling way, taking readers on the journey with Ingrid as we see her life in real-time. Yet we slowly come to a deeper understanding of all that she's been through as circumstances force her to confront the life she left behind.
CeCe's contribution to the story is well-crafted. I cried several times and enjoyed a few laugh-out-loud moments too. Joel is a fantastic hero, by the way. No one tell Silas Whittaker that Joel has knocked him from his pedestal of Favorite Nicole Deese heroes, please.
In case you couldn't tell, I highly recommend The Words We Lost. I'd give it 10 stars if I could.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

Oh my.

All the stars for all the feels this precious story of found family, grief that weighs like an anchor, and hope that brings us back to the surface has stirred in me.

And the romance—ooh, la la!

I took my time reading TWWL. I had no other choice. This story is visceral, piercing all of the tender parts and wounded aches we bury deep inside ourselves.

The grief and anguish is palpable. The setting is full of light and hope, but both are difficult to see through the clouds of Cece, Joel, and Ingrid’s backstories. By far this is the most intense story Nicole Deese has crafted.

So the early reading is heavy, but vital to the telling of these three friends. Friends. That word doesn’t begin to describe the relationship between the trio. More like kindred spirits.

And when the light begins to pierce through it shines so brightly with faith, hope, discovery, and love that you can’t help but be carried by the tide as it begins to ebb and flow with the telling.

Some stories entertain. Some challenge. Still others inspire. This one? It transforms. It polishes and shines. It washes and refreshes its readers.

I’m a better version of myself now. My only wish is that I could read the novels within the novel, because they sound so delicious!

My thanks to the publisher for an advance copy. My review was not solicited in any way. The Words We Lost will be one I read again and again.

I'm still thinking about this book.
The storyline, characters, and emotions that were written to make a beautiful story such as this one.
Deese is wonderful at bringing her characters to life and showing us that each of her characters are flawed in one way or another. That's what I loved about this book.
Family, grief, friendships all rolled into one makes a wonderful story.
I was all into it from the beginning and unable to put it down. I'm sad that I finished it so quickly! It was that good.
The cover did a great job in portraying the story inside the book. Just gorgeous! I'm a sucker for book covers!
A great story for fiction lovers!
I especially loved the inspirational messages in this book
Nothing but 5 stars for this amazing story. It will melt your heart!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

What I love most about Nicole Deese’s novels is the challenge they always hold. I love to read and I love getting lost in fiction, but Deese builds another layer by folding in real conflict. In The Words We Lost, Deese explores grief and loss. She weaves it with a story of love, belonging, and career in a way that allows readers to process the grief experienced by her characters without getting lost in the grief. I fell in love with the friendship shared by Ingrid, Cecelia, and Joel. And who doesn’t love a villain you can hate like SaBrina? And now I want to go read a rousing pirate tale like Cece fashioned!

I sat down and read this book, mostly in one sitting.
Now, I'm still sitting here, pondering, amazed.
This is not an easy book to read, and I'm sure, it was even harder to write.

This book is both painful and beautiful.
Gritty, real, showcasing life in the midst of grief.
It’s going to take me some time to write a review fitting this story.

It’s going to take a much longer time for me to get over this story.
Ingrid has been walking such a dark, dark road, since her best friend Cece died so very unexpectedly.
Nothing in life is same, nothing has meaning.
Her job as an acquisitions editor in a publishing house has taken a severe beating, due to the fact that she's experienced trauma since the loss of her friend, in the form of being unable to sit down and read books with comprehension.

Then she's finally forced with an ultimatum - go find the missing manuscript her friend wrote in her last days, or lose her job.
So Ingrid goes back to the small town that was her home, that was full of such fond memories, and now gives her such pain.
Ms. Deese poignantly writes this difficult journey right into the heart of grief, realistic because of her own very real grief journey.
This book shows you how things will never be the same, ever again. And yet, offers hope, to take a day at a time, hope to go on living.

This is one of those stories that will linger with me for a long time, and is quite likely the best story I've read this year.

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

This is my third book of Nicole Deese to read and, while I loved the other two, The Words We Lost did not hold the same magic. The author takes some big risks here: a dead friend speaking from beyond the grave in notes and a manuscript, plus a book within a book.

In my opinion, these risks did not enhance the story.

I never felt the strength of the friendship between Ingrid, Joel, and Cece. I never felt the profundity of Cece’s words, her fame, or the chemistry between Ingrid and Joel. Instead, I felt like I was on the outside looking into this friendship that didn’t quite leap off the page the way the author intended.

When I read the Afterword and learned that the author had lost her twenty-six year old sister in a car accident, the reasons for writing Cece’s character became clearer. This is a labor of love and a way to work through her own personal grief. But from a reader’s perspective, I just don’t think it’s her best work.

An extremely moving tale of friendship, grief, and love. Nicole Deese never ceases to amaze me with her ability to create a book that yanks on the strings of my heart and embeds itself deep into the caverns of my soul. The bonds that connect this trio forged a profound connection between these characters and me, and I had to sit and process and stew in my emotions for awhile.

Ingrid, an editor at a big publisher, is struggling to resolve her grief over the death of her best friend, Cece, and is therefore unable to focus on her work. Deese does a phenomenal job of portraying these tricky emotions and I think readers who are dealing with their own suffering will find healing as Ingrid navigates these waters, as she is easy to relate to.

Joel, Cece's cousin and Ingrid's former love interest, is a stalwart addition to this story and I fell head-over-heels in love with him.

The mystery of Cece's missing manuscript that will end her best-selling series is the icing on an already beautiful and delicious cake. A memoir allows for Joel and Ingrid to reconcile their pasts and relive beloved times, as well as permit them to move forward in their lives.

The Words We Lost has tattooed itself onto my heart. A truly magnificent story of love, grief, and healing that will warm the coldest of hearts.

Content: death; mild romance; moderate religious themes

*I received a complimentary copy through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own and were voluntarily given.*

Review: The Words We Lost
Author: Nicole Deese
Genre: Romance
Release Date: 4.11.23
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Words We Lost is an onion of a novel that unfolds slowly with the peeling back of each layer. I was pleasantly surprised given that I’m not a romance reader.
Centering around Ingrid, an editor for Fog Harbor, Ceci, the famous fantasy author who passed away before finishing her series of books and Joel, Ceci’s cousin and former lover of Ingrid.
I’m always in search of the meaning of a title. The Words We Lost is perfect. The title alone is charming and becomes so powerful in meaning once the reader starts peeling back the layers.
Ingrid finds her life as an editor in a dismal fog after the loss of her friend. Still struggling with the loss of her father, compiling it with Ceci’s passing causes Ingrid to shut down.
Ingrid’s foggy life is rattled when Joel reappears in it with a mysterious letter addressed to himself and Ingrid, from Ceci.
From then on, the book starts moving rather quickly leading the reader into a treasure hunt for Ceci’s missing manuscript along with a surprise memoir she had written.
The Words We Lost is a very good read. You’ll enjoy it!

Ingrid (Indy) was a young girl when her mother passed away and was Indy and her dad, a boat captain, sailing along the Pacific coast for six years before her father takes a job working for the Campbell's. Cecelia (CeCe) meets Indy on the day she is planning to run away to find her own father. CeCe's cousin Joel also meets Indy the same day and this begins a wonderful friendship shared amongst the three of them. The book opens find Indy who is a book editor, struggling since the death of her best friend CeCe who was also an award winning author. It's been a year since CeCe's death and Joel, comes to San Francisco to invite Indy to a celebration dinner in honor of CeCe's birthday. Indy doesn't want to return to Port Townsend but does as her job is on the line and everyone is looking for the last manuscript CeCe's was working on before her death. CeCe has plans for Joel and Indy back in Port Townsend and the trip there ends of being exactly what Indy needs to heal. Good read - keep the tissues close.

A moving story about accepting and working through the loss of loved ones, great for those who love contemporary Christian fiction.

Deep story of love, friendship and grief. Ingrid struggles to concentrate on her job as an editor when her best friend Cece
unexpectedly dies. Told in a split time, a memoir by Cece helps to clarify the past so that Ingrid and Joel move on. The characters are easy to love, except for SaBrina the evil boss. Loved Chip and his commitment to Ingrid. The friendship between Cece, Ingrid and Joel is one to be treasured. Looking forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.

Whew this book was so good! Highly recommend for readers of quality Christian fiction, and especially those who are ultra bookish! The Words We Lost is a deep, contemporary romance that also has an emphasis on an incredibly beautiful friendship. I was repeatedly struck by the sisterhood of Cecelia and Ingrid on the page, and once I read the author's poignant author's note I understood why their bond was so impactful ❤️‍🩹

I truly think it is best to go into this one completely blind and just let it run away with your heart completely, but I'll give a few tidbits: a missing manuscript, fantasy fiction, a career on the line, and a second chance at love ❤️ if any of that sounds up your alley, don't wait on this one!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5 ⭐️ loved the premise, but this was a little slow for me and a bit too much of Christian fiction. Some good plot twists moved the story to its predicted ending.

Wow! The Words We Lost is an incredible journey of love, family, friendship, grief, survival, forgiveness, and overcoming. Grief is an extremely difficult thing to overcome. In this story of second chances, Ingrid Erikson has much to overcome. Her grief after losing her best friend, has produced trauma that makes her unable to do her job well. Thank goodness for her loyal, competent, and funny assistant Chip helps her through her duties at work.

"Joel Campbell--the man who shattered her belief in happily-ever-afters--offers her a sealed envelope from his late cousin, Cecelia, asking Joel and Ingrid (Indy) to put their differences aside and retrieve a mysterious package in their coastal Washington hometown."

Romantic and emotional, Nicole Deese knows how to tug on your heartstrings as weaves a compelling story between past and present. I was completely hooked and couldn't stop turning pages.

"Turns out, there's no perfect way to tell a painful truth to someone you love."
"I never needed you to be strong enough. I only ever needed you to be here."

"It's been my experience that God is often made visible by the hands and feet of the people He places in our lives."

"Keeping faithful habits and traditions in our lives is what helps us stay afloat when life goes topsy-turvy."

"Everyone has things they regret from their past-my father included. But he always says we can't change the time we've spent, just how we choose to spend the time we have left."

I absolutely loved this beautiful, layered, romantic story, and I highly recommend it!

Author Nicole Deese is an important voice in inspirational contemporary fiction. She creates memorable stories that tug on your heartstrings and bring the reader along for a life changing story.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my ow

Well written, beautiful language and clean romantic read. I didn't know what to expect when I started this book and I was pleasantly surprised. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion,