Sydney and Oliver are inseparable childhood best friends. On July 4th, he gets kidnapped and is forced to live underground. Twenty-two years later he escapes and get reunited with Sydney.

Rated 4.5 ⭐️. This was a romance novel that was complete different than I've read before. It had a slow build to any kind of relationship, the most sensual sex scene I've ever read, and mystery to the meaning of "LOTUS". I appreciated that there was trauma and action in the story, it added an extra layer.

The emotional damage that was from previous trauma experienced by characters felt genuine. I really enjoyed the secondary characters and would love to read more of Gabe and his story from what we already know.

Thank you to Netgalley, Jennifer Hartmann, and the publishers for this free ebook. This review is 100% my own and honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own . This book was wonderful. I really enjoyed it

This book just wasn’t for me. I felt like the pacing was a little too slow and I never found myself eager to pick the book back up. It wasn’t the writing that I didn’t care for but the development of the story.

This book will break your heart right open. You can’t stop thinking about it once finished and it packs a huge emotional
punch!! There is something so addictive to Jennifer Hartmann’s writing. She writes her characters with so much depth and sometimes the story goes to darker places but trauma and healing through trauma is like that… it travels those twisty turny roads of emotion. 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oliver was abducted as a kid and 22 years later, he is found and returns home. This story follows him integrating back into society, particularly reconnecting with his brother and best friend who lives next door. The effects of his abduction are seen throughout the story as he falls in love with Sydney.

This was an emotionally charged mystery/romance with many heavy topics. Be sure to check the content warning before starting this one.

5/5 stars. I LOVED THIS BOOK. The book follows two character's who were childhood best friends until one was kidnapped and then reappears 22 years later. Jennifer Hartmann has become an insta-buy author for me. The first book I read by her was Still Beating, I truly thought that nothing could top that. However, after reading this its hard to pick a favorite. She writes dark themed romance so well and the strength in this book is so empowering. Of course, please check trigger warnings prior to reading.

Lotus
by Jennifer Hartmann

Heartwrenching and powerful is what I have to describe this fantastic writing by Jennifer Hartmann. The hype is real on this book and all I can say is read this you won’t be disappointed if you love romance this is a book for you. It is tender and heartbreaking and everything else in between. I absolutely adored reading at every moment, and every every page.

I had heard so many incredible things about this book prior to reading it. And I can genuinely say now that I completely understand the insane amount of love my friends had for this book. It completely swept me off my feet with how amazing it was.

I went into this book blind (like I love to do) which made this experience so incredible. So I highly recommend that to anyone interested in reading this book.

This book was so powerful and heart wrenching in the best way. I don’t know how she managed to manipulate my emotions like she did, but damn does Jennifer Hartmann know how to write. Everything in this was just so beautiful and I found myself swooning so hard over the things Oliver said.

Overall, I absolutely adored this story and just know I’ll be reaching for this book to read over and over again. I completely recommend this book to any and everyone!

*Thank you Bloom Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I had heard so many incredible things about this book prior to reading it. And I can genuinely say now that I completely understand the insane amount of love my friends had for this book. It completely swept me off my feet with how amazing it was.

I went into this book blind (like I love to do) which made this experience so incredible. So I highly recommend that to anyone interested in reading this book.

This book was so powerful and heart wrenching in the best way. I don’t know how she managed to manipulate my emotions like she did, but damn does Jennifer Hartmann know how to write. Everything in this was just so beautiful and I found myself swooning so hard over the things Oliver said.

Overall, I absolutely adored this story and just know I’ll be reaching for this book to read over and over again. I completely recommend this book to any and everyone!

*Thank you Bloom Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I'm having a hard time rating this one. It was beautifully written. I tabbed so many pages and had tears in my eyes at multiple points. However, I had issues with a few things. The author constantly has the FMC and other female characters wink to show they are joking around. I think Syd winked at least 3 times in 3 pages. That's just too much winking for me. I wish the author had made them older when Oliver was taken. 7 years old is too young for them to have known they were IT for each other in my opinion. Also, dude is underground and alone for 22 years and doesn't need extensive therapy? Yea I don't think so. These things just really pulled me out of the story. BUT I still really enjoyed the story and found it very beautiful. Especially the meaning behind the title. This was my first Jennifer Hartmann book and won't be my last.

Thank you to Bloom Books and the author for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

The heartbreak, the hope, the feels.

This book will stay with me for a long time. Jennifer Hartman is a phenomenal author who can take you heart, break it, and put it back together with the stories she tells.

Oliver was a sweet, gentle and kind male main character despite his struggle facing this new world after captivity. Sydney was a complex, but strong female main character with a heart of good despite dealing with the supposed loss of her best friend at a young age. Even the supportive background characters were phenomenal and each brought something to the story. Also, the twists?! I definitely didn’t see coming and it completely left me shocked. This story had LAYERS to both the trauma, and most importantly the healing.


Phenomenal.

This author is pure gold. Her writing style is phenomenal. and I adore her books. This was. a second of hers for me and I can't wait to check out more. Highly recommend - but also to keep an eye on trigger warnings with any of hers.

OKAY MY HEART HAS EXPLODED.

I was told it's best to go into this book completely blind and I am SO glad I did. With that being said, I don't want to say too much because I honestly believe this is one of those books you just have to experience.

Oliver is such an amazing person. And my heart is just so happy that he got the ending he deserved.

This was a highly emotional, thrilling, captivating, romantic, heart-breaking story of a lost boy and the man he came to be. And I promise you won't regret reading it.

This one was not for me unfortunately 😓 I had never read this author before and it’s a little darker than what I like so I couldn’t get into it. For this reason, I won’t do a review on it given this is just personal preference and nothing specific about the author or her writing.

I first just wanna say oliver deserves a big, fat hug. The things he went through throughout the duration of this novel- he has the patience of a saint. Why, you might ask? For having to deal with this positively insufferable main character they call a love interest. One could not be more selfish or self centered than her, and that doesn’t make for a romantic story. Their relationship was so off balance and he wasn’t met with nearly enough kindness or thoughtfulness that he needed in this instance. A no for me.

Dark and at times heartbreaking this tale is not for the weak of heart. Oliver and Sydney were childhood best friends until Oliver disappeared. When he reappeared 22 years later Sydney is in shock and Oliver is changed. I loved these two characters and I was invested.
Thank you #kindle and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

A truly great read that captured my attention right away. From the writing to the characters, I was obsessed with how the story progressed and what the author was telling. The story was well written, the author knows how to create a wonderful plot with romance and suspense. I really liked the characters the most. It was an interesting read.

🪷Childhood Friends-to-Lovers
🪷Golden Retriever Hero
🪷Romantic Suspense
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“She is my favorite part of me.”
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Review: This was my 2nd book by Jennifer and I loved it even more than the first! I might be obsessed with her books!

Sydney Neville and Oliver Lynch were best friends. They did everything together. Until one day, when both of their lives changed forever. Oh my gosh, this book is AMAZING! I absolutely LOVED everything about it! I can't even think about it without my heart soaring! Oliver and Sydney are so special to me. I have never swooned so much, cried so much and been sooooo freaking happy! I can't tell you how much I adore Sydney and Oliver. Oliver, with his innocence, just made my heart swell. Then there's Alexis, Athena and The Lotus Chronicles.🥹 Plus, the meaning of the title!!!

“I loved you then, I love you now, and I’ll love you until my dying day.”

I freaking love this book and EVERYONE needs to read it! I listened to the audiobook by TJ Clark and Marie Hawkins. Both are new narrators to me, but I thought they embodied Oliver and Sydney perfectly! I highly recommend this amazing story! Top read of 2023!

I love this author so much this book was no different it was so good definitely recommend this book and any others by her.

Coming off of still beating I thought this book would be dark but it's really not. The concept is a boy was help captive for 22 years and magically comes home and then we don't talk about that until the last 20 is percent. What falls in the middle is this awkwardly given story trying to prove these characters love each other/falling in love but the age and actions don't work the characters are 29 years old but talk and act like preteens and it's way too awkward for me. If you are looking for a swoon teen romance and can ignore the ages given it will settle better with you