What a journey! Tillie really is on a journey. Her mother died a few months before and she has so many questions about her life. She is having migraines and some black out spells. She usually deals with it by painting. Her paintings are unique. She keeps seeing a girl that looks like her and a cat in her dreams. What is it all about? Tillie meets Liam at an art gallery in front of a painting that draws her in. It is all so familiar, but she knows that she has never been to the place in the painting. As Tillie and Liam are together more, they find that their pasts are very much alike. Are they fated? Tillie is determined to uncover her past when she finds a death certificate with her name on it. Is Liam part of her past? Will she find the answers or only more questions?

This was an unexpected magical story.
I did think the story starts a bit slow. It took me several chapters to get interested in the book. It is a well written book with some surprises along the way. I can’t say it’s my most favorite of this author but I did enjoy it

Beautiful story through the eyes of Tillie, the main character in ‘Memories of the Lost’ by Barbara O’Neal. I enjoyed reading about Tillie figuring out her memories and why she is having these dreams. What a great page turner that keeps your attention going.

Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Barbara O’Neal for an eARC copy of ‘Memories of the Lost’.

Family secrets haunt Tilly, an artist, who discovers after the death of her mother that her life held more than she knew. She's in a sweet relationship with Liam, bonded by something mysterious. And then she goes to Devonshire for answers. This is hard to describe and easy to like. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

It was just Tillie and her mother for years. But when her mother dies,Tillie is adrift. One evening Tillie, talented artist herself, attends a friend’s art show. While there a distinctive painting brings on a rush of memories and a crushing headache. A stranger, Liam, offered his help and thus begins a journey of discovery and truth for Tillie. The mystery, surprising plot twist, the wonderful characters and descriptive writing of the author brought this book to life for me, long after I turned the last page. Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the early arc. This review is my honest opinion.

Memories of the Lost is a must have for your bookshelf! Definitely one of my favorite books from Barbara O'Neal.

Tillie is an artist living in New York who is drawn to a painting at a gallery that calls to her in a way that she has never experienced before. She becomes lightheaded, gets a migraine, and can't get it out of her mind or understand why it seems so familiar to her. She meets Liam, a handsome stranger who she feels might be her soulmate; they are pulled together by forces beyond their control. She has lapses in time where she can't remember things, flashes of people and places ... Are these memories or dejavu? Is she imagining it all?

Several months after Tillie's mom passes, she is going through boxes and discovers a death certificate. Her mom was keeping secrets from her. She had to find the answers and the clues were leading her to England. What happened when Tillie was a child? What was the trauma that she was blocking out and how did the pieces of the puzzle fit together? Where did Liam fit into all of this?

I was instantly connected to the characters - Tillie, Jon, Liam in New York and Clare, Levi, Sage, Rosemary in England. There are layers that you don't even see coming and that twist in Devonshire is a nod to the magnificent storytelling of Barbara O'Neal. I want to say more, but I won't give away any spoilers. Memories of the Lost is a magical story of folklore and fairies, rituals that are centuries old, imaginary friends, family, and fated love. Enchanting from beginning to end.

4.5 stars

*One trigger warning - this book deals with childhood trauma and PTSD as an underlying story

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Memories of the Lost by Barbara O’Neal is a nice summer read. The story line has the main character discovering things about her lineage after her mother passes away intertwining with a new love interest…another 6 degrees of separation and coming full circle situation. I enjoyed this easy storyline and am a big fan of Barbara O’Neal

This wonderful book took its time to convince me. It starts out with boy meeting girl in a way that didn't really ring true to me, but I decided to run with it. Tillie and Liam share a love story that's too sweet to be true in my opinion, but I fully enjoyed their world filled with art and kept going.
One third in, the mystery presents itself and the story finally starts evolving. From here it's fast and smooth sailing and I'm glad I stuck it out.
Eventually the couple ends up overseas to discover Tillies history and Liam's place in it.
All in all a well crafted, fun cosy read.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.

The cover of this book is what drew me in followed closely by the title. This is a great book and I can't wait to see what else Barbara O'Neal has in store for book writing. Memories of the Lost, Barbara O'Neal's most recent book, is reminding me why I love her. O'Neal is a talented writer! I find myself moved by anything she says. What she writes, I can taste, smell, and feel. I want to be a part of her universe.
Two worlds from different oceans collide in Memories of the Lost. Different personalities have souls that are softly glowing in the most charming way. Tillie, an artist based in New York, meets Liam, a co-developer of a meditation software and a specialist in meditation. They are pulled to each other for no apparent reason—wait, perhaps there is a reason. They are from the same planet, a holdover from the peace, love, and hippy era. Yet, one was raised in upstate New York, while the other was raised in New Zealand.
In the remote parts of Devonshire, there exists a third world. That's Clare's residence. Although not a biological relative, Liam views Clare as a type of aunt. She was the closest friend of his mother. You'll have to read the book to figure out the mysteries there as well. Though it's cliche, I found it impossible to put this book down. I'm willing to wager that you won't. Barbara O'Neal, you have such beautiful writing!


Thanks to netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for that ARC copy of this wonderful book.

What a book! I started reading Memories of the Lost during my busy season and wasn’t quite ready for what I perceived as a fantasy with nymphs, fairies, and changelings. But one night, I needed an escape from the tedium of a tough week at work. After the first fifty pages, I felt pulled into Barabara O’Neal’s story, part fairy-tale, part fictionalized memoir, as Tilly embarked on a new series of art for a high-end show in Manhattan, a new romance on the heels of a bad breakup and a journey into the unknown corners of grief a few months after her beloved mother died. Caught off-guard by a painting at her best friend’s showing, the story unfolds like an adult fantasy, pulling a reader deep into the world of Artist Tilly. With O’Neal’s amazing imagery capturing all the senses, I felt I was walking the streets of NYC, gallery-browsing.

Memories of the Lost became just the enchanted exodus I needed from a rough week at work. O’Neal’s prose emotionally attached me to Tilly, Liam, and Jon from start to finish. The pull of the painting descriptions, the realism of each character arc, and Tilly’s internal monologues kept me reading deep into the night. I just kept saying, one more chapter, two more chapters; I couldn’t put the story down. I wandered alongside Tilly as she questioned herself, drawn in by the rich detail and descriptions of a cat and a place she knows but doesn’t know. As destiny meets reality on the corner of Migraine and Mystery Street, I became hooked. I felt like I was reading the memoir of a lonely, successful NY painter plagued by headaches and confusing dreams, bad romances, and the trauma of losing a mother. I simply loved the fact that I was never quite certain whether I was reading an adult fantasy, a tale of a new romance, or a mystery.

I have enjoyed a few other books by Barbara O’Neal, loving each for different reasons, but this journey through the world of a mystical painter, family secrets, and déjà vu will stay with me for years to come.

Poignantly written, the story seemed surrealistic in the opening chapters, wandering in the middle, but it wraps so differently than anything I ever would have expected. New readers must simply enjoy Tilly’s journey as she time-jumps from her existing world, a life she thought she knew, to one she often dreams about but can’t penetrate. The tale is worth an all-nighter and as much cappuccino and tea as one can consume. The descriptions of chocolate had me running to the kitchen in search of some.

Memories of the Lost took me on a one-of-a-kind vacation from the typical romance mysteries and women’s fiction tales I often read. With richly drawn characters, beautiful prose, and plot twists that keep a reader guessing, this book will have you read it again to ensure you didn’t miss its messages.

Slow and a tad confusing in the beginning, the tale unfolds exactly as it is supposed to: over art, good friends, a new and magical romance, coffee and chocolate, and those tidbits of reality that jostle all families after the death of a beloved mother, whose secrets finally unravel. If I could give the book a ten, I would. It was like taking a magic carpet ride through my life alongside Tilly and her family and friends. I cannot remember the last time a book held me in its thrall the way this one has. For all who love fiction and crave something new and unnerving, rather than typical contemporary women’s fiction, this is the book.

I want to thank Net Galley, Lake Union, and Barabara O’Neal for the opportunity to read this unputdownable book. I received Memories of the Lost as an ARC for a free and honest review. The opinions here are mine and mine alone. The book is worthy of any bestseller list.

Oh my goodness, I was all into this story from the get go! Barbara writes some phenomenal women's literature! I loved the journey in discovering yourself and finding your family!

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union for the opportunity to read this eARC.

I’m a fan of Barbara O’Neal and her newest offering, Memories of the Lost, is reminding me why. O’Neal can write! Everything she describes moves me. I can feel, taste, and hear what she writes. I want to live in the world she lives in.

In Memories of the Lost, two worlds from across the oceans come together. The souls of various characters are vaguely luminescent in the loveliest way. Tillie, a New York artist, meets Liam, a meditation expert and co-developer of a meditation app. They are inexplicably drawn together—or wait, maybe its not inexplicable. They come from the same world, a remnant of the days of hippies, peace and love. But one grew up in upstate New York and the other in New Zealand.

There’s a third world, in a the rural reaches of Devonshire. That’s where Clare lives. Clare is a sort of aunt to Liam but not a blood relative. She was his mother’s best friend. And there’s a mystery there, but you're going to have to read the book to unwind it. I know its a cliché, but I couldn't put this book down. I'm betting you won’t either. Barbara O’Neal, your writing is painterly!

I love this book! Not surprised since Barbara O’Neal is one of my favorite authors. As usual she grabs you right from the start of the book and makes you want to keep reading.

Barbara O'Neal does a fantastic job of creating beautifully flawed characters and writing their redemption story. I love the healing of old wounds and forging forward despite whatever that character had been through.

Memories of the Lost follows a woman named Tillie who has recently lost her mother. While at an art gallery, she experiences a great reaction to a painting and struggles to understand what her subconscious knows about this painting. A stranger helps her through the episode and the two very quickly form a connection. As Tillie is unpacking a box of her mother's belongings, she finds some documents that cause her to question who she is and where she is from. As she gets to know Liam, ferociously works on her art before a show, and tries to unbury secrets from long ago - everything starts to unravel leading Tillie to some big discoveries!

Thanks to #NetGalley, Barbara O'Neal, & Lake Union Publishing for this eARC of #MemoriesoftheLost in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved, When We Believed in Mermaids. I had high hopes for more books from this author, but this wasn’t it for me.

Thank you NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for sending this book for review consideration.

Memories of the Lost the story of woman trying to find out more about who she is, with some romance and magic sprinkled in. Tillie is an artist in New York who starts to experience strange and powerful physical symptoms such as short term amnesia after seeing a painting in an art gallery one night. It just so happens that a famous meditation guru who also happens to be extremely attractive and kind is drawn to her just in her time of need. Their stories begin to twine together and the lines between what is real or not, and the reader may question if there really is magic or just imagination and coincidence.

As a reader, I found this story to be easy and fast-paced while also being very entertaining. I could easily imagine the characters as people and enjoyed to mystery of magic versus reality. I would definitely recommend for readers who have enjoyed other books by Barbara O'Neal or those who enjoy a little realistic magic, or light romance stories.

Thank you to NetGalley, Barbara O'Neal and Lake Union Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A little bit of magic, a whole lot of romance, some heartbreak, a mystery to solve. Beautiful writing. I read this one pretty quickly. For those looking for a quick, sweet read with gorgeous language, this one’s for you.

Barbara has written a multi-layer love story that starts with a cat and ends with a satisfying twist. It takes you through one woman's search for peace and understanding of the life she has lead and that she's based her conception of to why she is the way she is. To what it truth and what is not. Engrossing and entertaining.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my copy of Memories of the Lost by Barbara O’Neal.
In the months since Tilley lost her mother, she has felt bereft and lost, with vague dreams and memories that aren’t hers.
Then she meets Liam and the connection is instant, everything feels right.
But packing up she finds a document that makes no sense and with her mum gone there is no one left to ask, it’s always been just the two of them. Or has it, starting to unravel what she found opens up a lifetime of secrets.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

DNF'd at 37% (under 100 pages). The description of the book really captivated me and I was really looking forward to reading this book.

The book itself was well written. I can tell the author put a lot of effort and time into writing it. The beginning was very intriguing and I had very high hopes especially for Tillie.

Unfortunately, the characters themselves were very bland and forgettable. The story was so slow moving. It felt like there was no plot and nothing was really driving the story forward even though there were plenty of reasons to do so: "They found bones." I'm pretty sure I got to the event that would kickstart everything (the photo), but I just don't care enough or want to continue.

I realize others may love a slow burn (and I do, too), but this was too slow to keep my attention. I really hope it finds the readers it was written for.