"A new start doesn't negate the past. It learns from the roots of history and blooms into a better version" "Can a person be a ghost town? I believed so for a very long time" An emotional journey from broken to restores again, for the abandoned town and at the same time for Avalee and Rowan. Grief, loss, second chances, friendship and family among all sort of side and interesting characters. The audiobook is amazing with Zura Johnson leading all the drama, humor ans everything in between

EXCERPT: A ghost town is a once flourishing town wholly or nearly deserted, usually as the result of the exhaustion of some natural resource. The landscape of North America is riddled with such places of abandonment. Buildings, streets, furniture, sentiments, hopes, dreams . . . all left behind without so much as a backwards glance.
Can a person be a ghost town? I believe I am. Once flourishing, yet now so dang exhausted. Similar to an abandoned town, everyone and everything abandoned me but the trauma, the grief it produced, and the silence that followed. I could do nothing but accept the forsakenness while the passing years began to weather my soul. Rusting the hinges of my heart until the corrosion made it near about impossible to open to anything or anyone.
I wonder if the folks who deserted those towns ever grew homesick. Did they ever have the feeling they'd left something of value behind?

ABOUT 'LOWCOUNTRY LOST': Sometimes what haunts you most is wondering what could have been . . . Avalee Elvis prides herself with being able to fix just about anything. . . except her past. Unable to put the puzzle of her life together, she pours heart and soul into making neglected places whole again. As the owner of Lowcountry Lost, Avalee spends her days in hot-pink Carhartt overalls and a tool belt reclaiming Lowcountry properties. Making them beautiful again releases the deep sigh that soothes the hurt she holds.

Avalee's latest project takes her to tiny Somewhere, South Carolina, a long-abandoned town. She ignores its ghostly folklore but can't miss the shock of hearing the familiar Irish brogue that materializes on the job site--the voice of the man she never wanted to see again.

Rowan Murray is a structural engineer hired by investors to oversee the redevelopment of the quaint downtown Avalee is bringing back to life. Once upon a time, he was also the man who knew Avalee better than anyone else--or so he thought. Turns out he was wrong. Neither of them was prepared for what happened between them six years ago. But as they work together to complete the rehabbing of Somewhere, their broken pieces and the pain that nearly consumed them begin to lose its grip, and both begin to wonder if it's not too late for a restoration of their own.

MY THOUGHTS: This was my first read by T.I. Lowe, but it won't be my last. This author has captured my heart.

Lowcountry Lost is an emotional read. Yesterday, towards the end, I was driving down the road, listening, bawling my eyes out and had to pull over until I could calm myself and was fit to drive again. My heart was shredded, and I didn't know if it could ever be whole again. Lowe did put me back together, maybe in a slightly different shape, but functioning, then had me in tears again. Happy tears this time! I was an emotional wreck by the time I had finished. Lowcountry Lost is one beautiful read.

This isn't just a story about the renovation of a ghost town, but the renovation of a person who has lost everything that mattered to her. I couldn't help but root for Avalee. I felt her pain, her anguish, her despair. Just thinking about everything she has been through makes me tear up again!

Rowan is also hurting bad. He just deals with it differently, but it takes Avalee quite some time to realize and acknowledge this.

I just loved everything about this read. The characters walked off the page and into the room with me. They occupied my thoughts even when I wasn't reading. The refurbishment of an abandoned town was the perfect background for Avalee to find herself in, and the surprises (not all of them good) found in the old buildings give her a lot to think about.

Add into the mix a teenager and his younger brother who are in need of a home, and you have all the ingredients of a wonderful story. T.I. Lowe executes it perfectly. And I just love that cover art!

The audiobook is superbly narrated by Zura Johnson.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#LowcountryLost #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: T.I. Lowe is an ordinary country girl who loves to tell extraordinary stories. She lives with her husband and family in coastal South Carolina.

DISCLOSURE: Sincere thanks to RB Media for providing an audio ARC of Lowcountry Lost written by T.I. Lowe and narrated by Zura Johnson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Lowcountry Lost (audiobook) by T.I. Lowe
Ava Lee Elvis is responsible for a tiny town that she wants to bring back to life. She’s named the town Somewhere, South Carolina. Long abandoned, the town is a source of healing as she fixes its broken pieces and breathes life into a long forgotten place.
Ava Lee can fix most things, except herself. Her heartache and regret weigh her down. She feels broken, so she pours herself, blood, sweat,and tears, into putting broken places back together. Making them beautiful again gives her a reprieve to the hurt she carries and hides from all of those she cares about.
Rowan Murray shares her pain, they haven’t seen each other in six years, and she hoped they never would again. She is shocked when he shows up on her current job site. When she hears that familiar Irish brogue, every wound in her soul is ripped open. They are forced to face their past and move through a major renovation together.
This is a beautiful story of healing, forgiveness, and soul bending commitment to a promise of love. It’s a story of finding your place and a family among the broken pieces of your life. I absolutely loved this book!
I listened to the audiobook version , and the narration was phenomenal. The narrator, Zura Johnson, brought all the characters to life and carried them all the way through this heartfelt story.
This is a book I would give to friends and family, a perfect story of healing after loss.
I would like to Thank NetGalley and Recorded books for the opportunity to review an ARC of this audiobook.
5/5⭐️

Avalee has tried hard to overcome her past heartache. She’s been successful running her business and ignoring the grief until her ex-husband walks into a meeting. He’s helping with her project of remodeling buildings in an old abandon town and bringing it to life. I love that Avalee is a contractor. She so strong but she has a lot of emotional baggage to overcome. I struggled a little bit with this one. It started off with a lot of great conflict, but there just wasn’t enough to keep me interested. I had to leave this one and make myself finish to review. I thought the narrator did a fine job with this one. I just struggled to connect with the characters. Huge thanks to RB media and Netgalley for allowing me to listen and review this audiobook.

This book gave me ALL the feels. It not only made me want to refurbish something, it was a great story all-around. I enjoyed the healing aspect that took place within the story and there were enough great (and strong) characters this could be a series. A great read - but you'll need tissues!

There were some good parts to this story, but expect the love story to be not as much at the forefront as you'd expect. It was a sweet second chance, but the MC was so focused on the reasons their marriage ended and the trauma tied to it that I don't feel like we ever saw an actual personality. It went that way for most of the characters. Minus trauma, there was no personality or depth.

This was a very moving second chance romance. This deals with some heavy topics (miscarriage and lost children) so be prepared going in. It might be a bit too southern for me but I enjoyed the healing that both the main characters went through in the story. Side characters were phenomenal. Narrator bumped this up to a four star read. She was amazing.

I received a copy from Netgalley and the publisher.

Lowcountry Lost
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A heartbreaking story that will make you want to keep going. It shows that love can conquer all. A beautiful love story showing that beauty is all around This story would make a GREAT Hallmark movie. It will pull at your heart strings.
Thank you NetGalley

I went into this book mostly blind, having only read the first couple of sentences of the description before deciding to dive in. I had not read any of the author's previous works, but I will definitely be adding her to my list of authors to explore in the future.

The story follows Avalee Elvis, who is refurbishing an abandoned ghost town. When her ex-husband becomes part of the project, she must confront the grief that has lingered unresolved. This grief was a significant factor in the breakdown of their marriage. Will these two be able to repair more than just the ghost town?

In addition to the romance between Avalee and Rowan, who are thrust together by this project, we learn about their shared past. They grew up as best friends and fell in love naturally. However, they faced heartbreak with two miscarriages and a stillbirth, which deeply affected Avalee, leaving her feeling unable to embrace any significant joys in her life.

Throughout the year, Avalee and Rowan navigate what happened during their six years apart and together learn to confront their grief. Alongside their journey, we also meet other characters, illustrating that a found family can be just as healing as one formed by blood.

I haven't read a Christian fiction book in quite some time, but I really enjoyed the religious elements in this story; they tied in beautifully with the central themes. I laughed and cried, and by the end of the book, my heart felt genuinely full. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing each character to life.

DNF

I turned this audiobook on several times and immediately tuned out. It felt very slow to start and didn't capture my attention. I was very intrigued by the description and was excited to listen to it, but at no point was I drawn in. I wasn't enjoying the cadence of the writing nor the narration. Sometimes it's difficult to discern weather the writing or the narration is what is losing my attention, but in this case, it felt like both.

Although I have mood reader tendencies, I can typically push through when it comes to audiobooks. Particularly when one has such high ratings like this one does (4.45 on Goodreads at time of review), but I felt like every time I went to listen to an audiobook, I had to force myself to give this one another try.

I'm sad I didn't enjoy this one, but I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to receive an advanced listener copy.

This is one of my favorite reads for 2024! I have it 5 stars on GoodReads, which I’ve only given 2 other books. I’ve also added more books to read by this author. GREAT JOB!

This review is a bit tough for me. The book itself was quite enjoyable, and I do recommend it. The narration for the audiobook, however, was almost unbearable with the completely inauthentic southern accent. Nails on a chalkboard for this southern girl. I wish I could be more positive, but it was really rough.

With that said, the book itself was very entertaining.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Sometimes, words cannot express the power a story evokes or the crumbs it leaves behind. Lowcountry Lost is a story of lost things being found and restored. Not only are the characters charming, real, and engaging, the message that each of them imparts is powerful. Avalee learning the pain of allowing herself to be free again. Rowan learning to fight hard for what he loves. Bash learning that he is loveable, and family takes on many meanings. Each of the characters are on a personal journey that intersects with others along the way, enriching the lessons they are learning. The supporting characters do a phenomenal job of magnifying the lessons being learned and solidifying the truths being shared. The small town, full of hope and potential sheds lights on the past, exposing the darker truths that have been allowed to rob the present of its joy and life. I truly treasured this story and rawness captured in the words. Even more moving was hearing the story as the narrator captured the southern charm, Irish brogue, and depth of emotions along the way. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

Thank for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. The narrator did a very good job of bringing the characters to life and using an authentic accent. As a reader, I did have a tough time relating to the main character, Avalee. At times I found her very full of self pity and doubt. I do think she showed growth throughout the journey. She went on in the story. I think that many women will find the story so relatable and very appealing. It was just not the book for me. I enjoyed the authors, voice and writing. I would definitely try another novel written by her!

I really liked the book a lot. I was impressed and surprised.
I loved the characters and their development throughout the book. Both characters have dealt with a lot, but the love they feel for each other is palpable. The book is so sweet, and little by little they begin to reconnect, and it is also little by little that the reader enters the life that the characters shared. I loved the book being a second chance at love, and them rebuilding their relationship, which resulted in rebuilding their marriage and a family, like they had never imagined.
The secondary characters were great. I loved each one of them. The two boys are wonderful and sweet, and the two carpenter brothers add a special touch.
I really loved the book, it's loving and sweet, and it grows within us. And it really is a romance, we feel the love throughout the pages!!!

Warning that the book has sensitive themes such as abortion and child death. But the author handles everything sublimely.

And the narrator did an excellent job of conveying all the emotions and giving strength and personality to the characters. Her soft and sweet voice feels good to listen to.

Welcome to Somewhere South Carolina! What a unique name for a rumored ghost town that TI Lowe created for us readers to get to know Avalee and Rowan and their complicated relationship. On the outside Avalee is "tough as nails" just like the ones she is nailing into her construction projects. She clearly has a history and Lowe gently exposes through the arrival of her (ex!)husband Rowan in the town of Somewhere which she is head of reviving the ghost town back to life. As construction begins and a stray teenager arrives, Avalee's hard outer shell. begins to crack.

I admit it took a while for me to "get on board" with Avalee's hard demeanor. But once her character is developed a little more and I understood her past I enjoyed being beside her. One of my least favorite "troupes" in romance books is the poor communication that happens between charcters. It's like, come on let's be adults and talk this out, but then I guess 1/2 of the books in the book store would not exist right?
The southern small town atmoshpere is everything you would expect from a TI Lowe book, she sure does not how to bring the charm.
This book is full of great writing and a surprisingly emotional read. For fans of the Low Country Books, this is truly one t add to your TBR.

Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to review this advanced copy of Lowcountry Lost. I was not influenced or paid for my honest review.

I’m a wreck! This book broke my heart so many times but I could not put it down. I think I finished right at the 24 hour mark from when I started. The heartbreak and rebuilding that is spaced all throughout the story was amazingly done.

The narrator is one I’ve listened to before and enjoy. She did a wonderful job. I felt like I was there with her when she found the black bag.

TW: Miscarriage, child death, suicidal attempt mentioned

AudioArc provided for my honest review

Cute and heavy story about finding yourself after grief and reconnecting with the world including a lost love.

Story is told as the main characters are renovating a town and confronting why they divorced. Has a great set of side characters that are lovable and add to the story and development. At first the fmc irritated me as she just seemed determined to ruin everything but she grows on me and that impulse is explained and confronted which I really enjoyed.

The narrator for this story also helps contribute to the small town feel of the book and adds the necessary gravitas to pieces of the book that need it.

I do recommend as an audiobook as long as okay with the mentioned TW.

Low Country Lost was a downright Southern treat with so much heart. Avalee, a fixer-upper contractor with a past she can’t quite shake, is all about rebuilding everything around her—except herself. Just when she’s knee-deep in restoring a little South Carolina town, her own past comes walking back in the form of Rowan, bringing with him all the grief and loss she thought she’d buried.

This story dives deep into heartache, loss, love, and starting over, and the author doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff. Even in the heaviest parts, the writing is so well done and captures each emotion, making you really feel Avalee’s journey instead of just listening it.
(Cue the tears)

The characters are truly the heart of this story—each one with their own quirks and depth. I LOVED them all!!

And the narrator? One of the best I’ve heard in a while. Every voice and emotion came through beautifully, adding so much to the listening experience.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ALC in exchange for my honest review—what a joy this listen was!

A slow burn about reconnections, metabolizing losses, moving forward without forgetting, forgiving yourself for the past and for things you had no control of yet blamed yourself for, healing your broken heart, letting love in, discovering that family isn’t only about genetics, some very nosy people, 2 amazing kids, a very cute dog and so much more. Avalee is moving through life rebuilding/flipping old neglected homes with her business partner and doing all she can to keep her very broken damaged heart closed off to love. Avalee, her business partner and a team of investors are ready to start on their largest project yet of restoring an entire abandoned town back to life. To say that having her ex-husband show up to be a part of the project comes as a surprise to her is at the very least, an understatement. He is the very last person she wants to see. Ever. He reminds her of what she perceives to be every failure in her head, heart and life. I enjoyed the story of their relationship being healed as they are doing the same to the dilapidated town and two amazing young boys they meet along the way. It’s an emotional story with a lovely sweet ending. There were some things that did not always work for me. Though well intentioned, I wasn’t a fan of Avalee’s grandmother’s going behind her back and her nosiness and I found Rowan, though kind in many ways, was invasive, domineering, tone deaf and way too pushy. Didn’t stop me from listening to, enjoying and finishing a wonderfully narrated story that, and I repeat had a truly sweet happy ending.


I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.