3.5*
This book was such a pleasure to read and a good palate cleanser, since YA and romance are not my usual genre preference. I appreciated the fast pace and the romance was a hit too. I did not see the twists coming, and all of my predictions were completely wrong. LOL

Great story. I'm looking forward to this author's next book.

Wow.

This was such an emotional and intense read from the very beginning. So many moments where my heart hurt for River. At first, I couldn’t figure out why this book was classified as a thriller, and at about 3/4 of the way through, you find out and it was not something I saw coming!

The romance was definitely a little to YA for my taste, but it made sense that way.

I loved this book, and despite everything I loved the characters in the book. I really enjoyed the ending and where River ended up.

All in all, a good read that I would recommend.

I read this advanced reader copy of the book. This in no way affected my review.

This book was awesome. Right up my alley. There were so many twists and turns in this book. The author really held my interest. I was always wondering who was the bad guy versus who was the good guy. So many of each.

I really enjoyed this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I devoured this book in one day, pulled in by the mystery and romance between the characters. Thinking about it more, i can identify weaknesses in the plot and the under development of characters. However, i found it really compelling as i was reading, which sometimes is most important.

All We Lost Was Everything promises an engaging blend of mystery and romance but falls far short of delivering on its premise. While the setup—a teenage girl navigating the aftermath of a fire that claimed her father’s life—initially sparks intrigue, the novel stumbles in execution, weighed down by shallow character development and a glaringly unsatisfying resolution.
While the book attempts to juggle themes of grief, love, and secrets, the story’s emotional core is undermined by the misplaced inclusion of letters from the protagonist’s mother. These letters are so disconnected from the rest of the narrative that they feel less like genuine plot elements and more like wishful thinking or fantasy on the part of the protagonist. Their placement disrupts the pacing and adds confusion rather than depth.
Speaking about the plot, do we mention how it spirals into absurdity with the introduction of a second fire, which occurs out of nowhere and serves no real purpose other than to inject action and shock value? Ugh. It feels like a desperate attempt to raise the stakes, but instead, it highlights the lack of narrative cohesion.
The characters, particularly the protagonist and her love interest, feel more like placeholders than fully realized people. Their interactions lack the emotional depth and nuance necessary to make the romance compelling. The final nail in the coffin is the resolution of the story. Secondary characters, too, are underdeveloped, which might explain why one of them—the supposed villain—delivers a confession so out of place it borders on absurdity. In a single conversation, and with no discernible motive, she admits responsibility for the fire that killed the protagonist’s father, effectively dismantling any tension the story had managed to build.
The lack of narrative complexity leaves the resolution feeling not just rushed but utterly unearned. The stakes that should drive the mystery are rendered meaningless when such a pivotal moment is handled with such carelessness. The novel reads like an early draft that needed more time to develop its plot and characters.
Ultimately, All We Lost Was Everything struggles to deliver either a compelling mystery or a moving love story. For readers seeking the emotional resonance and gripping suspense that make YA mysteries unforgettable, this book is likely to disappoint.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When Everything Burns 🔥 🌵
This was a good one! It had twists that kept coming and actually surprised me. It was almost a romantic mystery.
Logan + River
In one night River’s life goes up in smoke. Her dad dead, all her possessions burned. With her mom still away she’s left with her Aunt, her best friend and the 2 million dollars anonymously donated to her GoFundMe account.
She’s trying to get her life back together. Living with her aunt in a little apartment. Waiting for her mom to show up again. Working at the diner with her best friend. Constantly wondering who her anonymous donor is. And, crushing on her cute coworker.
When secrets start coming to light she’s questioning everything and everyone. She thought she’d already lost it all, but there’s flames licking at her feet once again.
Thanks to @Netgalley for this ARC!
Definitely put this one on your TBR, out May 6th!

Absolutely wild ride. I love reading about characters who are down on their luck, so reading a story about a girl who's been orphaned in a house fire then mysteriously. gets 2 million dollars donated to her GoFundMe was right up my alley. I liked the hot, broody love interest Logan, and the slow-burn romance was very sweet. I did not see the ending coming at all, but it was amazing to see all the pieces come together in the way they did. Well done!

I received a complimentary copy of this book "All We Lost Was Everything" and all opinions expressed are my own. My second book by this author. I loved the first one. This second book kept my interests and I liked the way the story flowed. There were twists, romance and mystery. Overall I really liked it.

Oh man this one was a wild ride. Some I figured out but some were surprises. I really good read with interesting characters and a cool premise. I got sucked in and read it in almost one fell swoop

There were 3 parts to this book - 1 that I spent a while to get into, 2 that was spicier than I expected, and 3 where the story really picked up. The book had some identity crisis between the described plot of the recently acquired 2 million and the actual plot of a mystery premise.

All We Lost Was Everything is my first read by Sloan Harlow, but it will not be my last! What a rollercoaster ride!! I loved River. She keeps getting kicked but gets back up and moves forward. The story is full of grief, mystery, love, and survival and I didn't want to put it down. This was a definite yes for me. 4-1/2 stars

I received an ARC for free and gave my honest opinion voluntarily.

Instagram Review:
My god, what a ride All We Lost Was Everything by Sloan Harlow was. This book is truly beautiful in so many ways, capturing the raw reality of grief and sadness and how they shape us. It also dives into the complexity of relationships and how hard it can be to truly know those around us.

Every time I thought I had a handle on the story, another twist threw me off, and I loved every second of it. The secrets, the revelations, and the emotional whiplash kept me hooked from start to finish.

While there’s a hint of explicitness, it’s subtle, keeping the spiciness understated yet effective. This is a must-read for fans of YA romance, mystery, and stories packed with secrets.

A word of caution: the book tackles tough topics like death, loss of parents, and fire, so be prepared going in. But if you’re ready for an emotional, heart-wrenching, and utterly captivating journey, this one’s for you. 5/5 ⭐️

#AllWeLostWasEverything #SloanHarlow #BookReview #YAReads #RomanceBooks #MysteryLovers #MustRead #BookstagramReviews #GriefInBooks #EmotionalReads #YACommunity #ReadersOfInstagram"

Goodreads Review:
"All We Lost Was Everything by Sloan Harlow is a truly stunning book that took me on an unforgettable journey. It’s a raw, emotional exploration of grief, sadness, and the complexities of relationships.

Every time I thought I knew where the story was headed, a new twist threw me off completely—and I loved every moment of it. The secrets and surprises are perfectly paced, keeping the suspense alive until the very end.

While the book is a little explicit, the language is subtle and avoids being too direct, balancing the spiciness perfectly. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves YA romance, mystery, and stories filled with secrets and emotional depth.

However, the story does tackle heavy topics like death, losing parents, and fire, so readers should be mindful of these themes.

This book is beautifully written, deeply moving, and absolutely unforgettable. 5/5 ⭐️.

This book has a little bit of everything: mystery, romance, suspense, love, murder, and betrayal—basically all the feels. What initially felt like a YA romance to me suddenly took a sharp turn, leaving me on the edge of my seat, desperate for answers. It was like getting on what seemed to be a flat ride, only to realize you’re on a rollercoaster full of twists and turns. I enjoyed the red herrings and plot twists that kept me guessing throughout.

A few things that didn’t work for me.:

The Letters: While I appreciated their role in the story, they felt a bit out of place. At first, I thought it was what River hoped her mom would say in letters to her about her absence. I wish they had been presented as separate chapters for better clarity.
Logan's Character: I wish Logan had more depth and personality rather than just fitting a trope to serve the story. This made it harder to root for them as a couple.

All in all I would give it a 3.5 and recommend for readers over 18.

i'm still hesitating between 3.75 or 4 stars, but i really loved this. it was very fun, and i just wanted to keep reading. i just thought that everything between logan and river happened very fast in the beginning, and as someone who prefers slow burns, i think i would've enjoyed and cared about them even more if it took a bit more time before things happened. but i also understand why it's like that, and don't really know how else it could've been done (i did love them A LOT though, especially logan). i also found that not much was happening during the first half of the book - mystery wise at least - and i did kind of predict who would be involved but that’s also just me suspecting everyone. but besides all that, it was so fun, and thrilling!!

Book:
ALL WE LOST WAS EVERYTHING by Sloan Harlow
Thank you Netgalley and PenguinTeen for the earc (May 6)

Review:
3⭐
River survived the fire that k*lled her father. With nothing left, except for an anonymous donation, she tries to make sense of what happened. Where's her mother in all of this? Who donated the money? Was the fire an accident? These are all questions she wants answers to.
I went back and forth on how to rate ALL WE LOST WAS EVERYTHING. There were parts of the book that left me intrigued: the overall mystery of what happened to River's Mom, if the fire that killed her Dad was arson, where the money came from, etc. I wish that would have been the primary focus, but I feel like Harlow left the mystery on the back burner. River was in so deep trying to put her life back together only to focus on [Redacted] who constantly iced her out and lied. That part of the story line didn't feel necessary to the plot because that slowed dow the progression of solving the mystery, hence slowing down the progression of the plot.
Ultimately, I did like this book. I liked when the mystery was finally front and center, which didn't really happen until the last half or third. My favorite party of mysteries is the investigation, but this investigation didn't seem to go anywhere until BOOM, [Redacted] admits to everything they did. And let me tell you, that plot twist was something I didn't see coming. And then that plot twist kept twisting, and I never would have pieced it together, so I give Harlow props to that. Shocked. Flabbergasted. The whole shebang.

This book is a rollercoaster of emotions, twists, and dark secrets that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. What I love about this story is how it mixes suspense with deep emotional depth. River’s journey is filled with unexpected turns that pull you deeper into the mystery each page bringing you closer to the edge of revelation. The secrets about her father, the anonymous donor, and Logan’s own past only add to the tension, making this an addictive read that I couldn’t put down.

I received an advanced copy of this book from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group via NetGalley.

River Santos is a character that draws you in immediately—gritty, grieving, and stuck in a life she never wanted. She’s working at a dead-end diner in a small town she can’t escape, still reeling from the death of her father in a house fire and her mother’s mysterious disappearance nearly a year ago. The only constants in her life are her fiercely loyal best friend Tawny and her practical, no-nonsense aunt.

Things start to shift for River when Logan—the diner regular who’s always ignored her—finally starts paying attention. Their undeniable chemistry is complicated by her lingering feelings for her ex-boyfriend, Noah, and Tawny’s staunch opinion that neither guy is good enough for her.

But the simmering love triangle takes a backseat when new details about her father’s death come to light. What River believed was an accident might have been something much darker. As she digs deeper into the truth, the layers of her small-town life begin to unravel, revealing betrayal, secrets, and motives she never saw coming. With no idea who she can trust, River has to act fast before someone else’s desire for revenge comes to fruition.

The pacing of this novel is solid, with enough intrigue to keep readers turning the pages quickly. River is a compelling lead, raw and relatable as she navigates love, loss, and danger. While the twists keep coming, the final revelation pushes the boundaries of believability, feeling a bit over-the-top and unnecessary.

Interesting twisty plot with some spicy young romance peppered throughout. The main characters are all impossibly beautiful, but their struggles and emotions feel real and relatable. I enjoyed the story and would have loved it when I was a teenager!

This review will probably be briefer than I planned, but I somehow lost the original that I wrote, so this is take 2.
This was a decent mix of romance and mystery, with a heavy emphasis on “what the heck is going on, here???”. I think it also does a great job at showing that people aren’t usually all good or all bad, but generally lie on a spectrum between the two. People are human and they make mistakes. It’s how you move forward after those mistakes, that really shows who you are as a person.
Once Logan stopped pushing her away, he was such a sweetie and I love him and River together.
The plot twist was very unexpected, until you’re 3/4 of the way through the book, which I love. I tend to guess twists pretty early, so this is always a nice surprise.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC and allowing me to provide my honest review

Sloan Harlow’s All We Lost Was Everything is a dark, sexy romantic thriller that will keep readers hooked from the first page to the last. With its pulse-pounding suspense, sizzling chemistry, and a twist that you won’t see coming, this book delivers on every level and then some.
The story follows eighteen-year-old River Santos, who loses everything in a devastating house fire. Her home, her possessions, her father—gone in an instant. Just when she thinks life can’t get worse, an anonymous donation of two million dollars lands in her GoFundMe account, thrusting her into a world of questions and intrigue. River doesn’t want to trust anyone, but with every new face that walks into the diner where she works, she can’t help but wonder: Was it you?

The one person River is sure didn’t contribute the money is her handsome, yet aloof coworker, Logan Evans. Logan is tough, distant, and seems to have a vendetta against her, so when he unexpectedly helps River in front of her ex, she’s left stunned. Despite their obvious attraction, she begins to question everything—her father’s past, her family’s secrets, and Logan’s own mysterious behavior. As River digs deeper, she uncovers long-buried truths that force her to confront the fact that maybe she doesn’t know the people around her as well as she thought. And maybe there’s more at stake than just money.

What makes this book so addictive is the way Harlow masterfully blends romance with suspense. The chemistry between River and Logan is undeniable, but it’s complicated—there’s a constant tension between desire and distrust, and that keeps the reader on their toes. As River’s attraction to Logan grows, so does the mystery surrounding him. Is he the one person who can help her piece together the truth? Or is he hiding something darker? The push and pull between them is electric, and you’ll be rooting for them even as you question each of their motives.
Sloan Harlow’s writing is sharp, immersive, and full of twists that will keep you guessing. The pacing is spot-on, building the tension slowly and deliberately, ensuring that when the secrets finally come to light, the revelations hit with maximum impact. River is a complex, relatable heroine—strong yet vulnerable—and her journey of self-discovery is both heart-wrenching and empowering. The emotional depth of the story makes the stakes feel high, and every decision she makes will have you holding your breath.

And then there’s the twist. Without giving anything away, let’s just say that Sloan Harlow knows how to deliver a gut-punch that will leave you reeling. Just when you think you have the story figured out, everything changes. It’s a perfect ending to a book that’s been full of surprises, keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

If you’re a fan of dark romance with a side of intrigue and mystery, All We Lost Was Everything is the book for you. With its sizzling chemistry, gripping plot, and shocking twist, this is a novel that you won’t be able to put down. Prepare for an emotional rollercoaster—you’ll laugh, cry, and gasp in disbelief. Highly recommended for readers who love a good mystery wrapped in a passionate romance.