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The Lost and Found Girl
"Yates packs an emotional punch with this masterful, multilayered contemporary…pitch-perfect plotting and carefully crafted characters make for a story that’s sure to linger in readers’ minds.” — Publishers Weekly
New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates dazzles with this powerful novel of sisterhood, secrets and how far you’d go to protect someone you love…
Ruby McKee is a miracle. Found abandoned on a bridge as a newborn baby by the McKee sisters, she’s become the unofficial mascot of Pear Blossom, Oregon, a symbol of hope in the wake of a devastating loss. Ruby has lived a charmed life, and when she returns home after traveling abroad, she’s expecting to settle into that charm. But an encounter with the town’s black sheep makes her question the truth about her mysterious past.
Dahlia McKee knows it’s not right to resent Ruby for being special. But uncovering the truth about Ruby’s origins could allow Dahlia to carve her own place in Pear Blossom history.
Recently widowed Lydia McKee has enough on her plate without taking on Ruby’s quest for answers. Especially when her husband’s best friend, Chase, is beginning to become a complication she doesn’t want or need.
Marianne Martin is glad her youngest sister is back in town, but it’s hard to support Ruby’s crusade when her own life is imploding.
When the quest for the truth about Ruby’s origins uncovers a devastating secret, will the McKee sisters fall apart or band together?
Don't miss Maisey Yates' next holiday novel, Merry Christmas Cowboy!
New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates dazzles with this powerful novel of sisterhood, secrets and how far you’d go to protect someone you love…
Ruby McKee is a miracle. Found abandoned on a bridge as a newborn baby by the McKee sisters, she’s become the unofficial mascot of Pear Blossom, Oregon, a symbol of hope in the wake of a devastating loss. Ruby has lived a charmed life, and when she returns home after traveling abroad, she’s expecting to settle into that charm. But an encounter with the town’s black sheep makes her question the truth about her mysterious past.
Dahlia McKee knows it’s not right to resent Ruby for being special. But uncovering the truth about Ruby’s origins could allow Dahlia to carve her own place in Pear Blossom history.
Recently widowed Lydia McKee has enough on her plate without taking on Ruby’s quest for answers. Especially when her husband’s best friend, Chase, is beginning to become a complication she doesn’t want or need.
Marianne Martin is glad her youngest sister is back in town, but it’s hard to support Ruby’s crusade when her own life is imploding.
When the quest for the truth about Ruby’s origins uncovers a devastating secret, will the McKee sisters fall apart or band together?
Don't miss Maisey Yates' next holiday novel, Merry Christmas Cowboy!
400 pages, Paperback
First published June 28, 2022
70 people are currently reading
3891 people want to read
About the author
Maisey Yates
1,161 books2,995 followersNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit. In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book.
Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.
She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.
Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.
She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
October 7, 2022
The Lost and Found Girl by Maisey Yates is a women’s fiction novel. The story is about family and secrets from the past but does have a little romance infused into it. This novel is one that tells the story by changing the point of view between the characters to give all sides.
Ruby McKee has gone her entire life being told she is the town miracle and that she should appreciate life fully. Ruby as a baby was found out in the cold by her three older sisters after being abandoned one freezing cold night. After rescue Ruby was adopted into the McKee family and really did grow to appreciate her second chance.
After school Ruby took some time to herself to travel abroad and has now returned home to Pear Blossom, Oregon and to the only family she has ever known. The other McKee sisters, Dahlia, Lydia and Marianne, all welcome back their miracle sibling but all have different views on that time in the family’s lives too with Dahlia wanting to dig into the past to get some answers.
The Lost and Found Girl by Maisey Yates is a women’s fiction title that has plenty of layers and depth to the story to draw a reader right in and keep them captive. There is not only the mystery to Ruby’s appearance years before but also a cold case of a missing teenager the year before that certainly gained my interest quickly. Diving into all the McKee sister’s life was like peeling an onion with so many different layers to it too while also uncovering the secrets of the past with a heart wrenching twist. Definitely a great read overall.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Ruby McKee has gone her entire life being told she is the town miracle and that she should appreciate life fully. Ruby as a baby was found out in the cold by her three older sisters after being abandoned one freezing cold night. After rescue Ruby was adopted into the McKee family and really did grow to appreciate her second chance.
After school Ruby took some time to herself to travel abroad and has now returned home to Pear Blossom, Oregon and to the only family she has ever known. The other McKee sisters, Dahlia, Lydia and Marianne, all welcome back their miracle sibling but all have different views on that time in the family’s lives too with Dahlia wanting to dig into the past to get some answers.
The Lost and Found Girl by Maisey Yates is a women’s fiction title that has plenty of layers and depth to the story to draw a reader right in and keep them captive. There is not only the mystery to Ruby’s appearance years before but also a cold case of a missing teenager the year before that certainly gained my interest quickly. Diving into all the McKee sister’s life was like peeling an onion with so many different layers to it too while also uncovering the secrets of the past with a heart wrenching twist. Definitely a great read overall.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
June 18, 2022
Really good and that ending! Wow
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This story was so different and interesting. I am used to reading Yates’ cowboy romances so this one was a definite twist for me.
Yates weaves a story that is rich with emotion and intricacies. Subtle nuances in the details have you trying to read between the lines. You think you know what is going to happen but she manages to surprise you every time.
This is a sister story so we have the four main characters all fabulously different in their own right. Plus the family life, secrets to unfold, and futures to build. Yates manages to effortlessly blend it all together into a story that you will remember long after the cover is closed.
The Lost and Found Girl is a mixture of different genres to bring a lovely balance, high interests, and a definite un-putdownable story you have to read! Keep the tissues nearby. That ending was perfect!!
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-lost-and...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This story was so different and interesting. I am used to reading Yates’ cowboy romances so this one was a definite twist for me.
Yates weaves a story that is rich with emotion and intricacies. Subtle nuances in the details have you trying to read between the lines. You think you know what is going to happen but she manages to surprise you every time.
This is a sister story so we have the four main characters all fabulously different in their own right. Plus the family life, secrets to unfold, and futures to build. Yates manages to effortlessly blend it all together into a story that you will remember long after the cover is closed.
The Lost and Found Girl is a mixture of different genres to bring a lovely balance, high interests, and a definite un-putdownable story you have to read! Keep the tissues nearby. That ending was perfect!!
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-lost-and...
June 24, 2022
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
THE LOST AND FOUND GIRL by Maisey Yates is a women’s fiction story with romantic elements featuring four sisters in small town Pear Blossom, Oregon, and the emotional upheaval in all their lives a quest for truth sets in motion. This standalone story is not the usual contemporary cowboy romance I have read from this author previously.
Ruby McKee, the miracle baby, has returned from her travels all over Europe to accept the job offer from the historical society in her small hometown. While Ruby has always been interested in history, her sister, Dahlia is determined to revitalize their town’s print paper. Marianne has the perfect marriage and her own small business, but she is having difficulty connecting to her moody teenage daughter. Lydia is the sister they are all worried about. She has two young children and has lost her husband to ALS and her sisters have not seen her grieve.
As they are all reunited, they must navigate their past sibling relationships and secrets which could rip them apart or bring them closer together to survive any truth no matter how difficult.
This is an intriguing look into adult sibling relationships and the men they love, intertwined with two cold case mysteries. I was not sure where the story was going at first, but once I had the people and storylines sorted, it became a story I found difficult to put down. The climax was a complete surprise that I did not see coming, but it was realistic and sad. Even with all the revelations, Ms. Yates was able to bring the sisters to a believable ending.
This is both a thought provoking and entertaining women’s fiction story.
THE LOST AND FOUND GIRL by Maisey Yates is a women’s fiction story with romantic elements featuring four sisters in small town Pear Blossom, Oregon, and the emotional upheaval in all their lives a quest for truth sets in motion. This standalone story is not the usual contemporary cowboy romance I have read from this author previously.
Ruby McKee, the miracle baby, has returned from her travels all over Europe to accept the job offer from the historical society in her small hometown. While Ruby has always been interested in history, her sister, Dahlia is determined to revitalize their town’s print paper. Marianne has the perfect marriage and her own small business, but she is having difficulty connecting to her moody teenage daughter. Lydia is the sister they are all worried about. She has two young children and has lost her husband to ALS and her sisters have not seen her grieve.
As they are all reunited, they must navigate their past sibling relationships and secrets which could rip them apart or bring them closer together to survive any truth no matter how difficult.
This is an intriguing look into adult sibling relationships and the men they love, intertwined with two cold case mysteries. I was not sure where the story was going at first, but once I had the people and storylines sorted, it became a story I found difficult to put down. The climax was a complete surprise that I did not see coming, but it was realistic and sad. Even with all the revelations, Ms. Yates was able to bring the sisters to a believable ending.
This is both a thought provoking and entertaining women’s fiction story.
July 29, 2022
4.5 Stars
The McKee sisters are marked by finding baby Ruby on the bridge twenty-two years ago. Now in the present all four McKee women face challenges and a secret that needs to come out. This is part women’s fiction, part mystery and part romance, and wow! Didn’t see that twist coming at all!
Ruby McKee is the “miracle” baby of Pear Blossom, Oregon. A baby found bundled up on a cold December evening twenty-two years ago, a year after another girl went missing, casting a shadow on the idyllic town. Her rescue brought light and hope back to their little town and made her their unofficial symbol for all that’s good.
Ruby’s back home after going to school abroad taking a dream job as an archivist. Ready to do something good for the town. Because it was a miracle she was found that night and so she must be destined to have survived for something great, right? Those are some big shoes to fill, and finally Ruby is coming to the realization it’s not fair to put that on her.
Then there’s:
Marianne: The oldest McKee sister, with a seemingly perfect family, home, and business, and yet has visions of it all crashing down. She’s at odds with her fifteen-year-old daughter, and the perfect marriage she thought she had may not be so perfect.
Lydia: The second to the oldest, who just lost her husband, and is dealing with his best friend, Chase insisting to help on the farm. She’s grieving, but not in the way most assume.
Dahlia: The closest in age to Ruby, just four when they found her. Dahlia was the baby of the family until Ruby. She’s always been a bit of an outsider, the edgy girl dressed in black, always speaking her mind. She’s now writing on the town paper and discovering old secrets that may throw a wrench into what everyone thought was truth.
The Lost and Found Girl focused on all four women. Their loves, losses, and troubles, and it all felt real-to-life and relatable. Then there’s mystery of the missing girl, Caitlin and of Ruby’s abandonment. The story was so good, and riveting and oh my, that ending! I didn’t see it coming! Such a great twist and I love how everything came together!
A copy was kindly provided by HQN in exchange for an honest review.
The McKee sisters are marked by finding baby Ruby on the bridge twenty-two years ago. Now in the present all four McKee women face challenges and a secret that needs to come out. This is part women’s fiction, part mystery and part romance, and wow! Didn’t see that twist coming at all!
Ruby McKee is the “miracle” baby of Pear Blossom, Oregon. A baby found bundled up on a cold December evening twenty-two years ago, a year after another girl went missing, casting a shadow on the idyllic town. Her rescue brought light and hope back to their little town and made her their unofficial symbol for all that’s good.
Ruby’s back home after going to school abroad taking a dream job as an archivist. Ready to do something good for the town. Because it was a miracle she was found that night and so she must be destined to have survived for something great, right? Those are some big shoes to fill, and finally Ruby is coming to the realization it’s not fair to put that on her.
Then there’s:
Marianne: The oldest McKee sister, with a seemingly perfect family, home, and business, and yet has visions of it all crashing down. She’s at odds with her fifteen-year-old daughter, and the perfect marriage she thought she had may not be so perfect.
Lydia: The second to the oldest, who just lost her husband, and is dealing with his best friend, Chase insisting to help on the farm. She’s grieving, but not in the way most assume.
Dahlia: The closest in age to Ruby, just four when they found her. Dahlia was the baby of the family until Ruby. She’s always been a bit of an outsider, the edgy girl dressed in black, always speaking her mind. She’s now writing on the town paper and discovering old secrets that may throw a wrench into what everyone thought was truth.
The Lost and Found Girl focused on all four women. Their loves, losses, and troubles, and it all felt real-to-life and relatable. Then there’s mystery of the missing girl, Caitlin and of Ruby’s abandonment. The story was so good, and riveting and oh my, that ending! I didn’t see it coming! Such a great twist and I love how everything came together!
A copy was kindly provided by HQN in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2022
3.5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
But it is said in the town of Pear Blossom that Ruby McKee herself is miraculous.
After completing her college studying abroad, Ruby McKee comes back to her hometown of Pear Blossom, Oregon after she's offered a job by Dana who works at the historical society. Ruby has always felt a connection to Dana, the single mom who's fifteen year old daughter Caitlin went missing and was never found. Ten months after Caitlin went missing, Ruby was found at an old bridge, near where Caitlin was last seen, as a baby by the McKee sisters. The town still hurting and reeling from Caitlin's disappearance made Ruby into their miracle baby and the McKee family adopted her. Now twenty-two years later, Ruby is back home and along with her sisters, Marianne, Lydia, and Dahlia, they're having to confront what their life stories say about them and what they want them to say.
“Of course, my first thought was to blame her. But that's what we do. It's what we do.”
“What is?”
Dana looked her square in the face. “We blame the mother.”
The Lost and Found Girl gave us a look into all four sister's lives, with all the personal and familial issues that come with sisterhood, some romance for them all, and a cold case mystery wallpapering the background. Ruby had a tad more of a lead in the story as her being found by the sisters and how that subsequently changed the dynamic in the family and her being found and treated as a healing balm to the disappearance of Caitlin. Through all the sister's povs we learn that Marianne went through some depression as a teenager which is having her struggle with her own teenage daughter and her new worries that her husband is cheating on her, Lydia's husband died a few months ago and she's struggling with everyone treating her like she should constantly be falling apart while holding in the secret that she wanted to divorce her husband before his sickness and newly recognizing her attraction to Chase, who was her husband's bestfriend, Dahlia is dealing with always feeling second fiddle to Ruby because she was the baby of the family before Ruby and being scared to go for what she wants, like being attracted to the Chief of police Carter, and then Ruby who is still searching for answers to who she is and being drawn to the town black sheep, Nathan, who was Caitlin's boyfriend at the time of the disappearance and who everyone thinks murdered her.
She'd always wanted the answers while had seemed like the people around her preferred stories.”
When Ruby comes to town, she and Dahlia, who has a new job as a journalist at the local paper, decide to work together to write articles and make displays of retrospectives of the town's history, which requires interviewing, highlighting, and drudging up the past. It may seem like a lot of plot threads and characters to keep up with but the constant changing povs between the sisters keeps the trains going on each of their tracks. The cold case is an important part of the fabric of the story but it's definitely more of the wallpaper that I called it earlier, until more towards the ending when it pops up and gets the focus that readers could probably feel on the back of their necks. With everything the sisters are going through, it does feel like they could have had their own books, this reads like broken up novellas sewn together, but there was also the feeling of connectivity between their stories that makes putting them together all in one book still work. The essence of the story was really focused on stories, the ones we tell ourselves and the ones people tell about us, which worked with these characters and plot but it was rinse and repeated so much between all four sisters that the repetitiveness of this started to bog the pace and story down for me in the second half; the sisters all had different bemoaning personal issues but reading bemoaning issues over and over in the same book was a lot. I felt like this really hit Ruby's character, so much “I'm the golden, make everyone happy child”, which I get how it plays into her known abandonment as a baby, but, ooof, is this “stories” reiterated and bemoaned/struggled with repetitively. Individually, it works for the character but collectively in the book, repetitive.
Not knowing could drive you crazy.
Knowing is probably a burden sometimes too.
Each sister does have her own little romance arc but there wasn't a lot of room for the men to make huge character showings but my romance loving heart appreciated the additive. Like I said, most of the story is the sisters struggling with emotional issues and what they want their stories to be, so it's not until around 70% we get a bigger hit on the cold case of Caitlin and then a reveal comes at 80% to bring it to the focus in a big way. I didn't see the reveal coming, so it was a definite shock to me and if you also want to be shocked, don't read the spoiler but if trigger warnings are something you like to know . The last fifteen percent felt a bit rushed with it's traumatic feelings and I would have liked a fuller and sat with a little longer resolution. Overall, this was a well written little bit different constructed story that melded a couple genres together. The second half slowed some with the sisters repeatedly struggling with how they were living their lives, instead of finally just changing it, I can sit with one character doing this but four got wearying. However, each sister was compelling in their own right, I enjoyed the romance, and was locked in wondering about Caitlin's disappearance. If you're looking for some women's fiction that has a different feel to it, I would definitely recommend The Lost and Found Girl.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
But it is said in the town of Pear Blossom that Ruby McKee herself is miraculous.
After completing her college studying abroad, Ruby McKee comes back to her hometown of Pear Blossom, Oregon after she's offered a job by Dana who works at the historical society. Ruby has always felt a connection to Dana, the single mom who's fifteen year old daughter Caitlin went missing and was never found. Ten months after Caitlin went missing, Ruby was found at an old bridge, near where Caitlin was last seen, as a baby by the McKee sisters. The town still hurting and reeling from Caitlin's disappearance made Ruby into their miracle baby and the McKee family adopted her. Now twenty-two years later, Ruby is back home and along with her sisters, Marianne, Lydia, and Dahlia, they're having to confront what their life stories say about them and what they want them to say.
“Of course, my first thought was to blame her. But that's what we do. It's what we do.”
“What is?”
Dana looked her square in the face. “We blame the mother.”
The Lost and Found Girl gave us a look into all four sister's lives, with all the personal and familial issues that come with sisterhood, some romance for them all, and a cold case mystery wallpapering the background. Ruby had a tad more of a lead in the story as her being found by the sisters and how that subsequently changed the dynamic in the family and her being found and treated as a healing balm to the disappearance of Caitlin. Through all the sister's povs we learn that Marianne went through some depression as a teenager which is having her struggle with her own teenage daughter and her new worries that her husband is cheating on her, Lydia's husband died a few months ago and she's struggling with everyone treating her like she should constantly be falling apart while holding in the secret that she wanted to divorce her husband before his sickness and newly recognizing her attraction to Chase, who was her husband's bestfriend, Dahlia is dealing with always feeling second fiddle to Ruby because she was the baby of the family before Ruby and being scared to go for what she wants, like being attracted to the Chief of police Carter, and then Ruby who is still searching for answers to who she is and being drawn to the town black sheep, Nathan, who was Caitlin's boyfriend at the time of the disappearance and who everyone thinks murdered her.
She'd always wanted the answers while had seemed like the people around her preferred stories.”
When Ruby comes to town, she and Dahlia, who has a new job as a journalist at the local paper, decide to work together to write articles and make displays of retrospectives of the town's history, which requires interviewing, highlighting, and drudging up the past. It may seem like a lot of plot threads and characters to keep up with but the constant changing povs between the sisters keeps the trains going on each of their tracks. The cold case is an important part of the fabric of the story but it's definitely more of the wallpaper that I called it earlier, until more towards the ending when it pops up and gets the focus that readers could probably feel on the back of their necks. With everything the sisters are going through, it does feel like they could have had their own books, this reads like broken up novellas sewn together, but there was also the feeling of connectivity between their stories that makes putting them together all in one book still work. The essence of the story was really focused on stories, the ones we tell ourselves and the ones people tell about us, which worked with these characters and plot but it was rinse and repeated so much between all four sisters that the repetitiveness of this started to bog the pace and story down for me in the second half; the sisters all had different bemoaning personal issues but reading bemoaning issues over and over in the same book was a lot. I felt like this really hit Ruby's character, so much “I'm the golden, make everyone happy child”, which I get how it plays into her known abandonment as a baby, but, ooof, is this “stories” reiterated and bemoaned/struggled with repetitively. Individually, it works for the character but collectively in the book, repetitive.
Not knowing could drive you crazy.
Knowing is probably a burden sometimes too.
Each sister does have her own little romance arc but there wasn't a lot of room for the men to make huge character showings but my romance loving heart appreciated the additive. Like I said, most of the story is the sisters struggling with emotional issues and what they want their stories to be, so it's not until around 70% we get a bigger hit on the cold case of Caitlin and then a reveal comes at 80% to bring it to the focus in a big way. I didn't see the reveal coming, so it was a definite shock to me and if you also want to be shocked, don't read the spoiler but if trigger warnings are something you like to know . The last fifteen percent felt a bit rushed with it's traumatic feelings and I would have liked a fuller and sat with a little longer resolution. Overall, this was a well written little bit different constructed story that melded a couple genres together. The second half slowed some with the sisters repeatedly struggling with how they were living their lives, instead of finally just changing it, I can sit with one character doing this but four got wearying. However, each sister was compelling in their own right, I enjoyed the romance, and was locked in wondering about Caitlin's disappearance. If you're looking for some women's fiction that has a different feel to it, I would definitely recommend The Lost and Found Girl.
July 19, 2022
The Lost and Found Girl by Maisey Yates is a tale about four sisters living in Pear Blossom, Oregon. I thought the characters were developed as well as realistic and relatable. The author’s vivid descriptions allowed me to envision the characters and the quaint town. As with any family especially when there are sisters, there is drama and secrets. There is also love and strong bonds. As the story unfolds, we get to learn about the women. Their hopes, dreams, heartaches, fears, and relationships. Each one of them puts on a brave face to prevent the others from looking too deep. The sisters reconnect and begin to share more of their lives. The Lost and Found Girl is an emotional novel. There is a mystery as well. Ruby was left on the covered bridge on a cold December night shortly after her birth. She would like to know the identity of her birth mother and why she abandoned her. Ruby’s quest for the truth will bring some dark secrets to light. There is a missing girl as well. She was walking home from her boyfriend’s house, but she never made it to her destination. The teenager disappeared shortly before Ruby’s birth. I believe the reveal will shock some readers. The Lost and Found Girl is about self-discovery, family, friendships, mistakes made, growth, a touch of romance, and forgiveness. The main theme of the story is that a person should not be defined by their circumstances (such as being left on a bridge as an infant and surviving the bitterly cold weather). We can each author our own story. I thought this was a good life lesson and one I wish I had learned when I was younger. The point-of-view switched between the sisters which allows the reader to understand each sister (what they are feeling and thinking). There is romance in the story as well. Each sister gets a chance at love. Those who love women’s fiction will enjoy this poignant tale. The Lost and Found Girl has family drama, romance, mystery, four sisters, caring parents, and a charming small town.
July 26, 2022
Ruby McKee plays a huge role in history that took over two decades to develop clarity. As a newborn, she was found on a bridge and taken into a home and now has parents and three sisters. This bride will be a lot of fame because her beginnings or so foggy. In fact, there was a disappearance of a teenager back in 1999 and now that Ruby is back home after some years of traveling, she wants to know what connection she has to that mysterious situation and how she got her start in life.
However, the story is not just about Ruby. Her three sisters all have their own stories, stories that play into Ruby’s search for answers while the sisters all try to keep their feet on solid ground. In fact, some of their problems are so heavy, that delving into her history is the last thing that they might want to do.
The sisters are Dahlia, Lydia and Marianne, and this book explores their current situations all while cementing the natural bond between all of the sisters, including Ruby.
What a change of pace for Maisey Yates! I am so used to reading her cowboy romances, so when I sat down to read this women’s fiction book I was truly bowled over. There is a nice measure of romance in this story but also there is mystery, mystery that begs answers to questions long ago hidden.
What a wonderfully written emotional story that explores a painful past but also shows the strong bond that exists between sisters. Keeping the past in the past was definitely difficult, especially when answers about the past are needed in order for the four sisters to find their futures.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one character who truly touched my heart. A perfectly imperfect man came into the picture and changed the life of one of the sisters. I loved that although he was broken, his reasons for his actions brought this story full circle. I love that this story was one of hope, strength, and strong family ties. This marvelous story kept me tapping the screen of my Kindle late into the night and ended with a wonderful conclusion.
Many thanks to HQN and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy the following YouTube review - https://youtu.be/h4KSLWSOZtk
However, the story is not just about Ruby. Her three sisters all have their own stories, stories that play into Ruby’s search for answers while the sisters all try to keep their feet on solid ground. In fact, some of their problems are so heavy, that delving into her history is the last thing that they might want to do.
The sisters are Dahlia, Lydia and Marianne, and this book explores their current situations all while cementing the natural bond between all of the sisters, including Ruby.
What a change of pace for Maisey Yates! I am so used to reading her cowboy romances, so when I sat down to read this women’s fiction book I was truly bowled over. There is a nice measure of romance in this story but also there is mystery, mystery that begs answers to questions long ago hidden.
What a wonderfully written emotional story that explores a painful past but also shows the strong bond that exists between sisters. Keeping the past in the past was definitely difficult, especially when answers about the past are needed in order for the four sisters to find their futures.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one character who truly touched my heart. A perfectly imperfect man came into the picture and changed the life of one of the sisters. I loved that although he was broken, his reasons for his actions brought this story full circle. I love that this story was one of hope, strength, and strong family ties. This marvelous story kept me tapping the screen of my Kindle late into the night and ended with a wonderful conclusion.
Many thanks to HQN and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy the following YouTube review - https://youtu.be/h4KSLWSOZtk
June 26, 2023
Premise: Pear Blossom, Oregon is known for two things: Ruby and the tragic disappearance of a young girl named Caitlin. A foundling discovered by 3 young sisters on Christmas in 2000, Ruby’s story has a much better beginning and ending than Caitlin’s story. Ruby is adopted by the family who found her. The attention brings tourism to the region. As an adult, Ruby is cheerful and travels the world. She loves her family, but she loves to travel. But when her sister loses her husband, Ruby comes home to be with her.
Upon her return she takes a job at a local museum as an archivist, working for Dana, the mother of the missing Caitlin.
Soon she discovers some information about her own abandonment, as well as information about Caitlin’s disappearance.
Are they both connected?
Will the local bad boy help her find what she needs?
Is this more of been-here-before?
Orphan girl searching for biological parents?
Girl falling for the handsome Mr. Wrong?
And then…
Readers are taken to a much, much darker place?
Triggers: Depression, childhood trauma, Child Abuse. Rape. Sexual Predators/abuse. PTSD.
3.5 stars.
Upon her return she takes a job at a local museum as an archivist, working for Dana, the mother of the missing Caitlin.
Soon she discovers some information about her own abandonment, as well as information about Caitlin’s disappearance.
Are they both connected?
Will the local bad boy help her find what she needs?
Is this more of been-here-before?
Orphan girl searching for biological parents?
Girl falling for the handsome Mr. Wrong?
And then…
Readers are taken to a much, much darker place?
Triggers: Depression, childhood trauma, Child Abuse. Rape. Sexual Predators/abuse. PTSD.
3.5 stars.
August 22, 2022
The McKee sisters are known for finding baby Ruby on the bridge twenty-two years ago, in Pear Blossom, Oregon. Ruby is the "miracle baby", who brought the town together and gave them hope. She became the unofficial symbol for the town, a reminder that there is good, hope and new beginnings, as a teenage girl had gone missing one year prior to the discovery. Ruby is raised by the McKees and becomes the fourth sister. Ruby is back in town, after going to school in Europe and is ready to start her dream job as an archivist with the historical society in her small hometown. Her return is the catalyst to uncover secrets, mysteries, and troubles faced by her sisters. Marianne is the oldest sister with the perfect family, home and business, or is it all as perfect as it seems. Lydia, the next in line has recently lost her husband to ALS, and nobody knows why she hasn't grieved for him. His best friend, Chase, has been around helping out, but does he have an ulterior motive? Finally, there's Dahlia, the third sister and the closest in age to Ruby, She is single and happy that way. She is a journalist and writing for the local paper, looking for secrets that might just blow up what everyone in town believes. Will they find out where Ruby came from? Will her sisters solve their problems and move forward happily in life?
This story is very different from the cowboy romances that I have come to associate with Maisey Yates. The Lost and Found Girl focused on all of the McKee sisters. Their loves, losses, and troubles, that made them real, and relatable. I liked them all and wanted them to sort out what they really wanted in life and grab it. There are also mysteries to be solved, first and foremost, what is true about Ruby's abandonment and discovery. I enjoy books that deal with siblings, reconciliation, secrets and relationships and this book had all of that. Although the sisters were not estranged, they did keep secrets from each other. This was an interesting look at family relationships, especially as adults who live separate lives and don't really know what goes on in each other's homes and lives. I wasn't sure where this story was going, besides solving how Ruby came to be on that bridge so many years ago, but Maisey Yates took me to a spot that I had not expected. There was such a great twist and I loved how everything came together. I recommend this book if you enjoy women’s fiction, some mystery and a little romance. The audiobook was narrated by Samantha Cook. This is a new narrator to me, and I enjoyed her performance. I will say that she does great female voices, but this is one case when a male narrator would have upped the audiobook a notch. Overall, I recommend this audiobook.
This story is very different from the cowboy romances that I have come to associate with Maisey Yates. The Lost and Found Girl focused on all of the McKee sisters. Their loves, losses, and troubles, that made them real, and relatable. I liked them all and wanted them to sort out what they really wanted in life and grab it. There are also mysteries to be solved, first and foremost, what is true about Ruby's abandonment and discovery. I enjoy books that deal with siblings, reconciliation, secrets and relationships and this book had all of that. Although the sisters were not estranged, they did keep secrets from each other. This was an interesting look at family relationships, especially as adults who live separate lives and don't really know what goes on in each other's homes and lives. I wasn't sure where this story was going, besides solving how Ruby came to be on that bridge so many years ago, but Maisey Yates took me to a spot that I had not expected. There was such a great twist and I loved how everything came together. I recommend this book if you enjoy women’s fiction, some mystery and a little romance. The audiobook was narrated by Samantha Cook. This is a new narrator to me, and I enjoyed her performance. I will say that she does great female voices, but this is one case when a male narrator would have upped the audiobook a notch. Overall, I recommend this audiobook.
May 30, 2022
I loved this story of three sisters finding love against the odds.
Ruby carries the hope and expectation of an entire town on her shoulders. She was the miracle baby—rescued from the elements at Christmas. Her fame brought tourists to her hometown. It rejuvenated a dying economy. When she returns, she tells herself it’s because she was just offered her dream job. As an archivist in the town museum she used to spend every spare moment in.
But her new job also gives Ruby the chance to finally discover her origins. She’s convinced they’re tied to the enigmatic man that was railroaded out of town shortly before she was born. A man who just happens to own the property adjacent to that of her adoptive parents. But he’s not what she expected. He’s broken and mended, beautiful and resilient. And she can’t stay away.
Ruby’s return is like a catalyst for her sisters. Dahlia finally succumbs to her desire for the handsome sheriff. Lydia realizes that her guilt is misplaced, and that as a widow she’s entitled to find happiness again with her husband’s foster brother.
This isn’t just a story about finding love. It’s also about healing rifts, forgiving yourself and sowing hope. The twist at the end will surprise you, but it just reinforces these themes.
Ruby carries the hope and expectation of an entire town on her shoulders. She was the miracle baby—rescued from the elements at Christmas. Her fame brought tourists to her hometown. It rejuvenated a dying economy. When she returns, she tells herself it’s because she was just offered her dream job. As an archivist in the town museum she used to spend every spare moment in.
But her new job also gives Ruby the chance to finally discover her origins. She’s convinced they’re tied to the enigmatic man that was railroaded out of town shortly before she was born. A man who just happens to own the property adjacent to that of her adoptive parents. But he’s not what she expected. He’s broken and mended, beautiful and resilient. And she can’t stay away.
Ruby’s return is like a catalyst for her sisters. Dahlia finally succumbs to her desire for the handsome sheriff. Lydia realizes that her guilt is misplaced, and that as a widow she’s entitled to find happiness again with her husband’s foster brother.
This isn’t just a story about finding love. It’s also about healing rifts, forgiving yourself and sowing hope. The twist at the end will surprise you, but it just reinforces these themes.
July 16, 2022
A poignant and well written story that moved me to tears and kept me turning pages.
I loved this women, i loved the plot and love Robin.
Maisey Yates can surely write story that will keep you hooked and well rounded characters.
A compelling, heart wrenching and heartwarming story.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I loved this women, i loved the plot and love Robin.
Maisey Yates can surely write story that will keep you hooked and well rounded characters.
A compelling, heart wrenching and heartwarming story.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
July 10, 2022
This book was a total surprise. A very pleasant surprise!
The story of a baby, Ruby, found on a bridge by three sisters--and that baby is now grown up and was adopted by the parents of the very sisters who found her.
This story was a great story of sisters and the complicated relationships between them all. And Ruby, even though she's one of them, is a bit different.
But, really, the story is so much more complicated than that.
Each of the sisters has their own heartbreak, their own stories that draw them together. I did not see the curveball at the end. Because what I thought this book was--and what it turned out to be--are completely different.
Maisey Yates is a fantastic author who can definitely pull on the heartstrings.
The story of a baby, Ruby, found on a bridge by three sisters--and that baby is now grown up and was adopted by the parents of the very sisters who found her.
This story was a great story of sisters and the complicated relationships between them all. And Ruby, even though she's one of them, is a bit different.
But, really, the story is so much more complicated than that.
Each of the sisters has their own heartbreak, their own stories that draw them together. I did not see the curveball at the end. Because what I thought this book was--and what it turned out to be--are completely different.
Maisey Yates is a fantastic author who can definitely pull on the heartstrings.
July 29, 2022
Originally published at Reading Reality
This story about the importance of stories is wrapped around the four McKee sisters, Marianne, Lydia, Dahlia and Ruby. They are all adults as the story opens, and for the first time as adults, all four of them now live in the tiny town of Pear Blossom, Oregon. It’s Ruby’s return home that precipitates all the crises in the story.
And are there ever plenty of those!
There are also four themes or plot threads running through the story, but not, as you might expect, one per sister. Rather they are all being put through the same set of wringers at the same time. It can be a lot. And it frequently is for one or more of them.
Ruby’s return home sets all the wheels in motion, just as Ruby’s original advent set Pear Blossom on its current trajectory as a well-known tourist destination. Because Ruby wasn’t born to the McKee family, she was found by them. A tiny baby, abandoned on the historic, picturesque Sentinel footbridge, on a cold December evening. The young McKee sisters found Ruby as they walked home from Christmas choir practice. Nothing about her origins was ever discovered and she was adopted by the McKee family as the youngest sister.
The town saw her as a miracle, and she kind of was. But her miraculous appearance provided a weird sense of catharsis for a tragic event the winter before. A young woman went missing and was never found. She was presumed dead, but with no body and very little evidence of any kind, the boy who was assumed to be her killer was charged – and imprisoned – but the state had to eventually drop the case.
He became the town bogeyman – at all of 15 – just as Ruby became the town’s savior – at least in an emotional sense. Those reputations remain tied to both of their lives, deserved or not, in both cases.
So one thread of this story is about some of the less-lovable aspects of small town living, that everyone knows everyone’s business, and that lives and reputations can be made or ruined by the sins of the parents – because everyone knows just what they are. Ruby can’t step out of her role as the sunshine bringer, while Nathan Brewer was condemned because his father was a violent drunk with a mean streak and the apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree. But sometimes Miss Mary Sunshine has rain clouds in her life, and sometimes the apple throws itself as far from that parent tree as it can get.
The second thread is the driving power of stories, and the power of the past to impact the present. Because of the great mystery around Ruby’s origins and the way her adoption affected the McKee family, both Ruby and her sister Dahlia have made careers out of questioning and investigating the past.
Ruby is a historian, and the job she has just taken in Pear Blossom is to serve as the local museum’s archivist. Dahlia is a newspaper reporter. Together, they decide to do a series of newspaper stories and museum exhibits about the history of Pear Blossom. And it’s impossible to look back at the history of the town without taking a hard look at its two biggest stories; the disappearance and presumed death of Caitlin Groves, and the mysterious arrival of Ruby the following year.
But those events are just over 20 years in the past. There are plenty of people in town who remember what happened. And among those memories might be the key to unlocking one or both mysteries.
All four sisters are going through romantic crises, all at the same time. Marianne fears her husband is having an affair, Lydia is recently widowed and is still trying to figure out what happens next for herself and her children, Dahlia’s self-imposed inferiority complex is keeping her from pursuing the man she’s always loved. And Ruby herself, Miss Mary Sunshine, has fallen for the town’s biggest villain – because she realizes that he’s not the villain after all.
Which means that someone else is – and that they might still be around.
And that leads inexorably to the power of telling the truth, whether in big ways or small ones, and how the lies we tell ourselves are the hardest ones to let go of. Even if they are destroying not just ourselves but all those we love.
Escape Rating B-: One of the things I like about this author’s contemporary romances is that the situations that her protagonists are in tend to be fairly plausible. The dramatic tension in the romance is never a misunderstandammit, but rather two people honestly coming from different places that are, in real life, hard to resolve. (My personal favorite of hers is last year’s Confessions from the Quilting Circle.)
That plausibility was a bit lacking in The Lost and Found Girl. Any of the individual situations could easily happen, but all of them at once in the same family was a bit over the top. Honestly, more than a bit. Out of four sisters it seems like the odds would be that one of them would be doing okay – and not just think she was only to have the rug pulled out from under her.
And I have to say that the surprising conclusion to the more suspenseful elements of this story, particularly as there were two of them, seriously tested my willing suspension of disbelief. One felt plausible if barely. The second headed towards paranormal – which was both surprising and heading towards unbelievable.
Howsomever, I did like the overall concept of the story, about the importance of history and keeping it alive. That the stories we tell about ourselves and about who we came from matter and should be preserved. I loved the idea that Ruby and Dahlia were working together, from their entirely different angles, to create a living history for the town that everyone could enjoy.
That turning over rocks in the not-so-distant past uncovered some snakes in the grass pushed the story forwards and brought the sisters together. But the combination of that suspenseful part of the plot with all of the various forms of romantic angst went a bit over the top for me.
Your reading mileage may definitely vary.
This story about the importance of stories is wrapped around the four McKee sisters, Marianne, Lydia, Dahlia and Ruby. They are all adults as the story opens, and for the first time as adults, all four of them now live in the tiny town of Pear Blossom, Oregon. It’s Ruby’s return home that precipitates all the crises in the story.
And are there ever plenty of those!
There are also four themes or plot threads running through the story, but not, as you might expect, one per sister. Rather they are all being put through the same set of wringers at the same time. It can be a lot. And it frequently is for one or more of them.
Ruby’s return home sets all the wheels in motion, just as Ruby’s original advent set Pear Blossom on its current trajectory as a well-known tourist destination. Because Ruby wasn’t born to the McKee family, she was found by them. A tiny baby, abandoned on the historic, picturesque Sentinel footbridge, on a cold December evening. The young McKee sisters found Ruby as they walked home from Christmas choir practice. Nothing about her origins was ever discovered and she was adopted by the McKee family as the youngest sister.
The town saw her as a miracle, and she kind of was. But her miraculous appearance provided a weird sense of catharsis for a tragic event the winter before. A young woman went missing and was never found. She was presumed dead, but with no body and very little evidence of any kind, the boy who was assumed to be her killer was charged – and imprisoned – but the state had to eventually drop the case.
He became the town bogeyman – at all of 15 – just as Ruby became the town’s savior – at least in an emotional sense. Those reputations remain tied to both of their lives, deserved or not, in both cases.
So one thread of this story is about some of the less-lovable aspects of small town living, that everyone knows everyone’s business, and that lives and reputations can be made or ruined by the sins of the parents – because everyone knows just what they are. Ruby can’t step out of her role as the sunshine bringer, while Nathan Brewer was condemned because his father was a violent drunk with a mean streak and the apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree. But sometimes Miss Mary Sunshine has rain clouds in her life, and sometimes the apple throws itself as far from that parent tree as it can get.
The second thread is the driving power of stories, and the power of the past to impact the present. Because of the great mystery around Ruby’s origins and the way her adoption affected the McKee family, both Ruby and her sister Dahlia have made careers out of questioning and investigating the past.
Ruby is a historian, and the job she has just taken in Pear Blossom is to serve as the local museum’s archivist. Dahlia is a newspaper reporter. Together, they decide to do a series of newspaper stories and museum exhibits about the history of Pear Blossom. And it’s impossible to look back at the history of the town without taking a hard look at its two biggest stories; the disappearance and presumed death of Caitlin Groves, and the mysterious arrival of Ruby the following year.
But those events are just over 20 years in the past. There are plenty of people in town who remember what happened. And among those memories might be the key to unlocking one or both mysteries.
All four sisters are going through romantic crises, all at the same time. Marianne fears her husband is having an affair, Lydia is recently widowed and is still trying to figure out what happens next for herself and her children, Dahlia’s self-imposed inferiority complex is keeping her from pursuing the man she’s always loved. And Ruby herself, Miss Mary Sunshine, has fallen for the town’s biggest villain – because she realizes that he’s not the villain after all.
Which means that someone else is – and that they might still be around.
And that leads inexorably to the power of telling the truth, whether in big ways or small ones, and how the lies we tell ourselves are the hardest ones to let go of. Even if they are destroying not just ourselves but all those we love.
Escape Rating B-: One of the things I like about this author’s contemporary romances is that the situations that her protagonists are in tend to be fairly plausible. The dramatic tension in the romance is never a misunderstandammit, but rather two people honestly coming from different places that are, in real life, hard to resolve. (My personal favorite of hers is last year’s Confessions from the Quilting Circle.)
That plausibility was a bit lacking in The Lost and Found Girl. Any of the individual situations could easily happen, but all of them at once in the same family was a bit over the top. Honestly, more than a bit. Out of four sisters it seems like the odds would be that one of them would be doing okay – and not just think she was only to have the rug pulled out from under her.
And I have to say that the surprising conclusion to the more suspenseful elements of this story, particularly as there were two of them, seriously tested my willing suspension of disbelief. One felt plausible if barely. The second headed towards paranormal – which was both surprising and heading towards unbelievable.
Howsomever, I did like the overall concept of the story, about the importance of history and keeping it alive. That the stories we tell about ourselves and about who we came from matter and should be preserved. I loved the idea that Ruby and Dahlia were working together, from their entirely different angles, to create a living history for the town that everyone could enjoy.
That turning over rocks in the not-so-distant past uncovered some snakes in the grass pushed the story forwards and brought the sisters together. But the combination of that suspenseful part of the plot with all of the various forms of romantic angst went a bit over the top for me.
Your reading mileage may definitely vary.
August 1, 2022
Every so often author Maisey Yates likes to stretch her writing chops beyond the familiar cowboy centric contemporary romances she’s famous for. Each time she does it’s a stunning success. The Lost and Found Girl is as much if not more women’s lit. as it is contemporary romance as it deals as much with the relationships between the four McKee sisters and their parents as it does any of their romantic lives. It’s also a darn good mystery as Yates weaves the mystery of what happened to 15-year-old Caitlynn Groves who disappeared 23 years ago and who are the biological parents of Ruby McKee and who left her wrapped in a blanket on Sentinel Bridge 22 years ago? You might think that the title refers specifically to Ruby who now 22 years old has returned to her hometown of Peach Blossom Oregon after her college graduation to become the town’s historic archivist and figure out who she really is. After traveling through Europe where no one knows her story during her studies she knows she’s more than the miracle baby, sparkly town mascot she’s been made out to be and role she’s been forced to play by the town’s residents growing up. But who exactly is she? But as it turns out all four McKee sisters ultimately embark on journeys of their own self-discovery where they are forced to take hard looks at their lives and discover who they are and who they want to be too.
Twenty-two years ago on a cold December 23rd night in Peach Blossom Oregon the three McKee daughters, Marianne, Dahlia and Lydia walking home to their family farm after Christmas choir practice while walking across the old Sentinel Covered Bridge discovered a newborn baby wrapped only in a blanket. They brought that baby home to their parents. Their parents adopted the baby and named her Ruby. The story of Ruby’s discovery and rescue made world news. The town adopted Ruby as their own. They celebrated her arrival as some sort of wonderful gift, some sort of compensation, some sort of redemption for the pain of the previous year’s loss of teenage Caitlin Groves who disappeared while walking home from her boyfriend Nathan Brewer’s family’s orchard.
The story opens as Ruby recently graduated from college having traveled the world as part of her pursuit of her history degree returns home to begin a job working as the town’s historic archivist working for Dana Groves the mother of Caitlynn Groves whom Ruby has viewed as a friend and mentor since she was a young child. While the town’s people celebrate Ruby the miracle baby, now a young woman, they have somehow managed to cast Caitlynn Graves grieving single mom Dana as some sort of minor villain in her fifteen and a half year old daughter’s disappearance treating her almost like a pariah because her unrelenting demand for justice for her presumed dead daughter makes the town uncomfortable. Ruby’s return to Peach Blossom affects everyone in her family in different ways. The people of Peach Blossom including Ruby’s adoptive family are good people. But because they are people they are imperfect and some of the ideas and beliefs they harbor towards people are equally imperfect. Her older sisters all truly love their little sister but they also all resent her just a little bit too. They resent her for the fact the town always favored her as a hometown celebrity because Ruby’s discover lifted the malaise that had afflicted the town after Caitlynn’s disappearance and increased tourism. Dahlia in particular seems to resent her for her bubbly, easy going personality, the opposite of her own, that causes everyone she meets to adore her. Dahlia has always felt like she lives in Ruby’s shadow. Dahlia closest to Ruby in age being only four years older (an investigative reporter at heart) is upset that Ruby doesn’t seem bothered by the fact that someone abandoned her to quite possibly die on Sentinel Bridge and Ruby doesn’t seem interested in discovering who left her there and why. To Dahlia Ruby seems content to bask in the glow of the town’s collective love ignoring the darker realities of how she became the town’s favorite daughter. Ruby herself has spent her life trying to ignore those haunting questions of her origin and how she came be left on Sentinel Bridge as negatives, choosing to focus on the more positive aspect that she was found and because she was found and saved she must have some special purpose in life, some special service to perform. Perhaps its to help her second oldest sister Lydia weather her grieving over her lost husband? The town has also convicted Caitlynn’s boyfriend Nathan Brewer as guilty in her disappearance and believed murder in the court of public opinion, despite the lack of any incriminating evidence, running him out of town. Until he returns to Peach Blossom and the family farm that adjoins the McKee’s after the death of his father. If Ruby is the town’s symbol of hope Nathan is the town’s symbol of guilt and evil. Because both Ruby and Nathan have become symbols to the town for no justifiable reason, Ruby feels a certain affinity for Nathan. Jack and Andie McKee, Ruby’s adoptive parents are good people. But they are also emotionally closed off people who struggled dealing with their daughters emotions. Marianne the eldest McKee sibling is struggling to have a relationship with Ava her 15-year-old daughter desperate to not have her feel emotionally abandoned as she feels her own parents did to her when she was going through a difficult time at that age. When second eldest daughter Lydia loses her husband Mac whom she’d been with since she was thirteen, the father of her two children to ALS she doesn’t shed a tear. Six months later she still seems incapable of coming to grips with her loss and properly grieving for it. Her sisters attribute her sadness and resultant attempts to withdraw from them as the result of learning not to show emotion from their parents. But Lydia has other reasons for the guilt and anger more than grief that she is feeling. Reasons that make her even angrier when her family and the town’s people and especially Mac’s BFF Chase try to help her through her loss.
Dahlia in an attempt to help revive the town’s 150 year old newspaper decides to write a history of Peach Blossom from its founding until today, including with Dana Bowers and Ruby’s consent, Caitlynn’s disappearance and the discovery of baby Ruby. As the town’s new historic archivist Ruby works closely with Dahlia in developing the series and creating complimentary exhibits at the town’s museum. The more the sisters dig into the stories of Caitlynn’s disappearance and Ruby’s arrival the closer they get to the truth of both ultimately leading to some shocking discoveries. In the meantime all four sisters romantic lives are in upheaval.
Twenty-two years ago on a cold December 23rd night in Peach Blossom Oregon the three McKee daughters, Marianne, Dahlia and Lydia walking home to their family farm after Christmas choir practice while walking across the old Sentinel Covered Bridge discovered a newborn baby wrapped only in a blanket. They brought that baby home to their parents. Their parents adopted the baby and named her Ruby. The story of Ruby’s discovery and rescue made world news. The town adopted Ruby as their own. They celebrated her arrival as some sort of wonderful gift, some sort of compensation, some sort of redemption for the pain of the previous year’s loss of teenage Caitlin Groves who disappeared while walking home from her boyfriend Nathan Brewer’s family’s orchard.
The story opens as Ruby recently graduated from college having traveled the world as part of her pursuit of her history degree returns home to begin a job working as the town’s historic archivist working for Dana Groves the mother of Caitlynn Groves whom Ruby has viewed as a friend and mentor since she was a young child. While the town’s people celebrate Ruby the miracle baby, now a young woman, they have somehow managed to cast Caitlynn Graves grieving single mom Dana as some sort of minor villain in her fifteen and a half year old daughter’s disappearance treating her almost like a pariah because her unrelenting demand for justice for her presumed dead daughter makes the town uncomfortable. Ruby’s return to Peach Blossom affects everyone in her family in different ways. The people of Peach Blossom including Ruby’s adoptive family are good people. But because they are people they are imperfect and some of the ideas and beliefs they harbor towards people are equally imperfect. Her older sisters all truly love their little sister but they also all resent her just a little bit too. They resent her for the fact the town always favored her as a hometown celebrity because Ruby’s discover lifted the malaise that had afflicted the town after Caitlynn’s disappearance and increased tourism. Dahlia in particular seems to resent her for her bubbly, easy going personality, the opposite of her own, that causes everyone she meets to adore her. Dahlia has always felt like she lives in Ruby’s shadow. Dahlia closest to Ruby in age being only four years older (an investigative reporter at heart) is upset that Ruby doesn’t seem bothered by the fact that someone abandoned her to quite possibly die on Sentinel Bridge and Ruby doesn’t seem interested in discovering who left her there and why. To Dahlia Ruby seems content to bask in the glow of the town’s collective love ignoring the darker realities of how she became the town’s favorite daughter. Ruby herself has spent her life trying to ignore those haunting questions of her origin and how she came be left on Sentinel Bridge as negatives, choosing to focus on the more positive aspect that she was found and because she was found and saved she must have some special purpose in life, some special service to perform. Perhaps its to help her second oldest sister Lydia weather her grieving over her lost husband? The town has also convicted Caitlynn’s boyfriend Nathan Brewer as guilty in her disappearance and believed murder in the court of public opinion, despite the lack of any incriminating evidence, running him out of town. Until he returns to Peach Blossom and the family farm that adjoins the McKee’s after the death of his father. If Ruby is the town’s symbol of hope Nathan is the town’s symbol of guilt and evil. Because both Ruby and Nathan have become symbols to the town for no justifiable reason, Ruby feels a certain affinity for Nathan. Jack and Andie McKee, Ruby’s adoptive parents are good people. But they are also emotionally closed off people who struggled dealing with their daughters emotions. Marianne the eldest McKee sibling is struggling to have a relationship with Ava her 15-year-old daughter desperate to not have her feel emotionally abandoned as she feels her own parents did to her when she was going through a difficult time at that age. When second eldest daughter Lydia loses her husband Mac whom she’d been with since she was thirteen, the father of her two children to ALS she doesn’t shed a tear. Six months later she still seems incapable of coming to grips with her loss and properly grieving for it. Her sisters attribute her sadness and resultant attempts to withdraw from them as the result of learning not to show emotion from their parents. But Lydia has other reasons for the guilt and anger more than grief that she is feeling. Reasons that make her even angrier when her family and the town’s people and especially Mac’s BFF Chase try to help her through her loss.
Dahlia in an attempt to help revive the town’s 150 year old newspaper decides to write a history of Peach Blossom from its founding until today, including with Dana Bowers and Ruby’s consent, Caitlynn’s disappearance and the discovery of baby Ruby. As the town’s new historic archivist Ruby works closely with Dahlia in developing the series and creating complimentary exhibits at the town’s museum. The more the sisters dig into the stories of Caitlynn’s disappearance and Ruby’s arrival the closer they get to the truth of both ultimately leading to some shocking discoveries. In the meantime all four sisters romantic lives are in upheaval.
June 20, 2022
The Lost and Found Girl was a different type of read from Maisey Yates. The story of the four sisters and their relationship with each other and how they found their loves was fascinating. I really appreciated the twist at the end and how the truth finally came out.
The four McKee girls: Ruby, Dahlia, Lydia, and Marianne are all back home. Some of them never left but now Ruby is home at the beginning of the story. She came home determined to work for the historical society and to highlight the town. Dahlia is determined to restart the newspaper and find the power of their town in words on paper. She is going to highlight the older stories including that of Ruby’s appearance. Lydia is seemingly struggling with the loss of her husband while in reality, she is struggling with the fact she was going to leave him. Marianne is the one sister who seems to have it all with a great business and family. Together, the sisters have to navigate a new set of circumstances as they face their various struggles.
I enjoyed the novel, The Lost and Found Girl, about the four sisters and how they grew, because the novel was about all of them in the way that the stories all wove around one another, just as the story from the past and present did. The story was remarkable in how it took all the elements and wove it into one storyline past and present. The Lost and Found Girl by Maisey Yates is not one of her cowboy books, but one of deeper and more personal content that will leave you feeling unsettled at times as the layers are peeled back.
The Lost and Found Girl by Maisey Yates was a good read.
The four McKee girls: Ruby, Dahlia, Lydia, and Marianne are all back home. Some of them never left but now Ruby is home at the beginning of the story. She came home determined to work for the historical society and to highlight the town. Dahlia is determined to restart the newspaper and find the power of their town in words on paper. She is going to highlight the older stories including that of Ruby’s appearance. Lydia is seemingly struggling with the loss of her husband while in reality, she is struggling with the fact she was going to leave him. Marianne is the one sister who seems to have it all with a great business and family. Together, the sisters have to navigate a new set of circumstances as they face their various struggles.
I enjoyed the novel, The Lost and Found Girl, about the four sisters and how they grew, because the novel was about all of them in the way that the stories all wove around one another, just as the story from the past and present did. The story was remarkable in how it took all the elements and wove it into one storyline past and present. The Lost and Found Girl by Maisey Yates is not one of her cowboy books, but one of deeper and more personal content that will leave you feeling unsettled at times as the layers are peeled back.
The Lost and Found Girl by Maisey Yates was a good read.
July 27, 2022
Four sisters and one devastating secret.
Ruby Mckee is the town mascot and miracle baby after being abandoned on a bridge in the small town of Pear Blossom. Now that Ruby is back home years later, the town still calls her a miracle. Ruby has that affect on people though with her sunny disposition and her ability to always see the good in people. She has never questioned why she was abandoned, but when she takes a job as an archivist at the local museum, secrets start unfolding. Ruby’s sisters Dahlia, Lydia and Marianne all have their own lives and their own struggles, but when Ruby’s past starts coming to light, how will that affect the rest of her family?
What started as a simple coming home story quickly turned into a mystery of a close-knit family. I enjoyed how diverse each sisters character was and how the characters all interacted with each other. Each character had a side story along with the story of Ruby coming home and as the story evolved, so did the mystery. It was fun to read something a little different from author Maisey Yates and I thought she did an excellent job of bringing us this story. Thank you to Harlequin Publishing for my advanced readers copy which I enjoyed and voluntarily reviewed. A great book to curl up with this summer.
Ruby Mckee is the town mascot and miracle baby after being abandoned on a bridge in the small town of Pear Blossom. Now that Ruby is back home years later, the town still calls her a miracle. Ruby has that affect on people though with her sunny disposition and her ability to always see the good in people. She has never questioned why she was abandoned, but when she takes a job as an archivist at the local museum, secrets start unfolding. Ruby’s sisters Dahlia, Lydia and Marianne all have their own lives and their own struggles, but when Ruby’s past starts coming to light, how will that affect the rest of her family?
What started as a simple coming home story quickly turned into a mystery of a close-knit family. I enjoyed how diverse each sisters character was and how the characters all interacted with each other. Each character had a side story along with the story of Ruby coming home and as the story evolved, so did the mystery. It was fun to read something a little different from author Maisey Yates and I thought she did an excellent job of bringing us this story. Thank you to Harlequin Publishing for my advanced readers copy which I enjoyed and voluntarily reviewed. A great book to curl up with this summer.
July 29, 2022
The Lost and Found Girl by Maisey Yates is full of drama, heat, and humor. I absolutely loved this charming yet emotionally tugging story. Inside this novel, I got to meet four strong yet independent women. Each one is connected to the other woman and has their own set of problems. Between family issues and secrets these women also have men issues. Hot, sexy, and charming men step into these sisters' lives. It was sweet and engaging. The dialogue and scenes popped to life. The pages were so good that I did not want to leave! The pacing made it easy to read quickly but at the same I did not want to read it too fast. The title of this novel fit well with the story. The youngest sister comes back home to only dig deeper into her unknown past. Secrets, drama, and romance all in one fascinating read! This is a journey and a family I will not be forgetting any time soon. Maisey Yates has once again proven she's a superb writer. Romance with heartfelt tales makes for a perfect read every time!
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
July 20, 2022
It was a story that rattled their little town to the core, the disappearance of one young woman and the discovery of a baby about ten months later, and now that baby is going to get down to the truth. Ruby McKee knows the story of how she was discovered on that old bridge and adopted by the McKee family, but there are some details missing that she has always wondered about. While working for the historical society she now has the chance to solve the mystery of the missing young girl and how she herself came about. But as she dives deeper into her roots she begins to learn things about the only family she has ever known and her digging is about to threaten everything she holds dear... if she's not careful it could cause an unrepairable rift between her and her sisters.
The Lost and Found Girl is a captivating story rich with family drama and mystery, these women reunite and begin to dig into the past that surrounds one of their own and it unravels things they never expected. As you read this story you will get glimpses into the lives of all of the McKee sisters, but their miracle sister Ruby takes center stage as she tries to find out how she came about. It's a story that will grab you from the first page and not let go until you turn the last.
I loved this newest offering from Ms. Yates, it veers off the path of her usual western romance books, but is a definitely venture worth taking. I think this one has bestseller written all over it!! Highly recommend this one, it's mesmerizing story line will grab ahold of you and not let go!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
The Lost and Found Girl is a captivating story rich with family drama and mystery, these women reunite and begin to dig into the past that surrounds one of their own and it unravels things they never expected. As you read this story you will get glimpses into the lives of all of the McKee sisters, but their miracle sister Ruby takes center stage as she tries to find out how she came about. It's a story that will grab you from the first page and not let go until you turn the last.
I loved this newest offering from Ms. Yates, it veers off the path of her usual western romance books, but is a definitely venture worth taking. I think this one has bestseller written all over it!! Highly recommend this one, it's mesmerizing story line will grab ahold of you and not let go!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
July 21, 2022
The Lost and Found Girl
Maisey Yates
July 26, 2022
This heartfelt story of a baby left on a covered bridge gives us a new look at Yates writing. It gives us the tale of three sisters walking home from church practice. Always sticking together as it is dark and following the same route as per their parents rules. Yes, they could have been given a ride home but it became a special treat to be able to travel the road home from pre-Christmas choir session. As they approached the bridge they pulled together to avoid a possible car on the road. What they found on the bridge was a shock. This blanket bundle could have been left undiscovered but the girls clung to the edge of the narrow lane. The eldest, Lydia picked up the child while Marianne and Dahlia McKee looked into the blanket to find the infant. Years past with Ruby becoming a Christmas miracle. If no one had found her, she would have frozen. After days of questions and paperwork, the girl's parents adopted Ruby to be a part of their family. This story gives us the journey of the girls as they become adults, marry and live in the town of Pear Blossom, Oregon.
The Lost and Found Girl will be published by Harlequin of Canada on July 26, 2022. I am so appreciative that I was allowed to read and review Maisey Yates latest novel via NetGalley. Many of her novels have been romantic reads while The Lost and Found Girl is a tremendous literary read, an impressive selection that is one not to be missed. I encourage her fans as well as readers who enjoy an uplifting narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Maisey Yates
July 26, 2022
This heartfelt story of a baby left on a covered bridge gives us a new look at Yates writing. It gives us the tale of three sisters walking home from church practice. Always sticking together as it is dark and following the same route as per their parents rules. Yes, they could have been given a ride home but it became a special treat to be able to travel the road home from pre-Christmas choir session. As they approached the bridge they pulled together to avoid a possible car on the road. What they found on the bridge was a shock. This blanket bundle could have been left undiscovered but the girls clung to the edge of the narrow lane. The eldest, Lydia picked up the child while Marianne and Dahlia McKee looked into the blanket to find the infant. Years past with Ruby becoming a Christmas miracle. If no one had found her, she would have frozen. After days of questions and paperwork, the girl's parents adopted Ruby to be a part of their family. This story gives us the journey of the girls as they become adults, marry and live in the town of Pear Blossom, Oregon.
The Lost and Found Girl will be published by Harlequin of Canada on July 26, 2022. I am so appreciative that I was allowed to read and review Maisey Yates latest novel via NetGalley. Many of her novels have been romantic reads while The Lost and Found Girl is a tremendous literary read, an impressive selection that is one not to be missed. I encourage her fans as well as readers who enjoy an uplifting narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
July 26, 2022
A dazzling display of small town angst filled with heartwarming characters, quaint charm and a twist you'll never expect! I was quickly hooked and captivated throughout.
Ruby sparkles the moment she steps onto the pages. She's beloved and knows it, but she has such a sweet soul that you can't help but like her.
Dahlia is the best and worst of us all. She adores her little sister with one breath, but with the next she resents the attention she gets.
Lydia is overcome with the grief that everyone in town wants to pile on top of her, but once she starts to open up about her feelings she becomes an interesting character to unravel.
Marianne comes across as the easiest of the bunch to understand at first, but as her life begins to come apart at the seams, we see a side to her we never would have known was beneath the surface.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a women's fiction story with romance sharing the stage with a bit of mystery and whole lot of heart.
Ruby sparkles the moment she steps onto the pages. She's beloved and knows it, but she has such a sweet soul that you can't help but like her.
Dahlia is the best and worst of us all. She adores her little sister with one breath, but with the next she resents the attention she gets.
Lydia is overcome with the grief that everyone in town wants to pile on top of her, but once she starts to open up about her feelings she becomes an interesting character to unravel.
Marianne comes across as the easiest of the bunch to understand at first, but as her life begins to come apart at the seams, we see a side to her we never would have known was beneath the surface.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a women's fiction story with romance sharing the stage with a bit of mystery and whole lot of heart.
August 16, 2022
Ruby McKee is a miracle. Found abandoned on a bridge as a newborn baby by the McKee sisters, she’s become the unofficial mascot of Pear Blossom, Oregon, a symbol of hope in the wake of a devastating loss. Ruby has lived a charmed life, and when she returns home after traveling abroad, she’s expecting to settle into that charm. But an encounter with the town’s black sheep makes her question the truth about her mysterious past.
This is a really interesting premise for a book and Ms. Yates wrings every emotion out of the reader. She also adds some twist and turns to keep you turning the pages. I'm a fan of Maisey Yates and she has never disappointed me.
This is a really interesting premise for a book and Ms. Yates wrings every emotion out of the reader. She also adds some twist and turns to keep you turning the pages. I'm a fan of Maisey Yates and she has never disappointed me.
July 23, 2022
So many secrets in what residents want to think is the idyllic town of Pear Blossom and among the Mckee sisters, all of which some out when Ruby returns home. She's the adopted sister who was fond as an infant, whose parentage is a mystery. This is very much about sisters and secrets, although each of the women does have a romantic interest. There's also the cold case of Caitlin, who went missing 10 months before Ruby was found. Marianne, the oldest sister, knows more about things - in general- than she's willing to share. Lydia, a recent widow, has her secret and Dahlia has her own reasons for helping , indeed urging, Ruby to find her bio-parents. There's a lot going on with multiple POVS and plot lines but it works. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. You'll feel for these women.
July 20, 2022
Slow Start That All Comes Together For A Dramatic Finish. This is a story of how four sisters - three biological + one adopted - interact as adults when the adopted sister comes back to the town that saw her as their "miracle" from the moment she was found 22 yrs ago. It features romance angles for each of the sisters, though some of the guys are more well fleshed out than others - but each has at least a moment or two to shine. In particular there is the town pariah, accused of a murder a year before the adopted sister was found but for which he has maintained his innocence all along. Can an angel and a devil coexist? What if they may be more linked than anyone - except the two people in town harboring a deep, dark secret that *no one* is aware of - may realize? And what if the town *needs* that secret to be unearthed, whether they realize it or not? Truly an utterly fascinating book, one that no matter how slow you feel the start is you absolutely need to hang in there through the finish. Very much recommended.
July 22, 2022
I have been holding onto this story for months until I read it. I’ve seen Yates’ videos where she discusses the inspiration behind the story, including a real crime that occurred in her home town.
The Lost and Found Girl is a deep read that sneaks into dark recesses. A major theme is Ruby’s story, she was found abandoned on a bridge and adopted by the McKees. The book is also about all four sisters. Ruby seemed a bit irritating, being on an elevated platform. Dahlia has her own issues. Marianne had hidden depths even she didn’t know. Lydia, closed off for a long time, is tired of all the walls.
I didn’t see the villain until the very end as Yates deftly hid him right out in the open. Huge revelations are made that left me reeling.
Excellent writing and compelling story!
Thanks to NetGalley and HTP for the advance read.
The Lost and Found Girl is a deep read that sneaks into dark recesses. A major theme is Ruby’s story, she was found abandoned on a bridge and adopted by the McKees. The book is also about all four sisters. Ruby seemed a bit irritating, being on an elevated platform. Dahlia has her own issues. Marianne had hidden depths even she didn’t know. Lydia, closed off for a long time, is tired of all the walls.
I didn’t see the villain until the very end as Yates deftly hid him right out in the open. Huge revelations are made that left me reeling.
Excellent writing and compelling story!
Thanks to NetGalley and HTP for the advance read.
April 12, 2023
Pretty good,but I think I prefer Maisey’s cowboy books 😊
November 12, 2024
Amd I have officially read every book in the adukr fiction section of the library in alphabetical order.great end to a questionable challenge
July 16, 2022
Wow…completely blown away with this one from Maisey Yates. I’ve always been a huge fan of ANYTHING she’s written , but this one takes the cake ! I found this book to be quite compelling immediately because of how she chose to set up her first chapter alone!! The history of the small community & it’s more notorious events that took place over the years made this an absolute page Turner NOT to be missed . The emotional journey that all the sisters take once the abandoned sister Ruby returns home from abroad can be riveting at times and leave the reader feeling constantly compelled to get to the next chapter. I must say that I found each sister as interesting as the other & felt a need to cheer each one of them on as they dealt with a variety of emotions to get to the books end . I was pleasantly surprised & thrilled In the end how Maisey managed her HEA for all the characters , AS well as the secondary characters! Highly recommend this & I was happy to receive this copy early to be able to share my honest thoughts & options about this novel. Very well executed story idea that made me happy once again to have you as one of my auto buy authors ❤️👍🏻!!
July 26, 2022
This book is different from what Maisey Yates usually writes. There are so many emotions, twists and turns. Awesome story
July 22, 2022
I was expecting just a normal mystery but this book had so much more! I loved the family aspect and the way the story was told. Loved this one!
August 1, 2022
An emotional story of sisters, secrets and identity. I did not see the twist.
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