The Trail of Lost Hearts by
Tracey Garvis Graves Published by St Martin's Press on March 26, 2024
Genres: Contemporary Romance,
Romance,
Women's Fiction Pages: 304
Format: eARC Source: Publisher (Edelweiss) Add to
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Amazon New York Times bestselling author Tracey Garvis Graves takes readers on a life affirming journey, where two lost souls find the unexpected courage to love again.
Thirty-four-year-old Wren Waters believes that if you pay attention, the universe will send you exactly what you need. But her worldview shatters when the universe delivers two life-altering blows she didn’t see coming, and all she wants to do is put the whole heartbreaking mess behind her. No one is more surprised than Wren when she discovers that geocaching―the outdoor activity of using GPS to look for hidden objects―is the only thing getting her out of bed and out of her head. She decides that a weeklong solo quest geocaching in Oregon is exactly what she needs to take back control of her life.
Enter Marshall Hendricks, a psychologist searching for distraction as he struggles with a life-altering blow of his own. Though Wren initially rebuffs Marshall’s attempt at hiker small talk, she’s beyond grateful when he rescues her from a horrifying encounter farther down the trail. In the interest of safety, Marshall suggests partnering up to look for additional caches. Wren’s no longer quite so trusting of the universe―or men in general―but her inner circle might argue that a smart, charismatic psychologist isn’t the worst thing the universe could place in her path.
What begins as a platonic road trip gradually blossoms into something deeper, and the more Wren learns about Marshall, the more she wants to know. Now all she can do is hope that the universe gets it right this time.
When it comes to Tracey Garvis Graves’s books, I’ve come to expect a unique story, well-developed characters you can’t help but grow attached to, drama, romance, and a few twists and turns along the way. The Trail of Lost Hearts is filled with all of this and more. I’ve never read a book of Tracey’s I didn’t enjoy, and my winning streak continues!
We start out with Wren, who has gone through two major losses recently. She’s feeling adrift and sad and doesn’t know how to pull herself out from under this heavy pile of life that’s been dumped on top of her. She finds solace in the outdoors, and geocaching becomes her therapy. She decides to set out on a solo geocaching adventure and runs into Marshall along the way. Marshall, a psychologist, is also grieving a loss of his own and invites Wren to join him on his adventure. She’s adamantly against it at first, but changes her mind when she begins to understand what kind of person he is. Neither one of them loves the idea of traveling and hiking alone, so they team up. They go from strangers to friends quite quickly, and I really loved watching them get to know one another, laugh together, and start to catch feelings for one another. I loved seeing them both happy after being so sad. I loved traveling with them from location to location as they shared meals and eventually hotel rooms while hunting for caches in some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the USA. Tracey’s descriptions of the scenery were some of my favorite parts of the book. I loved reading about the places they went and what they looked like. Eventually, the trip ends and they return to their respective lives. But, of course, their minds continue to return to their time together.
Both Marshall and Wren go on very personal and individual journeys towards healing, but this book is predominately about Wren. I found myself weighed down at times by Wren’s pain. I’m an empath, and apparently even fictional characters send my empathetic feelings racing. She’s been through a lot, and is still going through a lot throughout the book. I craved those moments when she recognized her worth and her strength, and rejoiced as she made those leaps. Marshall was a bright light in this story. He’s one of the most caring and understanding men I’ve read about, and I would like to find a Marshall for myself. He never pushes Wren, never forces her to do or talk about anything she’s not ready for. He’s such a good listener, incredibly protective, and downright kind. He helps Wren wrestle with her thoughts, yet the more she opens up to him the more he closes himself off. He goes into therapist mode, focusing only on her and not participating in the conversation. This made me scream a little bit, but I get it. Everyone grieves differently, and sometimes it’s hard to apply your own advice in your own life. I was proud of him for taking the steps he needed to find healing in his own life. He’s such a sweetheart. Marshall’s and Wren’s story is quite complicated, yet realistic. It shows us that healing isn’t linear, nor is it the same process for everyone. It also shows us that placing the right people in our lives at the right time can change us in ways we never knew possible. Even though it was difficult for me at times, I loved watching Wren and Marshall find happiness in their own lives and in their life together. Their story is filled with twists and turns, bombshells, and ultimately growth. I’m glad I was along for the ride.
The ending was a bit abrupt, and I would have really loved an epilogue. I spent so much time with these two and then poof, the book was basically over without warning. I wish more time had been spent on Wren’s current relationship with Marshall rather than on her past relationship. I feel like I know more about her ex and their relationship than I know about hers and Marshall’s relationship. And I’m being so careful to not post spoilers, so this comment might not even make sense until you’ve read the book. Regardless of my small complaints, I really enjoyed The Trail of Lost Hearts! Tracey Garvis Graves is so good at grabbing you and sucking you in, and she had me from the first page. There was no warm-up, no gradual incline. The book begins, and you are in it. And I love that about her books. The writing is beautiful, like always, and I couldn’t read the pages fast enough. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to go on a journey, both in the literal sense and the figurative sense.
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