The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Review

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Adorable dogs

➮ Found family

➮ Thriller

Synopsis

Kira is a teenager who trains dogs for search and rescue missions. One day a mission ends up getting her whole found family involved. It didn't help that the case hit rather close to home. Kira has to prove herself as a trainer and that her dog Saskia can handle the role. Kira and her family then embark on a dark and twisted adventure full of adorable dogs and confounding discoveries. 

Best Quote From the Book

“'Now would be a good time for you to say something,... propose a theory, and I will do my Sherlockian duty and tell you why you are wrong.'"

My Thoughts

Jennifer Lynn Barnes just proved again why she is my favorite author. Her timing for dropping hints and truth bombs keeps me on the edge of my seat desperate to turn to the next page the entire time. Perhaps I am especially tempted by fast-paced books because they avoid dragging on too much. Her carefully crafted level of detail combined with her fantastic plot created a story that defines what it means to be a page-turner. 

The Lovely and The Lost excels at portraying familial bonds. I will never fail to be a sucker for a well-written found family. While Kira's found family is mostly a result of a foster relationship, it felt like Kira, her foster brother Jude, and their boundaryless neighbor Free felt like an inevitable trio. Watching their bond strengthen and their trust in one another keep them alive, literally, brought a fuzzy feeling. 

For those who have read this book, I think we would all be honored to have Cady as a mother figure. She was the strong-willed yet understanding counter to Kira's rougher persona. Watching them interact demonstrated how familial love trumps all. I hope to see more role models like Cady in literature. 

If you thought I was going to get through this review without a paragraph dedicated to doggy cuteness, you are sorely mistaken. The dog-centered moments of the story pulled at the heartstrings and showed how a dog and human bond isn't something to scoff at. One of my favorite doggy moments was when Free's dog Duchess was continually referred to as Her Ladyship. This kept me laughing for a while. The dog team is also another excellent example of how much search-and-rescue efforts rely on unwavering trust. Seeing the different personalities and approaches of the dog and trainer duos shed light on an often under-appreciated element of rescue missions. 

I was honestly surprised to see that this book was written relatively recently in Barnes's career because it has a much different feel regarding the found family aspect than her other series. Perhaps that is because the found family is well-established so nothing has to be said outright like in her other series. The love and unconditional trust is already there. Despite being thrown into the middle of their lives, it feels as if as a reader you've known the Bennett family's dynamic for years. 

Overall I really enjoyed this book with its unique balance of wholesome, dark, and funny moments. The found family aspect is probably my favorite part of the book that doesn't involve massive spoilers. I wish I could've talked about my thoughts about the case but I want to keep that experience a secret for anyone who may want to read it. I recommend this book for dog lovers and those looking for a book to pull at their heartstrings while we all shelter inside from the chilly weather.