All We Lost Was Everything by Sloan Harlow

The quick cut: A girl whose house burned down and father died finds herself reeling after receiving an anonymous donation of $2 million. Chaos ensues when a new guy at her work starts a chain of secrets being revealed.

A real review:

Every family has secrets in one form or another. However, some families have the type of secrets that upend other people's lives. For River, this is a reality when she loses everything in the span of one night.

River lost her father and the only home she's known all in one night. Her mother has disappeared yet again and isn't responding to River's messages. When a large donation to a GoFundMe started by her friend Tawny leaves her suddenly well off, she refuses to spend the money until her mom is back to share it. Doing all she can not to use it, she works at a local diner. It's all working okay until mysterious coworker Logan finally gives in to feelings and kisses River. Is this the beginning of a new start? Or the reveal of what she didn't know about?

This book is such a blend of romance, thriller, and heartache. Between the connections and the unspoken truths, it all leads to an end that makes you feel shredded inside. I'm not an emotional person, but this one has me feeling my feelings HARD.

River has gone through so much and is holding on to the few things she has left for safety. It's inspiring to see her handle the hits one after another and just do what she can to keep going. The betrayals and reveals seem to be unending and her response is to understand. To try to see the picture. It's a healthier outlook than I have under pressure.

There's a huge romance triangle between coworker Logan and the ex-boyfriend Noah. River has to figure out if she wants what she had in the past back or move forward into something new and mysterious. Each guy has their good sides and bad sides. This one plays out in a very push-pull manner.

A deeply emotional story with an inspiring lead.

My rating: 5 out of 5