I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman

The Quick Cut: Two guys and a girl find their lives tangled together by chance once night after an accident. In the process, they deal with the loss in their lives.

A Real Review:

This book really snuck up on me in the end and BOY AM I HAPPY IT DID! It started off as a slow rumble, building a base story that made you think it was going to be all about our girl Freya's life. However, it really ends up being about so much more and in a highly satisfying way.

The story revolves around our core trio: Freya the female singer, Nathaniel the man with the Lord of the Rings Connection, and Harun the guy hiding his true love from his family. Each of them has lost something significant in their lives and is coping (badly) with the gap it's left. Freya lost her voice in the middle of recording her debut album and no doctor can cure her. Nathaniel has lost his father, the only man who is truly his family anymore. Harun has lost his boyfriend James, the love of his life.

None of the three know each other before this night when Freya ends up running away from a meeting with her record producer Hayden. In the process, she falls from a bridge onto Nathaniel. Harun is nearby and helps get him to Urgent Care for his injuries and thus starts their epic journey.

I went into this one thinking it would be one of those stories where everything gets fixed in the end and the happy ever after bow gets put on top. Not so fast - this book is different and instead goes the route of moving onwards and forwards.

Without ruining the story, these three find a way to admit their problems, deal with their issues now, and see the light of new beginnings. It's nice to see a struggle without an instant payoff because this felt more realistic, more true in a sense. They find their voice and discover that not all they knew about the past was 100% accurate. Growing up is about changing perspective and fighting for what you want with all you got. In this moment, these characters learn to do just that. Together.

With plenty of connections, character development, and realistic payoff along the way - this book gives a satisfying ending that doesn't get too shmaltzy. However, a slow start may take you a bit before getting into the tale of our three flawed heroes.

My rating: 4 out of 5