Series Review: Lost and Found by Nicole Williams

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

Lost and Found by Nicole Williams | Lost and Found Series

Synopsis for Lost and Found (from Goodreads):
There’s complicated. And there’s Rowen Sterling.

After numbing pain for the past five years with boys, alcohol, and all-around apathy, she finds herself on a Greyhound bus to nowhere Montana the summer after she graduates high school. Her mom agreed to front the bill to Rowen’s dream art school only if Rowen proves she can work hard and stay out of trouble at Willow Springs Ranch. Cooking breakfast at the crack of dawn for a couple dozen ranch hands and mucking out horse stalls are the last things in the world Rowen wants to spend her summer doing.

Until Jesse Walker saunters into her life wearing a pair of painted-on jeans, a cowboy hat, and a grin that makes something in her chest she’d thought was frozen go boom-boom. Jesse’s like no one else, and certainly nothing like her. He’s the bright and shiny to her dark and jaded.

Rowen knows there’s no happily-ever-after for the golden boy and the rebel girl—happily-right-now is a stretch—so she tries to forget and ignore the boy who makes her feel things she’s not sure she’s ready to feel. But the more she pushes him away, the closer he seems to get. The more she convinces herself she doesn’t care, the harder she falls.

When her dark secrets refuse to stay locked behind the walls she’s kept up for years, Rowen realizes it’s not just everyone else she needs to be honest with. It’s herself.

SERIESous’ Top Book Series: Must Read Author
Series: Lost and Found
Author: Nicole Williams
# of Books: 5
Book Order: Lost & Found, Near & Far + Heart & Soul are chronological

Finders Keepers + Losers Weepers are connected but chronological to each other

Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, coming of age
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: First Person, Single (Lost & Found, Finders Keepers; Losers Weepers); Alternating (Near & Far)
Publication Dates: May 2013 – June 2015
Source & Format: Own–eBook

Nicole William’s book Crash from the Crash Trilogy is what introduced me to the world of New Adult reads, so I think it is safe to say her books will always hold a special place in my heart–and this one is no exception.

Unlike Crash, with Lost and Found we get the outcast girl falling in love with the golden boy. When I first read that in the plot synopsis, I was worried that Lost and Found would just be a retelling of sorts of Crash but with the characters in opposite roles. I’m happy to say that this is not the case, and this book does differ in its plot and characters from the Crash Trilogy wholeheartedly.

I really liked Rowan. She is the classic example of someone who appears strong but internally struggles with herself and I enjoyed watching her grow into herself. This book just really had the “feel-good” attitude about it. There were two moments though when I didn’t like Rowan as much. One was not cluing into the whole Garth-Jesse problem–I think it was fairly obvious so that was a little disappointing because she seemed a little smarter than that. The second moment also deals with that first one. Throughout the whole novel Rowan complains that people always assume things about her without hearing the whole story and then she goes and does the exact same thing to Jesse. I thought it was a little hypocritical but given her jaded character I could see why she might not follow the “treat others like you want to be treated” motto when it comes to others. It just irked me a bit 😉

Jesse was totally swoon-worthy. There isn’t too much to say about him as this novel is really more about Rowan (from what I have read about the synopsis for book 2, I think we will get more about Jesse there) but he is a solid character and I enjoyed his wit an banter with Rowan.

My only real peeve about this book was how fast the “love” happens. I just felt like they didn’t really know each other that well to warrant those feelings so soon, but I do feel like after that point, they work on creating a healthy relationship so I feel like it redeems itself in that respect.

–July 24, 2015– Book 2: Near & Far

This book was your typical romantic sequel. Lots of jealousy inducing situations, relationship questioning and cute moments. And that isn’t a bad thing; I actually think it was mildly realistic given the situation the two find themselves in. But at the same time, it got a little tiring despite being expected. And it really was reminiscent of The Crash Trilogy’s Clash.

–May 16, 2016– Book 3: Finders Keepers

Hmm, I wasn’t overly impressed with this novel. I thought it was really predictable–partly because I guessed most of Garrett’s story thanks to his role in the previous two novels–but it was a lot of clichés wrapped up into a typical New Adult package. There were some unique aspects with Garrett’s character that kept me interested and made me happy I picked it up. But I didn’t fall in love with Garrett like I expected to nor did I really care for his female counterpart.

Not sure what is going to happen in the sequel but I’m a little worried given Near & Far…guess I’ll see!

–May 23, 2016– Book 4: Losers Weepers

The plot for this story really surprised me. It wasn’t your typical romantic sequel in that the relationship wasn’t being tested by some unnecessary love triangle or other stupid, petty reasons (like in Near & Far). Instead, it challenges the characters with a realistic situation that really surprised me. Sure, it had its soap-opera moments BUT I really enjoyed the concept and the test these characters undergo. Definitely the strongest of the series in terms of character development.

–December 10, 2016– Book 5: Heart & Soul

This book was such a disappointment and waste of my time. I almost DNF’d it but decided to skim the rest of the novel to get a general idea of what happens.

This is a continuation of the story arc in Lost & Found (#1) and Near & Far (#2) but takes place after the events of Loser Weepers (#4). Which is fine–it just really isn’t necessary if you ask me. I liked how everything was wrapped up in the respective novels.

The first 30% of the book was Jesse whining about the situation and waxing on and on about Rowan. I get it, it’s cute (I’m a huge Jesse fan) and it helps establish the characters’ feelings to the situation at hand. BUT, nothing was happening?! And I have better things to read than a character lamenting on and on about their love for their significant other–I get it!

This was just a dull book. I think if it was a novella it would have been better.

Series Rating: 3/5

Lost & found 4/5 | Near & Far 3/5 | Finders Keepers 3/5 | Losers Weepers 4/5 | Heart & Soul 2/5

A great “feel-good” novel that fans of New Adult will love. It isn’t particularly “steamy” but it is swoon-worthy at times. Oh, and Jesse is a cowboy if that does anything for you 😉 Some books are definitely better than others but their shorter length means you aren’t spending a ton of time reading them.

Read if You Like: slow-burn romances, cowboys, tortured pasts
Avoid if You: want more “heat”; don’t like tough heroines