Kira Bennett’s earliest memories are of living alone and wild in the woods. She has no idea how long she was on her own or what she had to do to survive, but she remembers the moment that Cady Bennett and one of her search-and-rescue dogs found her perfectly. Adopted into the Bennett family, Kira still struggles with human interaction years later, but she excels at the family business: search-and-rescue. Along with Cady’s son, Jude, and their neighbor, Free, Kira works alongside Cady to train the world’s most elite search-and-rescue dogs. Someday, all three teenagers hope to put their skills to use, finding the lost and bringing them home.

But when Cady’s estranged father, the enigmatic Bales Bennett, tracks his daughter down and asks for her help in locating a missing child—one of several visitors who has disappeared in the Sierra Glades National Park in the past twelve months—the teens find themselves on the frontlines sooner than they could have ever expected. As the search through 750,000 acres of unbridled wilderness intensifies, Kira becomes obsessed with finding the missing child. She knows all too well what it’s like to be lost in the wilderness, fighting for survival, alone.

But this case isn’t simple. There is more afoot than a single, missing girl, and Kira’s memories threaten to overwhelm her at every turn. As the danger mounts and long-held family secrets come to light, Kira is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her adopted family, her true nature, and her past.

My Thoughts:

It’s been years since I last picked up a book by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, but after reading The Lovely and the Lost, I can confidently say I won’t wait that long to read another one.

The Lovely and the Lost is a book that effortlessly draws you in. Although it started off stronger than it ended, I never found myself losing interest in the story. While the central plot revolves around the search for a missing child, there are so many underlying threads and subplots that boredom simply isn’t an option.

What truly made me fall in love with this book, much like other works by Barnes, are the characters—and not just the human ones. Kira, Jude, and Free captured my heart from the very beginning. I was drawn to Kira’s fierce yet vulnerable nature, while Free served as her grounding force, always there to calm her down or help her see reason. And then there’s Jude—arguably the scene-stealer. His sense of humor had me laughing out loud more than once.

But the depth of the story doesn’t stop there. The dogs added a whole other layer to the narrative. I’ve rarely come across a book where animals feel like fully realized characters, but in The Lovely and the Lost, they absolutely do. Each dog has its own distinct personality and quirks, and I couldn’t get enough of them.

My only minor critique lies in the ending—some elements felt slightly abrupt and came a bit out of nowhere. The resolution also seemed somewhat rushed, leaving several questions unanswered. As Barnes mentioned on her website, this book was initially sold as a standalone, though she has ideas for a potential sequel. While the ending doesn’t dissatisfy as a self-contained story, I’d love to see where she takes these characters next.

All in all, I can’t recommend The Lovely and the Lost enough. If you enjoy suspense, beautifully portrayed family dynamics, and an abundance of adorable dogs, this is the book for you. Don’t hesitate—grab a copy as soon as you can!

What Others Are Saying:
Fiction Fare’s Review:
“This story kept me turning the pages because I had to find out what would happen next. Though I wished for a bit more at the end, I thought it was well done and only reinforced how much I need to read more of Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s books.”

Aya M. Productions’ Review:
“She is one of my favorite YA mystery authors, and she did not disappoint with The Lovely and the Lost.”