Review: Lost and Found stole my heart!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 3, 2013
Bernadette Marie is my go to author for contemporary romance, especially this particular series. Ever since I read The Executive's Decision I have been hooked on this eclectic family. The first four books in the series follow the original Keller children, with three out of four of them being adopted. Lost and Found begins the spin-off series featuring the children of all the original Keller family members. I love this series so very much and wait as patiently as possible for the next ones to come out because these characters are so well written that they feel like family as you read about them.Eduardo Keller is the main focus of this book. When we last saw him, he was a teenager and now in present day he is a grown man working in his Uncle's building firm. Throw in his search for a new assistant and a chance meeting with Darcy, a woman in search of her birth parents that has lead her to his workplace and you get a train full of drama just waiting to happen. Eduardo and Darcy become co-workers after their chance encounter that plays out very similar to another couple in the original series and makes for a beautiful connection between them. They both adhere to a work only environment but as time passes and they spend late nights at the office together a spark develops which ultimately turns into a blossoming romance. As the two navigate this new relationship and Darcy spends more time with his family she starts to piece together the puzzle of her birth parents. What she comes up with couldn't be farther from the truth and when the pieces are all together it could threaten the connection Darcy and Eduardo have built on.For fans of the series you'll pick up quickly exactly who Darcy is, but for the people who haven't had the pleasure of reading it, this plot twist will be a complete surprise. You don't have to read the entire series though, to pick up on everything because the author gives enough information for the reader to be able to jump right in. I absolutely loved this addition to the Keller family books. Not only was the romance well done and perfectly timed but the added scenes with the original four was a nice addition to the story. I loved how everyone welcomed Darcy with open arms when she was new in town and helped her get settled. The dynamic of this family is a very heartfelt experience to read about. They take care of each other and others no questions asked. With most of them being adopted they offered Darcy emotional support and stability as she searched for her birth parents.I loved Darcy's character. She was sweet and kind but her vulnerability made me love her even more. After losing her adoptive mother she left her father, the only family she knew, behind in her search. The scenes she shared with her dad were emotional and added depth to the story beyond the actual plot. She's almost like a wounded bird, torn between her intense love for her adoptive parents and her inner turmoil about her birth parents. To me that made Darcy highly relatable as a character and I felt like it was easy to be put into her shoes despite her being adopted.Now getting to Eduardo, my goodness I never thought I would be pining over a teenage boy but when I first met Ed in A Second Chance he stole my heart. Having to watch his mother suffer through breast cancer made him have to grow up a lot faster and ultimately shaped him into the man we see in this book. He's focused on his career and prides himself on working his way up from the bottom never taking for granted what he has. He was so serious especially when he realized he was developing feelings for Darcy and I loved watching him slowly start to loosen up. What endeared him even more to me was how much of a gentleman he was. He treated Darcy with respect and didn't push her physically until she was ready.My absolute favorite part of this book was the emotional reunion between Darcy and her birth mother. I won't spoil anything but seeing that finally come to fruition after all these books was beautiful and amazing. It was so wonderful to see Darcy finally have that validation she had been missing her whole life and understand the circumstances surrounding her adoption. Through the tears of joy, the drama and the romance Lost and Found delivered on what I come to expect the most from this author. Beautiful romance with heart and depth. I can't wait for the next in this new adventure in the series, because we get a glimpse into the next book which features Ed's sister Clara! Love it! I can't recommend this series enough!