It’s always such a treat when a Barbara O’Neal book comes out. I can be guaranteed a trip to a beautiful place I’ve never been, and in the days of Covid that’s a treat indeed. 

I adored every moment spent in this book, walking in the English countryside, amidst the fields of bluebells, and walking along the coastline - I could almost smell the ocean. What a treat for the mind and the senses right now when I can’t travel, I was truly transported away from my life and all of the drama of our world today and into a beautiful setting peopled by lovely people who I came away caring for. 

I highly recommend this book to lovers of family drama with themes of forgiveness and relationship, this was such a lovely read and I enjoyed every moment in its pages.

When Zoe's best friend disappears in her hometown of Devon, she returns to the home of her grandmother who raised her with her fifteen year old daughter Isabel to help with the search. But when another woman disappears, they realize there's something more dangerous going on in this small tourist town.
The author's descriptions of the area and the seacoast town are beautiful.  I like how the chapters alternate between the different women. They all have their own emotional issuesthey have to work through to finally become closer in the end. 
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I loved Barbara O'Neal's "When We Believed in Mermaids,' so I was thrilled to get an advance copy of 'The Lost Girls of Devon.' O"Neal once again didn't disappoint.  Less a mystery and more a work of contemporary fiction, my only complaint is that I feel the mystery that the story is named for would have received more of the focus. Regardless, O'Neal's ability to draw engaging and realistic characters is sure to draw any reader in. She adeptly shifts focus between the main voices of the story and honestly portrays each of the four generations of women in a fully realized way.

Four generations of women come together when a woman linked to them goes missing. Lillian, the ailing matriarch of the family, knows this may be the last chance for her to see forgiveness in her family. For Zoe it is a return to the place she calls home; to her grandmother, to the unhealed feelings of abandonment, to the past she left behind. Isabel, Zoe's daughter, is hopeful this is her chance to heal and find the courage to face what she's been too ashamed to tell her mom. Finally, there's Poppy, she's returned home and made peace with her mother, but she desperately wants to know her daughter and granddaughter too. As the four grapple with the idea that their friend could be gone forever, old hurts, secrets, and betrayals float to the surface.

The Lost Girls of Devon is a beautiful work of contemporary fiction, I so loved reading the story from the women's' perspectives. Barbara O'Neal gave them distinct voices and experiences, at times their individual stories overlapped allowing the reader to understand it from every side. Lillian is a force of a woman, her chapters were difficult to read, her illness is very apparent and I truly felt like I was watching her memory slip away. Poppy's chapters are just as descriptive as you would expect of a local witch, filled with pretty words and emotions. While she was ultimately my least favorite character, I highlighted more from her pages than any other. Zoe's story is one of forgiveness, self-discovery, and love. Her perspective holds a significant amount of internal angst as she works through returning to the place that holds all her best and worst memories. I enjoyed the romance O'Neal gave her, I felt like she needed something good. Isabel's perspective is just heartbreaking, she's so young and has been tormented in a way no one should experience. Coming to the village for an extended stay feels like a fresh start for her and I loved watching her work through her experience and her emotions. She's such an independent, young character and I found I liked her quite a bit.

I really enjoyed this multi-generational novel, it had just the right amount of mixed plots to keep me intrigued and the four narratives gave it depth. Romance, mystery, angst, suspense, and just a bit of humor made The Lost Girls of Devon a fantastic read for me.

The Lost Girls of Devon
By Barbara O'Neil

A story about family betrayals and long buried secrets that is beautifully written by none other than Barbara O'Neal who wrote the best-seller, When We Believed in Mermaids.

In THE LOST GIRLS OF DEVON, O'Neal writes about four generations of the Fairchild clan who are reunited back again in not so happy circumstances. Their reunion reopens old wounds, and the ladies are faced to deal with a new issue as their childhood friend has gone missing. The story is centered on Zoe Fairchild who has been living in the States, and who now has to travel back to England to her childhood home in Devon.

I enjoyed reading about the different POVs that really showcased each of the women's perspectives, and makes for a page turner too. The setting of the story is amazing, as the English countryside and its beauty is highlighted. The mix of family drama with some mystery element made this a poignant read for me that I enjoyed a lot.

I enjoyed this book and found it to be a very captivating read. I struggled a bit at first with remembering the storylines for each character and who's/who since each chapter covered a different POV. I also got a bit confused with the Cooper/Sage name change throughout the book. But the storylines, setting, and mystery element all made for an entertaining read. I would have liked more focus on Diana's disappearance but I was glad for the loose ends that were tied up by the end of the book. I would definitely read more by this author.

In Barbara O’Neal’s latest, THE LOST GIRLS OF DEVON, focuses on four generations of women and their relationships to each other. When the mystery of her missing friend brings Zoe home to Devon with her daughter in tow.  Being back is bittersweet, as her estranged Mother had moved back as well. 
Told from the alternating viewpoints of each of the four women,  the novel examines the family drama rife with anger, betrayal, regrets of choices made, and, most of all, love against the backdrop of the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the woman who has been a friend to three of the women.
The characters are true-to-life, written with depth and an understanding of complicated dynamics between mothers and daughters. The setting is beautifully described and the story flows together with a hint of magic to keep you engaged from beginning to end. I enjoyed the story and recommend it to anyone who appreciates a well-written novel with characters who are believable and relatable.
 Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
#TheLostGirlsofDevon #BarbaraONeal #LakeUnionPublishing

Much like When We Believed in Mermaids, O'Neal managed to write a book on the importance of family, overcoming tragedy, and love. There are multiple POVs and each character has a story interwoven with another. The Lost Girls of Devon explores what happens when you return home, after a long time away, as well as the disappearance of a loved one, and how time doesn't always heal all wounds, but does make them hurt less.

The Lost Girls of Devon is about 4 generations of women and the bitterness and pain between several of them. When Zoe was seven years old, her mother, Poppy, left her with her grandmother, Lillian, and never returned. When she grew up, Zoe escaped England and the memories of her mother and moved to Santa Fe. She lives there with her 15 year old daughter, Isabel. When Zoe finds out that her best friend, Diana, has disappeared from the village they grew up in, she and Isabel head home to see if they can help find her. When she arrives she isn't happy to find out that her mother has also returned to the same village and Zoe refuses to see her or talk to her. She also finds out that Sage is living in the village. She has lots of growing up memories about the times that she spent with Diana and Sage. So here she is back in England with a mother she doesn't want to speak to, a grandmother who is getting senile, a typical teenage daughter with lots of attitude, an old boyfriend (Sage) and a missing best friend. Not only are they all trying to find Diana, but they all have personal issues with each other that need to be solved.

The chapters alternate between the four women so we are able to find out what secrets they are hiding and how they feel about each other. The women are all well written and the story flows nicely as the secrets are revealed. Will they be able to improve their relationships with each other as they struggle to learn how to deal with the past?

This book has a little mystery, a little romance and lots of family dynamics between the four women. Along with that it has beautiful descriptions of the Devon coast line. I really enjoyed this one!

The Lost Girls of Devon revolved around the complicated relationships of Zoe, her mother who abandoned her when she was a child, the grandmother who raised her and is now showing signs of dementia, and her daughter who has been battling her own demons after a traumatic event. Then there is also the mystery of what happened to Zoe's dear friend Diana who has disappeared. The title of the book is so fitting as there are so many forms of loss woven throughout the story. I am grateful to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Zoe’s oldest friend Diana is missing. Unfortunately, it wasn’t even on Zoe’s radar. With a cheating ex-husband, a moody teenage daughter who won’t let her in, and a stack of abandonment issues from the mother who left when she was only 7 years old, she has a lot on her plate. It isn’t until her grandmother rings her from England telling her Diana has disappeared that she notices Diana’s absence. Next thing she knows, she’s on a plane with her daughter, Isabel, to help uncover the truth.
Barbara O’Neal’s, “The Lost Girls of Devon,” is a mystery that will have you at the edge of your seat – but trust me, you’ll also need an entire box of tissues. 
Zoe’s plane ride to England lands her face first in front of her mother and her ex-boyfriend, both of whom she hasn’t spoken to in decades. Unfortunately for Zoe, there is no avoiding the past when they are thrust together to look for their dear friend Diana. And is the past really put behind them?
Told from the perspective of four different women from different generations, O’Neal opens a door to a heartwarming tale of forgiveness and love through one family. Perfect for every generation, you’ll yearn to reach out and hug these women. Lillian, who is struggling to adapt to old age; Poppy, a mother who just wants her daughter back; Zoe, who holds on to her hatred of her mother and love of her daughter like it’s her life; and Isabel, who has a heartbreaking secret of her own. All four have one thing in common, they want to know what happened to Diana. And trust me, one chapter in, and you’ll be itching to know too. 

Reviewed by Rebecca Santangelo for Suspense Magazine

This moving story is set on the beautiful moors of Devon. It examines the damaged relationships of three generations of women and their journey to healing. For those who enjoy stories about the intricacies of relationships and how they are damaged, healed and mature. The relationships between mothers and daughters are predominant. For fans of Kate Morton, Sara Alessi, or Fiona Valpy.

The Lost Girls of Devon follows the story of Zoe, her estranged mother Poppy, her grandmother Lilian and her daughter Isabel.  When Zoe's childhood best friend Diana goes missing, she and her daughter Isabel head to Devon from Santa Fe to try and find her.  Since Zoe was essentially abandoned by her eclectic mother Poppy at a young age she refuses to forgive her and avoids her at all costs which makes it a bit of an awkward situation since Poppy is one Lilian's caretakers.  Lilian, a writer, has developed dementia in her old age.  Throughout the novel, we find out about Zoe's earlier life in Devon and an old flame resurfaces from her past.  The characters' stories were really interesting! I particularly liked Isabel's story.  I'm sure the way she dealt with her bullying incident is similar to how teenagers nowadays would handle something like that.  It's sad that this type of bullying and assault is so common in our schools today.  As a teacher, reading this broke my heart!  I did feel like there was a lot going on in this story.  Following all four women's storylines was a bit challenging at times.  The book was a cross between a mystery and a family drama which I wasn't expecting and was pleasantly surprised about.  However, I wasn't a huge fan about how it was wrapped up at the end. It felt rushed and I wish we knew more about what happened with Diana.

This review will be posted on instagram and will be reviewed on Barnes and Noble and Amazon closer to the publishing date of 7/14/20.

Update: Posted to instagram, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble and Amazon

This is the third book I've read of Barbara's and I couldn't have been happier.  I get so excited when she comes out with a new book.  I loved her story of 4 generations of women and what they can learn from each other.  Barbara has a way of taking into her books so that you  never want to leave the story.  I love how she weaves mysticism into each one of them also.  Having Poppy with a tarot card reader was amazing and makes me want to go pick up my tarot cards.

I appear to be grossly in the minority here; however, The Lost Girls of Devon did not impress me. 

We are introduced to four generations of women, all who are highly unlikable and incredibly one dimensional. 

What bothered me most was Zoe (a now 40 year old mother of a teen) and her obsession with the "love of her life", her ex with who she parted ways her first semester of college. Some small plot hole here and there. The reactions to Isa's trauma when its finally exposed.

Sadly, for me this lacked all the charm and heart of When We Were Mermaids. Everyone else appear to love it so far - check it out, maybe you will too!

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my copy in exchange for a review.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own. 

Barbara O'Neal is a favorite author of mine. I have read her previous works and highly recommend this book. 
This is a heartwarming story of four generations of women and the family relationships between them.  It is also part mystery and suspense as the authors tells their stories and history. i loved the authors talent for creating outstanding charcters that are interesting and likable.  The charcters are all substantial and add to the story.  A very excellent read that sweeps the reader away into their world.

I didn't think Barbara O'Neal's latest novel, The Lost Girls of Devon, could be as good as When We Were Mermaids, but I was glad to be proven wrong. While I didn't like it quite as much as I did When We Were Mermaids, it was without a doubt a worthy follow-up novel. If you liked When We Were Mermaids, I'm positive that you'll also enjoy The Lost Girls of Devon. You can't go wrong with either of these novels.

I enjoyed many of the previous books from this author and was excited to get a chance to read her new book. It was as good or better than her previous books and she has now been added to my favorite authors' list.

The Lost Girls of Devon is about 4 generations of women and the bitterness and pain between several of them. When Zoe was seven years old, her mother, Poppy, left her with her grandmother, Lillian, and never returned. When she grew up, Zoe escaped England and the memories of her mother and moved to Santa Fe. She lives there with her 15 year old daughter, Isabel. When Zoe finds out that her best friend, Diana, has disappeared from the village they grew up in, she and Isabel head home to see if they can help find her. When she arrives she isn't happy to find out that her mother has also returned to the same village and Zoe refuses to see her or talk to her. She also finds out that Sage is living in the village. She has lots of growing up memories about the times that she spent with Diana and Sage. So here she is back in England with a mother she doesn't want to speak to, a grandmother who is getting senile, a typical teenage daughter with lots of attitude, an old boyfriend (Sage) and a missing best friend. Not only are they all trying to find Diana, but they all have personal issues with each other that need to be solved.

The chapters alternate between the four women so we are able to find out what secrets they are hiding and how they feel about each other. The women are all well written and the story flows nicely as the secrets are revealed. Will they be able to improve their relationships with each other as they struggle to learn how to deal with the past?

This book has a little mystery, a little romance and lots of family dynamics between the four women. Along with that it has beautiful descriptions of the Devon coast line. I really enjoyed this one!

When her estranged best friend disappears, Zoe returns to Devon to help figure out what happened. While there, she must reconcile the fractured relationships that are the fabric of her life.
Poppy, Zoe's mother, and Isabel, Zoe's daughter, have their own issues to face. Poppy left Zoe in the care of Poppy's mother (Lillian) when Poppy was a toddler. Isabel has suffered a trauma and retreated into depression. Barbara O'Neal writes a beautiful story of reconciliation, forgiveness, and hope involving these four generations of women. This would be a great book club pick! 
Thanks #NetGalley for the early read!

What a wonderful book! It gripped me from the very first page and held my attention to the last one.  While the plot involves a mysterious disappearance, the main thrust of the book is the complicated relationship between four generations of women in one family. Each of the women has to grapple with the impact of past actions/interactions, from the teenager up to the octogenarian. In addition to the inner lives of these women, the author provides vivid descriptions of the landscape in and around Devon, England. She brought the area to life for me and made me want to visit it (if we ever can start traveling again!). 

This is the first book I’ve read by Barbara O’Neal but after reading this one, I intend to seek out her other novels in the near future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an advance readers copy. This did not impact my review in any way.