The Lost Lovelies by Vanora Lawless

Gus and Kit thought they would be together forever, but that was seventeen years ago and they have lived very different lives. But Kit needs help finding his missing brother and Gus is willing to help, even if being close again hurts. A second chance and a supernatural investigation combine.


From the blurb:

Famed war correspondent Kit Lovely left Nova Scotia seventeen years ago under the crushing weight of a broken heart, swearing never to return. But after he receives an ominous letter from his new sister-in-law, Kit rushes back across the Atlantic, where he discovers their ransacked house tingling from mysterious magic. With his brother and sister-in-law gone without a trace, Kit’s left reeling. His own faulty magic can’t work a tracking spell, nor are the police much use. Desperate for answers, Kit has no choice but to turn to the very man who once shattered him.

Reserved mage Gus North is an expert PI specializing in missing persons cases. He’s also guarding a dangerous secret: he hails from a long line of talented blood magic users. When the only man he’s ever loved begs for help to find his little brother, Gus can’t turn him away. Not even with all the lies, and hurt, and lingering feelings between them clawing him up.

As they chip away at the case, their core beliefs about themselves, each other, and the world they live in unravel, exposing a deadlier enemy than either of them could have imagined.

After all, in a world of magic, not all monsters in fairytales are just stories.

THE LOST LOVELIES is an intensely emotional second-chance romance full of queer found family, mystery, and magic. Set in 1945 Halifax, Nova Scotia.


SNik's review:

Standalone. Historical paranormal. Former best friends/lovers. Second chance. Found family. Slow burn. Dual POV. 

Kit returns home as the war in Europe is possibly winding down looking for his brother and sister-in-law only to find them missing. Asking for help from Gus isn't ideal, but his former boyfriend is a PI and maybe the only person he can trust to help. 

There are all kinds of pieces to this story that I enjoyed: the mix of historical and paranormal, the absolute yearning to recover a lost love, and the idea that Kit and Gus were close with each other and their families growing up. I would have loved more world building and a stronger sense of urgency in the investigation, but found the story engaging and the characters likable. Overall an entertaining read and I would definitely read more from this world and these characters, and possibly certain supportive characters that were introduced just to see where this world could go and more about Gus and Kit’s powers and their HEA.


The Lost Lovelies is currently available as an e-book and paperback