Lovely, Dark, and Deep by Amy McNamara

Lovely, Dark, and Deep by Amy McNamara

Goodreads Blurb

A resonant debut novel about retreating from the world after losing everything—and the connections that force you to rejoin it.

Since the night of the crash, Wren Wells has been running away. Though she lived through the accident that killed her boyfriend Patrick, the girl she used to be didn’t survive. Instead of heading off to college as planned, Wren retreats to her father’s studio in the far-north woods of Maine. Somewhere she can be alone.

Then she meets Cal Owen. Dealing with his own troubles, Cal’s hiding out too. When the chemistry between them threatens to pull Wren from her hard-won isolation, Wren has to choose: risk opening her broken heart to the world again, or join the ghosts who haunt her.


A good story about heartache, losing loved ones, and losing yourself. 

After losing her boyfriend in a car accident, Wren Wells escapes her life to stay with her artist father. She meets Mary, Cal, and Zara who each help her come back to life, just not the life she once knew. 

Wren's struggles against her overbearing mother, sometimes absent father, and rising panic attacks.  In Mary she finds a friend. Zara provides the nurturing that Wren's mother lacks. And with Cal, Wren finds acceptance and love. 

The story is interesting, but the writing style is at times choppy, and I often felt large chunks of story were missing. It's still a good read. 

3 out of 5 stars.