Lost and Found, Book 1
What does starting over really mean when the life you knew calls it quits?
Harriet Langley never realized how much of her life revolved around her husband, Alex, until they separated. Now that she’s free to eat what she wants, watch what she likes, and ditch all the emotional heavy-lifting, she’s feeling…oddly liberated. But just as she’s settling into her new routine, Alex drops a bomb: he wants the kids every second weekend—and that’s it. Harriet, now officially the primary parent, can’t decide if she should celebrate or scream into a pillow.
Between co-parenting disasters, Alex’s smug post-separation glow, and his younger sister, Charlie, moving in, Harriet’s so-called fresh start quickly starts to feel like a chaotic juggling act.
As Harriet rediscovers old passions and confronts uncomfortable truths about herself, she begins to rebuild her life—this time on her terms. Charlie, with her endless crop tops and unnerving honesty, somehow becomes both a total pain…and an unexpected lifeline.
With sharp wit and a lot of heart, Harriet in Waiting explores how communication can make or break a relationship, and what happens when one woman decides she’s done playing by the rules. Perfect for fans of Abbi Waxman and Fleishman Is in Trouble.
Appeals to readers of: Women’s Fiction, Small Town & Rural fiction, Friendship Fiction, Women’s domestic life fiction, Humorous fiction, Marriage and divorce fiction.
Key Tropes include: Second chances, second act, reinvention, Divorce glow-up, Urban landscape, Conflict comes from interpersonal relationships, and reluctant single motherhood.Harriet in Waiting is book one in the Lost and Found Series set in the small town coastal city of La Jolla, California.
At first glance, this novel seems to follow the familiar midlife-crisis-sparked-by-a-cheating-husband trope—but it’s far more nuanced than that. At its heart, it’s a story about the slow unraveling of a marriage, the ripple effects on an entire family, and one woman’s journey back to herself.
Harriet is an easy protagonist to root for: capable, funny, overwhelmed, and painfully aware that she’s been running on empty for years. When her husband confesses to an affair and quickly moves on to a shiny new life—complete with a new apartment, new car, and minimal parenting time—Harriet is left holding everything together. She’s juggling two hurt teenagers, a mother-in-law determined to paint her son as blameless, and Charlie, her free-spirited sister-in-law, who arrives unannounced and brings both chaos and unexpected clarity.
What follows is messy, funny, and genuinely moving. As Harriet navigates the early months after the separation, the novel traces her attempts to understand what went wrong, reconnect with old passions, form new friendships, and figure out who she is outside of marriage. Watching her stumble, regroup, and slowly reclaim her sense of self is both inspiring and deeply relatable.
Charlie—known for her crop tops, blunt observations, and surprising wisdom—becomes an essential sounding board. The bond that develops between the two women gives the story much of its heart. Their relationship feels authentic and layered, more like true sisters than in-laws brought together by circumstance.
This isn’t a tidy post-divorce fantasy. Set against the breezy coastal backdrop of La Jolla, the novel blends humor, emotional honesty, and sharp insight into identity, communication, and second chances. The characters feel real, and their struggles are believable. Harriet’s eventual love interest—complete with an Irish lilt—adds a spark of joy without overshadowing her personal journey.
The emotions feel earned, the humor lands well, and Harriet’s growth is satisfying without ever feeling unrealistic. A final twist adds an extra layer of satisfaction to the story. I should add, I appreciate a romance with characters well out of their twenties and even thirties. Mid-life may not be as sexy, but for me, it is more relatable.
Thoughtful, funny, and quietly powerful, this is a promising start to the Lost and Found series.
3/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
HARRIET IN WAITING by Rachel Del Grosso. Love N. Books Press. (January 9, 2026). ISBN: 979-8895676899. 310p.
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