When the Past Finds You Audiobook By Adrian J. Smith cover art

When the Past Finds You

A When the Past Finds You Standalone

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When the Past Finds You

By: Adrian J. Smith
Narrated by: Lori Prince, Quinn Riley
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A company buy-out. An arch nemesis returns. A crush that never went away.

Wil thought she had the world ahead of her—eight years of experience in her job, her temper under control and working for her, and a manager who understood her. All Wil's fears tumble out when her best friend's stepmom becomes her new manager. No longer able to hide who she is, Wil fights to control her temper and crush on the one person she's never been able to hold back on.

Lynda has worked hard to get where she is, but when she takes over a new financial company, she knows she has to lay low and rebuild her reputation. When the opportunity arises to work with her estranged stepdaughter's best friend, she leaps at the chance to reconnect. She never thought the past would haunt her and the memories of her husband's death would resurface.

They never wanted to see each other again. Will they be able to overcome their mutual past and find love in the person they least expect? What will happen when fire meets ice?

When the Past Finds You is an ice queen age gap lesbian romance with bisexual and demisexual representation. It's a story of grief, loss, and how three people grieve differently from the same tragic death.

©2023 Adrian J. Smith (P)2023 Podium Audio Contemporary Contemporary Romance Romance
Complex Characters • Beautiful Romance • Excellent Plot • Layered Storytelling • Stellar Performance
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How can love endure when the anchor of the family is no longer there? Buried in their own grief and self preservation, attempts to move forward only drive them further apart.
Anger, abandonment, misconceptions.
Can it be too late to fix this…is there any love left to even try?

Well written. Great story.
Very much enjoyed the two main points of view narrated by two different actors. The listener gets to feel the desperation and fear of the characters as well as their separate journeys to making something new.

Can the pieces be put back together when the glue that held them together is shattered and unexpectedly ripped away?

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the story is so good keeps you guessing and wanting more every chapter. And as always love lori price

love it

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The plot development was excellent. The going back and forth in time to young teens, mid-teens, and young adults to present time. Their interactions with Linda was crucial during those periods of time to present time Linda and Wil.

Their relationship past to present was intense. At best it was hostile at the beginning to the end when it became intensely emotional and erotic.

The story was great and the narrators were excellent!

Great Story!

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I loved this book, it was well written and the characters were great. I didn't enjoy the choice to have 2 different narrators. Each narrator on their own is great (Lori Prince is actually amazing, she's my fave!!) but the switch between the 2 was distracting...they have very different voices so it was hard to reconcile the characters as having 2 different voices.

Good story, strange narration choice...

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Such a great book loved it please write more or even a secound book wish they would make it as a movie

The story

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I thought we would never get anywhere. It took so long to get into the love affair. Too much anger in the story that just didn't seem to go away until near the end.. Still, I lked the story.

Crying again; but a long story.

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When the past finds you delivered all the emotions it promised and even hit close to home on some parts. I will always over evaluate a book that provides me that experience of reflecting on my own life events but I did notice how fast-paced the story was, or rather how many details have been left out. Maybe it was perfectly complete for someone else, but I personally would have understood the main characters’ connection more if, for example, I was let in on teenager Wil’s internal battles in more detail. That’s just one thing, though the story could’ve benefited from a lot more additions.

Loved it, wish it was longer for a couple reasons

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I was not sure I would appreciate the start and progression of this romance. However the narration and writing inspired me to continue listening and I am very glad I did. All four characters were able to move forward and it was very nice to reach the resulting relationship that they all enjoyed. I highly recommend this book. It has enough turmoil and complexity without the huge roller coaster of most enemy to lovers type storylines.

Warm Feelings/ Complex Sitúation

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A bitter history of hostility and anger. Wil was an angry teenager and Lynda was her best friend’s stepmother. Now they meet again as Lynda’s company takes over Wil’s employer. Strong characters and lots of romance. Narrrators are perfect.

Age Doesn’t Matter

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Stars: 4.5 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Lori Prince and Quinn Riley
Series: When the Past Finds You Book 1
Steam Level: Steamy

I read this for the I Heart Sapphic 2025 Reading Challenge for the prompt Second Chance.


Quick Thoughts:
- I had major reservations about this pairing once the book explained how they knew each other, but Adrian J. Smith does a fantastic job of building the story in such a way to make it not creepy at all
- The previous owner of Wil’s company really did all his employees dirty. Hope he steps on Lego everyday for a decade
- One of the best things in this book is how each character grows and learns to communicate
- All the issues/drama isn’t black and white but various shades of gray that don’t have easy solutions
- Lynda isn’t an evil stepmother, she’s just a woman who made mistakes raising her kids while also grieving the loss of her husband and it makes her a great, interesting character
- Having flashbacks mixed in really help paint a fuller picture of the situation the present day was currently in
- I will always celebrate stories where the protagonists have their own, separate friends they can rely on and talk things out with and don’t solely rely upon each other
- No third act breakup!
- Still fanning myself over the hot sex scenes (especially that last one)
- The epilogue was so cute! Absolutely loved it
- This almost got five stars but I took off half a star because we get to see how poorly Wil treated Lynda in the past and how deeply it hurt Lynda, and then in present day Wil makes a couple of comments that sends Lynda right back into the past. I had a little bit of a hard time rooting for Wil after that
- Lori Prince AND Quinn Riley in one audiobook? I’m in love

Overall I enjoyed this book a whole lot even with my little quibble about Wil. I had accidentally read the forth book in this series first, so I’m really excited to read this series from the beginning.

Lovely story

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