Unfortunately, if the drive can't be read by software such as Recuva, then it becomes a more expensive situation. The bleakness of the replies is unfortunately the right tone to have.
What it comes down to is the best time to recover your data is before you lose your data. I hope you're able to recover your data, but even if you don't, I hope the lesson you take away is to have a proper backup solution in the future. Backing up important data on your PC is a basic part of PC ownership, no different than changing the oil in your car or the air filter in your furnace.