Tag: Amnesia

Don’t be afraid to fall because you can always get back up.

Book Review | Remembering the Rancher by Liwen Ho

High school sweethearts Arabella and Maverick Knight married after Bella fell pregnant in her final year in high school. Their son, Hesse, is now twelve and thriving, but their relationship hasn’t done so well. In fact, Bella has just been served with divorce papers when she has a car accident.

She forgets her entire relationship with Mav.

I can’t imagine what it must be like to wake up thinking you’re a high school senior with a crush on your best friend, then wake up to find you’re married to him. I thought Liwen Ho did a great job of showing Bella’s surprise, confusion, and joy at that discovery. It’s fun to read.

But Bella only knows they’re married, not that they’ve been having troubles, so that provides the tension for most of the rest of the plot. Will she find out the truth about her marriage? If so, how will she react? Can Bella and Mav redeem their relationship?

Some readers don’t like reunion romance because they don’t like reading stories about relationships gone wrong. While I can relate to that, we can all see how and why the relationship has gone wrong, and want to see a happy reunion.

I don’t want to give spoilers, but I will say Maverick by name and maverick by nature.

He has a problem and figures out a (bad) solution when he should be admitting his problems to his wife and turning them over to God. But he doesn’t – and that’s (unfortunately) true to life.

I enjoyed seeing Bella and Mav re-establish their relationship, and I loved their son, Jesse. He’s kind, mature for his age, and a solid Christian who wants to see his parents reunited. His faith was an example to his parents, and to the readers.

Recommended for fans of contemporary Christian romance, especially those who like amnesia and/or reunion romance plots.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for reivew.

About Liwen Y Ho

Author Photo: Liwen HoLiwen Y. Ho works as a chauffeur and referee by day (AKA being a stay at home mom) and an author by night. She writes sweet and inspirational contemporary romance infused with heart, humor, and a taste of home (her Asian roots).

In her pre-author life, she received a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Western Seminary, and she loves makeovers of all kinds, especially those of the heart and mind. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her techie husband and their two children, and blogs about her adventures as a recovering perfectionist

You can find Liwen Y Ho online at:

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About Remembering The Rancher

Will her forgotten memories of the past be the key to healing their future?

Annabella Knight would be the first to admit that her marriage has been on the rocks for a while, but she never expected to be served divorce papers at work. Already feeling like a disappointment to God and to her family, there’s plenty that she would like to change about her past. But for now, she needs to find a way to salvage her relationship with her high school sweetheart for the sake of their son.

Since giving up his football dream to support his young family, Maverick Knight has tried his best to be the husband and father they deserve. Poor money decisions, however, have gotten him mixed up with dangerous men. When Annabella’s life is threatened, the only way he sees to protect his wife and son is to distance himself, even if it means breaking up their home.

When a car crash leaves Annabella in the hospital with amnesia, Maverick realizes his family needs him now more than ever. As they learn how to live together as husband and wife, will this loss of the past be an unexpected chance to start over? Or is it just the calm before the storm before old memories surface to tear them apart again?

Visit Redemption Ridge, Colorado and enjoy the faith, friendships, and forever-afters of the Christmas in Redemption Ridge series of Christian romance.
This series is a spin-off continuation of the best-selling Heroes of Freedom Ridge Series with all new characters and traditions, but the same magic of community and romance readers love.

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I’ve been trying so hard to remember, I never thought about the repercussions when I do. Will it all be worth it?

Book Review | With Every Memory by Janine Rosch

I am a sucker for amnesia plots, and this is one of the best I’ve read. While amnesia is serious, many of the novels I’ve read have taken more of a rom-com approach, literary equivalents of Fifty First Dates. With Every Memory is more serious, although there are humorous moments.

Lori lost her memory ten months ago in the car accident that killed her teenage son.

Now she’s heading home after rehab to a sterile house she doesn’t remember, a distant husband, a rebellious teen daughter, and friends she no longer knows. What she does know is that the happy marriage she remembers has disappeared, and she has no idea why.

Avery lost her twin brother in the accident and has been lost ever since.

She’s flunking school and now the principal has threatened that she won’t be able to graduate with her class. He suggests a tutor—the annoying Xander, her brother’s best friend and the guy who put gum in her hair as well as a bunch of other stuff.

With Every Memory is written in first person point of view from Lori and Avery’s points of view. Two characters in first person does take a little getting used to and turns the story into a mix of women’s fiction (Lori’s story) and YA romance (Avery’s story).

Both women’s voices are equally strong in their own way, which is great.

I often find I prefer one character over another in stories like this. Lori’s story is strong, because it’s the amnesia story, and we get to see her gradually recovering her memories and rediscovering herself. Avery’s story is poignant, but also has touches of needed humour.

My favourite character was Xander, Austin’s best friend and Avery’s unwanted tutor, the guy who’s had a crush on her for half of forever. He sticks by Avery even when she’s pushing him away with her words and her actions. I admired him even while I felt sorry for him, because he understood (perhaps better than Avery) that her actions were borne out of grief. Xander wears his heart on his sleeve and is just plain wonderful—the guy any mom would want for their daughter.

Michael, on the hand, is more reserved, and is a workaholic. He justifies himself by saying he’s providing for his family, but Lori can’t help wonder if there’s something more, especially given what her friends say. that adds a tension to their relationship that kept me reading and made the book impossible to put down.

Overall, I loved With Every Memory, and it’s one of those books I’ll enjoy even more the second time through because I’ll know the ending so I’ll be reading with a different mindset.

However, it won’t be right for everyone. It is written in first person, and that’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Also, Lori’s grief over losing her son (and Avery’s grief over losing her twin brother) is a big part of the story, and some people won’t want to read that. There is also a reference to sexual assault.

But forewarned is forearmed, and it’s definitely worth reading for a story of enduring love even in the most difficult times.

Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Janine Rosche

Janine Rosche - author photo
Janine Rosche is the author of the Madison River Romance and Whisper Canyon series of novels. Prone to wander, she finds as much comfort on the open road as she does at home. This longing to chase adventure, behold splendor, and experience redemption is woven into her stories. When she isn’t traveling or writing novels, she teaches family life education courses, produces The Love Wander Read Journal, and takes too many pictures of her sleeping dogs.

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About With Every Memory

Is the Life She Can’t Remember One She’d Rather Forget?

One year after her family was in a tragic car accident that killed her teenage son, Lori Mendenhall returns home with a traumatic brain injury that has stolen the last eight years of memories from her. She is shocked to find that the life she was leading before the accident is unrecognizable. Her once-loving husband, Michael, is a distant workaholic she isn’t sure she can trust and her once-bubbly daughter, Avery, has spent the last year hidden away in her room.

For Avery, life stopped when she lost her twin. Now, if she wants to graduate high school, she’ll have to accept help from Xander Dixon, her brother’s best friend and the boy who relentlessly teased her for years. And if Lori wants to reconnect with her husband, she’ll have to grapple with information her brain is trying to keep secret. With every memory that returns, she can’t help but wonder if the life she can’t remember is one she’d rather forget.

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Quote from Fatal Recall: How could she trust her gut when she couldn't even remember who she was?

Book Review | Fatal Recall by Carol J Post

I don’t know why, but I’m a total sucker for amnesia stories. Something about the idea of waking up with no idea who you are captures my curiosity. Perhaps it’s because we’re all formed by our unique personal histories, so amnesia raises a question:

Are we the same person if we can’t remember who we are?

Tanner Brody is canoeing on the Nantahala River, on the edge of the North Carolina Smokies, when he hears a gunshot, followed a scream. He searches, and finds an unconscious woman. When she wakes, she has no idea of who she is, or how she got there.

And now someone is shooting at them both.

Our nameless heroine remembers nothing. Except she prays when things are bad. Then she remembers an attack. A knife. And she’s holding it.

One of the criticisms of Christian fiction is that it’s full of perfect people living perfect lives. Okay, that’s an overstatement. But it can be hard to find a Christian novel that’s dealing with mending broken people without making that the main focus of the plot.

Fatal Recall manages to address this while maintaining the focus of the plot on the mystery of who the heroine is, the suspense of who is after her, and the developing romance between her and Tanner.

There is a clear but understated message that our background forms us into the adults we become—good or bad. But we don’t have to stay that person. Faith in God can help us become the adults He meant us to be.

Fatal Recall is a fast read, as is typical for Love Inspired Suspense. But it manages to pack a surprising amount of plot, character, and spiritual depth in those words. Recommended for Christian romantic suspense fans.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

About Carol J Post

Carol J PostFrom medical secretary to court reporter to property manager to owner of a special events decorating company, Carol’s resume reads as if she doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. But one thing that has remained constant through the years is her love for writing. She currently pens fun and fast-paced inspirational romance and romantic suspense stories. Her books have been nominated for a RITA® award and an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award.

Carol lives in sunshiny Central Florida with her husband, who is her own real-life hero, and writes her stories under the shade of the huge oaks in her yard. Besides writing, she works alongside her music minister husband singing and playing the piano. She enjoys sailing, hiking, camping—almost anything outdoors. Her two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for her liking, so she now pours all that nurturing into taking care of a fat and sassy black cat and a highly spoiled dachshund.

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About Fatal Recall

Amnesia stole her memory – a killer wants her dead

When Paige Tatem loses her memory, she knows just two things: she has a target on her back, and police officer Tanner Brody is the only man she trusts to protect her. As they piece together her past, Tanner wonders what lies hidden in Paige’s mind. And as the truth begins to emerge, it becomes clear that a ruthless enemy wants certain secrets to stay buried.

You can find Fatal Recall online at:

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You can read the introduction to Fatal Recall below: