When Anne Strafford wakes from a coma in a New York City hospital, she has no memory of who she is, how she got there, or why the handsome movie star, Jack Post, sleeps by her bedside. She certainly doesn’t remember getting cosmetic surgery, or the accident that scarred her once beautiful face. A private investigator later questions if any of her resurfaced memories—from her love of skydiving to even her assumed name—are real. While piecing together her past, Anne makes distressing discoveries. Her husband has filed for divorce. Her twin sister won’t speak to her. Everyone she's ever loved has shattered in her wake. Yet how can Anne fix a forgotten life?
Dive into "Forgetting Me" and follow an intimate journey of self-discovery that asks some of life’s toughest questions. What truly defines us? Our greatest triumphs, or worst mistakes? And are we more than the sum of our experiences?
With bravery and determination, one woman will confront the echoes of her past in order to embrace an unforgettable future.
Tirado-Ryen (Two Weeks of Summer) delves deep into the psyche of a woman set adrift after an accident robs her of her memory and identity. In an opening straight from a fairy tale, amnesiac Vickie wakes up in the hospital, frequently visited by heartthrob icon of stage and screen, Jack Post. With only snippets coming to her, she’s discharged from the hospital into the loving care of Jack and his staff. As they grow closer, locked in a mutual attraction and honest chemistry, bits and pieces —likes, dislikes, the fact she speaks Spanish—creep in, but she’s both wary of the new information while still clinging to it. All is well until a private investigator reveals Vickie’s jolting truth: her name isn’t Vickie, and she’s not at all free to pursue this promising connection with Jack.Throughout the novel, facets of who Anne, formerly Vickie, once was shine through in all of their awkward, cringe-worthy glory, as the story twists into unexpected but exciting directions. When she discovers that the woman she was before the accident isn’t someone to be proud of, that her husband is about to divorce her, and her twin sister hates her with a passion, Anne finds herself unable to reconcile the two sides of herself. Looking back on her pre-accident choices and companions brings her to an intense period of self-evaluation, which leads her to some key insights —and, encouragingly, an era of new growth.
The stark, raw exploration of physical and emotional trauma responses coupled with descriptions of infidelity and manipulative behaviors may be difficult for some readers. However, Tirado-Ryen beautifully illuminates human resilience and the journey of self-discovery. Anne’s path is, of course, not smooth, but her development, as well as that of a few secondary characters, is organic and will have readers wishing and hoping for the best possible outcome.
Takeaway: Enthralling story of memory, identity, and redemption.
Comparable Titles: Melissa Hill’s One Last Gift, Michelle Reid’s The Unforgettable Husband.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
