Forgetting August by J.L. Berg
Series: Lost & Found #1
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 1, 2015
Format: e-ARC
Source: Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley
Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon
Synopsis
Some days, Everly still thinks she sees him. In the food court at the mall, or in a car speeding past as the light changes. It only lasts a second, but when it happens, she slips back to a time when she was ruled-and nearly ruined-by August Kincaid. And it doesn't matter that she's moved on, that she's about to marry another man. In those moments the only thing she can do to regain control is take a deep breath and remind herself that August can't hurt her-because he's in a coma. Except that he's not anymore.
August is awake. With no memories, he sets out to solve the mystery of his lost life. He unearths a photograph of a beautiful redhead named Everly and knows instinctively that she's the key. But when he finds her, the August she describes is more monster than man.
Tortured by the thought of having hurt her, August wants only to become the man Everly deserves. As the new August emerges, Everly glimpses the person she first fell in love with. But can she trust that this August is real? When the final secret of their shared past is revealed, one of them will make a choice that changes their future forever . . .
My Thoughts
The synopsis for Forgetting August was enough to make me pick this one up and for the most part it delivered what I wanted: some romance, some intrigue. I was already curious and full of questions from the start. What happened between August and Everly to make her go from loving him to hating him? What made August change? And why was he in a coma? Some answers I got, some I'm still waiting for.
Everly is engaged and planning her wedding (although not too enthusiastically, it seems) to kind, patient Paul when she gets the call she hoped she'd never receive: the man she once loved has awakened from a two year coma.
August wakes up with no memories of his former life. When Everly walks into his hospital room he has a visceral reaction but she is cold and obviously harboring deep-seated anger towards him. He just doesn't know why. After he is released from the hospital their paths continue to cross and he is certain Everly is the key to figuring out his life. But the more he learns, the more he realizes he doesn't want to be the man he once was. And Everly doesn't know what to make of the man who looks like the August she knew... but seems so different. Can she hate a man who doesn't even remember their past?
This was my first novel by J.L. Berg and I enjoyed the writing but I didn't connect to the characters as much as I would have liked. I feel like Everly's history with August was not explained well enough so I never truly understood the depth of her anger towards him. It always seemed out of proportion with what had been described. If I was going to feel Everly's anger and uncertainty I needed to have a better example of August as a villain. As it was, I was mostly sympathetic toward August and this strange new life he found himself in. Everly, in particular, was tough to get behind because the girl flip-flopped with her feelings so much that it was hard to keep up. (Love triangle alert!) It seriously got to the point where I was on Everly angst overload and wanted to tell her enough with the back and forth, I'm making the decision for you.
And then there's the cliffhanger. I wasn't too bothered by it since I'd been forewarned but I still seriously need some answers. I predict a lot more angst in the conclusion (coming in July) and I'm ready. As long as the angst comes with some answers!
3.5/5 Stars
Note: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Note: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
What are your feelings on cliffhangers? Okay with them or hate 'em?
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