What do you think?
Rate this book
Forgotten
Emma Tupper is a dedicated lawyer with a bright future. But when she takes a month-long leave of absence to go on an African vacation, she ends up facing unexpected consequences. After she falls ill and spends six months trapped in a remote village thanks to a devastating earthquake, Emma returns home to discover that her friends, boyfriend, and colleagues thought she was dead--and that her life has moved on without her.
As she struggles to re-create her old life, throwing herself into solving a big case for a client and trying to reclaim her beloved apartment from the handsome photographer who assumed her lease, everyone around her thinks she should take the opportunity to change. But is she willing to sacrifice her job, her relationships, and everything else she worked so hard to build?
In "Forgotten," Catherine McKenzie tweaks a classic tale of discovering who we really are when everything that brings meaning to our lives is lost.
As she struggles to re-create her old life, throwing herself into solving a big case for a client and trying to reclaim her beloved apartment from the handsome photographer who assumed her lease, everyone around her thinks she should take the opportunity to change. But is she willing to sacrifice her job, her relationships, and everything else she worked so hard to build?
In "Forgotten," Catherine McKenzie tweaks a classic tale of discovering who we really are when everything that brings meaning to our lives is lost.
448 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2012
201 people are currently reading
8068 people want to read
About the author
Catherine McKenzie
33 books4,856 followersCatherine McKenzie was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. A graduate of McGill in History and Law, Catherine practiced law in Montreal for twenty years before retiring to write full time. An avid runner and skier, she's the author of numerous bestsellers including HIDDEN, FRACTURED, THE and the GOOD LIAR. I'LL NEVER TELL was a #1 Amazon Bestseller, a Globe & Mail and Toronto Star Bestseller, shortlisted for the Hugh McLennan Prize for Fiction.
On April 30, 2024 Catherine will publish the first in a new funny mystery series named EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION, SOMEONE DIES as Catherine Mack.
On April 30, 2024 Catherine will publish the first in a new funny mystery series named EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION, SOMEONE DIES as Catherine Mack.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 666 reviews
November 29, 2017
Three stars - enjoyable read.
Despite the feeling that the author has no clue about Africa, like in never-visited-the-place clueless, this was a really entertaining read as it was meant to be. For one, earth quakes are not occurring in the fictitious region she chose as background. There is no country like Tswanaland. But there are Tswanas living in that area. She got that right. But why spoil a feel-good story with facts, right?
Nevertheless, this young lawyer had a challenge on hand when her mother passed away and left her an African holiday in her will. It instigated an earthquake in her life, throwing everything off balance. Emma Tupper was suppose to stay one month, but unexpectedly stayed six months, with serious consequences waiting for her upon return to the USA. She's a tough cookie, a dedicated sleuth and determined to make it work.
Now sprinkle this story with a little fairy chick-lit dust and you've got a great experience waiting for you. Just don't try to dissect the inconsistencies in this fairy tale :-)
What I enjoyed about the book is the role of compromise in everything happening to her. She's a wise young woman.
Despite the feeling that the author has no clue about Africa, like in never-visited-the-place clueless, this was a really entertaining read as it was meant to be. For one, earth quakes are not occurring in the fictitious region she chose as background. There is no country like Tswanaland. But there are Tswanas living in that area. She got that right. But why spoil a feel-good story with facts, right?
Nevertheless, this young lawyer had a challenge on hand when her mother passed away and left her an African holiday in her will. It instigated an earthquake in her life, throwing everything off balance. Emma Tupper was suppose to stay one month, but unexpectedly stayed six months, with serious consequences waiting for her upon return to the USA. She's a tough cookie, a dedicated sleuth and determined to make it work.
Now sprinkle this story with a little fairy chick-lit dust and you've got a great experience waiting for you. Just don't try to dissect the inconsistencies in this fairy tale :-)
What I enjoyed about the book is the role of compromise in everything happening to her. She's a wise young woman.
April 30, 2017
I will start off by saying that I LOVED this book!! I was hooked from the very first chapter.
The premise behind the book is not unique. Many stories have catalysts that force the protagonist to confront the things that are not working in their lives and make changes. What kicked off this set of events WAS pretty unique, however. What if you found yourself in a situation where everything in your life was gone and everyone thought you had died? Would you use it as a clean slate and a way to start over? Which pieces of your life would you fight to get back and which ones would you let go of forever?
This was the situation Emma Tupper was thrown into in Forgotten . Emma, despite protests from her work and boyfriend, chose to honour her mother’s last wish and take a trip to Africa. Her mother had been convinced it would change Emma’s life, though I don’t think she could have anticipated how. For Emma, the trip had gone horribly wrong and, having gotten really sick before a major earthquake hit, her month long stay had turned into six months.
What Emma found when she got home was that most people believe she had died… Her job had been given away. Her apartment had been given away. Her boyfriend had moved on.
I loved how Emma chose to tackle “getting her life back”. She didn’t magically turn into a different person with different dreams. Instead, she chose to change what wasn’t working for her. There was no magic button that had her turning into a different person, despite many people trying to steer her in that direction.
Great read!
The premise behind the book is not unique. Many stories have catalysts that force the protagonist to confront the things that are not working in their lives and make changes. What kicked off this set of events WAS pretty unique, however. What if you found yourself in a situation where everything in your life was gone and everyone thought you had died? Would you use it as a clean slate and a way to start over? Which pieces of your life would you fight to get back and which ones would you let go of forever?
This was the situation Emma Tupper was thrown into in Forgotten . Emma, despite protests from her work and boyfriend, chose to honour her mother’s last wish and take a trip to Africa. Her mother had been convinced it would change Emma’s life, though I don’t think she could have anticipated how. For Emma, the trip had gone horribly wrong and, having gotten really sick before a major earthquake hit, her month long stay had turned into six months.
What Emma found when she got home was that most people believe she had died… Her job had been given away. Her apartment had been given away. Her boyfriend had moved on.
“Right. Well, do you need anything else from me?"
"No, I don't think so. We'll take care of issuing the press release."
"'The report of my death has been greatly exaggerated,' or some other such Samuel Clemens?"
His top lip curls. "Something like that.”
I loved how Emma chose to tackle “getting her life back”. She didn’t magically turn into a different person with different dreams. Instead, she chose to change what wasn’t working for her. There was no magic button that had her turning into a different person, despite many people trying to steer her in that direction.
Great read!
August 20, 2012
Opening Line: “My mother’s funeral was a small affair on a hot Tuesday."
Emma Tupper never imagined herself going to Africa that was always her mother’s dream. All she’s ever wanted was to be a lawyer and through eighty hour work weeks to make partner at the firm. So when her mother falls ill and dies, leaving Emma a ticket to the (made up) country of Tswanaland, it might be grief forcing her decisions or an anguished sense of wanting to connect with her mother but Emma suddenly finds herself taking (an unheard of) month off work and boarding a flight to Africa.
Six months later… We join Emma on a dirt road attempting to get home; it seems her 30 day safari hasn’t gone exactly according to plan. Falling ill early on the tour Emma was left in a remote village to recover only to get stranded by a massive earthquake. Completely cut off to the outside world and any form of communication, her ordeal has finally come to an end. Now she can just slip back into her old life, or can she?
These early chapters were my favourite parts of the book as we watch no nonsense Emma naively return home expecting to pick up where she left off. It quickly becomes apparent though that everything has changed. To start with someone forgot to tell her that she was missing –presumed dead.
The fact that no one meets her at the airport should have been her first clue something was wrong, then her bank cards won’t work, her accounts frozen. When she discovers some (cute) guy living in her apartment everything falls apart. She’s also been replaced at work (that bitch!) her boyfriend has found someone else (awfully fast don’t ya think?) And her car and all her possessions have been disposed of. It seems that everyone has just moved on and that Emma has been “forgotten.”
This was a great read I loved the original storyline. I mean when everyone thinks you’re dead, how do you start your life over again? Would it be the same or would you change a few things? Throughout Emma’s story we get intermittent flashes back to Africa and her experiences after the earthquake. Personally I would have liked this section to have played a bigger role as it was the catalyst for the entire story yet sometimes felt like an afterthought.
I should also mention how funny this is, even though there a lot of heavy issues Emma’s determination, new appreciation of Scotch and dry wit is hard not to enjoy. I especially liked her hilarious, flirty interactions with Dominique (the reluctant roommate) who, you guessed it also becomes the love interest. The dialogue here is so clever and well written. He was a lovely character ultimately dealing with his own issues and starting a new life.
Catherine McKenzie has quickly become an auto-buy author me. I just love her style of chick-lit; she manages to avoid all the clichés and gives us an original, smart story with fast paced writing and addictive characters. Definitely check out her first book Spin Cheers
313jb4
Emma Tupper never imagined herself going to Africa that was always her mother’s dream. All she’s ever wanted was to be a lawyer and through eighty hour work weeks to make partner at the firm. So when her mother falls ill and dies, leaving Emma a ticket to the (made up) country of Tswanaland, it might be grief forcing her decisions or an anguished sense of wanting to connect with her mother but Emma suddenly finds herself taking (an unheard of) month off work and boarding a flight to Africa.
Six months later… We join Emma on a dirt road attempting to get home; it seems her 30 day safari hasn’t gone exactly according to plan. Falling ill early on the tour Emma was left in a remote village to recover only to get stranded by a massive earthquake. Completely cut off to the outside world and any form of communication, her ordeal has finally come to an end. Now she can just slip back into her old life, or can she?
These early chapters were my favourite parts of the book as we watch no nonsense Emma naively return home expecting to pick up where she left off. It quickly becomes apparent though that everything has changed. To start with someone forgot to tell her that she was missing –presumed dead.
The fact that no one meets her at the airport should have been her first clue something was wrong, then her bank cards won’t work, her accounts frozen. When she discovers some (cute) guy living in her apartment everything falls apart. She’s also been replaced at work (that bitch!) her boyfriend has found someone else (awfully fast don’t ya think?) And her car and all her possessions have been disposed of. It seems that everyone has just moved on and that Emma has been “forgotten.”
This was a great read I loved the original storyline. I mean when everyone thinks you’re dead, how do you start your life over again? Would it be the same or would you change a few things? Throughout Emma’s story we get intermittent flashes back to Africa and her experiences after the earthquake. Personally I would have liked this section to have played a bigger role as it was the catalyst for the entire story yet sometimes felt like an afterthought.
I should also mention how funny this is, even though there a lot of heavy issues Emma’s determination, new appreciation of Scotch and dry wit is hard not to enjoy. I especially liked her hilarious, flirty interactions with Dominique (the reluctant roommate) who, you guessed it also becomes the love interest. The dialogue here is so clever and well written. He was a lovely character ultimately dealing with his own issues and starting a new life.
Catherine McKenzie has quickly become an auto-buy author me. I just love her style of chick-lit; she manages to avoid all the clichés and gives us an original, smart story with fast paced writing and addictive characters. Definitely check out her first book Spin Cheers
313jb4
November 5, 2017
If anyone has been glancing at my reviews since September, they would perhaps surmise that I am engulfed in a massive reading drought that has caused my reviews to be rather, lackluster. But Catherine McKenzie was the cure for my woes. "Forgotten" is a page turner with a cast of compelling characters and a nice mixture of romance and mystery.
July 27, 2021
Strong start, weak finish
This is one of those books that seems like it's going to be different, until it isn't. Girl's mother passes, leaves her a ticket to Africa, girl hesitates but goes. Natural tragedy follows, delaying her return. Conflicts at home, romance, work etc..yada, yada, yada. This story has been done countless times, yet I'd hoped for more given its ratings. Alas its nothing more than a regurgitation of plots that have been used for decades. The ONLY thing going for it is pacing, which is done well. That said, I DO realize this type of story appeals to various readers. To quote Groucho Marx, "I'd never be a member of a club that would have someone like me as a member" :)
This is one of those books that seems like it's going to be different, until it isn't. Girl's mother passes, leaves her a ticket to Africa, girl hesitates but goes. Natural tragedy follows, delaying her return. Conflicts at home, romance, work etc..yada, yada, yada. This story has been done countless times, yet I'd hoped for more given its ratings. Alas its nothing more than a regurgitation of plots that have been used for decades. The ONLY thing going for it is pacing, which is done well. That said, I DO realize this type of story appeals to various readers. To quote Groucho Marx, "I'd never be a member of a club that would have someone like me as a member" :)
February 12, 2020
Forgotten addresses the disconnect one experiences when they are out of the loop. Our protagonist, Emma goes for a brief visit to a fictionalized country in the South African Continent for safari. She is about to return home when an earthquake hits the region and she is unable to exit due to a closure in infrastructure. She is presumed dead by authorities and her office.
When she finally gets home everything has changed and everyone has moved on without her. She fights for her old life (career and boyfriend and apartment) only to question if they are worth fighting for.
A synopsis for this story may be summarized by the quote attributed to Socrates, ""The unexamined life is not worth living". A truly delightful read with writing maintaining an even pace and the pages turning. I read this in one day with brief breaks (I am recuperating from surgery). It challenges each of us to examine our world just a little more closely. A fun read with just the right amount of reality.
When she finally gets home everything has changed and everyone has moved on without her. She fights for her old life (career and boyfriend and apartment) only to question if they are worth fighting for.
A synopsis for this story may be summarized by the quote attributed to Socrates, ""The unexamined life is not worth living". A truly delightful read with writing maintaining an even pace and the pages turning. I read this in one day with brief breaks (I am recuperating from surgery). It challenges each of us to examine our world just a little more closely. A fun read with just the right amount of reality.
January 16, 2013
Emma Tupper's mother had a lifelong love of anything African, though she never had a chance to go there herself. After her mother's death, Emma discovers that she spent her last money on a plane ticket for Emma to go to Tswanaland in Africa for a month. Emma is on the fast-track at her big corporate law firm and looking at making partner soon, but the last thing she said to her mother was to promise she would go to Africa, and when the estate lawyer at her firm, who also handled her mother's will, implies that she'll put her career on the line if she takes the time off, Emma's stubborn determination to do just that takes over.
While in Tswanaland, though, Emma falls ill while on safari and is left with an NGO in a remote village to recover. Before she can make it back to the city, a massive earthquake hits the country and destroys all its communications infrastructure, not to mention closing the airports. Emma finds herself stranded the day before she had planned on flying out, alone but for the two NGO workers who are building a school. One month becomes six before Emma finally decides to leave, flying home via London. Unable to reach any of her friends or her boyfriend, Craig, there's no one to meet her at the airport when she arrives in a wintry December dressed in summer clothes.
But it's when her key doesn't work in the lock to her apartment that she really begins to worry - no, it's when a man, a stranger, appears and unlocks the door for her that Emma starts to freak. Her furniture is still inside, her phone, her bed, but her possessions are gone. Her landlord has rented out her home to this man, Dominic, a handsome photographer and a friend of her upstairs neighbour, Tara, an actress who's currently in LA. After calling Tara to make sure Emma isn't a crazy person, Dominic lets her in and agrees to let her stay - after all, she has nowhere else to go. Her bank account is frozen, she can't reach her friends and doesn't have their mobile numbers, and she's in a state of shock.
The shock only escalates when they go and see the landlord who explains that he rented out the flat after hearing that Emma was "missing, presumed dead." When she finally braves her law office, she learns that not only was she presumed dead, but they even held a memorial for her. Her boyfriend is now dating her nemesis, Sophie. And where is Stephanie, her best friend? Only in Africa, trying to find her - or her dead body.
Coming back to this nightmare world, Emma has no intention of taking Dominic's advice to remake her world however she wants it: she loved her old life. She loves her job, her apartment, she just wants things to go back to normal. Why should she change? But the truth is, everything around her has changed without her, leaving Emma clutching at the past, alone.
I got this book some time ago; I'd just finished SJ Watson's Before I Go to Sleep about a woman with amnesia, so it's hardly surprising that this book seemed to jump off the shelf at me, with a title like that. And I liked the cheeriness of the cover, which is rather misleading as the entire story is set during a snowy winter, with the exception of some flashbacks to Africa. The premise sounded interesting and even a bit scary, and promised to be an engrossing read. That was the extent of my expectation when I started reading this, so I wouldn't say that this disappointed me because it didn't live up to them. No, it disappointed me for several other reasons.
To start with, Emma was a narrator I just couldn't come to like. I found her to be rather ridiculous: self-indulgent in the worst way, and stupidly melodramatic - the way she runs off after talking to the landlord and throws herself into the snow? The way she throws a glass of Scotch at the wall above Dominic's head to get his attention? If this is McKenzie's only idea for showing us the turmoil and stress and panic that Emma's going through, it's really lame. Sorry but it is. Emma was also stubborn, petty, often childish, and her character seemed to be all over the place. One minute she's the argumentative, self-assured litigation lawyer, the next she can barely speak and lets others score a hit on her. I couldn't come to care for her priorities, I found her exceedingly irritating, and I have no idea what Dominic saw in her. She was inherently selfish, and sure, she's in a horrible situation that would make most people pretty upset, to say the least - frankly I find the idea of returning home only to find that it's, well, gone quite terrifying - but her self-absorbed personality was clearly something well established before then. I could understand her need to normalise her world after returning from Africa, but I was also disappointed in her disinterest to change anything - she came across as pretty boring, which I won't hold against her because hey, I like my comforts too, but still, as a story of self-discovery, it was pretty lacking.
She's a good friend, Stephanie. I didn't find any of the characters particularly interesting, though I quite liked Stephanie. While the story is, thematically, clearly about Emma's struggle to balance her desire for the life she had with the reality of her life now, I found it rather bland and weakly explored. The glimpse into the world of corporate law (the author is a lawyer) brought nothing new to the usual stereotypes, by which I take away the idea that corporate law really is that horrible. Can't imagine why anyone wants to be a lawyer, but that's just me. Another thing I couldn't identify with, with Emma.
It was weird, I thought, for McKenzie to use Tswanaland, which was within Namibia, one of several "bantustans" that were designed for the indigenous people - in this case the Tswanas - to self-govern within the country. They were all abolished in 1989. I suppose she chose it for that reason, to avoid cultural or racial stereotyping, but I'm not sure you can avoid that. While she does reminisce about her time in Africa, I couldn't quite picture it. It was unclear to me whether she stayed as long as she did because she actually liked it there, helping to build a school and living an uncomplicated life - it was implied, yet she so quickly ditched it all when getting back that I wasn't sure if I'd understood it properly.
Another major disappointment for me was the fact that McKenzie clearly made a concerted effort to remove anything that might distinguish this as a Canadian story, set in Montreal - in fact, at one point she even mentions a "congresswoman", which is a distinctly American term. This saddened me. I'm sure the thinking behind this was somewhere along the lines of wanting people who live anywhere similar to Canada, to be able to identify with the story and feel like it was taking place in their own location, despite the snow. But to my cynical side, it felt like selling out. A way to Americanise a story without overtly doing so, which will definitely help with U.S. sales (the book has been picked up by an American publisher and was released there early 2013). Having lived in Canada for seven years now, I'm aware of the complex relationship between the two countries, and the debates about Canada's national identity - or lack of one, even - and the sad fact that books with a distinctly Canadian setting don't, apparently, sell well in the States. Personally, I think people should be proud of where they come from, and celebrate it. Besides, every American book I pick up, the first thing you learn is precisely where it's set, town name, state, sometimes they even talk about streets and local shops. It's interesting (and curious) to me that this is something Canadian and Australian authors tend not to do - a discussion for another day, perhaps.
It's clear after all this that I don't have much positive to say about Forgotten, though I will say it was a quick and easy read. I didn't find it particularly humorous, I solved the mystery of the stolen painting as soon as the chest was mentioned, I found the plot to be ploddingly cliched, and the love interest - Dominic - woefully under-utilised and thinly sketched out. There was almost no chemistry between them, just an awful lot of drinking. It could have been a much stronger story if the main character had been someone I could respect, admire even, and definitely empathise with. As it was, I not only couldn't find a way to relate to Emma, I wanted to tune her out. Not a recipe for enjoyment, when reading. Mostly I was just left feeling completely unimpressed, by the end, though mildly pleased that Emma did manage to achieve that balance between her old life and her new.
While in Tswanaland, though, Emma falls ill while on safari and is left with an NGO in a remote village to recover. Before she can make it back to the city, a massive earthquake hits the country and destroys all its communications infrastructure, not to mention closing the airports. Emma finds herself stranded the day before she had planned on flying out, alone but for the two NGO workers who are building a school. One month becomes six before Emma finally decides to leave, flying home via London. Unable to reach any of her friends or her boyfriend, Craig, there's no one to meet her at the airport when she arrives in a wintry December dressed in summer clothes.
But it's when her key doesn't work in the lock to her apartment that she really begins to worry - no, it's when a man, a stranger, appears and unlocks the door for her that Emma starts to freak. Her furniture is still inside, her phone, her bed, but her possessions are gone. Her landlord has rented out her home to this man, Dominic, a handsome photographer and a friend of her upstairs neighbour, Tara, an actress who's currently in LA. After calling Tara to make sure Emma isn't a crazy person, Dominic lets her in and agrees to let her stay - after all, she has nowhere else to go. Her bank account is frozen, she can't reach her friends and doesn't have their mobile numbers, and she's in a state of shock.
The shock only escalates when they go and see the landlord who explains that he rented out the flat after hearing that Emma was "missing, presumed dead." When she finally braves her law office, she learns that not only was she presumed dead, but they even held a memorial for her. Her boyfriend is now dating her nemesis, Sophie. And where is Stephanie, her best friend? Only in Africa, trying to find her - or her dead body.
Coming back to this nightmare world, Emma has no intention of taking Dominic's advice to remake her world however she wants it: she loved her old life. She loves her job, her apartment, she just wants things to go back to normal. Why should she change? But the truth is, everything around her has changed without her, leaving Emma clutching at the past, alone.
I got this book some time ago; I'd just finished SJ Watson's Before I Go to Sleep about a woman with amnesia, so it's hardly surprising that this book seemed to jump off the shelf at me, with a title like that. And I liked the cheeriness of the cover, which is rather misleading as the entire story is set during a snowy winter, with the exception of some flashbacks to Africa. The premise sounded interesting and even a bit scary, and promised to be an engrossing read. That was the extent of my expectation when I started reading this, so I wouldn't say that this disappointed me because it didn't live up to them. No, it disappointed me for several other reasons.
To start with, Emma was a narrator I just couldn't come to like. I found her to be rather ridiculous: self-indulgent in the worst way, and stupidly melodramatic - the way she runs off after talking to the landlord and throws herself into the snow? The way she throws a glass of Scotch at the wall above Dominic's head to get his attention? If this is McKenzie's only idea for showing us the turmoil and stress and panic that Emma's going through, it's really lame. Sorry but it is. Emma was also stubborn, petty, often childish, and her character seemed to be all over the place. One minute she's the argumentative, self-assured litigation lawyer, the next she can barely speak and lets others score a hit on her. I couldn't come to care for her priorities, I found her exceedingly irritating, and I have no idea what Dominic saw in her. She was inherently selfish, and sure, she's in a horrible situation that would make most people pretty upset, to say the least - frankly I find the idea of returning home only to find that it's, well, gone quite terrifying - but her self-absorbed personality was clearly something well established before then. I could understand her need to normalise her world after returning from Africa, but I was also disappointed in her disinterest to change anything - she came across as pretty boring, which I won't hold against her because hey, I like my comforts too, but still, as a story of self-discovery, it was pretty lacking.
"Don't you want to bust out sometimes and do something totally spontaneous?"
I laugh. "You know I don't."
"Maybe that's the problem."
I feel a flutter of annoyance. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, I don't know. It's just ... you could've died, Emma. Hasn't that changed anything for you?
"You can't be serious."
"I know lots of bad things have happened to you, but what have you changed? You know, in your life?"
[...]
"Why does everyone expect me to change my whole life just because of what happened to me?"
"Who expects that?"
"You. Matt. Dominic."
[...]
She starts to laugh. Hard.
"What's so funny?"
"Your life already has changed, Emma, whether you like it or not."
"Don't you think I know that?"
"No, I'm not sure you really do." [pp.273-4]
She's a good friend, Stephanie. I didn't find any of the characters particularly interesting, though I quite liked Stephanie. While the story is, thematically, clearly about Emma's struggle to balance her desire for the life she had with the reality of her life now, I found it rather bland and weakly explored. The glimpse into the world of corporate law (the author is a lawyer) brought nothing new to the usual stereotypes, by which I take away the idea that corporate law really is that horrible. Can't imagine why anyone wants to be a lawyer, but that's just me. Another thing I couldn't identify with, with Emma.
It was weird, I thought, for McKenzie to use Tswanaland, which was within Namibia, one of several "bantustans" that were designed for the indigenous people - in this case the Tswanas - to self-govern within the country. They were all abolished in 1989. I suppose she chose it for that reason, to avoid cultural or racial stereotyping, but I'm not sure you can avoid that. While she does reminisce about her time in Africa, I couldn't quite picture it. It was unclear to me whether she stayed as long as she did because she actually liked it there, helping to build a school and living an uncomplicated life - it was implied, yet she so quickly ditched it all when getting back that I wasn't sure if I'd understood it properly.
Another major disappointment for me was the fact that McKenzie clearly made a concerted effort to remove anything that might distinguish this as a Canadian story, set in Montreal - in fact, at one point she even mentions a "congresswoman", which is a distinctly American term. This saddened me. I'm sure the thinking behind this was somewhere along the lines of wanting people who live anywhere similar to Canada, to be able to identify with the story and feel like it was taking place in their own location, despite the snow. But to my cynical side, it felt like selling out. A way to Americanise a story without overtly doing so, which will definitely help with U.S. sales (the book has been picked up by an American publisher and was released there early 2013). Having lived in Canada for seven years now, I'm aware of the complex relationship between the two countries, and the debates about Canada's national identity - or lack of one, even - and the sad fact that books with a distinctly Canadian setting don't, apparently, sell well in the States. Personally, I think people should be proud of where they come from, and celebrate it. Besides, every American book I pick up, the first thing you learn is precisely where it's set, town name, state, sometimes they even talk about streets and local shops. It's interesting (and curious) to me that this is something Canadian and Australian authors tend not to do - a discussion for another day, perhaps.
It's clear after all this that I don't have much positive to say about Forgotten, though I will say it was a quick and easy read. I didn't find it particularly humorous, I solved the mystery of the stolen painting as soon as the chest was mentioned, I found the plot to be ploddingly cliched, and the love interest - Dominic - woefully under-utilised and thinly sketched out. There was almost no chemistry between them, just an awful lot of drinking. It could have been a much stronger story if the main character had been someone I could respect, admire even, and definitely empathise with. As it was, I not only couldn't find a way to relate to Emma, I wanted to tune her out. Not a recipe for enjoyment, when reading. Mostly I was just left feeling completely unimpressed, by the end, though mildly pleased that Emma did manage to achieve that balance between her old life and her new.
December 8, 2012
This one surprised me, I thought the premise was intriguing. Emma reluctantly goes on a trip due to a death bed promise to her mother, then all hell breaks loose and she isn't able to come back to her high powered lawyer life for 6 months and is surprised to learn that everyone thought she was dead. Where do you go from there, how do you go back to your life, and was what was important before still important? Those are the questions that Emma faces.
I can't imagine being in this situation and get how lost Emma felt and why she found comfort in different things. I did like how this trip and what happened opened Emma's eyes and I loved the ways that she went about changing her life.
I found the situation with Dominic funny at the start, loved how she just took back her apartment and how Dominic went with it. Their odd relationship was just what each needed to recover from life's wounds.
I really liked where Emma was at the end of this one. It seems like she took the lesson learned and integrated them into her life.
I can't imagine being in this situation and get how lost Emma felt and why she found comfort in different things. I did like how this trip and what happened opened Emma's eyes and I loved the ways that she went about changing her life.
I found the situation with Dominic funny at the start, loved how she just took back her apartment and how Dominic went with it. Their odd relationship was just what each needed to recover from life's wounds.
I really liked where Emma was at the end of this one. It seems like she took the lesson learned and integrated them into her life.
April 26, 2020
"زندگی در انتظار تو نمیمونه. این تو هستی که باید اون رو به جریان بندازی، زمانی که در اطرافت جاریست. این تو هستی که باید اون رو زندگی کنی. زندگی یکجا نمیمونه."
October 22, 2016
O livro tem um começo muito triste, Emma, acaba de perder a sua mãe e encontra-se sozinha no mundo. Tem consigo as lembranças da sua mãe e recordações da sua obsessão por África. Quando o advogado lhe conta que a mãe lhe deixou como última vontade, uma viagem a África ela não tem como recusar e aí começa a sua aventura!
O que ela não esperava era ficar doente e que um terramoto de grande escala destruísse toda e qualquer possibilidade de comunicação com os seus amigos durante 6 meses. Neste tempo Emma viveu numa pequena aldeia africana e ajudou um casal de missionários a construir uma escola para as crianças da aldeia.
Quando consegue regressar Emma descobre que foi dada como desaparecida, e chegando ao seu antigo apartamento vê que este fora ocupado por outra pessoa, os seus bens desapareceram e toda a sua vida dá uma reviravolta! Emma consegue provar que está viva! Mas a sua vida não vai voltar ao que era Emma descobre que já não é a mesma pessoa, que a sua carreira não a satisfaz, que a sua vida pessoal, isto é o relacionamento com Craig, o suposto namorado não é aquilo que ela queria…
Um romance bem conseguido, uma escrita ligeira que torna esta tragédia algo leve e com alguns momentos cómicos!
O que ela não esperava era ficar doente e que um terramoto de grande escala destruísse toda e qualquer possibilidade de comunicação com os seus amigos durante 6 meses. Neste tempo Emma viveu numa pequena aldeia africana e ajudou um casal de missionários a construir uma escola para as crianças da aldeia.
Quando consegue regressar Emma descobre que foi dada como desaparecida, e chegando ao seu antigo apartamento vê que este fora ocupado por outra pessoa, os seus bens desapareceram e toda a sua vida dá uma reviravolta! Emma consegue provar que está viva! Mas a sua vida não vai voltar ao que era Emma descobre que já não é a mesma pessoa, que a sua carreira não a satisfaz, que a sua vida pessoal, isto é o relacionamento com Craig, o suposto namorado não é aquilo que ela queria…
Um romance bem conseguido, uma escrita ligeira que torna esta tragédia algo leve e com alguns momentos cómicos!
June 6, 2014
Plot, pacing and dialogue strain credibilty, and the characters are one-dimensional. My head hurts from all the eyeball rolling I did while reading this. Wouldn't have given it two stars except my gold standard for a one-star rating is "50 Shades of Grey" and there are very few books that are THAT bad.
December 22, 2017
Gostei deste romance ! É o segundo livro que leio da autora! Romances que se lêem rápido e nós deixam com sorrisos nos lábios!
June 29, 2012
I love Catherine McKenzie's books and writing style. I find her incredibly talented and well rounded. This is the third book by her I have read. Once again, she has surprised me with her knowledge base as this time around the protagonist is an attorney who, before leaving for Africa, is up for partner. She has sacrificed and put in her time, sweat, tears and given up everything else except her lawyer boyfriend and one good friend when her mother succumbs to cancer and she is handed an inheritance that includes airfare and a month long safari to Africa.
Six months later she returns to her life. There was a supernatural experience that may be chalked up to a feverish illness, a promise to return to pick her up later and, a day later, a devastating earthquake. Emma is stranded in a remote village with no contact with the outside world. Slowly, she adjusts her expectations and helps with the service work. When the airport opens six months later Emma goes home. When she gets there, however, she discovers that she has been presumed dead and life continued without her. The life she spent three and half decades building is gone.
Emma tells the story of Africa intermittently in her head and through dreams as she tries to put her life back together. She didn't know the earthquake was devastating in the capital. But something within her changed while she was in Africa. The timing of Africa revelations perfectly lines up with her current circumstances. The author is still one of my favorite because I love the way she tells the story, whatever story she tells, and the voice she tells it in. The reason for the three stars instead of a higher rating is simply due to the fact that I lacked the understanding of the connection of Africa and the new Emma. I saw the changes with Emma and I liked them. I liked the romance, too. I liked Emma's take charge personality like many of McKenzie's previous protagonists. I simply didn't feel as moved by the conclusion of the book as I have in other books by this author.
On the other hand, this is a much cleaner read than her previous two books so I didn't have to hide from my kids while I was reading it. Catherine McKenzie is articulate, hilarious, and and writes strong yet human protagonists. I guess my real hang up with this book is that I wanted to be more in Emma's head when she makes the decisions she makes to change her life. Why she changed certain things and didn't change others. I also felt disconnected from Dominic, the potential love interest. I wanted more of a back story on him. I liked him but never really connected to him beyond the fact that he had a broken heart and was exiting a bad relationship. Beyond that, I wanted to know his motivations for his actions. In fact, I think I hungered for understanding everybody's motivations and they didn't meet my expectations.
Still - good read. One of my favorite authors. It's her own fault for entertaining me so completely with her first two novels.
Six months later she returns to her life. There was a supernatural experience that may be chalked up to a feverish illness, a promise to return to pick her up later and, a day later, a devastating earthquake. Emma is stranded in a remote village with no contact with the outside world. Slowly, she adjusts her expectations and helps with the service work. When the airport opens six months later Emma goes home. When she gets there, however, she discovers that she has been presumed dead and life continued without her. The life she spent three and half decades building is gone.
Emma tells the story of Africa intermittently in her head and through dreams as she tries to put her life back together. She didn't know the earthquake was devastating in the capital. But something within her changed while she was in Africa. The timing of Africa revelations perfectly lines up with her current circumstances. The author is still one of my favorite because I love the way she tells the story, whatever story she tells, and the voice she tells it in. The reason for the three stars instead of a higher rating is simply due to the fact that I lacked the understanding of the connection of Africa and the new Emma. I saw the changes with Emma and I liked them. I liked the romance, too. I liked Emma's take charge personality like many of McKenzie's previous protagonists. I simply didn't feel as moved by the conclusion of the book as I have in other books by this author.
On the other hand, this is a much cleaner read than her previous two books so I didn't have to hide from my kids while I was reading it. Catherine McKenzie is articulate, hilarious, and and writes strong yet human protagonists. I guess my real hang up with this book is that I wanted to be more in Emma's head when she makes the decisions she makes to change her life. Why she changed certain things and didn't change others. I also felt disconnected from Dominic, the potential love interest. I wanted more of a back story on him. I liked him but never really connected to him beyond the fact that he had a broken heart and was exiting a bad relationship. Beyond that, I wanted to know his motivations for his actions. In fact, I think I hungered for understanding everybody's motivations and they didn't meet my expectations.
Still - good read. One of my favorite authors. It's her own fault for entertaining me so completely with her first two novels.
May 18, 2017
3,5* um livro que apesar de não ter uma "grande" estória se tornou de leitura compulsiva levando-me a pensar como pequenas coisas da nossa vida como um número de telefone podem ter um tão grande significado e importância.
Foi uma leitura agradável.
Foi uma leitura agradável.
October 24, 2012
Most of my readers know that I love Catherine Mckenzie. I love everything about her books from the stories to the writing and characters. Although all her books fall under the chick lit/women's fiction genre, they usually have a deep element and I expected something similar with Forgotten.
However, this book was a different read from the rest and not in a bad way. Despite the blurb, Forgotten was more of a chick-lit read with an adorable romance and unique storyline. The first thing I noticed was that Emma was a much stronger protagonist than the ones Catherine usually goes for. She was smart, accomplished, sassy and confident and I loved that about her!
Emma's relationship with Dominique was great and they had great chemistry together but I felt they grew close too quickly and I didn't feel the depth of their romance the way I did in Spin and Arranged. If their relationship progressed slower and didn't have the issue of it being possible rebound hanging over them, Forgotten would've appealed to me much more.
Having said that, everything else about Forgotten was perfect! Catherine McKenzie stayed true to her writing style with fun characters and a unique storyline! A quick, happy and sweet read, I recommend this to anyone who likes a good romance novel!
However, this book was a different read from the rest and not in a bad way. Despite the blurb, Forgotten was more of a chick-lit read with an adorable romance and unique storyline. The first thing I noticed was that Emma was a much stronger protagonist than the ones Catherine usually goes for. She was smart, accomplished, sassy and confident and I loved that about her!
Emma's relationship with Dominique was great and they had great chemistry together but I felt they grew close too quickly and I didn't feel the depth of their romance the way I did in Spin and Arranged. If their relationship progressed slower and didn't have the issue of it being possible rebound hanging over them, Forgotten would've appealed to me much more.
Having said that, everything else about Forgotten was perfect! Catherine McKenzie stayed true to her writing style with fun characters and a unique storyline! A quick, happy and sweet read, I recommend this to anyone who likes a good romance novel!
August 25, 2017
Só de ler pela sinopse tinha-me seduzido, mas ao ler, nota-se que é cada vez mais previsível, e achei o fim um pouco fraco. Estava à espera de mais deste livro. Foi um dissabor. A história em si é gira, mas o romance entre ela e o Dominic topa-se bem que iria acontecer e depois a indecisão dele entre ficar com a Emma e a sua ex-noiva acho que mata um pouco a história.
http://aviciadadoslivros.blogspot.pt/...
http://aviciadadoslivros.blogspot.pt/...
November 7, 2012
The Good Stuff
Simply put, I just adore anything that McKenzie writes, and this is no exception. She is just the perfect storyteller. She hooks you in with great characters that you can relate to and puts them into intriguing tales with plenty of twists and turns
The perfect book for just losing yourself into too
nothing cliche or predictable - thank you - now lets make this into a movie 'kay - cuz we need some romantic movies that are not cliche and predictable - this is a smart romance people - us girls like that you know
Characters are never caricatures, these are people that you can either relate too or feel that you know someone just like them
Definitely felt myself attracted to Dominic
Loved the banter between Dominic and Emma - it was truly delightful
Such an honest loving relationship between Sam and Stephanie
Great secondary characters
Liked Emma's development - Its more realistic that she does change but not a complete change like in so many predictable stories where a heroine does a complete about face. Emma becomes more human but not completely goody goody.
Fabulous dialogue - McKenzie always makes me giggle, yet at the same time nod my head in agreement or understanding
Love Kevin and his family - trust me so will you
oh yeah, and she's Canadian
The Not So Good Stuff
Would have liked a little more of what happened to Emma in Africa
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"You okay? You look pale."
I let the phone drop to the table. "You ever have to call someone to let them know you're not in fact dead?"
"God, no."
"Yeah, well, I don't recommend it."
"Because the truth was, I wanted to be a lawyer because I liked arguing. I liked it so much I'd argue either side of anything just for the hell of it, whether someone asked me to or not. Anytime, Anywhere.
And that's not an appealing characteristic, right? Being argumentative? I want to go to law school so I can learn to argue so well no one will ever dare to disagree with me again ... Won't I be popular then? Won't I be happy? Oh well, at least I'll be right."
"Big family?"
"You could say that. I'm the youngest of twelve."
"You're making that up, right?
"Nope."
"Your parents really had twelve children?"
"The Catholic Church has a lot to answer for."
"I'll say."
Who Should/Shouldn't Read
Yes this will mostly only appeal to women -- I know I know - they will call it Chick Lit - but who the fuck cares - its a good book hands down
Other than that -- you like a good story with great characters and snappy dialogue -- than this be what you are looking for
5 Dewey's
I received this from William Morrow in exchange for an honest review
Simply put, I just adore anything that McKenzie writes, and this is no exception. She is just the perfect storyteller. She hooks you in with great characters that you can relate to and puts them into intriguing tales with plenty of twists and turns
The perfect book for just losing yourself into too
nothing cliche or predictable - thank you - now lets make this into a movie 'kay - cuz we need some romantic movies that are not cliche and predictable - this is a smart romance people - us girls like that you know
Characters are never caricatures, these are people that you can either relate too or feel that you know someone just like them
Definitely felt myself attracted to Dominic
Loved the banter between Dominic and Emma - it was truly delightful
Such an honest loving relationship between Sam and Stephanie
Great secondary characters
Liked Emma's development - Its more realistic that she does change but not a complete change like in so many predictable stories where a heroine does a complete about face. Emma becomes more human but not completely goody goody.
Fabulous dialogue - McKenzie always makes me giggle, yet at the same time nod my head in agreement or understanding
Love Kevin and his family - trust me so will you
oh yeah, and she's Canadian
The Not So Good Stuff
Would have liked a little more of what happened to Emma in Africa
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"You okay? You look pale."
I let the phone drop to the table. "You ever have to call someone to let them know you're not in fact dead?"
"God, no."
"Yeah, well, I don't recommend it."
"Because the truth was, I wanted to be a lawyer because I liked arguing. I liked it so much I'd argue either side of anything just for the hell of it, whether someone asked me to or not. Anytime, Anywhere.
And that's not an appealing characteristic, right? Being argumentative? I want to go to law school so I can learn to argue so well no one will ever dare to disagree with me again ... Won't I be popular then? Won't I be happy? Oh well, at least I'll be right."
"Big family?"
"You could say that. I'm the youngest of twelve."
"You're making that up, right?
"Nope."
"Your parents really had twelve children?"
"The Catholic Church has a lot to answer for."
"I'll say."
Who Should/Shouldn't Read
Yes this will mostly only appeal to women -- I know I know - they will call it Chick Lit - but who the fuck cares - its a good book hands down
Other than that -- you like a good story with great characters and snappy dialogue -- than this be what you are looking for
5 Dewey's
I received this from William Morrow in exchange for an honest review
May 22, 2016
Once in a while I love to take a mental break and read something light and refreshing, a women’s fiction (chic-lit) seems to do the trick although it is always preferable to suspend a certain degree of disbelief to enjoy the experience.
If you had the chance to start over, would you? Or would you just try to pick up the pieces of your life and move on? What a dilemma…
This enjoyable story has Emma, the protagonist facing this challenge after she went missing in Africa and declared dead. Returning home 6 months later she finds her world has been turned upside down and her life is as she knew it gone…….what to do now.
“Forgotten” relies on many of the elements popular for the chick-lit genre: a protagonist Emma with a best friend, trouble with a mean girl at the office, having mix feelings about her boyfriend and having an attractive stranger on the sideline to distract her and of course what women like best….shopping. The premise is a well- crafted mix of humour and sadness but most of all make you realize that life goes on. Although quite predictable we do have a few twists, quite a few suspenseful moments, lots of back-stabbing and a tad of romance. This is a story easy to get lost into from page one, wanting to know the outcome. The story has a steady pace, flows smoothly and plays out nicely. The characterization is also good and is well thought out.
“Forgotten” is a cute novel and a great book to bring to the beach
If you had the chance to start over, would you? Or would you just try to pick up the pieces of your life and move on? What a dilemma…
This enjoyable story has Emma, the protagonist facing this challenge after she went missing in Africa and declared dead. Returning home 6 months later she finds her world has been turned upside down and her life is as she knew it gone…….what to do now.
“Forgotten” relies on many of the elements popular for the chick-lit genre: a protagonist Emma with a best friend, trouble with a mean girl at the office, having mix feelings about her boyfriend and having an attractive stranger on the sideline to distract her and of course what women like best….shopping. The premise is a well- crafted mix of humour and sadness but most of all make you realize that life goes on. Although quite predictable we do have a few twists, quite a few suspenseful moments, lots of back-stabbing and a tad of romance. This is a story easy to get lost into from page one, wanting to know the outcome. The story has a steady pace, flows smoothly and plays out nicely. The characterization is also good and is well thought out.
“Forgotten” is a cute novel and a great book to bring to the beach
November 26, 2012
I took Forgotten out of the library on a whim after reading the summary. The premise of the book involves a woman thought to be dead after being trapped in Africa for six months. This woman then comes home and has to deal with the aftermath of being considered dead for so long. Compelling, no? Well perhaps had it been fleshed out and not reduced to the cliche "romantic" movie level, it would have been.
The characters are dull and the dialogue between them is heard in sub-par movies everywhere. The writing is absolutely nothing to write home about and the style used in the story keeps the reader at a distance. Nothing is developed fully except for the eye-roll worthy romantic drama that the book includes. Also, you're telling me the woman who has been considered dead and trapped in Africa for six months would hook up with the guy who just caught his fiance with his best friend? It seems a bit quick, no? Why do I even bother thinking about this? I'm rolling my eyes just thinking of the book!
Also, in reference to the genre, not only is calling something "chick-lit" derogatory, apparently it represents dull, ridiculous and vapid book subjects. What is the male equivalent to "chick-lit"? Women shouldn't be the only ones degraded via book genres.
The characters are dull and the dialogue between them is heard in sub-par movies everywhere. The writing is absolutely nothing to write home about and the style used in the story keeps the reader at a distance. Nothing is developed fully except for the eye-roll worthy romantic drama that the book includes. Also, you're telling me the woman who has been considered dead and trapped in Africa for six months would hook up with the guy who just caught his fiance with his best friend? It seems a bit quick, no? Why do I even bother thinking about this? I'm rolling my eyes just thinking of the book!
Also, in reference to the genre, not only is calling something "chick-lit" derogatory, apparently it represents dull, ridiculous and vapid book subjects. What is the male equivalent to "chick-lit"? Women shouldn't be the only ones degraded via book genres.
February 23, 2016
I very much enjoy Catherine McKenzie's books so I was looking forward to getting to read this one. I liked it but must admit, not as much as Spin & Arranged. I liked Emma & really was interested in how she would put her life back together after six months away & being believed dead but the romance part fell a bit flat for me. I'm not sure why but I didn't feel very invested in Dominique. Maybe I needed to know more about him but he just didn't pull me in the way other paramours have in her other two books. I did find there was plenty of wit to go around while Emma wended her way through & that was good. Sunshine may have been my favorite character & I loved her insight. Sophie, I could only take so seriously but I do have a bias against being drawn into the whole grown women "mortal enemies" thing. I suppose it may be a common enough thing but it's not something I do so I couldn't really relate to that bit. It's likely no surprise but I'll definitely read the next book by McKenzie. I'm on a roll & I'm still having fun.
August 19, 2016
I would class this as women's fiction. The audiobook was based on a very interesting concept. Emma, the heroine went on a trip to Africa and because of a natural disaster, everyone presumes she's dead. When she returns to pick her life back up, she can't. I thoroughly enjoyed the intrigue in the early parts of the book but equally liked reading life beginning to return to some normality. The relationships in this book are hugely complex and betrayal is on the menu from multiple angles.
Emma herself was both an empowered character and wishy washy at times. However, I think her experiences earned her the chance to be weak in certain situations. Dominic was at first a bit of a hero in my eyes but later he annoyed me. Craig left me frustrated.
This is my first book by Catherine Mckenzie but I will be reading more by her.
This was a well narrated story with emotions captured well and a pleasing voice that seemed to fit the character.
The author provided a copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
Emma herself was both an empowered character and wishy washy at times. However, I think her experiences earned her the chance to be weak in certain situations. Dominic was at first a bit of a hero in my eyes but later he annoyed me. Craig left me frustrated.
This is my first book by Catherine Mckenzie but I will be reading more by her.
This was a well narrated story with emotions captured well and a pleasing voice that seemed to fit the character.
The author provided a copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
February 22, 2013
I hate to call a book "Chick lit" -- it conjures up cartoon images of sparkly high heels and champagne glasses. There must be a better term to describe books about the misadventures of young women who are still finding themselves in life, work and love. In many ways, FORGOTTEN fits this description: Emma, an ambitious young lawyer, takes a trip to Africa to fulfill her late mother's bequest and life-long ambition. Things happen, Emma is thought dead, and six months later, comes back to find that her old life has vanished, almost as though she never existed at all. In turns devastated and liberated, Emma has to discover who she really is and what she really wants. Without posting anything spoiler-y, I'll just say that her realizations and choices are not always the ones you think she'll make, and that's what really stood out to me about FORGOTTEN. It would have been easy for McKenzie to go the predictable route, but she doesn't. And I'd better just leave it at that!
March 5, 2013
I always feel like I'm gushing when I review Catherine McKenzie's books but screw it -- yes, consider me gushing. There's just something about the way she draws you immediately in to this main character and her plight -- I didn't have that chapter or two where I had to learn to care about her the way I do when I read other books. And the peripheral characters are fantastic too -- the Initial Brigade made me laugh. And I knew I wasn't going to put this book down from almost the minute I picked it up tonight. Really great. Highly recommend (obviously).
February 16, 2013
A great story - 4.5 stars. It was different to what I was expecting. I thought it would be more a deeper story than the slightly fluffy chick-lit it was, but certainly entertaining just the same.
And, it's different to your usual chick-lit story at that - after all, how often does one go away for a month only to return SIX months later to the shock that {almost} everyone believes you are dead? The characters are compelling, the story is unique and the ending satisfying. It's a story of discovery and meaning told in a thorougly entertaining way.
And, it's different to your usual chick-lit story at that - after all, how often does one go away for a month only to return SIX months later to the shock that {almost} everyone believes you are dead? The characters are compelling, the story is unique and the ending satisfying. It's a story of discovery and meaning told in a thorougly entertaining way.
July 23, 2016
Depois de ter andado a ler uns livros menos bons este livro soube-me mesmo bem.
De leitura compulsiva, vi-me arrastada para a estória de Emma, que depois de ter sobrevivido a um terramoto em África e depois de regresso a casa, se vê catapultada para uma realidade muito diferente da que ela tinha deixado quando iniciou a viagem.
Com uma narrativa muito envolvente não se torna nunca enfadonha apesar de ter algumas descrições e ficarmos a conhecer bem os personagens.
No fundo, e apesar do drama pessoal da personagem principal, é uma lufada de ar fresco
De leitura compulsiva, vi-me arrastada para a estória de Emma, que depois de ter sobrevivido a um terramoto em África e depois de regresso a casa, se vê catapultada para uma realidade muito diferente da que ela tinha deixado quando iniciou a viagem.
Com uma narrativa muito envolvente não se torna nunca enfadonha apesar de ter algumas descrições e ficarmos a conhecer bem os personagens.
No fundo, e apesar do drama pessoal da personagem principal, é uma lufada de ar fresco
January 4, 2013
Over the course of her three novels Catherine McKenzie has completely won me over and I'm proud to say I have become quite the fan. I don't know if this is the best of her three books but it is the one I liked the most with components that appealed to me quite a bit. An art heist, a dating-type service to match people with the books of their dreams, a safari in Africa? I love it all. And a good old-fashioned love story thrown in. I look forward to more books from this author.
April 27, 2020
Trata-se de um romance leve que me prendeu bastante, uma vez que os acontecimentos se íam sucedendo de uma forma inteligente mantendo assim a minha curiosidade. Foi o segundo livro que li da autora e gostei bastante de ambos, pelo que fico satisfeita por saber que tenho um terceiro a aguardar leitura na minha biblioteca!
January 17, 2020
É um romance ligeiro, mas que nos deixa com curiosidade de como será o final... por isso todos os dias lia-o.
Acaba por nos mostrar que muitas vezes a nossa vida precisa de um "reset" e nem sempre percebemos, à primeira, as novas chances que nos surgem.
Gostei do facto de existir um caso "jurídico/policial" e do seu desenvolvimento... Leve e intrigante.
Acaba por nos mostrar que muitas vezes a nossa vida precisa de um "reset" e nem sempre percebemos, à primeira, as novas chances que nos surgem.
Gostei do facto de existir um caso "jurídico/policial" e do seu desenvolvimento... Leve e intrigante.
April 29, 2025
Depois do anterior dela estava com alguma expectativa neste Regressar mas acabei por sentir-me defraudada, a premissa da história é muito interessante começa com o desaparecimento da protagonista Emma durante 6 meses em África para cumprir o sonho da mãe mas quando regressa acaba por perceber que todos achavam que estava morta e começa então a saga para poder recuperar a vida dela novamente como advogada numa renomada firma, tentar recuperar o apartamento onde morava, a sua identidade, o ex-namorado que agora está com a inimiga dela no escritório.
Pelo meio conhece Dominic que alugou o apartamento dela e inevitavelmente acabamos por ver estes dois a apaixonarem-se mas faltou mais desta parte do romance propriamente dito, só nas últimas páginas conseguimos ver a coisa compor-se para o casal protagonista bem como a Emma a recuperar completamente de toda a situação.
Pelo meio conhece Dominic que alugou o apartamento dela e inevitavelmente acabamos por ver estes dois a apaixonarem-se mas faltou mais desta parte do romance propriamente dito, só nas últimas páginas conseguimos ver a coisa compor-se para o casal protagonista bem como a Emma a recuperar completamente de toda a situação.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 666 reviews