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SEAL Team 12 #1
SEAL Team 12: Aus dem Dunkel
Nach seiner Flucht aus der Gefangenschaft in Nordkorea kehrt Gabe Renault zu seiner Frau Helen und ihrer Tochter nach Hause zurück. Helen hatte sich jedoch schon mit seinem Tod abgefunden, denn ihre Ehe war nicht glücklich. Um so erschrockener ist sie, als der Vermisste plötzlich vor ihrer Tür steht. Aber Gabe leidet unter Gedächtnisverlust und hat sich stark verändert. Endlich ist er wieder der Mann, den Helen einst geliebt hat, und nicht der abweisende und gefühlskalte Seal. Als Gabes Gedächtnis Stück für Stück zurückkehrt, kommt jedoch eine weitreichende Verschwörung ans Tageslicht, die ihre neu entflammte Liebe gefährdet.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2004
55 people are currently reading
3013 people want to read
About the author
Marliss Melton
54 books531 followersMarliss Melton is the author of over twenty romantic suspense, medieval, and inspirational stories. She relies on her experience as a military spouse and on her many contacts in the Spec Ops and Intelligence communities to pen realistic and heartfelt stories about America's elite warriors and fearless agency heroes. Daughter of a U.S. foreign officer, Melton grew up in various countries overseas. She has taught English, Spanish, ESL, and Linguistics at the College of William and Mary, her alma mater., and to this day she lives in Williamsburg, Virginia. Marliss also writes inspirational romantic suspense as Rebecca Hartt. Be sure to “friend” Marliss on Facebook! Visit www.marlissmelton.com or https://RebeccaHartt.com for more information.
Series:
* SEAL Team 12
Series:
* SEAL Team 12
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
November 9, 2014
Quick summary
A year ago, Navy SEAL Gabe Renault disappeared following a mission gone bad. He was presumed dead but now he suddenly reappears with no memories of the past three years, including the mission, his imprisonment...and meeting his wife Helen and stepdaughter Mallory.
Really big issues
Gabe's mission didn't just inadvertently go bad so he's in danger and because of his memory loss, he doesn't know the source nor does anyone else really perceive a threat. Before the mission, his relationship with Helen was fractured so she's not exactly thrilled to have him back in her life.
What I really liked
The suspense and intrigue is excellent! We get mostly Gabe's point of view so we're treated to the revelations as his memories start to surface. I loved assembling the clues, figuring out what was real and what was not. It also made the story more interesting to have him working hard to repair his relationship with a woman he essentially doesn't remember but falls for in the present. The new Gabe is a lot more likable than the person who went away a year ago.
What bugged me
Helen. I'm not spoiling anything by saying her reaction and reception after learning Gabe was alive was pathetic (you get this info in the first chapter). Understanding their relationship was in trouble, I still would have expected her to be at least happy he was not dead. This is the man she supposedly still loved and her behavior was almost intolerable.
The bottom line
This is an exciting story with many twists and turns. Gabe's self discovery and transformation is an added element that gives dimension to the character (he wasn't all that honorable before his disappearance). The romance, while rocky because of Helen's attitude and Gabe's earlier behavior, is fresh as you get to watch two people create something new. It's a great start to the series.
A year ago, Navy SEAL Gabe Renault disappeared following a mission gone bad. He was presumed dead but now he suddenly reappears with no memories of the past three years, including the mission, his imprisonment...and meeting his wife Helen and stepdaughter Mallory.
Really big issues
Gabe's mission didn't just inadvertently go bad so he's in danger and because of his memory loss, he doesn't know the source nor does anyone else really perceive a threat. Before the mission, his relationship with Helen was fractured so she's not exactly thrilled to have him back in her life.
What I really liked
The suspense and intrigue is excellent! We get mostly Gabe's point of view so we're treated to the revelations as his memories start to surface. I loved assembling the clues, figuring out what was real and what was not. It also made the story more interesting to have him working hard to repair his relationship with a woman he essentially doesn't remember but falls for in the present. The new Gabe is a lot more likable than the person who went away a year ago.
What bugged me
Helen. I'm not spoiling anything by saying her reaction and reception after learning Gabe was alive was pathetic (you get this info in the first chapter). Understanding their relationship was in trouble, I still would have expected her to be at least happy he was not dead. This is the man she supposedly still loved and her behavior was almost intolerable.
The bottom line
This is an exciting story with many twists and turns. Gabe's self discovery and transformation is an added element that gives dimension to the character (he wasn't all that honorable before his disappearance). The romance, while rocky because of Helen's attitude and Gabe's earlier behavior, is fresh as you get to watch two people create something new. It's a great start to the series.
March 4, 2009
4 ½-5 stars – Romantic Suspense
Forget Me Not, the first book in Melton’s SEAL Team military romance series, is a great romantic suspense read. I had read book #4, Next to Die, without realizing that it was part of a series and was a little bit lost in regards to the characters, so I would recommend reading them in order. This story focuses on Navy SEAL Gabe’s tumultuous return to his estranged wife and stepdaughter after being betrayed on a mission, tortured, and presumed dead. It’s emotionally gripping and heart-wrenching in its honesty, the plot is fast paced, and the suspense is satisfying.
Forget Me Not, the first book in Melton’s SEAL Team military romance series, is a great romantic suspense read. I had read book #4, Next to Die, without realizing that it was part of a series and was a little bit lost in regards to the characters, so I would recommend reading them in order. This story focuses on Navy SEAL Gabe’s tumultuous return to his estranged wife and stepdaughter after being betrayed on a mission, tortured, and presumed dead. It’s emotionally gripping and heart-wrenching in its honesty, the plot is fast paced, and the suspense is satisfying.
July 3, 2011
Opening Line:"Gunfire rained down on the four-man SEAL squad, ricocheting off the concrete floor and metal walls of the warehouse in Pyongyang Harbour, North Korea.”
Navy SEAL Gabe Renault has no memory of the last three years. He doesn’t remember the mission that went wrong landing him in a North Korean prison camp and he certainly doesn’t remember having a wife and teenage daughter. And while the scars on his body tell a tale of torture he has no idea what they did to him or if he eventually broke, betraying his country. The doctors tell him he has PTSD and that given time his memories will return, but he knows the brass are also thinking the amnesia may just be a convenient way to cover up his disgrace at giving up government secrets. Meanwhile he’s been placed on disability leave, given a cocktail of drugs, and told to go home to his family, a family he doesn’t remember.
After Gabe was presumed dead Helen Renault did her best to pull the pieces of her and her daughters life back together. It wasn’t really all the that difficult, Gabe had never been home, always off on some mission and then even when he was he was he’d been distant, secretive and abrupt. Now she’s standing on her own two feet, with friends, a job she loves and a life. When the call comes in telling her Gabe is alive Helen decides that she’ll help him through his recovery but then she wants a divorce. What she hadn’t counted on was that the man returning is nothing like the Gabe she remembers, this is a man she could lose her heart to and spend the rest of her life loving.
With Gabe’s memories coming back Helen puts her heart under lock and key fearing it will only be a matter of time before the “old Gabe” re-emerges and breaks it again. Of course the men trying to kill him and his returning knowledge of government treason may put an end to their second chance at love before it begins anyways.
This is the first book from Marliss Melton’s SEAL team 12 series and also my first from this author. As a whole this was a great read, kinda Suzanne Brockmann-ish as it's more romantic then suspenseful but well written with a slowly unravelling storyline, lots of great secondary characters and a reunited lovers theme which is one of my fav’s. I did have a problem with some of the dialogue being stilted or age inappropriate, as was the case with the teenage daughter and unfortunately the ending went off into silly land but I will definitely be continuing on with the series. Hoo-yah, another SEAL team to get to know.
Navy SEAL Gabe Renault has no memory of the last three years. He doesn’t remember the mission that went wrong landing him in a North Korean prison camp and he certainly doesn’t remember having a wife and teenage daughter. And while the scars on his body tell a tale of torture he has no idea what they did to him or if he eventually broke, betraying his country. The doctors tell him he has PTSD and that given time his memories will return, but he knows the brass are also thinking the amnesia may just be a convenient way to cover up his disgrace at giving up government secrets. Meanwhile he’s been placed on disability leave, given a cocktail of drugs, and told to go home to his family, a family he doesn’t remember.
After Gabe was presumed dead Helen Renault did her best to pull the pieces of her and her daughters life back together. It wasn’t really all the that difficult, Gabe had never been home, always off on some mission and then even when he was he was he’d been distant, secretive and abrupt. Now she’s standing on her own two feet, with friends, a job she loves and a life. When the call comes in telling her Gabe is alive Helen decides that she’ll help him through his recovery but then she wants a divorce. What she hadn’t counted on was that the man returning is nothing like the Gabe she remembers, this is a man she could lose her heart to and spend the rest of her life loving.
With Gabe’s memories coming back Helen puts her heart under lock and key fearing it will only be a matter of time before the “old Gabe” re-emerges and breaks it again. Of course the men trying to kill him and his returning knowledge of government treason may put an end to their second chance at love before it begins anyways.
This is the first book from Marliss Melton’s SEAL team 12 series and also my first from this author. As a whole this was a great read, kinda Suzanne Brockmann-ish as it's more romantic then suspenseful but well written with a slowly unravelling storyline, lots of great secondary characters and a reunited lovers theme which is one of my fav’s. I did have a problem with some of the dialogue being stilted or age inappropriate, as was the case with the teenage daughter and unfortunately the ending went off into silly land but I will definitely be continuing on with the series. Hoo-yah, another SEAL team to get to know.
July 17, 2008
Forget Me Not is an entertaining, fast-paced, romantic suspense novel that focuses on a group of U.S. Navy SEALS. It is the first book in the Seal Team 12 series.
The hero, Gabe Renault, is believed dead after a SEALS mission that went wrong. Gabe had dedicated his life to his SEALS team while letting his relationship with his wife and daughter suffer. Gabe was an emotionally aloof man who believed that to feel and show love for his family was to make him weak. Helen Renault was disillusioned with Gabe after two years of marriage. Marrying him did not give she and her daughter the family of which she dreamed. When Gabe is missing after a mission, Helen begins to rebuild her life, believing him to be dead. She relishes her newfound independence. Just declared dead after missing for a year, Gabe suddenly turns up alive. After being brutally tortured, he has lost his memory of the last three years. Helen reluctantly takes him home to heal, determined that she will not let her feelings for Gabe resurface and threaten her new life. She intends for him to leave as soon as his health and memories return. As Gabe settles into the routine of being back home, he seems to be a changed man. Gabe is much more open and wants Helen to give him another chance. As she tries to decide whether to risk herself and her daughter with him again, Gabe begins to believe that his life is in danger. He has to figure out what happened and who is behind the mission that changed his life, while Helen has to decide if she can trust him with her heart.
I found this book to be very enjoyable. I had a few reservations about Helen's character. Even though she had been hurt by Gabe's emotional detachment, I felt that she should have been more sympathetic when he was found alive. The book said that she felt relief when he was declared dead, and she seemed to resent the fact that he was found alive. She came around fairly quickly, and I ended up liking her for the most part. Gabe, as the man he was after being held hostage and tortured, was a great hero. He learned that the love he held for his wife and daughter made him strong enough to survive his captivity, and that nothing was as important as his family. Questions were left unanswered as to the suspense part of the novel. I look forward to reading the rest of the series to find out what happens.
The hero, Gabe Renault, is believed dead after a SEALS mission that went wrong. Gabe had dedicated his life to his SEALS team while letting his relationship with his wife and daughter suffer. Gabe was an emotionally aloof man who believed that to feel and show love for his family was to make him weak. Helen Renault was disillusioned with Gabe after two years of marriage. Marrying him did not give she and her daughter the family of which she dreamed. When Gabe is missing after a mission, Helen begins to rebuild her life, believing him to be dead. She relishes her newfound independence. Just declared dead after missing for a year, Gabe suddenly turns up alive. After being brutally tortured, he has lost his memory of the last three years. Helen reluctantly takes him home to heal, determined that she will not let her feelings for Gabe resurface and threaten her new life. She intends for him to leave as soon as his health and memories return. As Gabe settles into the routine of being back home, he seems to be a changed man. Gabe is much more open and wants Helen to give him another chance. As she tries to decide whether to risk herself and her daughter with him again, Gabe begins to believe that his life is in danger. He has to figure out what happened and who is behind the mission that changed his life, while Helen has to decide if she can trust him with her heart.
I found this book to be very enjoyable. I had a few reservations about Helen's character. Even though she had been hurt by Gabe's emotional detachment, I felt that she should have been more sympathetic when he was found alive. The book said that she felt relief when he was declared dead, and she seemed to resent the fact that he was found alive. She came around fairly quickly, and I ended up liking her for the most part. Gabe, as the man he was after being held hostage and tortured, was a great hero. He learned that the love he held for his wife and daughter made him strong enough to survive his captivity, and that nothing was as important as his family. Questions were left unanswered as to the suspense part of the novel. I look forward to reading the rest of the series to find out what happens.
March 28, 2017
I read this last year but it no longer showed as read and the review disappeared.
Some thoughts from a group discussion I participated in which makes them more an analysis of the characters versus a review of the book.
I found Helen a bit contradictory. The book spent a lot of time in her head where she kept thinking she wanted Gabe, but then she wasn't very nice to him. I also thought she should have been happier that he was alive and not dead. When Gabe came back, he was a significantly different man and therefore his character could be described as the "new" and the "old" Gabe.
I had major issues with Helen's friend, Leila. What was it about the females in this book? I didn't like the negativity coming from Leila whether in her own life or as a friend to Helen. Her advice to Helen didn't seem in Helen's best interest and the way she treated Sebastian was way over the top mean.
I think as a reader we can sympathize with a character's issues or hard times, but it's hard to support them when their actions towards others is excessively mean or b**chy.
I like imperfect characters (or I dislike perfect characters), but if they have too many negative traits it's hard to be interested in their welfare. Both Gabe and his friend, Sebastian seemed to base their interest in Helen and Leila primarily on looks. I get that first attraction to someone, but after that I want some substance.
I did like how the "new Gabe" was really good with his stepdaughter. In many ways Mallory approached Gabe's return to their lives a lot more mature than Helen did. I actually thought one of the best parts of the book was the relationship that developed between Gabe and Mallory.
Past the "hurt" that both Leila and Mallory felt from the "old Gabe", there was a difference in how they thought the "new Gabe" would fit into their lives. Mallory only saw that he could add to their lives whereas Helen viewed him changing her professional live in a negative way.
As far as the suspense plot the author went the route that was a little cliche and that was disappointing. The climatic ending was a fail for me as I thought it was a TSTL moment and I had issues with Helen's actions as it's not like she had trained skills and the outcome was more than I could believe.
Some thoughts from a group discussion I participated in which makes them more an analysis of the characters versus a review of the book.
I found Helen a bit contradictory. The book spent a lot of time in her head where she kept thinking she wanted Gabe, but then she wasn't very nice to him. I also thought she should have been happier that he was alive and not dead. When Gabe came back, he was a significantly different man and therefore his character could be described as the "new" and the "old" Gabe.
I had major issues with Helen's friend, Leila. What was it about the females in this book? I didn't like the negativity coming from Leila whether in her own life or as a friend to Helen. Her advice to Helen didn't seem in Helen's best interest and the way she treated Sebastian was way over the top mean.
I think as a reader we can sympathize with a character's issues or hard times, but it's hard to support them when their actions towards others is excessively mean or b**chy.
I like imperfect characters (or I dislike perfect characters), but if they have too many negative traits it's hard to be interested in their welfare. Both Gabe and his friend, Sebastian seemed to base their interest in Helen and Leila primarily on looks. I get that first attraction to someone, but after that I want some substance.
I did like how the "new Gabe" was really good with his stepdaughter. In many ways Mallory approached Gabe's return to their lives a lot more mature than Helen did. I actually thought one of the best parts of the book was the relationship that developed between Gabe and Mallory.
Past the "hurt" that both Leila and Mallory felt from the "old Gabe", there was a difference in how they thought the "new Gabe" would fit into their lives. Mallory only saw that he could add to their lives whereas Helen viewed him changing her professional live in a negative way.
As far as the suspense plot the author went the route that was a little cliche and that was disappointing. The climatic ending was a fail for me as I thought it was a TSTL moment and I had issues with Helen's actions as it's not like she had trained skills and the outcome was more than I could believe.
May 21, 2015
Forget Me Not is a good start to a great series. I particularly enjoyed reading it this 2nd time around, already knowing all of the characters from it and the following books in the series. For me, this book has an intriguing and action packed storyline. I liked the balance of romance and suspense, and really enjoyed the character of Gabe Renault. I liked the way that after suffering something horrific, he came back determined to be a better husband and father, even though he didn't remember his family. His wife, Helen, was much harder for me to connect with. When her husband, who she has thought has been dead for the last year, suddenly turns up alive, she finds it an inconvenience to her new lifestyle. I had a hard time forgiving her for that. Even though he wasn't a model husband or father, I could have understood her reluctance to take him back in her life, but not her seeming disappointment that he was alive.
After a mission goes wrong for SEAL Team 12, Gabe Renault is missing and presumed dead. In actuality, he is being held captive. It is a year later before he manages to escape. Gave had a deep seated fear of intimacy, which caused him to give his all to his team, while virtually ignoring his wife and stepdaughter. After two years of an marriage with an emotionally distanced husband, Helen is unhappy and ready to call it quits. When Gabe doesn't come back after the failed mission, she makes a new life for herself and her daughter. A year later, she is not overjoyed when Gabe turns up alive. Although very reluctant to have him in her life at all, Helen takes Gabe home to help him recover, planning to end their marriage once he has improved. While he has memories of earlier in his life, Gabe remembers nothing of the past three years, which includes all of the time that he has known Helen. Once at home, Gabe seems to be a completely man from the one Helen knew in the past. He is much more open and approachable, and actually seems to want to be part of her life and that of her daughter. As Gabe realizes his life is in danger, Helen must decide if they could have a future together.
While I believe this to be the weakest book in the series, it is still a good one. All of my issues with the book come down to feeling like Helen is heartless for not being thankful that her husband is alive. I do like the way their relationship is resolved, and I believe Helen ends up with the appropriate feeling sfor Gabe. However, it is very difficult to get past my initial dislike of her, even upon this re-read of the book. Gave, on the other hand, is a character who tried to be a better man, and I admired him greatly.
After a mission goes wrong for SEAL Team 12, Gabe Renault is missing and presumed dead. In actuality, he is being held captive. It is a year later before he manages to escape. Gave had a deep seated fear of intimacy, which caused him to give his all to his team, while virtually ignoring his wife and stepdaughter. After two years of an marriage with an emotionally distanced husband, Helen is unhappy and ready to call it quits. When Gabe doesn't come back after the failed mission, she makes a new life for herself and her daughter. A year later, she is not overjoyed when Gabe turns up alive. Although very reluctant to have him in her life at all, Helen takes Gabe home to help him recover, planning to end their marriage once he has improved. While he has memories of earlier in his life, Gabe remembers nothing of the past three years, which includes all of the time that he has known Helen. Once at home, Gabe seems to be a completely man from the one Helen knew in the past. He is much more open and approachable, and actually seems to want to be part of her life and that of her daughter. As Gabe realizes his life is in danger, Helen must decide if they could have a future together.
While I believe this to be the weakest book in the series, it is still a good one. All of my issues with the book come down to feeling like Helen is heartless for not being thankful that her husband is alive. I do like the way their relationship is resolved, and I believe Helen ends up with the appropriate feeling sfor Gabe. However, it is very difficult to get past my initial dislike of her, even upon this re-read of the book. Gave, on the other hand, is a character who tried to be a better man, and I admired him greatly.
May 7, 2008
okay, I am such a Sandra Brockmann fan that it's hard to switch to someone else's universe on the same theme, but the book was okay enough that I have reserved the next one in the series from the library.
In this first book of the series there is setup of the Navy Seals team that the books center around with bits of background thrown in for future books of the various players.
The storyline of this book follows Gabe who shows up a year after presumed dead with no memory of the previous 3 years to find he has a wife and daughter who have tried to move on their lives without him.
In this first book of the series there is setup of the Navy Seals team that the books center around with bits of background thrown in for future books of the various players.
The storyline of this book follows Gabe who shows up a year after presumed dead with no memory of the previous 3 years to find he has a wife and daughter who have tried to move on their lives without him.
December 9, 2007
Book #1 in this series. I enjoyed this entire series. It's modern military-type romance with well developed characters. This book pertains with a marriage that was on the rocks, Gabe is MIA for exacty one year. He's been tortured. During that time, his wife got on with her life. When he returns, he has no memory of his wife or stepdaughter and they struggle to rebuild the marriage while he tries to gain his memory of who framed him. Sounds kinda corny, but this was a neat book.
December 15, 2013
I want to finish this book before I rate it, but so far, at 76% this book has lost me....
I GIVE UP!!! For a romance suspense, this book has too little of the suspense and too much character trying to redeem himself. (Though I think he's done a damn good job at it from the beginning...it took too long for the heroine to come around.) There wasn't even that much romance....
Helen - Cold hearted, OTT heroine who has been nothing but cold and suspicious to the hero the whole story just gets on my nerves. She's not the most relatable, or most likable heroine I have read to date.
Gabe - Our hero comes back a changed man. Despite his forgetting why he's changed, he does his best to make up for what he finds out from Helen. The whole story is him trying to win her back, and her staying arm length away, not trusting him, or accept him.
Now, for me, characters make or break the book. For that reason, I did not like it.
But if you don't have to like the character to enjoy the book, then this book is has a pretty decent, if slow plot. I would probably rate it as a 4 STAR book rather than a 3 STAR book just based on story.
I GIVE UP!!! For a romance suspense, this book has too little of the suspense and too much character trying to redeem himself. (Though I think he's done a damn good job at it from the beginning...it took too long for the heroine to come around.) There wasn't even that much romance....
Helen - Cold hearted, OTT heroine who has been nothing but cold and suspicious to the hero the whole story just gets on my nerves. She's not the most relatable, or most likable heroine I have read to date.
Gabe - Our hero comes back a changed man. Despite his forgetting why he's changed, he does his best to make up for what he finds out from Helen. The whole story is him trying to win her back, and her staying arm length away, not trusting him, or accept him.
Now, for me, characters make or break the book. For that reason, I did not like it.
But if you don't have to like the character to enjoy the book, then this book is has a pretty decent, if slow plot. I would probably rate it as a 4 STAR book rather than a 3 STAR book just based on story.
September 13, 2015
Ratings:
Helen - 1.5
Mallory - 3.5
the new Gabe - 4+
the base mental health provider - 1.5
3.5 overall, raising to 4 stars. Helen was such a downer, I could almost take back the 4th star. When she "redeems" herself, it was the most unrealistic part of a Navy SEALs story I've ever read. I'm not crazy about her bestie, Leila, either. I suppose she will come out looking as a nicer character in future books in this series.
I'm committed to reading this series with a buddy-ready group, and I look forward to getting to know more about what's been going on at the Atlantic Ocean posting of SEALs. It seems to me that the ending of this book skipped over quite a few details and/or insights into the treasonous involvement of the bad guy(s).
Helen - 1.5
Mallory - 3.5
the new Gabe - 4+
the base mental health provider - 1.5
3.5 overall, raising to 4 stars. Helen was such a downer, I could almost take back the 4th star. When she "redeems" herself, it was the most unrealistic part of a Navy SEALs story I've ever read. I'm not crazy about her bestie, Leila, either. I suppose she will come out looking as a nicer character in future books in this series.
I'm committed to reading this series with a buddy-ready group, and I look forward to getting to know more about what's been going on at the Atlantic Ocean posting of SEALs. It seems to me that the ending of this book skipped over quite a few details and/or insights into the treasonous involvement of the bad guy(s).
September 2, 2015
First in the SEAL Team 12 series by Marliss Melton. A gripping and heartwrenching story. Helen is ready to get on with her life after learning that her husband, who was listed as missing, is dead. Then a call comes telling her that Gabe is alive but has forgotten the last three years of his life. Gabe is a Navy SEAL and who doesn't love the hunky military man? Having served myself in the Navy, I guess I feel a certain kinship to heroes that do too. The story was close to perfect for me. The right blend of romance, suspense, a little mystery and the introduction to the SEAL Team 12.
September 30, 2009
AWESOME! The things our tortured hero went through and then to have amnesia when he is finally found. What an ordeal. Gabe Renault is a wonderful hero and a spectacular person. How come guys like this don't really exist? We could all use one just like Gabe. And in this series there are 12 of them. Hopefully a book for each one.
I found myself annoyed with his wife, Helen but also understood her reasoning. Thank God she eventually comes around. I can't wait to read In the Dark which features Luther another one of the amazing SEALs.
I found myself annoyed with his wife, Helen but also understood her reasoning. Thank God she eventually comes around. I can't wait to read In the Dark which features Luther another one of the amazing SEALs.
June 9, 2017
3.5 stars.
July 12, 2008
If you want to decide if Ms. Melton's books are for you, this is the one to start with. From my (limited) research, this is the book that got the reviews, and cemented her reputation for this sort of thing.
Before we begin: A caveat. Ms. Melton's male characters are SEALS. This is a big deal. While you wait for your books in the post, read up on what the US Navy SEALS do, and how they do it. Read up about what a platoon is, and who does what. The books are peppered with terms like BUD/S, XO, PO1, PO2, Coronado, HALO jumps and the like.
I for one appreciate the fact that these terms aren't spelt out, because it assumes that you know, and the tone of the book is very authoritative as a result of that. If you don't do the background reading, it doesn't detract from your enjoyment of the books, but the background reading makes you understand the mindset of the men that much better.
Synopsis: Gabe Renault is a SEAL: one of the few, the brave, the proud. He's disappeared, and after a year, the Navy thinks he's dead. In the year that he's been presumed dead, Helen Renault, his (estranged) wife has moved on with her life. She's independent now, living for herself and her daughter. Only to find that Gabe isn't dead, and the world that she's built for herself and her daughter is rocked to the core.
In addition, it seems that Gabe has amnesia, and doesn't remember about their past, and is thrown off by his wife's turns of cool reserve and heated resentment. In addition to that, it seems that if he gets his memories back, his family will be in danger as well.
To her credit, Ms Meliss actually makes the problem sound plausible, and there is no quick fix to Renault's psychological and domestic problems either. As he muddles through his past, he tries to atone for his actions, and tries to reach out to his family. At times, you do feel bad for Gabe, but then you can't really blame Helen, because she's been burnt before. His relationship with his teenage stepdaughter is treated relatively well. Not too pat, and with a prickle on both sides as they try to come to an understanding.
The tension in the book is not only between the two main protagonists, but in Gabe and his relationship with his superiors. There's the titillating suspicion of the whodunit, and the reader wonders if Gabe will remember his enemies in due time. And if he does, will he be too weak to fight them off, because his fitness isn't what it used to be? Will his platoon believe him or dismiss his suspicions as PSTD? Wowzers.
The secondary characters are pretty cool, too. If you're a new reader to Ms. Melton, you know that the secondary characters are just as important to her as the characters in the forefront (because they get their own stories eventually). We met Vinny DeInnocentis (yay, my crush on this guy is embarrassing), Luther Lindstrom and Chase Westy to name a few, and you're gladdened to see the genuine affection between Gabe and his fellow SEALS.
The main grouse with this book is the author's writing style and its tendency to be a tad uneven. When writing action sequences, Melton's pretty good. The prose flows, and can be exciting. Where she fails is her attempt at wordsmithing, where she tries to narrate highs of emotion for the reader's consumption.
The prose attempts to be purple, but ends up embarrassingly hackneyed at times. To wit, "Labor Day gave Echo Platoon an excuse to celebrate their victory over corruption." Ha, ha, what? Or, Helen's eyes being compared to "amber pools". Bleurrgh. Or when Helen compares the pop of a bubble to her affection towards the hubby.
Thankfully, this sort of writing doesn't overtake the novel, but it comes up at enough corners to be annoying and can mar the enjoyment of a chapter. Melton seems to be getting better at it in her later books, so here's to a four star review in 2008.
Before we begin: A caveat. Ms. Melton's male characters are SEALS. This is a big deal. While you wait for your books in the post, read up on what the US Navy SEALS do, and how they do it. Read up about what a platoon is, and who does what. The books are peppered with terms like BUD/S, XO, PO1, PO2, Coronado, HALO jumps and the like.
I for one appreciate the fact that these terms aren't spelt out, because it assumes that you know, and the tone of the book is very authoritative as a result of that. If you don't do the background reading, it doesn't detract from your enjoyment of the books, but the background reading makes you understand the mindset of the men that much better.
Synopsis: Gabe Renault is a SEAL: one of the few, the brave, the proud. He's disappeared, and after a year, the Navy thinks he's dead. In the year that he's been presumed dead, Helen Renault, his (estranged) wife has moved on with her life. She's independent now, living for herself and her daughter. Only to find that Gabe isn't dead, and the world that she's built for herself and her daughter is rocked to the core.
In addition, it seems that Gabe has amnesia, and doesn't remember about their past, and is thrown off by his wife's turns of cool reserve and heated resentment. In addition to that, it seems that if he gets his memories back, his family will be in danger as well.
To her credit, Ms Meliss actually makes the problem sound plausible, and there is no quick fix to Renault's psychological and domestic problems either. As he muddles through his past, he tries to atone for his actions, and tries to reach out to his family. At times, you do feel bad for Gabe, but then you can't really blame Helen, because she's been burnt before. His relationship with his teenage stepdaughter is treated relatively well. Not too pat, and with a prickle on both sides as they try to come to an understanding.
The tension in the book is not only between the two main protagonists, but in Gabe and his relationship with his superiors. There's the titillating suspicion of the whodunit, and the reader wonders if Gabe will remember his enemies in due time. And if he does, will he be too weak to fight them off, because his fitness isn't what it used to be? Will his platoon believe him or dismiss his suspicions as PSTD? Wowzers.
The secondary characters are pretty cool, too. If you're a new reader to Ms. Melton, you know that the secondary characters are just as important to her as the characters in the forefront (because they get their own stories eventually). We met Vinny DeInnocentis (yay, my crush on this guy is embarrassing), Luther Lindstrom and Chase Westy to name a few, and you're gladdened to see the genuine affection between Gabe and his fellow SEALS.
The main grouse with this book is the author's writing style and its tendency to be a tad uneven. When writing action sequences, Melton's pretty good. The prose flows, and can be exciting. Where she fails is her attempt at wordsmithing, where she tries to narrate highs of emotion for the reader's consumption.
The prose attempts to be purple, but ends up embarrassingly hackneyed at times. To wit, "Labor Day gave Echo Platoon an excuse to celebrate their victory over corruption." Ha, ha, what? Or, Helen's eyes being compared to "amber pools". Bleurrgh. Or when Helen compares the pop of a bubble to her affection towards the hubby.
Thankfully, this sort of writing doesn't overtake the novel, but it comes up at enough corners to be annoying and can mar the enjoyment of a chapter. Melton seems to be getting better at it in her later books, so here's to a four star review in 2008.
October 13, 2015
Forget Me Not
3 Stars
Suffering from amnesia following his capture and escape after a mission gone wrong, Navy SEAL Gabe Renault returns home to a wife and daughter who are virtual strangers. Believing her husband dead, Helen Renault has moved on with her life and is shocked and distraught not only by his return, but by the changes in his personality. No longer distant and cold, Gabe is a new man who can easily make her love him again. However, Gabe’s memories are slowly returning and a traitor will stop at nothing to ensure that they don’t …
Melton’s writing style is fast paced and immersive, and the suspense plot is satisfying. That said, Helen is one of the most selfish and self-absorbed heroines I’ve ever had the misfortune to encounter and her attitude all but ruins the book.
Although it is made clear that Gabe and Helen’s marriage wasn’t all roses and it is understandable that she would be upset by his sudden reappearance, these do not explain or excuse her cold-hearted spite and even anger that the man is still alive. Helen’s deliberate attempts to cause Gabe pain and her inability to believe that someone is after him make it virtually impossible to believe their romance. Gabe is not entirely blameless in all this, in fact, he initially comes across as arrogant and shallow. Nevertheless, it is clear that he is a changed man and deserves a woman who doesn’t regret that he isn’t dead.
Thankfully, the amnesia/assassin storyline is intense and exciting enough to mitigate the awful romance to a certain extent. There is some excellent misdirection in this area, which leads to a twist that I didn’t see coming even though in hindsight there are several obvious clues.
The supporting characters also compensate for the annoying heroine. Gabe’s stepdaughter, Mallory, is utterly charming and their relationship is the best part of the book. The secondary romance between Helen’s friend, Leila, and the Master Chief is sweet and sexy.
In sum, Forget Me Not has potential but Helen's attitude is so off-putting that it ruins the romance. I’m willing to give the next book a chance as it continues the storyline and has a different, and hopefully more likable heroine.
3 Stars
Suffering from amnesia following his capture and escape after a mission gone wrong, Navy SEAL Gabe Renault returns home to a wife and daughter who are virtual strangers. Believing her husband dead, Helen Renault has moved on with her life and is shocked and distraught not only by his return, but by the changes in his personality. No longer distant and cold, Gabe is a new man who can easily make her love him again. However, Gabe’s memories are slowly returning and a traitor will stop at nothing to ensure that they don’t …
Melton’s writing style is fast paced and immersive, and the suspense plot is satisfying. That said, Helen is one of the most selfish and self-absorbed heroines I’ve ever had the misfortune to encounter and her attitude all but ruins the book.
Although it is made clear that Gabe and Helen’s marriage wasn’t all roses and it is understandable that she would be upset by his sudden reappearance, these do not explain or excuse her cold-hearted spite and even anger that the man is still alive. Helen’s deliberate attempts to cause Gabe pain and her inability to believe that someone is after him make it virtually impossible to believe their romance. Gabe is not entirely blameless in all this, in fact, he initially comes across as arrogant and shallow. Nevertheless, it is clear that he is a changed man and deserves a woman who doesn’t regret that he isn’t dead.
Thankfully, the amnesia/assassin storyline is intense and exciting enough to mitigate the awful romance to a certain extent. There is some excellent misdirection in this area, which leads to a twist that I didn’t see coming even though in hindsight there are several obvious clues.
The supporting characters also compensate for the annoying heroine. Gabe’s stepdaughter, Mallory, is utterly charming and their relationship is the best part of the book. The secondary romance between Helen’s friend, Leila, and the Master Chief is sweet and sexy.
In sum, Forget Me Not has potential but Helen's attitude is so off-putting that it ruins the romance. I’m willing to give the next book a chance as it continues the storyline and has a different, and hopefully more likable heroine.
September 18, 2015
Not what I was expecting. Forget Me Not starts slow and doesn't pick up the pace until well toward the end. Lots of angst and a heroine, Helen, who doesn't trust the hero, Gabe, let alone aid him. Not much of a romance. As for suspense, you know from the beginning that Miller was a baddie and that he wasn't alone in the theft of the weapons. You just don't know who in the higher ups is also in on it. My favorite character is Helen's daughter, Mallory. Crazy smart and loyal. She is written with just the right combination of child and adult for a 14 year old. Overall, I'm just not impressed.
April 24, 2013
I enjoyed reading about the SEALS and felt this author did her "homework"! The hero was sexy vulnerable and strong all at the same time, and I definitely felt drawn to him. Unfortunately the heroine annoyed me. There was way too much relief and lack of genuine regret at his death, even supposing that they had been having marital difficulties! She just came across as heartless rather than someone justifiably trying to protect herself from further hurt. She did come around about seventy percent through, so I ended up quite liking this story, and look forward to the next instalment.
November 14, 2016
Still thinking if 3 or 3.5 - review to come.
April 24, 2017
Forget Me Not lured me in with a promise of a SEAL returning home with no memories to a wife who no longer loves him and it's all his fault. And it did deliver that. The foundation of their relationship is excellent and so are their reasons for making the choices they do. Plus, there's a military plot. And a cute teenage kid.
However. A lot of this book - and I do mean a lot - is just the main characters thinking So Much about the whys of their relationship. Be it Gabe's behaviour in the past, his changes in the present, or Helen's determination not to fall for it again. So while the actual conflicts are solid and good and promising, did they have to mull over it all over and over again? And then again for good measure? And once more for an encore? Especially since their arguments pretty much remained the same, from start to end.
Also, there is a side romance that made zero sense to me. I liked the characters and I didn't exactly mind, but I also still fail to see the point of it? It had no relevance to the overall story and just made it drag more.
Long story short, I did like the idea and even the characters and certainly their problems, but unfortunately there was a lot of dragging and repetition, which took away from all the good things.
However. A lot of this book - and I do mean a lot - is just the main characters thinking So Much about the whys of their relationship. Be it Gabe's behaviour in the past, his changes in the present, or Helen's determination not to fall for it again. So while the actual conflicts are solid and good and promising, did they have to mull over it all over and over again? And then again for good measure? And once more for an encore? Especially since their arguments pretty much remained the same, from start to end.
Also, there is a side romance that made zero sense to me. I liked the characters and I didn't exactly mind, but I also still fail to see the point of it? It had no relevance to the overall story and just made it drag more.
Long story short, I did like the idea and even the characters and certainly their problems, but unfortunately there was a lot of dragging and repetition, which took away from all the good things.
September 13, 2019
I only gave this book a 3 cause of the strong dislike I have for Helen. She is the poorest excuse of a wife. Sure she may have gone through some emotional issues with her husband. But the treatment he gets from her after returning from being tortured by terrorists for almost a year is disgusting and an embarrassment for military wives everywhere...oh and by the way...I'm a military spouse
April 15, 2023
This was a pretty good book. A nice change from Brockmann’s perfect depiction of SEALS. The plot & romance were mostly believable except at the end… lol.
Verdict: Memories
Verdict: Memories
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May 22, 2023I really miss writing reviews about the books I read. I do!
Reviews are for other readers, not for authors. Sadly, that's a belief not every author holds.
And so I miss writing reviews.
Reviews are for other readers, not for authors. Sadly, that's a belief not every author holds.
And so I miss writing reviews.
September 16, 2015
Forget Me Not was the first book in Marliss Melton's Seal Team 12's series. This is my first book by Marliss Melton and I really enjoyed the book. It centers around Gabe when he returns from a mission that he was presumed dead on. He has no memories of the last three years so not only does he not remember the mission but he doesn't remember his wife Helen or his stepdaughter Mallory. His relationship with his wife was not healthy prior to his mission and Helen let's Gabe know quickly that she wants a separation as soon as he is back on his feet. However, it seems Gabe may be in some danger and without his memories he isn't sure what or who the source of that danger is.
The suspense is written really well in this book and although I thought some of the "bad guys" were fairly obvious it still had me on the edge of my seat to see how it would all play out. Gabe is suffering from PTSD from his torture so it isn't always clear what is real and what isn't. I also liked watching Gabe try to repair his relationship with Helen and I really loved his relationship with his step daughter. The military aspects were realistic and well done as well.
The reason this book was a 4 star and not a five was Helen's character. She really came across as selfish and hard to like. I understand that she had some reservations about Gabe and their relationship but there were times when it seemed she wasn't even happy that he was alive and yet she was supposedly still in love with him.
Overall I enjoyed this romantic suspense. I liked Gabe's character and his growth from the man he was before his imprisonment to the man he became after. His relationship with his step daughter was an added element that I thoroughly enjoyed. The suspense and action kept me engaged and interested. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
The suspense is written really well in this book and although I thought some of the "bad guys" were fairly obvious it still had me on the edge of my seat to see how it would all play out. Gabe is suffering from PTSD from his torture so it isn't always clear what is real and what isn't. I also liked watching Gabe try to repair his relationship with Helen and I really loved his relationship with his step daughter. The military aspects were realistic and well done as well.
The reason this book was a 4 star and not a five was Helen's character. She really came across as selfish and hard to like. I understand that she had some reservations about Gabe and their relationship but there were times when it seemed she wasn't even happy that he was alive and yet she was supposedly still in love with him.
Overall I enjoyed this romantic suspense. I liked Gabe's character and his growth from the man he was before his imprisonment to the man he became after. His relationship with his step daughter was an added element that I thoroughly enjoyed. The suspense and action kept me engaged and interested. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
July 24, 2014
Helen Renault is shocked when her presumed dead husband is found alive. One year ago, Gabe was on a mission in North Korea that went terribly wrong. Now he has returned home with no memory of the last three years, including Helen and his step-daughter, Mallory. Helen is glad he is alive, but is not ready to resume their troubled marriage. She soon realizes that Gabe has changed drastically. He is no longer secretive and emotionally distant. He treats her daughter like his own and actually listens to Helen's concerns. With his memory slowly returning, Helen worries Gabe might become the same man he was before his disappearance. Gabe worries that not regaining his memory of the night he disappeared will endanger his family.
This was an interesting beginning to Marliss Melton's Team Twelve Navy Seals series. This book is about Gabe and Helen getting to know each other again, and not making the same mistakes they made in their marriage the first time around. Helen seems very cool and distant, but I could understand her not wanting to jump back into the relationship only to be hurt again. There is some suspense throughout the story, but most of the action takes place in the last few chapters. My rating: 4 Stars.
This was an interesting beginning to Marliss Melton's Team Twelve Navy Seals series. This book is about Gabe and Helen getting to know each other again, and not making the same mistakes they made in their marriage the first time around. Helen seems very cool and distant, but I could understand her not wanting to jump back into the relationship only to be hurt again. There is some suspense throughout the story, but most of the action takes place in the last few chapters. My rating: 4 Stars.
March 8, 2013
If you love romantic suspense novels featuring Navy SEALS, this is the one for you, too. In the first series of the Navy Seal 12, we're introduced to Gabe Renault and his wife Helen. This isn't an ordinary love story. Before Gabe's mission went awry, he was focused on his team. Then he was left for dead and traumatized with memory loss. He doesn't remember Helen or his stepdaughter Mallory or anything on their relationship. Helen, a bit weary and wanted an independent life and to divorce Gabe, lets him back into her life slowly. But it's not easy for both of them. Gabe's plagued with nightmares and deadly flashbacks, which puts him on edge. Someone wants him dead before he remembers. While Helen discovers what hell he went through, she starts to fall in love with him. He's a changed man, a more attentive husband and father than before. There's also a side romance story with Leila and Sebastian, too. This is a red hot romantic suspense novel to leave you breathless.
February 24, 2012
I really liked most of this book. I liked the hero who couldn't remember his family. His struggles to become a better father and husband the second time around were well done. His struggles with PTSD were also well done and interesting. I liked the dynamic between him and his step daughter. He was coming back blind into a situation that wasnt' ideal the first time around. The book succeeded for me pretty much all around until the end. Then it was just chock full of improbably military stuff. Too bad that was the last thing you read and it kind of left a 'yeah right' sour taste in my mouth.
Still I've gone on to read the rest of the series and have basically enjoyed all of them. Too bad the series is no longer continuing.
Still I've gone on to read the rest of the series and have basically enjoyed all of them. Too bad the series is no longer continuing.
June 6, 2014
This book is extremely hard for me to classify. One thing I have decided was that it was just an okay read, one where I didn't like it really, but I didn't hate it either. I can't even put my finger on what I didn't enjoy about the book either! I can't speak about the characters, because I just don't care about them. I'm left with more unanswered questions than anything else in this story, and that might contribute to my apathy about this book. Now, the author could be using that as a ploy to get readers to the next book, but to me, I can't even bring myself to care about the next book, even with the series being both Military Romance and Romantic Suspense, both sub-genres I want to read more of. I'm chalking this one up to it just not working for me.
December 6, 2011
3.5*
This book almost had 4 stars until the plot takes an unbelievable twist at the end. Still, Melton's writing about PTSD and the struggles Gage, Helen, and Mallory went through trying to reconnect were very well done and moving. Decent suspense plot line, too. I look forward to the next installment.
12/6/11
I reread this book because, even though I gave it the lowest rating of all the Seal Team 12 books, it's the one that has stuck with me. I keep thinking about the main story, the second chance Gabe gets to be a decent husband and stepfather. Both Helen and Gabe are well-drawn and sympathetic characters. I just wish the author hadn't decided on that eye-rolling ending.
This book almost had 4 stars until the plot takes an unbelievable twist at the end. Still, Melton's writing about PTSD and the struggles Gage, Helen, and Mallory went through trying to reconnect were very well done and moving. Decent suspense plot line, too. I look forward to the next installment.
12/6/11
I reread this book because, even though I gave it the lowest rating of all the Seal Team 12 books, it's the one that has stuck with me. I keep thinking about the main story, the second chance Gabe gets to be a decent husband and stepfather. Both Helen and Gabe are well-drawn and sympathetic characters. I just wish the author hadn't decided on that eye-rolling ending.
July 29, 2011
I really enjoyed this first book in Marliss Melton's SEAL Team Twelve series, even more than Suzanne Brockmann's SEAL series. I tend to like romantic suspense that is heavier on the romance, and this book had that. It was focused on the development of Helen and Gabe's shattered marriage. I loved the suspense parts as well. There was one big "WTF" moment for me though: when the "cop" asked Mallory to go with him, she didn't even ask for identification! That was way too stupid...I would have believed the story more if she did ask for ID and he gave her a fake ID to lure her to go with him.
April 30, 2012
Really, really did NOT like this book. The heroine, Helen, is mean-spirited, annoying, and selfish. Gabe (her husband) has been through hell, and she still is capable of being nasty to him throughout the book. She did not deserve him. The only reason I gave the book two stars was because it was an easy, fast read.
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