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The Memory of Us
A twist of fate. An unexpected love story...
If she had been found moments later, Amelia's heart would have stopped and never recovered. Instead she was taken from the desolate beach to the nearest hospital just in time to save her life. When her sister Lexi arrives from New York, Amelia's heart is beating, but the accident has implanted a series of false memories. These memories revolve around a man named Sam, and a perfect love story that never existed.
Determined to help her sister, Lexi enlists the help of Nick, a local vet who bears a striking resemblance to Sam. Together, Lexi and Nick recreate and photograph Amelia's dream dates in the hopes of triggering her true memories.
But as love starts to stir between Lexi and Nick, they must navigate a complex web of emotions. How can Lexi fall for Amelia's dream man without hurting her sister?
Filled with breathtaking romance, heart-wrenching emotion, the magic of destiny and the power of sisterhood, The Memory of Us is a must-read for fans of Holly Miller and Colleen Hoover.
If she had been found moments later, Amelia's heart would have stopped and never recovered. Instead she was taken from the desolate beach to the nearest hospital just in time to save her life. When her sister Lexi arrives from New York, Amelia's heart is beating, but the accident has implanted a series of false memories. These memories revolve around a man named Sam, and a perfect love story that never existed.
Determined to help her sister, Lexi enlists the help of Nick, a local vet who bears a striking resemblance to Sam. Together, Lexi and Nick recreate and photograph Amelia's dream dates in the hopes of triggering her true memories.
But as love starts to stir between Lexi and Nick, they must navigate a complex web of emotions. How can Lexi fall for Amelia's dream man without hurting her sister?
Filled with breathtaking romance, heart-wrenching emotion, the magic of destiny and the power of sisterhood, The Memory of Us is a must-read for fans of Holly Miller and Colleen Hoover.
464 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2024
366 people are currently reading
1113 people want to read
About the author
Dani Atkins
24 books1,155 followersDani was born and brought up in Cockfosters- a small London suburb at the end of the Piccadilly Tube Line.
This served her well for commuting into the city, where from the age of 18 she worked in a succession of secretarial positions in companies as diverse as a BMW car dealership to the BBC. Dani spent her two hour commute avidly reading and dreamed that one day she would become an author herself.
When her two children grew up and left home, Dani set about turning this dream into reality and devoted her time to writing. She now lives in a rural Hertfordshire cottage with her husband, a soppy border collie dog and a haughty Siamese cat.
Her first novels FRACTURED (called THEN AND ALWAYS in the US) and THE STORY OF US published in 2014. In January 2016, her third novel, OUR SONG was published.
This served her well for commuting into the city, where from the age of 18 she worked in a succession of secretarial positions in companies as diverse as a BMW car dealership to the BBC. Dani spent her two hour commute avidly reading and dreamed that one day she would become an author herself.
When her two children grew up and left home, Dani set about turning this dream into reality and devoted her time to writing. She now lives in a rural Hertfordshire cottage with her husband, a soppy border collie dog and a haughty Siamese cat.
Her first novels FRACTURED (called THEN AND ALWAYS in the US) and THE STORY OF US published in 2014. In January 2016, her third novel, OUR SONG was published.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews
November 27, 2023
My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Storygraph and The Book Review Crew Blog
3.5 Stars
This was a pretty emotional story to start off with and I was flipping through the pages while Lexi flew from New York to England after her sister was found on a beach. I really connected to the sisterly bond they have and how Lexi helped her mum help her sister Amelia. The memory loss plot is not a new one but there is a twist to it in this book, it is not a thriller so that makes it unique.
The book is well written and I love Dani Atkins but this one sort of lost me during the whole let's deceive my sister with fake dating photos and of course, they really do fall for each other. It was just so predictable and repetitive...will they or won't they...I like him...I better not. You know the drill.
The mother's role (I am purposely calling her that because I don't even remember her name and I am not sure she even had one?) should have been expanded on, she felt like a distant cousin or the red-headed step-child. I wish she was more prominent in the storyline. Being a mom myself I was surprised by how much she let Lexi take over.
I was really hoping for a book about family and sisters and mother and daughters and what I got was a romance. This is completely my fault as it is very clear in the blurb that it is a lovely dovey book, but I don't always read the blurb.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
The Storygraph and The Book Review Crew Blog
3.5 Stars
This was a pretty emotional story to start off with and I was flipping through the pages while Lexi flew from New York to England after her sister was found on a beach. I really connected to the sisterly bond they have and how Lexi helped her mum help her sister Amelia. The memory loss plot is not a new one but there is a twist to it in this book, it is not a thriller so that makes it unique.
The book is well written and I love Dani Atkins but this one sort of lost me during the whole let's deceive my sister with fake dating photos and of course, they really do fall for each other. It was just so predictable and repetitive...will they or won't they...I like him...I better not. You know the drill.
The mother's role (I am purposely calling her that because I don't even remember her name and I am not sure she even had one?) should have been expanded on, she felt like a distant cousin or the red-headed step-child. I wish she was more prominent in the storyline. Being a mom myself I was surprised by how much she let Lexi take over.
I was really hoping for a book about family and sisters and mother and daughters and what I got was a romance. This is completely my fault as it is very clear in the blurb that it is a lovely dovey book, but I don't always read the blurb.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
April 17, 2024
In a Nutshell: There are some beautiful moments herein, but on the whole, it was a mixed read for me. If you are prepared for a whole load of suspension of disbelief, this will work better for you. And if you enjoy cutesy + emotional books, this might even be a winner.
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Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
😍 The prologue: Utterly marvellous in its description and action. It is a treat when authors use the prologue well without merely repeating some future event from the plot.
😍 Nick: Too goody-goody to be real, but this book required someone like him for strength and steadiness, and he delivers what is required.
😍 The emotions: The book covers an entire spectrum of human emotions, mostly resulting from Amelia’s diagnosis and the family’s reaction to the same.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 Lexi: Loved her sincerity, her emotions, her strong feelings for her family, and her determination to do anything to make Amelia happy. But I simply couldn’t believe she was 31; she never acted her age.
😐 The other characters: Amelia is impressive but we don’t really understand her or her decisions. The girls’ mum, who is “Mum” for almost the entire book, has a powerful role, but her portrayal was somewhat unsteady. She was one character with an amazing potential that was not realised. Amelia’s neighbour Tom is the only other major character. He was a typical coconut with a grumpy exterior and a soft heart. While I liked him, I wish his depiction hadn’t been so clichéd.
😐 The twin bond: Amelia and Lexi are supposed to be twins but born eight years apart. (Twin eggs separately implanted through IVF.) I liked how the book uses their “twin sense” to understand each other’s feelings, but the story never explains why their parents, so desperate to have children, waited eight years before going ahead with the second egg implantation.
😐 The mishmash of genres: The book tries to be a medical fiction, a family drama, and a romance all at once. The medical part was decent, and the family drama was quite good – both of which were reasons I picked up this book in the first place. Unfortunately for me, it spends most time on the romance.
😐 The romance: The connection between Nick and Lexi is written very well, with some sweet moments and fun banter. But it doesn’t help that we already know they will end up together. The middle section is too repetitive because of the elaborate detailing of their recreations of Amelia’s “dates with Sam”. There is also an extensive steamy scene that had nothing to offer to the core plot.
😐 The overload of themes: The story includes too many tropes, some of which are not even necessary to the main plot of Amelia’s health. It feels very cluttered. That said, a couple of the themes (can’t mention them as they come up towards the end) are well handled.
😐 Amelia’s imaginary marriage with Sam: The best and the worst feature of the book. It was intriguing to see how Amelia’s temporary “death” created such fake memories in her about an entire life not lived. However, the resolution of this issue was eyeroll-inducing!
😐 Lexi’s first person perspective: As the entire story is from Lexi's pov, we feel her emotions as she goes through the uncertainty and frustration of her elder sister’s medical struggles and her growing feelings for Nick. Because we don't get a glimpse of what's going on in Amelia's mind, her struggles are known only to her, and we, just like Lexi, are on the outside, trying to make sense of what's happening. However, a part of me feels that at least some interlude chapters should have come from Amelia’s perspective. These would have added a greater poignancy to the story.
😐 The ending scenes: The final few chapters of the main plot and the epilogue are really beautiful, and if you are the crying type, these might even leave you sobbing. However, I hated that the ending left many things unexplained.
Bookish Nays:
😟 The time jumps: There’s no time/year reference anywhere, but many a time, months have passed. The epilogue even jumps years. Most of the time jumps happen in the final section. So the middle part feels dragged out and the finale feels rushed because of the quick span of months and years.
😟 The plotholes: The story disappoints in how much it leaves unsaid and also in how much it takes for granted. To give just two examples without going into spoilers, 1. We never know what Amelia was doing on the mudflats that ill-fated night. 2. Lexi’s plan to recreate photos based on Amelia’s description of her dates has one great flaw: Amelia was mostly describing her *imagined* dates with Sam, not the photos of the dates. How does Lexi know exactly how and where to recreate the pics, and more importantly, that there was a pic of the said date? (It is tough to accept that a couple took a pic of themselves while passionately kissing in heavy rain. Think about the poor phone! And the phone doesn’t get even a little waterlogged! What magical brand is it?)
😟 The plot jumps: Many events happen just in the background and we learn about them only later through the conversations. Some of these were crucial to the narrative, such as how Amelia never realises that her house has nothing owned by “Sam.”
😟 The suspension of disbelief required: There is no way to accept the plot without keeping your head firmly locked up. My heart did enjoy the initial part of the read, and did its best to ignore my head going “But… but… but…” BUT after a point, even my heart felt tired of being flexible about the proceedings. The whole thing was too farfetched!
This was my first book of this well-rated author, and based on this experience, I feel like she is good in writing human emotions but I am not the right reader for her works. Such stories require readers to listen only to their heart while ignoring their head, and I simply can’t do that.
Nevertheless, there are some truly touching moments in the story. So if you can go into this book ready to suspend disbelief and not ask too many hows and whys, you will surely have a better experience than I did.
2.5 stars, rounding up because I think it will work better for the right reader.
My thanks to Aria & Aries, The Pigeonhole, and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Memory of Us”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Somerset. When Amelia is found unconscious with no discernible pulse on the mudflats outside her home, it is almost a miracle that she survives. When her younger sister Lexi rushes over from New York, she finds Amelia in the hospital but with false memories of being happily married to someone named Sam. Neither Lexi nor their mother have any knowledge of a ‘Sam’ in Amelia’s life.
Determined to help her sister, Lexi ropes in a local vet named Nick, who bears a striking resemblance to the non-existent Sam and gets him to recreate some of Amelia’s dream dates with Sam, in a bid to help her “remember”. But (as you might have rightly guessed), Lexi soon finds herself falling for Nick. Can they have a future together when Amelia thinks she is married to him?
The story comes to us in Lexi’s first person perspective.
Bookish Yays:
😍 The prologue: Utterly marvellous in its description and action. It is a treat when authors use the prologue well without merely repeating some future event from the plot.
😍 Nick: Too goody-goody to be real, but this book required someone like him for strength and steadiness, and he delivers what is required.
😍 The emotions: The book covers an entire spectrum of human emotions, mostly resulting from Amelia’s diagnosis and the family’s reaction to the same.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 Lexi: Loved her sincerity, her emotions, her strong feelings for her family, and her determination to do anything to make Amelia happy. But I simply couldn’t believe she was 31; she never acted her age.
😐 The other characters: Amelia is impressive but we don’t really understand her or her decisions. The girls’ mum, who is “Mum” for almost the entire book, has a powerful role, but her portrayal was somewhat unsteady. She was one character with an amazing potential that was not realised. Amelia’s neighbour Tom is the only other major character. He was a typical coconut with a grumpy exterior and a soft heart. While I liked him, I wish his depiction hadn’t been so clichéd.
😐 The twin bond: Amelia and Lexi are supposed to be twins but born eight years apart. (Twin eggs separately implanted through IVF.) I liked how the book uses their “twin sense” to understand each other’s feelings, but the story never explains why their parents, so desperate to have children, waited eight years before going ahead with the second egg implantation.
😐 The mishmash of genres: The book tries to be a medical fiction, a family drama, and a romance all at once. The medical part was decent, and the family drama was quite good – both of which were reasons I picked up this book in the first place. Unfortunately for me, it spends most time on the romance.
😐 The romance: The connection between Nick and Lexi is written very well, with some sweet moments and fun banter. But it doesn’t help that we already know they will end up together. The middle section is too repetitive because of the elaborate detailing of their recreations of Amelia’s “dates with Sam”. There is also an extensive steamy scene that had nothing to offer to the core plot.
😐 The overload of themes: The story includes too many tropes, some of which are not even necessary to the main plot of Amelia’s health. It feels very cluttered. That said, a couple of the themes (can’t mention them as they come up towards the end) are well handled.
😐 Amelia’s imaginary marriage with Sam: The best and the worst feature of the book. It was intriguing to see how Amelia’s temporary “death” created such fake memories in her about an entire life not lived. However, the resolution of this issue was eyeroll-inducing!
😐 Lexi’s first person perspective: As the entire story is from Lexi's pov, we feel her emotions as she goes through the uncertainty and frustration of her elder sister’s medical struggles and her growing feelings for Nick. Because we don't get a glimpse of what's going on in Amelia's mind, her struggles are known only to her, and we, just like Lexi, are on the outside, trying to make sense of what's happening. However, a part of me feels that at least some interlude chapters should have come from Amelia’s perspective. These would have added a greater poignancy to the story.
😐 The ending scenes: The final few chapters of the main plot and the epilogue are really beautiful, and if you are the crying type, these might even leave you sobbing. However, I hated that the ending left many things unexplained.
Bookish Nays:
😟 The time jumps: There’s no time/year reference anywhere, but many a time, months have passed. The epilogue even jumps years. Most of the time jumps happen in the final section. So the middle part feels dragged out and the finale feels rushed because of the quick span of months and years.
😟 The plotholes: The story disappoints in how much it leaves unsaid and also in how much it takes for granted. To give just two examples without going into spoilers, 1. We never know what Amelia was doing on the mudflats that ill-fated night. 2. Lexi’s plan to recreate photos based on Amelia’s description of her dates has one great flaw: Amelia was mostly describing her *imagined* dates with Sam, not the photos of the dates. How does Lexi know exactly how and where to recreate the pics, and more importantly, that there was a pic of the said date? (It is tough to accept that a couple took a pic of themselves while passionately kissing in heavy rain. Think about the poor phone! And the phone doesn’t get even a little waterlogged! What magical brand is it?)
😟 The plot jumps: Many events happen just in the background and we learn about them only later through the conversations. Some of these were crucial to the narrative, such as how Amelia never realises that her house has nothing owned by “Sam.”
😟 The suspension of disbelief required: There is no way to accept the plot without keeping your head firmly locked up. My heart did enjoy the initial part of the read, and did its best to ignore my head going “But… but… but…” BUT after a point, even my heart felt tired of being flexible about the proceedings. The whole thing was too farfetched!
This was my first book of this well-rated author, and based on this experience, I feel like she is good in writing human emotions but I am not the right reader for her works. Such stories require readers to listen only to their heart while ignoring their head, and I simply can’t do that.
Nevertheless, there are some truly touching moments in the story. So if you can go into this book ready to suspend disbelief and not ask too many hows and whys, you will surely have a better experience than I did.
2.5 stars, rounding up because I think it will work better for the right reader.
My thanks to Aria & Aries, The Pigeonhole, and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Memory of Us”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
November 9, 2023
This book created a lump in my throat and brought forth the ugliest cries, wrenching my heart! I haven't read something so sad and tear-jerking in a long time, and after reading this book all day, I found myself deeply affected, in my bluest mood, dabbing my tears whenever I remembered the events that took place in the story.
The supernatural part of the story is well-crafted, even though it wraps up with some kind of logical explanation that is open-ended, leaving room for interpretation.
I've read previous works by Dani Atkins, and I've always enjoyed how she seamlessly incorporates supernatural elements into her romance stories, adding to their charm.
In this book, the romance parts are slightly overshadowed by the unconditional bond of sisterhood, family drama, and health issues. At times, I felt like I could barely breathe after witnessing the challenges the characters were going through. During moments when I felt suffocated, I took short breaks to soothe my hyperventilations. I loved Lexi and Mimi's intense, honest bond and how far they would go for each other's happiness.
If you're in a depressive mood, I advise you to read this book at a later time when you're feeling better because the story of the sisters is guaranteed to make you cry for a long time.
Here's a quick summary: When her sister, Amelia, is found on a deserted beach where her heart stopped beating for a few moments, Lexi urgently flies from New York to take care of her sister. But Lexi realizes her sister keeps talking about Sam, the husband they never met, and memories they had shared. To help her sister, Lexi starts searching for the dream man she described, and her path crosses with the local veterinarian, Nick, who is a kind-hearted, caring man. He extends his helping hand to recreate the memories Amelia told Lexi about by going on dates with Lexi and taking photos just like Amelia described. The photos turn into a memory box to help her sister connect with her happy moments with the dream man. But as Lexi spends more time with Nick, she realizes she's falling for her sister's dream husband. She feels like she's betraying her sister by stealing her own chance at happiness. But what if, by sacrificing herself, she's sabotaging her last chance to find happiness forever?
The painful twist in the story left me deeply disturbed. This is a heart-wrenching, highly sentimental, and well-developed women's fiction novel! The ending also left me emotionally wrecked. It's still a beautifully written novel, but as I advised, keep your tissues close and brace your heart for an emotional journey.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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The supernatural part of the story is well-crafted, even though it wraps up with some kind of logical explanation that is open-ended, leaving room for interpretation.
I've read previous works by Dani Atkins, and I've always enjoyed how she seamlessly incorporates supernatural elements into her romance stories, adding to their charm.
In this book, the romance parts are slightly overshadowed by the unconditional bond of sisterhood, family drama, and health issues. At times, I felt like I could barely breathe after witnessing the challenges the characters were going through. During moments when I felt suffocated, I took short breaks to soothe my hyperventilations. I loved Lexi and Mimi's intense, honest bond and how far they would go for each other's happiness.
If you're in a depressive mood, I advise you to read this book at a later time when you're feeling better because the story of the sisters is guaranteed to make you cry for a long time.
Here's a quick summary: When her sister, Amelia, is found on a deserted beach where her heart stopped beating for a few moments, Lexi urgently flies from New York to take care of her sister. But Lexi realizes her sister keeps talking about Sam, the husband they never met, and memories they had shared. To help her sister, Lexi starts searching for the dream man she described, and her path crosses with the local veterinarian, Nick, who is a kind-hearted, caring man. He extends his helping hand to recreate the memories Amelia told Lexi about by going on dates with Lexi and taking photos just like Amelia described. The photos turn into a memory box to help her sister connect with her happy moments with the dream man. But as Lexi spends more time with Nick, she realizes she's falling for her sister's dream husband. She feels like she's betraying her sister by stealing her own chance at happiness. But what if, by sacrificing herself, she's sabotaging her last chance to find happiness forever?
The painful twist in the story left me deeply disturbed. This is a heart-wrenching, highly sentimental, and well-developed women's fiction novel! The ending also left me emotionally wrecked. It's still a beautifully written novel, but as I advised, keep your tissues close and brace your heart for an emotional journey.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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April 7, 2024
Synopsis: A woman is found unconscious on the beach and when she awakes she believes she is married to a man- who she isn’t. Her sister meets and falls for the supposed husband and the story evolves from there.
Pros and cons: I was instantly intrigued by this storyline. I thought it was so interesting in the beginning. But then it got weird. The sister was trying to convince the guy to take pictures as the “fake husband.” There is an element of the sisters actually being twins but born years apart due to IVF that played out in a bizarre way. And the end was sad. So for a book that had a lot of promise it went a bit south for me.
But I still think others may be really interested, so I encourage you to check it when it’s released next month! Thank you NetGalley, Aria and Aries for the advanced copy!
2.5-3/5
Pros and cons: I was instantly intrigued by this storyline. I thought it was so interesting in the beginning. But then it got weird. The sister was trying to convince the guy to take pictures as the “fake husband.” There is an element of the sisters actually being twins but born years apart due to IVF that played out in a bizarre way. And the end was sad. So for a book that had a lot of promise it went a bit south for me.
But I still think others may be really interested, so I encourage you to check it when it’s released next month! Thank you NetGalley, Aria and Aries for the advanced copy!
2.5-3/5
April 2, 2024
Ich gestehe, ich habe noch nichts von Dani Atkins gelesen und war daher auch völlig planlos, was mich erwartet. Zwar verrät der Klappentext schon genug, aber dennoch habe ich mich überraschen und mich auf die Geschichte eingelassen.
Wir erleben die Story durch die 32-jährige Lexi, die ihrer Schwester beistehen möchte, nachdem diese fast tot und schwer unterkühlt am Strand in England gefunden wurde. Doch nachdem sie aufwacht, möchte sie unbedingt ihren Mann Sam sehen, denn es jedoch nicht gibt, nur in Amelies Erinnerung. Doch zur wenigen Überraschung trifft Lexi auf einen Mann, der genau wie Sam aussieht (natürlich kann Amelie total gut zeichnen und hat aus dem Gedächtnis Portraits von ihrem imaginären Mann gemalt)... ähm ja, genau, wo waren wir? - beim Sam, nein, blödsinn, bei Nick, der nur so aussieht, wie der beschrieben Mann. Das eine füht zum anderen und Lexi und Nick verlieben sich und ...
Tja, was soll ich sagen, vieles in dem Buch war leider sehr vorhersehbar und man hat damit gerechnet. Daher gab es wenig Spannung, außer vielleicht am Ende oder weil man wissen wollte, warum Amelie Erinnerungen an einen Mann hat, den es nicht gibt. Das war neben der kleinen Romanze meine wichtigste Frage, die ich gerne beantwortet gehabt hätte. Aber leider blieb diese bis zum Ende ungeklärt, da nur ein/ zwei Theorien von den Figuren eingeworfen wurden, die mich wenig zufriedengestellt zurückgelassen haben.
Außerdem gab es zum Schluss dann noch einen Zeitsprung einige Jahre später und dort war eine Wende, die mir so überhaupt nicht gefallen hat (mit einer Krankheit), weshalb ich das Buch mit einem eher schlechten Gefühl beendet habe. Vielleicht ist das oberflächlich oder unrealistisch, aber wenn es schon so viel Mist in der realen Welt gibt - möchte ich in der fiktiven Buchwelt ein verdammtes Happy End... und kein offenes Ende, wo sich jeder selbst ausdenken kann, ob es denn nun gut oder schlecht mit den Figuren ausgeht. Nope, das mag ich gar nicht. Daher leider nicht mein Buch und ich kann leider nur 2,5 Punkte für die etwas zähe Handlung ohne richtigem Highlight geben. Schade.
Wir erleben die Story durch die 32-jährige Lexi, die ihrer Schwester beistehen möchte, nachdem diese fast tot und schwer unterkühlt am Strand in England gefunden wurde. Doch nachdem sie aufwacht, möchte sie unbedingt ihren Mann Sam sehen, denn es jedoch nicht gibt, nur in Amelies Erinnerung. Doch zur wenigen Überraschung trifft Lexi auf einen Mann, der genau wie Sam aussieht (natürlich kann Amelie total gut zeichnen und hat aus dem Gedächtnis Portraits von ihrem imaginären Mann gemalt)... ähm ja, genau, wo waren wir? - beim Sam, nein, blödsinn, bei Nick, der nur so aussieht, wie der beschrieben Mann. Das eine füht zum anderen und Lexi und Nick verlieben sich und ...
Tja, was soll ich sagen, vieles in dem Buch war leider sehr vorhersehbar und man hat damit gerechnet. Daher gab es wenig Spannung, außer vielleicht am Ende oder weil man wissen wollte, warum Amelie Erinnerungen an einen Mann hat, den es nicht gibt. Das war neben der kleinen Romanze meine wichtigste Frage, die ich gerne beantwortet gehabt hätte. Aber leider blieb diese bis zum Ende ungeklärt, da nur ein/ zwei Theorien von den Figuren eingeworfen wurden, die mich wenig zufriedengestellt zurückgelassen haben.
Außerdem gab es zum Schluss dann noch einen Zeitsprung einige Jahre später und dort war eine Wende, die mir so überhaupt nicht gefallen hat (mit einer Krankheit), weshalb ich das Buch mit einem eher schlechten Gefühl beendet habe. Vielleicht ist das oberflächlich oder unrealistisch, aber wenn es schon so viel Mist in der realen Welt gibt - möchte ich in der fiktiven Buchwelt ein verdammtes Happy End... und kein offenes Ende, wo sich jeder selbst ausdenken kann, ob es denn nun gut oder schlecht mit den Figuren ausgeht. Nope, das mag ich gar nicht. Daher leider nicht mein Buch und ich kann leider nur 2,5 Punkte für die etwas zähe Handlung ohne richtigem Highlight geben. Schade.
March 20, 2024
TRUE CONFESSION:
I have never met a piece of chocolate cake or a book by Dani Atkins that I did not like.
Dani Atkins is a gifted wordsmith who always has full control of her fresh new narratives.
Her pacing is spot-on and her storylines never fail to make me COL (Cry Out Loud) and LOL, sometimes at the same time.
This book is a love story between two deeply flawed and endearing twin sisters, born 7 years apart through IVF frozen embryos.
It's also a love story between a man and a woman.
And finally, it's also a story about second chances and medical ethics.
Although the book required a suspension of disbelief, talented author Dani Atkins made it work.
I listened to the audiobook read by Tamsin Kennard, who did a superb job with the narration.
4.5 stars.
December 30, 2023
The memory of us by Dani Atkins is another heartfelt, emotional story.
The story starts when Amelia is found unconscious on a deserted beach by two doctors. Apparently, she had a cardiac arrest and is lucky to be alive because of the two doctors. Older sister Lexi gets a call at home in New York that her sister is gravely ill and told to come home. So, she takes the first flight out.
When Amelia wakes up, she asks where her husband Sam is. But the only problem with that is she has never been married and there is no husband Sam. She tries to argue and describes him. She is asked by her sister to search for him. But when he is discovered. The guy’s name is not Sam, but Nick and he has not heard of woman called Amelia. To help with her sister’s memory, she asks Nick to help take photos. To try and jog her sister’s memory to find out what happened to her that she ended up on the beach.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of ‘The Memory of us’ I have read books from the author before and know that she writes emotional, heartfelt stories. But when I read the first few paragraphs of this story. My first thoughts that the author has changed her genre and was surprised how it started. But as it went further it came to a story full on emotion I know and love. This is a beautifully written and poignant tale about sisters’ relationships and dealing when someone you love has a type of Alzheimer’s that is relevant to today. This is a great read. 4 stars from me.
The story starts when Amelia is found unconscious on a deserted beach by two doctors. Apparently, she had a cardiac arrest and is lucky to be alive because of the two doctors. Older sister Lexi gets a call at home in New York that her sister is gravely ill and told to come home. So, she takes the first flight out.
When Amelia wakes up, she asks where her husband Sam is. But the only problem with that is she has never been married and there is no husband Sam. She tries to argue and describes him. She is asked by her sister to search for him. But when he is discovered. The guy’s name is not Sam, but Nick and he has not heard of woman called Amelia. To help with her sister’s memory, she asks Nick to help take photos. To try and jog her sister’s memory to find out what happened to her that she ended up on the beach.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of ‘The Memory of us’ I have read books from the author before and know that she writes emotional, heartfelt stories. But when I read the first few paragraphs of this story. My first thoughts that the author has changed her genre and was surprised how it started. But as it went further it came to a story full on emotion I know and love. This is a beautifully written and poignant tale about sisters’ relationships and dealing when someone you love has a type of Alzheimer’s that is relevant to today. This is a great read. 4 stars from me.
February 14, 2024
This, like the previous book I read by this author, was unnecessarily long. I read this through my online bookclub Pigeonhole, and several readers felt similarly. My personal issues with the story itself were 1) that it zig zaged between Young Adult, Romance, Mystery, and Medical story. 2) The characters were juvenile bordering on implausible, and 3) The Big Reveal/ Twist made the story sad rather than redeemable. Lastly, I found the ending weak, but there will be readers out there that like this type of book. 3 stars
February 16, 2024
I can never resist a book by Dani. I always know that I will be in for an emotional and heartrending read and The Memory of Us didn’t let me down.
There may be a few years between them but twins Amelia and Lexi have a special bond. Amelia is the oldest who has traditionally looked out for her younger sister however when Amelia is found in the most desperate of situations it is Lexi, together with her mother, who must be the protector. The only difficulty is that Lexi lives and works thousands of miles away in New York and needs to put her life and publishing career on hold with no idea as to when she will return.
The story is focused around memories, but not all of them will be true. How far would you go to ensure not just the physical but also the mental recovery of a loved one. Lexi realises that in order to assist Amelia’s recovery and her wellbeing, she has to go above and beyond but needs the help of someone else. There are some aspects of Lexi’s mission where you might just have to go with the flow but I just immersed myself in the story with the desire to know how everything unfolded.
Dani Atkins knows how to write an emotional story that slips effortlessly from sadness to humour. There are some fabulous characters – Amelia we don’t get to know quite so well because much of the story is told from Lexi’s perspective but the relationships there, both old and new, are touching and poignant, whatever the age. I also fell in love with Nick – he is the perfect book boyfriend!
The Memory of Us has so much to enjoy. A heartrending story of drama and romance with characters that are sympathetic and compassionate. As ever with a book by Dani Atkins the reader is taken on an emotional rollercoaster and for me she is very much a ‘must read’ author.
There may be a few years between them but twins Amelia and Lexi have a special bond. Amelia is the oldest who has traditionally looked out for her younger sister however when Amelia is found in the most desperate of situations it is Lexi, together with her mother, who must be the protector. The only difficulty is that Lexi lives and works thousands of miles away in New York and needs to put her life and publishing career on hold with no idea as to when she will return.
The story is focused around memories, but not all of them will be true. How far would you go to ensure not just the physical but also the mental recovery of a loved one. Lexi realises that in order to assist Amelia’s recovery and her wellbeing, she has to go above and beyond but needs the help of someone else. There are some aspects of Lexi’s mission where you might just have to go with the flow but I just immersed myself in the story with the desire to know how everything unfolded.
Dani Atkins knows how to write an emotional story that slips effortlessly from sadness to humour. There are some fabulous characters – Amelia we don’t get to know quite so well because much of the story is told from Lexi’s perspective but the relationships there, both old and new, are touching and poignant, whatever the age. I also fell in love with Nick – he is the perfect book boyfriend!
The Memory of Us has so much to enjoy. A heartrending story of drama and romance with characters that are sympathetic and compassionate. As ever with a book by Dani Atkins the reader is taken on an emotional rollercoaster and for me she is very much a ‘must read’ author.
April 11, 2024
I normally love Dani Atkins' books, she has the ability to draw me into the story and make me fall in love with the characters in a way few other authors can achieve. Whilst this was still a decent story, I just found some elements a little too much to buy into. I don't think doctors would have been so blasé about the state of a patient's mental health if they had developed a whole host of false memories. I'm fairly certain they wouldn't have encouraged the family to keep the lie going for more than a day or two.
The romance was just a little lacking and I ended up skimming a huge chunk of the book. I just felt no connection to Nick and therefore no buy-in to the developing relationship. I also couldn't quite grasp why Lexi was so set on returning to the USA when she was obviously so much happier being in the UK! Then there was that ending, which some might say was very open-ended. It left me feeling quite flat, and I read romances for the feel-good factor and as a quick "pick me up".
That said the characters are well rounded, Lexi's mum's romance with Tom was very sweet, the story flows well, the dialogue is good and it didn't feel too cliched or trite. Despite this not being a big hit with me I will keep reading this author.
The romance was just a little lacking and I ended up skimming a huge chunk of the book. I just felt no connection to Nick and therefore no buy-in to the developing relationship. I also couldn't quite grasp why Lexi was so set on returning to the USA when she was obviously so much happier being in the UK! Then there was that ending, which some might say was very open-ended. It left me feeling quite flat, and I read romances for the feel-good factor and as a quick "pick me up".
That said the characters are well rounded, Lexi's mum's romance with Tom was very sweet, the story flows well, the dialogue is good and it didn't feel too cliched or trite. Despite this not being a big hit with me I will keep reading this author.
May 20, 2024
I had never heard of the author but when I saw the blurb I knew I had to read it, and I am so glad I did.
This is the story of 2 sisters who started life in the same petri dish as twins, but one was born several years before the other. The younger sister, Lexi, was living and working in America when she got the call that her sister had ‘died’ on the beach, and been brought back by some doctors who just happened to be there. When Lexi comes home and races to the hospital, she finds her sister Mimi in a bad way, and changed in personality – she is also convinced that she has a husband called Sam, who doesn’t exist.
When Lexi finds a man who matches the description of the fictitious Sam, Lexi asks him to recreate some of the scenes in Mimi’s imaginary dates with Sam. There starts a relationship between Lexi and Nick (the Sam look alike) that threatens to break the sisters apart.
I absolutely loved this book. It ran the through all the emotions – and left me with a book hangover when it was finished. I loved it and will be looking for more books from this author.
This is the story of 2 sisters who started life in the same petri dish as twins, but one was born several years before the other. The younger sister, Lexi, was living and working in America when she got the call that her sister had ‘died’ on the beach, and been brought back by some doctors who just happened to be there. When Lexi comes home and races to the hospital, she finds her sister Mimi in a bad way, and changed in personality – she is also convinced that she has a husband called Sam, who doesn’t exist.
When Lexi finds a man who matches the description of the fictitious Sam, Lexi asks him to recreate some of the scenes in Mimi’s imaginary dates with Sam. There starts a relationship between Lexi and Nick (the Sam look alike) that threatens to break the sisters apart.
I absolutely loved this book. It ran the through all the emotions – and left me with a book hangover when it was finished. I loved it and will be looking for more books from this author.
August 3, 2025
A promising start that gets more and more ridiculous as time goes on
February 15, 2024
This is an emotional tearjerker of a story that beautifully highlights the importance of family and an incredible bond between two sisters who mean everything to each other.
Amelia and Lexi, though 8 years apart, share a unique relationship and have always been very close. When Amelia is found unconscious and not breathing on the beach outside her cottage in Somerset and has to be shocked back to life, Lexi frantically rushes to be with her from New York where she has great job prospects and a not so great personal life. Lexi and their mother are both shocked when Amelia wakes up and asks for her husband Sam and talks about the wonderful times she has spent with him because no such person exists. Doctors think it's a confusion due to the trauma her body experienced but seeing Amelia so upset, Lexi wants to do more than wait. When she meets Nick, a local vet and he agrees to step in as Sam and recreate the vivid moments Amelia recalls, Lexi embarks on this difficult task. One that becomes more fraught when the intimate moments they share as Sam and Amelia, picknicking on the beach and going on horse rides, bring them closer to each other. What do you do when you fall in love with the man your sister believes to be her husband?
I love Lexi as a character even through her most impulsive and impractical decisions because they are all made out of love and a desperation to make things right for a loved one. I also really liked Nick who was so supportive. While their closeness may seem inevitable, it was done well. Amanda and Lexi's mother getting a second chance at companionship after years was also incredibly sweet and this is something that's very close to my heart.
I appreciate that there are no magical explanations or solutions for anything in the story as that would have spoilt it somewhat. Life is never so neat and even if certain aspects here are larger than life or supernatural seeming, there is a logic to it that allows the reader to choose what to believe. Though I'm usually not a fan of seemingly open interpretation, here it worked for me. There were many tears, both happy and sad as the sisters navigated this unusual situation.
I read this via The Pigeonhole app where it was serialised into excerpts. This is my first time reading a book this way and I think the anticipation for the next stave made my experience more enjoyable! Also something I never thought possible as I usually don't like to wait when I'm really into a book. Overall, I would term this a story full of feelings that are very well expressed.
Amelia and Lexi, though 8 years apart, share a unique relationship and have always been very close. When Amelia is found unconscious and not breathing on the beach outside her cottage in Somerset and has to be shocked back to life, Lexi frantically rushes to be with her from New York where she has great job prospects and a not so great personal life. Lexi and their mother are both shocked when Amelia wakes up and asks for her husband Sam and talks about the wonderful times she has spent with him because no such person exists. Doctors think it's a confusion due to the trauma her body experienced but seeing Amelia so upset, Lexi wants to do more than wait. When she meets Nick, a local vet and he agrees to step in as Sam and recreate the vivid moments Amelia recalls, Lexi embarks on this difficult task. One that becomes more fraught when the intimate moments they share as Sam and Amelia, picknicking on the beach and going on horse rides, bring them closer to each other. What do you do when you fall in love with the man your sister believes to be her husband?
I love Lexi as a character even through her most impulsive and impractical decisions because they are all made out of love and a desperation to make things right for a loved one. I also really liked Nick who was so supportive. While their closeness may seem inevitable, it was done well. Amanda and Lexi's mother getting a second chance at companionship after years was also incredibly sweet and this is something that's very close to my heart.
I appreciate that there are no magical explanations or solutions for anything in the story as that would have spoilt it somewhat. Life is never so neat and even if certain aspects here are larger than life or supernatural seeming, there is a logic to it that allows the reader to choose what to believe. Though I'm usually not a fan of seemingly open interpretation, here it worked for me. There were many tears, both happy and sad as the sisters navigated this unusual situation.
I read this via The Pigeonhole app where it was serialised into excerpts. This is my first time reading a book this way and I think the anticipation for the next stave made my experience more enjoyable! Also something I never thought possible as I usually don't like to wait when I'm really into a book. Overall, I would term this a story full of feelings that are very well expressed.
February 14, 2024
Lexi meets a handsome stranger on the beach who looks exactly like her sister Amelia’s drawing of her imaginary husband. Recovering from an almost fatal incident in which her heart stopped, Amelia has woken up with an irregular heartbeat and believing she is married. Lexi convinces Nick to pose for some photographs with her following the events in the ‘memories’ Amelia has created. Nick initially thinks she is crazy but soon gets to know and understand Lexi’s reasoning. Lexi has no idea she will fall in love with this stranger.
Oh my goodness I can’t remember the last book I cried so much at! For the last 20 minutes or so I could hardly read through the tears!
What an extraordinary story. Unique. Tear jerking. Laugh out loud funny. It’s a beautiful love story, actually two love stories, amongst a third and very sad story. Lots of highs and lows and my emotions don’t know what has hit them.
A story of the love which binds two sisters. Twins. Born 8 years apart through IVF. With that other worldly twins connection. They will always protect each other.
Huge thanks to Sophie and Poppie at Ransom PR for having me along on the blog tour.
Oh my goodness I can’t remember the last book I cried so much at! For the last 20 minutes or so I could hardly read through the tears!
What an extraordinary story. Unique. Tear jerking. Laugh out loud funny. It’s a beautiful love story, actually two love stories, amongst a third and very sad story. Lots of highs and lows and my emotions don’t know what has hit them.
A story of the love which binds two sisters. Twins. Born 8 years apart through IVF. With that other worldly twins connection. They will always protect each other.
Huge thanks to Sophie and Poppie at Ransom PR for having me along on the blog tour.
January 1, 2024
This emotional book started a little slowly for me but when the story began to unfold I began to get invested in the story.
The bond between sisters is explored beautifully. Being the youngest of two sisters myself I could relate to the unique bond sisters have and how far they will go to protect each other. Lexi and Amelia’s relationship is written with great insight and the love they share shines from the pages.
I found Lexi’s plan to recreate Amelia’s memories a little misguided but I realised it came from a good place and wasn’t sure how I would react if I had been in her position. The ending left the reader to decide their own conclusions which I admit to hoping for a positive one. I admit a few tears were shed whilst reading this book.
Family bonds, love, romance, memory loss and grief are only some of the complex issues explored in the storyline. A perfect book to curl up with with a box of tissues close at hand.
The bond between sisters is explored beautifully. Being the youngest of two sisters myself I could relate to the unique bond sisters have and how far they will go to protect each other. Lexi and Amelia’s relationship is written with great insight and the love they share shines from the pages.
I found Lexi’s plan to recreate Amelia’s memories a little misguided but I realised it came from a good place and wasn’t sure how I would react if I had been in her position. The ending left the reader to decide their own conclusions which I admit to hoping for a positive one. I admit a few tears were shed whilst reading this book.
Family bonds, love, romance, memory loss and grief are only some of the complex issues explored in the storyline. A perfect book to curl up with with a box of tissues close at hand.
June 9, 2024
Tolles Buch, schöne Interessante Geschichte, leider bleiben einige Fragen ungeklärt.
January 6, 2025
Ja, die tissues waren aan het einde zeker weer nodig! De boeken van Dani staan altijd garant voor de nodige drama en romantiek. Maar ook zit er vaak een vleugje ‘mysterie/onverklaarbaars’ in. Zo ook in dit boek; waarbij Amelia zich bij het wakker worden een heel leven herinnert wat nooit bestaan heeft. En daarbij ook het dilemma oproept of je daar als naaste in mee gaat of niet. Dat maken haar boeken heel kenmerkend en bijzonder.
Eerlijk is eerlijk; 𝘡𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘫 blijft nog altijd mijn favoriete boek van haar. Bij dit boek had ik net wat meer tijd nodig om lekker in het verhaal te komen, het begin voelde wat traag en het duurde even voor ik een connectie had met Lexi. Maar naar het einde toe, raakte ik steeds meer in het verhaal en (zonder spoilers te geven), geeft Dani je nog een aantal dilemma’s om over na te denken.
Met een traan en een warm hart sloeg ik het boek dicht. Denk dat ik er nog wel even over na blijf denken ook…
Eerlijk is eerlijk; 𝘡𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘫 blijft nog altijd mijn favoriete boek van haar. Bij dit boek had ik net wat meer tijd nodig om lekker in het verhaal te komen, het begin voelde wat traag en het duurde even voor ik een connectie had met Lexi. Maar naar het einde toe, raakte ik steeds meer in het verhaal en (zonder spoilers te geven), geeft Dani je nog een aantal dilemma’s om over na te denken.
Met een traan en een warm hart sloeg ik het boek dicht. Denk dat ik er nog wel even over na blijf denken ook…
January 25, 2024
4,5 Sterne
November 5, 2024
.
𝘽𝙖𝙙 𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨
A woman falls for the man wearing her brother-in-law’s face
𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙛𝙛
Page turner
𝘽𝙖𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙛𝙛
Lexi was frustrating
Was expecting a bit more of a thriller element, but that could be a me thing
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨/𝙨𝙪𝙗 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚𝙨
Fate
Mild thriller vibe
Fake relationship ish
𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨
Lexi flies home to the U.K. when she gets a call that her sister had been found clinically dead on the beach.
When Amelia finally comes around at the hospital, she’s harping on about her husband Sam, wondering where he is. Which confuses (and worries) the life out of Lexi and their mum, because there is no Sam. There is no husband. But Amelia will not hear any of it.
So when Lexi spots the exact man Amelia drew, claiming him to be Sam, she knows she must speak to him. But worst still, she propositions him with insanity.
Oh Lexi. Lexi Lexi Lexi. One of the most frustratingly flawed characters I’ve read in a while. Almost every decision she made had me cringing or scoffing or whying…because seriously, lady. Why??
I mean from her very first conversation with Nick, I was questioning her ability to approach anything logically. Could she not have said “hi, is your name Sam? My twin sister has a picture of someone she knows called Sam and he looks exactly like you”. Even that would have been less crazy town.
Then the photo in the locket was such a stupid and impulsive idea! Why wouldn’t she just give her the locket sans photo? She could have spoken to the nurses/doctor/her mum about it after and if they thought the photo would be a good idea she could pretend to have found it on the floor in the house! Silly woman.
Nevermind editing, Lexi could make a living at rationalising the batshit. She did my head in a bit with the illogical and self-sabotaging way she put Amelia’s non-existent relationship before her own very real one. I feel like at the point of photo discovery she should have told the truth. Surely the doctors would have agreed!
Another negative for me is the way the sisters were referred to as identical in every way, over and over again, and how they were twins and had this unexplained connection etc…fine but it suggests that they were identical twins that were two completely separate IVF transfers 8 years apart. Yeeaaahhhh, as someone who has undergone many rounds of IVF, I don’t think they split identical twin blastocysts. And definitely not back in the 80s. So they could have been fraternal “twins” for sure, but their appearance wouldn’t have been as identical as was continually stated.
Now although I’ve done my usual negative highlights, I did actually find the book to be a page turner. I kept wondering how Lexi and Nick were ever going to be able to be together with Amelia’s false memories. I wanted to know how Amelia ended up on the mudflats that night, and the little clues like the beer, and the ice cream, and the phone. Although I was very much expecting more of an ominous thriller situation there. A would-be killer called Sam Wilson. But obviously not actually looking like Nick.
I did like Lexi and Nick’s slow burn love story. She’s lucky he liked the nutter at her core. But I especially loved her mum and Tom’s relationship. They were so damn cute!
Amelia’s passing was obviously an emotional point. I kind of wish they’d found a real Sam Wilson for her because what a tragic 15 months she had!
I’m not sure how I feel about the epilogue though, to be honest. Although it was in keeping with Lexi’s character of frustrating me so…
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨
🤤🤤🤤🤤
💧
🤣🤣
😭😭😭😭
🌟🌟🌟
𝘽𝙖𝙙 𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨
A woman falls for the man wearing her brother-in-law’s face
𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙛𝙛
Page turner
𝘽𝙖𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙛𝙛
Lexi was frustrating
Was expecting a bit more of a thriller element, but that could be a me thing
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨/𝙨𝙪𝙗 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚𝙨
Fate
Mild thriller vibe
Fake relationship ish
𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨
Lexi flies home to the U.K. when she gets a call that her sister had been found clinically dead on the beach.
When Amelia finally comes around at the hospital, she’s harping on about her husband Sam, wondering where he is. Which confuses (and worries) the life out of Lexi and their mum, because there is no Sam. There is no husband. But Amelia will not hear any of it.
So when Lexi spots the exact man Amelia drew, claiming him to be Sam, she knows she must speak to him. But worst still, she propositions him with insanity.
Oh Lexi. Lexi Lexi Lexi. One of the most frustratingly flawed characters I’ve read in a while. Almost every decision she made had me cringing or scoffing or whying…because seriously, lady. Why??
I mean from her very first conversation with Nick, I was questioning her ability to approach anything logically. Could she not have said “hi, is your name Sam? My twin sister has a picture of someone she knows called Sam and he looks exactly like you”. Even that would have been less crazy town.
Then the photo in the locket was such a stupid and impulsive idea! Why wouldn’t she just give her the locket sans photo? She could have spoken to the nurses/doctor/her mum about it after and if they thought the photo would be a good idea she could pretend to have found it on the floor in the house! Silly woman.
Nevermind editing, Lexi could make a living at rationalising the batshit. She did my head in a bit with the illogical and self-sabotaging way she put Amelia’s non-existent relationship before her own very real one. I feel like at the point of photo discovery she should have told the truth. Surely the doctors would have agreed!
Another negative for me is the way the sisters were referred to as identical in every way, over and over again, and how they were twins and had this unexplained connection etc…fine but it suggests that they were identical twins that were two completely separate IVF transfers 8 years apart. Yeeaaahhhh, as someone who has undergone many rounds of IVF, I don’t think they split identical twin blastocysts. And definitely not back in the 80s. So they could have been fraternal “twins” for sure, but their appearance wouldn’t have been as identical as was continually stated.
Now although I’ve done my usual negative highlights, I did actually find the book to be a page turner. I kept wondering how Lexi and Nick were ever going to be able to be together with Amelia’s false memories. I wanted to know how Amelia ended up on the mudflats that night, and the little clues like the beer, and the ice cream, and the phone. Although I was very much expecting more of an ominous thriller situation there. A would-be killer called Sam Wilson. But obviously not actually looking like Nick.
I did like Lexi and Nick’s slow burn love story. She’s lucky he liked the nutter at her core. But I especially loved her mum and Tom’s relationship. They were so damn cute!
Amelia’s passing was obviously an emotional point. I kind of wish they’d found a real Sam Wilson for her because what a tragic 15 months she had!
I’m not sure how I feel about the epilogue though, to be honest. Although it was in keeping with Lexi’s character of frustrating me so…
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨
🤤🤤🤤🤤
💧
🤣🤣
😭😭😭😭
🌟🌟🌟
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2023
'The Memory of Us' by Dani Atkins is a heartwarming story about two sisters. Also inside, there's a love story. Amelia is faced with a near-death experience. After that, she believes she was in a relationship with a guy named Sam. Her sister Lexi met Nick, who looks like Sam. Lexi fell in love with Nick and they both started a plan to help Amelia get better. There are plenty of emotional scenes in this book.
I wanted to thank the publishers and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in order to write a review.
I wanted to thank the publishers and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in order to write a review.
January 12, 2025
Door boeken als 'Versplinterd', 'Duet met jou', 'Zonder mij', 'Dromen van jou' en 'Een hemel vol sterren' is Dani Atkins de afgelopen jaren uitgegroeid tot een van mijn favoriete auteurs. Elk boek van haar dat in het Nederlands wordt vertaald wil ik dan ook lezen. Maar nu is de vraag: stelt ze met haar nieuwste pareltje 'Wat wij samen waren' teleur of heeft ze mij juist positief verrast?
Deze roman draait om Lexi, die midden in de nacht een alarmerend telefoontje van haar moeder ontvangt. Haar tweelingzus Amelia is bewusteloos en onderkoeld op het strand gevonden, maar dankzij snelle reanimatie ligt ze nu in het ziekenhuis. Zonder aarzelen boekt Lexi de eerstvolgende vlucht vanuit New York om haar familie bij te staan in deze zware tijd. Eenmaal thuis lijkt Amelia langzaam maar zeker op te knappen, maar er is iets vreemds: ze blijft vragen naar haar man, 'Sam' – een man die helemaal niet bestaat.
Dat op zich zou nog te verklaren zijn, ware het niet dat Amelia hem tot in de kleinste details kan beschrijven en zelfs overtuigende tekeningen maakt van zijn gezicht. Bovendien deelt ze herinneringen aan romantische dates die nooit hebben plaatsgevonden. Het mysterie wordt nog groter wanneer Lexi op een dag naar het strand bij Amelia’s huis gaat en daar Nick ontmoet – een man die als twee druppels water lijkt op de door Amelia getekende Sam. Hij kent echter geen Amelia en weet niets van haar valse herinneringen.
Lexi wil koste wat kost voorkomen dat haar zus nog meer stress krijgt en besluit daarom een onconventioneel plan te bedenken. Samen met Nick begint ze de dates na te spelen die Amelia zich zo levendig herinnert, compleet met foto's om de illusie in stand te houden. Alles lijkt volgens plan te verlopen – tot er gevoelens in het spel komen. Niet tussen Amelia en Nick, maar tussen haarzelf en Nick. En dat opent de deur naar een hele nieuwe reeks complicaties. Hoe vertel je je zus, die net een zware tijd doormaakt, dat jij misschien verliefd bent op de man uit háár fantasie?
Ik zou nog uren kunnen doorgaan over de inhoud van 'Wat wij samen waren', maar uiteindelijk is dit een boek dat je gewoon zelf moet ervaren. Dani Atkins slaagt er namelijk opnieuw in om haar lezers volledig te betoveren – een talent dat ze in al haar boeken laat zien. Of je het nu leest of luistert, binnen de kortste keren word je meegenomen in de rijke setting, de levensechte personages en het ontroerende liefdesverhaal van Nick en Lexi. Je vergeet even alles om je heen en kunt alleen maar bedenken: zit er überhaupt wel een toekomst in voor deze twee fijne karakters?
De hele situatie met Amelia - die maar blijft denken dat Sam bij haar terugkeert - is namelijk allesbehalve makkelijk!
Tot dusver heb ik dan ook echt genoten van dit boek, en dat blijkt ook wel uit de vier sterren hierboven. Maar als je mij vraagt of dit het beste boek van Dani Atkins is, dan moet ik eerlijk zeggen: nee. Hoe meeslepend, realistisch en fijn dit verhaal ook is, ik denk dat het nóg sterker had kunnen zijn. Een vraag die namelijk steeds door mijn hoofd bleef spelen, is: waar doet Lexi het eigenlijk allemaal voor? Waarom maakt ze die foto's voor haar zus, om ze vervolgens in een 'herinneringendoos' op te bergen zonder ze aan Amelia te laten zien? Wat is precies haar doel? Dat gebrek aan duidelijkheid maakte het voor mij wat lastig om volledig mee te leven met haar keuzes.
Daarnaast had de zussenband tussen Lexi en Amelia meer uitgediept mogen worden. Als daar meer focus op had gelegen, was de emotionele impact van het verhaal veel krachtiger geweest. Begrijp me niet verkeerd, het is een prachtig boek, maar het had die ene extra laag kunnen hebben waardoor ik wél naar de zakdoekjes had moeten grijpen.
Maar ondanks mijn kritische kanttekeningen raad ik je deze fijne roman van Dani Atkins alsnog van harte aan. Het is precies het soort boek dat je laat ontsnappen aan de drukte van het dagelijks leven en je volledig onderdompelt in het verhaal van iemand anders. Perfect om je even te verliezen in een meeslepend, zowel hartverwarmend als hartverscheurend & emotioneel avontuur.
Deze roman draait om Lexi, die midden in de nacht een alarmerend telefoontje van haar moeder ontvangt. Haar tweelingzus Amelia is bewusteloos en onderkoeld op het strand gevonden, maar dankzij snelle reanimatie ligt ze nu in het ziekenhuis. Zonder aarzelen boekt Lexi de eerstvolgende vlucht vanuit New York om haar familie bij te staan in deze zware tijd. Eenmaal thuis lijkt Amelia langzaam maar zeker op te knappen, maar er is iets vreemds: ze blijft vragen naar haar man, 'Sam' – een man die helemaal niet bestaat.
Dat op zich zou nog te verklaren zijn, ware het niet dat Amelia hem tot in de kleinste details kan beschrijven en zelfs overtuigende tekeningen maakt van zijn gezicht. Bovendien deelt ze herinneringen aan romantische dates die nooit hebben plaatsgevonden. Het mysterie wordt nog groter wanneer Lexi op een dag naar het strand bij Amelia’s huis gaat en daar Nick ontmoet – een man die als twee druppels water lijkt op de door Amelia getekende Sam. Hij kent echter geen Amelia en weet niets van haar valse herinneringen.
Lexi wil koste wat kost voorkomen dat haar zus nog meer stress krijgt en besluit daarom een onconventioneel plan te bedenken. Samen met Nick begint ze de dates na te spelen die Amelia zich zo levendig herinnert, compleet met foto's om de illusie in stand te houden. Alles lijkt volgens plan te verlopen – tot er gevoelens in het spel komen. Niet tussen Amelia en Nick, maar tussen haarzelf en Nick. En dat opent de deur naar een hele nieuwe reeks complicaties. Hoe vertel je je zus, die net een zware tijd doormaakt, dat jij misschien verliefd bent op de man uit háár fantasie?
Ik zou nog uren kunnen doorgaan over de inhoud van 'Wat wij samen waren', maar uiteindelijk is dit een boek dat je gewoon zelf moet ervaren. Dani Atkins slaagt er namelijk opnieuw in om haar lezers volledig te betoveren – een talent dat ze in al haar boeken laat zien. Of je het nu leest of luistert, binnen de kortste keren word je meegenomen in de rijke setting, de levensechte personages en het ontroerende liefdesverhaal van Nick en Lexi. Je vergeet even alles om je heen en kunt alleen maar bedenken: zit er überhaupt wel een toekomst in voor deze twee fijne karakters?
De hele situatie met Amelia - die maar blijft denken dat Sam bij haar terugkeert - is namelijk allesbehalve makkelijk!
Tot dusver heb ik dan ook echt genoten van dit boek, en dat blijkt ook wel uit de vier sterren hierboven. Maar als je mij vraagt of dit het beste boek van Dani Atkins is, dan moet ik eerlijk zeggen: nee. Hoe meeslepend, realistisch en fijn dit verhaal ook is, ik denk dat het nóg sterker had kunnen zijn. Een vraag die namelijk steeds door mijn hoofd bleef spelen, is: waar doet Lexi het eigenlijk allemaal voor? Waarom maakt ze die foto's voor haar zus, om ze vervolgens in een 'herinneringendoos' op te bergen zonder ze aan Amelia te laten zien? Wat is precies haar doel? Dat gebrek aan duidelijkheid maakte het voor mij wat lastig om volledig mee te leven met haar keuzes.
Daarnaast had de zussenband tussen Lexi en Amelia meer uitgediept mogen worden. Als daar meer focus op had gelegen, was de emotionele impact van het verhaal veel krachtiger geweest. Begrijp me niet verkeerd, het is een prachtig boek, maar het had die ene extra laag kunnen hebben waardoor ik wél naar de zakdoekjes had moeten grijpen.
Maar ondanks mijn kritische kanttekeningen raad ik je deze fijne roman van Dani Atkins alsnog van harte aan. Het is precies het soort boek dat je laat ontsnappen aan de drukte van het dagelijks leven en je volledig onderdompelt in het verhaal van iemand anders. Perfect om je even te verliezen in een meeslepend, zowel hartverwarmend als hartverscheurend & emotioneel avontuur.
March 4, 2024
I haven't read a Dani Atkins book before however I had heard good things so signed up to read along with The Pigeonhole online book group. The premise of this book seemed really interesting to me - a young woman is found unresponsive on the mudflats near her beach home and shocked back into life by a couple of Doctors who just happen to be setting up for a day fishing. Upon hearing the news that her older, yet identical sister is critically ill, Lexi immediately leaves her fabulous job and relationship in NYC and races to her bedside. When Amelia comes around, critically ill in ICU, she has what seems like a headful of false memories, most importantly, the fact that she is happily married to a man, unknown to anyone else, named Sam. Her Mum, and Lexi, are understandably confused by the mention of this man that they've never heard of and how important he is to Amelia. Even stranger, she's insistent that they do both know him, and that they were present at her wedding. So far, so good!
There then follows the first of many confusing turns of events where it appears to be suggested that Amelia's accident has turned her from someone who doesn't know one end of a pencil from the other, to someone who can draw a masterful portrait of her 'husband', from memory, which she then uses to indicate what Sam looks like.
Confused with Amelia's insistence that Sam is a real person and her perfect love, Lexi is staying in her sister's home and accidentally happens upon a chap, walking his dog on the beach, who looks exactly like the description of 'Sam' that she's been given. Coincidence? Is this actually Sam or has Amelia seen him walking his dog and conjured up a false memory from this? This could all be asked and resolved quite early on but our hapless protagonist decides to go on an ill-judged course of action and drag this poor chap along with her - this then predictably goes on to cause all kinds of angst and upset that pads out the middle section of this book.
It's very hard to explain any more without spoilers, so I'll try as best I can. First of all, I think the author is talented - she obviously has skill with character building and elements of diaglogue. I'd have like to have heard a lot more from Amelia and a bit less from Lexi though.
Character wise - Lexi is 31 - yet acts like a 20 year old. There's not enough of Amelia, the actual patient - who is gaslit regularly by her sister and her Mum, both with and without the approval of her doctors. I don't think 'Mum' has a name of her own and is just referred to as 'Mum' throughout. She's painted as fairly decrepit although I think she's only meant to be late 60s early 70s, and seems like a background character rather than the matriarch she could have been. Nick, or 'fake Sam' is all a bit Disney prince, and comes across as far too good to be true, especially as the book progresses. Tom is a walking cliche (only just though, because he's so elderly) and feels somewhat shoehorned in to give another character a tidy wrap-up.
Plot wise - there are so many different threads running through this book that it just felt like there was far too much going on and it was very hard to know what I was supposed to be focusing on or what the book was trying to be. I'm not sure if it was a poignant look at the impact life changing events, or news has on a family, a Bridget Jones style 'will-they-won't-they' romcom with a divorced Dad and all the extra baggage that brought into the story, or a peek into the mental connection between the sisters which rests quite heavily on how much you believe in pyschic telepathy. A life changing career and relationship decision (and subsequent reversal) is hardly touched upon and several of these threads are left hanging with a time gap - presumably so you assume they've been tied up 'offpage' as it were, which makes them feel unfinished, and left me feeling a bit cheated for investing the time and energy to care. The events are largely predictable until you get to the final quarter or so when there is a final reveal that really does come out of the blue leading to a really poignant wrap-up, and yet had it been introduced earlier, I would have had so much more sympathy for some of Lexi's weirder decisions. Just when I thought the ending had redeemed the book for me a little, as if to put a little cherry on the top, the final chapter really annoyed me as really selfish decisions were made that just seemed completely out of character for the person involved, who had always been so selfless - and if it had been a hardback, I'd have slammed it shut.
Ultimately this just my own interpretation, and I know the author is popular. I'm sure if the right readers get their hands on this, and it's similar to previous offerings, then they'll love it - get hold of a copy and see what you think for yourself?
There then follows the first of many confusing turns of events where it appears to be suggested that Amelia's accident has turned her from someone who doesn't know one end of a pencil from the other, to someone who can draw a masterful portrait of her 'husband', from memory, which she then uses to indicate what Sam looks like.
Confused with Amelia's insistence that Sam is a real person and her perfect love, Lexi is staying in her sister's home and accidentally happens upon a chap, walking his dog on the beach, who looks exactly like the description of 'Sam' that she's been given. Coincidence? Is this actually Sam or has Amelia seen him walking his dog and conjured up a false memory from this? This could all be asked and resolved quite early on but our hapless protagonist decides to go on an ill-judged course of action and drag this poor chap along with her - this then predictably goes on to cause all kinds of angst and upset that pads out the middle section of this book.
It's very hard to explain any more without spoilers, so I'll try as best I can. First of all, I think the author is talented - she obviously has skill with character building and elements of diaglogue. I'd have like to have heard a lot more from Amelia and a bit less from Lexi though.
Character wise - Lexi is 31 - yet acts like a 20 year old. There's not enough of Amelia, the actual patient - who is gaslit regularly by her sister and her Mum, both with and without the approval of her doctors. I don't think 'Mum' has a name of her own and is just referred to as 'Mum' throughout. She's painted as fairly decrepit although I think she's only meant to be late 60s early 70s, and seems like a background character rather than the matriarch she could have been. Nick, or 'fake Sam' is all a bit Disney prince, and comes across as far too good to be true, especially as the book progresses. Tom is a walking cliche (only just though, because he's so elderly) and feels somewhat shoehorned in to give another character a tidy wrap-up.
Plot wise - there are so many different threads running through this book that it just felt like there was far too much going on and it was very hard to know what I was supposed to be focusing on or what the book was trying to be. I'm not sure if it was a poignant look at the impact life changing events, or news has on a family, a Bridget Jones style 'will-they-won't-they' romcom with a divorced Dad and all the extra baggage that brought into the story, or a peek into the mental connection between the sisters which rests quite heavily on how much you believe in pyschic telepathy. A life changing career and relationship decision (and subsequent reversal) is hardly touched upon and several of these threads are left hanging with a time gap - presumably so you assume they've been tied up 'offpage' as it were, which makes them feel unfinished, and left me feeling a bit cheated for investing the time and energy to care. The events are largely predictable until you get to the final quarter or so when there is a final reveal that really does come out of the blue leading to a really poignant wrap-up, and yet had it been introduced earlier, I would have had so much more sympathy for some of Lexi's weirder decisions. Just when I thought the ending had redeemed the book for me a little, as if to put a little cherry on the top, the final chapter really annoyed me as really selfish decisions were made that just seemed completely out of character for the person involved, who had always been so selfless - and if it had been a hardback, I'd have slammed it shut.
Ultimately this just my own interpretation, and I know the author is popular. I'm sure if the right readers get their hands on this, and it's similar to previous offerings, then they'll love it - get hold of a copy and see what you think for yourself?
February 23, 2024
Amelia is found on a desolate beach on a frigid January night wearing nothing but her nightgown. She’s unconscious, not breathing and verging on hypothermia. If the men had found her just a few moments later she’d never have recovered. But they were able to get her heart beating again and she’s rushed to the nearest hospital.
In New York Lexi is woken by the call no-one wants to receive and quickly packs before racing to the airport to get on a plane and fly to her sister’s side. When she arrives, Amelia is conscious but not acting like herself and asking for her husband, Sam. Only Sam doesn’t exist.
I knew The Memory of Us was going to be a book I loved within the first few pages. A story about memories, true love, and unbreakable bonds, it didn’t start out how I expected and adrenaline coursed through my veins as I read the gripping prologue. That tension was only compounded by fear and foreboding as Lexi flew to be by her sister’s side, and while that high level of apprehension did ease, the book continued to hold my attention and I was totally immersed and invested. The sisters share a strong and unique bond, which is a central part of the storyline, and you can feel it keenly as Lexi desperately tries to help her sister even at the cost of her own happiness.
Dani Atkins is an author I’ve been aware of for a long time and I’ve got a number of her books on my kindle. But, shamefully, this is the first time I’ve read one of them. Why did I wait so long? This book is beautifully written, evocative and moving with very real and relatable characters that I found easy to root for. Their emotions leapt from the pages and I felt like I lived every moment alongside the characters, particularly Lexi who I formed the strongest bond with. I loved her relationship with Amelia and could feel how torn she was in so many of the decisions she was having to make. I also really believed in the love between Lexi and Nick. He was a dreamy love interest and it would have been a surprise if Lexi hadn’t fallen for him. Yes, it was predictable they would fall in love, but it was also well written and I wanted them to have their happy ever after.
Heartrending, hopeful and uplifting, The Memory of Us is a wonderful story that warms you from the inside like hot chocolate on a cold day. Highly recommended.
In New York Lexi is woken by the call no-one wants to receive and quickly packs before racing to the airport to get on a plane and fly to her sister’s side. When she arrives, Amelia is conscious but not acting like herself and asking for her husband, Sam. Only Sam doesn’t exist.
I knew The Memory of Us was going to be a book I loved within the first few pages. A story about memories, true love, and unbreakable bonds, it didn’t start out how I expected and adrenaline coursed through my veins as I read the gripping prologue. That tension was only compounded by fear and foreboding as Lexi flew to be by her sister’s side, and while that high level of apprehension did ease, the book continued to hold my attention and I was totally immersed and invested. The sisters share a strong and unique bond, which is a central part of the storyline, and you can feel it keenly as Lexi desperately tries to help her sister even at the cost of her own happiness.
Dani Atkins is an author I’ve been aware of for a long time and I’ve got a number of her books on my kindle. But, shamefully, this is the first time I’ve read one of them. Why did I wait so long? This book is beautifully written, evocative and moving with very real and relatable characters that I found easy to root for. Their emotions leapt from the pages and I felt like I lived every moment alongside the characters, particularly Lexi who I formed the strongest bond with. I loved her relationship with Amelia and could feel how torn she was in so many of the decisions she was having to make. I also really believed in the love between Lexi and Nick. He was a dreamy love interest and it would have been a surprise if Lexi hadn’t fallen for him. Yes, it was predictable they would fall in love, but it was also well written and I wanted them to have their happy ever after.
Heartrending, hopeful and uplifting, The Memory of Us is a wonderful story that warms you from the inside like hot chocolate on a cold day. Highly recommended.
November 30, 2024
"I didn't realise you could live your whole life never knowing something was missing until the day you unexpectedly find it. And when you do, everything falls into place and you know you're exactly where you were always meant to be, with the person you're meant to share your life with." - The Memory of Us by Dani Atkins
Emotionally stirring and poignant, this is yet another Dani Atkins offering that truly tugged at my heartstrings and kept me close to tears throughout my reading journey. A beautiful portrayal of the love and unwavering bond between two remarkable sisters, Amelia and Lexi.
Amelia was found on the beach near her Somerset cottage, just moments away from death. Thankfully, she was rescued by two doctors and her heart was recovered. Amelia's younger sister rushes from New York. When Amelia finally wakes up, everyone is stunned - Amelia has somehow, subconsciously created false memories which include her being married to a man named Sam.
Worried that denying this dream would worsen Amelia's condition, Lexi crosses paths with Nick, who looked exactly like the man Amelia has been sketching, the man she believed to be her husband. While Lexi and Nick work together to create photographs of Amelia's memories with Nick, they unexpectedly fall in love. How will Lexi have a future with a man her sister truly believes to be her husband?
I loved Dani Atkins' stories. They are always emotionally complex, but very beautifully written. There is something ethereal about the way her stories weave slight elements of fantasy, and there is a dreamlike quality to every heartbreaking moment in her story.
Of course, this story is truly a heavy tug on one's heartstrings. It touches on issues such as dealing with grief, illness and of course, on heartbreak over a lost love. I was truly engrossed in every bit of the story, and I loved the way the prose makes me eager to continue reading Lexi and Amelia's journey. Atkins wrote such a wonderful story on the unfettered bond between the two sisters, adding another layer of depth and emotion to an already beautiful story.
Emotionally stirring and poignant, this is yet another Dani Atkins offering that truly tugged at my heartstrings and kept me close to tears throughout my reading journey. A beautiful portrayal of the love and unwavering bond between two remarkable sisters, Amelia and Lexi.
Amelia was found on the beach near her Somerset cottage, just moments away from death. Thankfully, she was rescued by two doctors and her heart was recovered. Amelia's younger sister rushes from New York. When Amelia finally wakes up, everyone is stunned - Amelia has somehow, subconsciously created false memories which include her being married to a man named Sam.
Worried that denying this dream would worsen Amelia's condition, Lexi crosses paths with Nick, who looked exactly like the man Amelia has been sketching, the man she believed to be her husband. While Lexi and Nick work together to create photographs of Amelia's memories with Nick, they unexpectedly fall in love. How will Lexi have a future with a man her sister truly believes to be her husband?
I loved Dani Atkins' stories. They are always emotionally complex, but very beautifully written. There is something ethereal about the way her stories weave slight elements of fantasy, and there is a dreamlike quality to every heartbreaking moment in her story.
Of course, this story is truly a heavy tug on one's heartstrings. It touches on issues such as dealing with grief, illness and of course, on heartbreak over a lost love. I was truly engrossed in every bit of the story, and I loved the way the prose makes me eager to continue reading Lexi and Amelia's journey. Atkins wrote such a wonderful story on the unfettered bond between the two sisters, adding another layer of depth and emotion to an already beautiful story.
November 25, 2023
4.5 stars
When I first started reading The Memory of Us , I had no idea in which direction things were going to go. But by the time, I got to around chapters 4-5, I knew this book would be a hard-hitting, emotional rollercoaster. This book has one of the most stunning portrayals of grief, love and the bond between two sisters. Trust me, it will get you right in your feels.
I truly truly loved Lexi as our main protagonist and how protective she feels towards her older sister. Her fear of losing Amelia and her determination to help her sister through the immense trauma that she has gone through will move your heart.
It is this very determination that lands Lexi in front of Nick, who bears a striking resemblance to Amelia's "mysterious husband". And honestly, Lexi and Nick's friendship and eventually romance was one of the best parts of the book. The chemistry between these two was intense and really obvious from the get-go. I am truly glad they got the ending they did.
The book ends on a solemn, but good note, that concludes a very important part of this wonderful book. All in all, The Memory of Us is a book that I will definitely be coming back to and rereading.
Thank you Aria & Aries for providing with me an e-ARC through Netgalley!
When I first started reading The Memory of Us , I had no idea in which direction things were going to go. But by the time, I got to around chapters 4-5, I knew this book would be a hard-hitting, emotional rollercoaster. This book has one of the most stunning portrayals of grief, love and the bond between two sisters. Trust me, it will get you right in your feels.
I truly truly loved Lexi as our main protagonist and how protective she feels towards her older sister. Her fear of losing Amelia and her determination to help her sister through the immense trauma that she has gone through will move your heart.
It is this very determination that lands Lexi in front of Nick, who bears a striking resemblance to Amelia's "mysterious husband". And honestly, Lexi and Nick's friendship and eventually romance was one of the best parts of the book. The chemistry between these two was intense and really obvious from the get-go. I am truly glad they got the ending they did.
The book ends on a solemn, but good note, that concludes a very important part of this wonderful book. All in all, The Memory of Us is a book that I will definitely be coming back to and rereading.
Thank you Aria & Aries for providing with me an e-ARC through Netgalley!
February 26, 2024
The Memory of Us is about the strong bond of two sisters, Lexi and Amelia, and the challenges they go through after Amelia recovers from a near-death experience with false memories of a husband who doesn't exist.
I loved reading about Lexi's life back home in Somerset, after living a few years in New York, and adjusting to a more quiet, small-town living, as well as her interactions with Tom, her elderly neighbor, and Nick, the man who looks exactly like Amelia's supposed husband Sam. I also enjoyed the slow burn romance between Lexi and Nick as we see them grow from strangers to friends to something much more.
What I wanted from this book that unfortunately I didn't get was more about Lexi and Amelia's sisterly bond. I understand that Amelia is struggling with her health for most of the novel, but it would've been nice to see them happy and normal, maybe through flashbacks, since the overall tone of the novel is already sad. I also think this novel could've been much shorter (this one's over 400 pages) and have the explanation of Amelia's false memories given earlier on.
Overall, this was still a good read, and it would be enjoyable for fans of emotional stories about fate and destiny.
Thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I loved reading about Lexi's life back home in Somerset, after living a few years in New York, and adjusting to a more quiet, small-town living, as well as her interactions with Tom, her elderly neighbor, and Nick, the man who looks exactly like Amelia's supposed husband Sam. I also enjoyed the slow burn romance between Lexi and Nick as we see them grow from strangers to friends to something much more.
What I wanted from this book that unfortunately I didn't get was more about Lexi and Amelia's sisterly bond. I understand that Amelia is struggling with her health for most of the novel, but it would've been nice to see them happy and normal, maybe through flashbacks, since the overall tone of the novel is already sad. I also think this novel could've been much shorter (this one's over 400 pages) and have the explanation of Amelia's false memories given earlier on.
Overall, this was still a good read, and it would be enjoyable for fans of emotional stories about fate and destiny.
Thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
February 14, 2024
This book was terribly difficult for me to read. I just couldn't find any real interest in reading so it felt like a slog. Far fetched, implausible and twee, most of this book made me cringe. The characters felt too shallow for me for the writing to feel genuine.
The only part that I felt emotionally connected to was right near the end on the beach (no spoilers!) but that could well have been due to me being an actual twin and having my wonderful Dad suffer from Alzheimer's and vascular dementia, more than the quality of the writing itself.
2 stars seems harsh, but when you mostly have to skim read, this is a clear indication you and the book are not a good match!
I am sure coming from a well known author with a large fan base though, this book will be loved and enjoyed by many for whom this type of story is their favoured genre.
The Memory of Us is sadly only memorable to me for the wrong reasons and even then those memories will probably only last as long as it takes me to finish this review.
Thanks to Pigeonhole for hosting the serialisation for the past 12 days. Apologies for taking up a reading space that a different reader could have benefitted from.
The only part that I felt emotionally connected to was right near the end on the beach (no spoilers!) but that could well have been due to me being an actual twin and having my wonderful Dad suffer from Alzheimer's and vascular dementia, more than the quality of the writing itself.
2 stars seems harsh, but when you mostly have to skim read, this is a clear indication you and the book are not a good match!
I am sure coming from a well known author with a large fan base though, this book will be loved and enjoyed by many for whom this type of story is their favoured genre.
The Memory of Us is sadly only memorable to me for the wrong reasons and even then those memories will probably only last as long as it takes me to finish this review.
Thanks to Pigeonhole for hosting the serialisation for the past 12 days. Apologies for taking up a reading space that a different reader could have benefitted from.
February 15, 2024
As with all of Dani Atkins novels this is beautifully written from the heart and has family and love at the very centre of it.
Amelia and Lexi are sisters, twins but from ivf eggs fertilised at different times in their parents lives. When older sister Amelia is found unresponsive on a beach near her home, Lexi flies from New York back home to the UK to be with her.
Amelia wakes believing that she is married to a handsome man called Sam and Lexi believes she must encourage this to help her sisters recovery. In the process Lexi meets dashing vet Nick and the real love story, beside the tragedy of Amelia’s diagnosis, begins.
An emotional and interesting story and one that I found at first was a little difficult to understand. Maybe being a twin would make me feel differently but I went with the story and was blubbing along with happy and sad tears at the final chapters.
Thanks to Netgalley, Pigeonhole, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Amelia and Lexi are sisters, twins but from ivf eggs fertilised at different times in their parents lives. When older sister Amelia is found unresponsive on a beach near her home, Lexi flies from New York back home to the UK to be with her.
Amelia wakes believing that she is married to a handsome man called Sam and Lexi believes she must encourage this to help her sisters recovery. In the process Lexi meets dashing vet Nick and the real love story, beside the tragedy of Amelia’s diagnosis, begins.
An emotional and interesting story and one that I found at first was a little difficult to understand. Maybe being a twin would make me feel differently but I went with the story and was blubbing along with happy and sad tears at the final chapters.
Thanks to Netgalley, Pigeonhole, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2024
Dramatisch und berührend!
"Was die Sterne dir schenken" war nun mein dritter Roman von Dani Atkins und mal wieder hat sie es geschafft, mich mit der Geschichte emotional aufzuwühlen!
Ihre besondere Erzählweise hat mich sofort gefesselt, da man zuerst an etwas mysteriöses und übernatürliches denkt. Auch ist man sofort im Geschehen drin, da sie ohne große Einleitungen anfängt. Man erfährt die Details nach und nach und deshalb konnte ich das Buch kaum weglegen. Ich wollte unbedingt wissen, wieso Amelia so verwirrt war und hatte ganz viele Vermutungen.
Lexi ist eine sympathische und starke Frau, die ihr Bestes tut, um mit so einer schwierigen Situation klarzukommen. Hier konnte ich alle Gedanken und Gefühle von ihr nachvollziehen und hatte großen Respekt vor ihr. Ihre Schwester Amelia hat es ihr nicht leicht gemacht. Die Geschichte ist sehr dramatisch. Wer die Bücher von Dani Atkins kennt, weiß, dass es sehr emotional werden kann. Auch in diesem Buch musste ich ein paar Tränen verdrücken. Am Ende hatte ich zwar noch einige Fragezeichen bezüglich Amelia, aber trotzdem hat mich der Rest überzeugt.
In diesem Roman geht es um Familie, Liebe, Freundschaft, aber auch um Krankheiten. Dani Atkins zeigt, wie eng man mit anderen Menschen verbunden sein kann. So sehr, dass man seine eigenen Bedürfnisse dabei vergessen kann. Ich habe die Geschichte gerne gelesen und sie hat mich zum Nachdenken gebracht. Man sollte nie vergessen, jeden Tag zu genießen!
Fazit: Ein berührender Roman, der wichtige Themen anspricht. Auf eine besondere Weise, die ich nur von Dani Atkins kenne.
"Was die Sterne dir schenken" war nun mein dritter Roman von Dani Atkins und mal wieder hat sie es geschafft, mich mit der Geschichte emotional aufzuwühlen!
Ihre besondere Erzählweise hat mich sofort gefesselt, da man zuerst an etwas mysteriöses und übernatürliches denkt. Auch ist man sofort im Geschehen drin, da sie ohne große Einleitungen anfängt. Man erfährt die Details nach und nach und deshalb konnte ich das Buch kaum weglegen. Ich wollte unbedingt wissen, wieso Amelia so verwirrt war und hatte ganz viele Vermutungen.
Lexi ist eine sympathische und starke Frau, die ihr Bestes tut, um mit so einer schwierigen Situation klarzukommen. Hier konnte ich alle Gedanken und Gefühle von ihr nachvollziehen und hatte großen Respekt vor ihr. Ihre Schwester Amelia hat es ihr nicht leicht gemacht. Die Geschichte ist sehr dramatisch. Wer die Bücher von Dani Atkins kennt, weiß, dass es sehr emotional werden kann. Auch in diesem Buch musste ich ein paar Tränen verdrücken. Am Ende hatte ich zwar noch einige Fragezeichen bezüglich Amelia, aber trotzdem hat mich der Rest überzeugt.
In diesem Roman geht es um Familie, Liebe, Freundschaft, aber auch um Krankheiten. Dani Atkins zeigt, wie eng man mit anderen Menschen verbunden sein kann. So sehr, dass man seine eigenen Bedürfnisse dabei vergessen kann. Ich habe die Geschichte gerne gelesen und sie hat mich zum Nachdenken gebracht. Man sollte nie vergessen, jeden Tag zu genießen!
Fazit: Ein berührender Roman, der wichtige Themen anspricht. Auf eine besondere Weise, die ich nur von Dani Atkins kenne.
December 24, 2023
When Lexi's sister Amelia is admitted to the hospital following a cardiac arrest at the beach, Lexi is shocked to hear Amelia wake up and ask for her husband Sam... Because Amelia isn't married, and Sam doesn't exist. But when Lexi meets Nick, a man who looks exactly as Amelia describes Sam, Lexi enlists his help to recreate some memories of their confabulated relationship. Things get complicated when Lexi starts falling for Nick herself.
This read ended up being a pleasant surprise. The first part of the story, as described above, was a bit drawn out and frustrating. Once we got to the how and why, I was a lot more interested and emotionally invested in the story and it was so much more than I was expecting. I can't say much more about the plot without giving away key points, but the plot was reminiscent of a couple of books I'd read many years ago, definitely tugging at the heartstrings a bit. The two main characters were ok, but both annoyed me quite a bit for the first half. I appreciated them a lot more in the latter half. I was again frustrated with the very end for reasons I can't explain without spoilers.
3.75/5⭐
This read ended up being a pleasant surprise. The first part of the story, as described above, was a bit drawn out and frustrating. Once we got to the how and why, I was a lot more interested and emotionally invested in the story and it was so much more than I was expecting. I can't say much more about the plot without giving away key points, but the plot was reminiscent of a couple of books I'd read many years ago, definitely tugging at the heartstrings a bit. The two main characters were ok, but both annoyed me quite a bit for the first half. I appreciated them a lot more in the latter half. I was again frustrated with the very end for reasons I can't explain without spoilers.
3.75/5⭐
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