Two souls bound by loss, rediscovering their place in life. Drawn together by a secret he’s always known and a truth she is about to uncover.
Syve has spent the last year struggling to hold together the pieces of her life after losing her family. Her shop—and the apartment above it—are the final ties to everything she’s lost, and she’s desperate to keep them. But how do you hold on when grief weighs down every breath? As if that wasn’t enough, vivid dreams of haunting the graveyard, trapped in the body of a deer have begun to plague her nights. Searching for answers, she uncovers an old family secret: the dreams are real. When a stranger appears, offering explanations she never imagined, a door to a hidden world creaks open.
Bastien knows how fast life can fall apart—less than a minute, if you’re counting. Now, all that’s left is a hollow work to support his mother and teenage sister, and fight through sleepless nights. Only his wolf—an untamed force within—gives him escape, running wild through the darkened woods to silence the memories. Until one night, he finds someone who looks as lost as he feels. And for the first time, he can’t walk away.
When dreams blur with reality and nightmares claw their way into the light, can two broken souls find healing in each other? Or will the deer and the wolf be forever haunted by the past?
Disclosure: I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review. As someone who loves supporting indie authors, I always aim to share thoughtful, fair feedback. While I have personal reading preferences like a love for fantasy, horses, or specific tropes, I never let that impact my rating unless it is relevant to the book’s intent or audience. I review with the genre and readership in mind.
Star rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spice rating: Tippy top of the pepper
The strength of Forget Me Not lies in its characters and the depth of their backstories. Their tragic losses, the ways they processed grief, and the vulnerability of their emotions pulled me in and even stole a few tears. I buddy read this with Jazzy and I could tell she felt the same way. The portrayal of grief was a true emotional rollercoaster.
I especially loved that the characters had professions and interests I have not often seen in books, a seamstress and a butcher. Bas in the butcher shop absolutely stood out for me, his aspirations, his love for the work, and how perfectly it tied into the plot.
I did not fully understand the purpose of the shifter trope. It did not add much to the story compared to the strong emotional and character driven elements. I believe the book would have stood just as strong without it.
The conclusion was another story. For most of the book, the tone was cozy and healing. Then suddenly the ending took such a wild and surprising turn that it jolted me out of the mood. I understand that the character tied to the conclusion was meant to be unique and more chaotic, but the extent of his actions felt too much and broke the cozy healing atmosphere that I loved until then.
Favorite quote: “Oh, come on now. I’m seventy-three - old, not blind. You’ve been antsy and practically running off at lunch and then moping the rest of the day. Nothing less than a woman could do that, in my experience.” Hal stopped, cocked his head to the side and squinted at Bas. “Or a man? I’m not here to judge one way or another, just as long as you’re happy.”
I cannot speak about this book without singing it's praises. The way grief can hit someone and how love being poured in by those who truly love you make such a difference. Between crying, gasping, laughing and swooning ... I absolutely enjoyed this book and absolutely adore how this fictional story touched real and raw emotions. I will forever fangirl on Aimi because she is the absolute best bestie!!!!! ✨️📚✨️
Forget Me Not is not just a good book—it’s a feel-it-in-your-chest, sit-with-you-after-you-close-it kind of book. The kind that sneaks up on you emotionally and then refuses to let go. The writing is beautiful, intentional, and so raw. But what makes this book even more special to me is that it was written by my best friend. And somehow, she managed to pour herself into every single page. Reading this book felt less like reading and more like having a conversation with Alex where she’s telling you a story but also letting you see her heart. Her personality is woven so deeply into the prose that at times it felt like the book was talking to me in her voice.
There’s a warmth, a familiarity, and an emotional intelligence here that you can’t fake. You can feel the care behind every word, every moment, every heartache. Forget Me Not is the kind of story that reminds you why you love reading in the first place because sometimes books don’t just tell stories, they connect you to people. (And this book connected me right back to my love for reading that I lost last year)
This one will always be special to me. Not just because of who wrote it—but because of how deeply it speaks. Oh and you know Aimi and Cyrus.
I’m so proud of you Alex, I’ll never let you forget that. 🩵
I was especially impressed with this book when it came to the descriptive language and the writing style, especially given that this is a debut novel. Sharpe has a very clear and distinct writing voice already as a new author.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book, and thought that Sharpe did a good job of building their unique personalities and making them lovable (with one glaring exception). Syve and Bas’ relationship was cute, and I appreciate that it felt like it had enough time to fully develop, especially in a book that isn’t particularly long. Cyrus and Aimi are the epitome of secondary book characters, and I can’t wait to see their stories explored in subsequent novels in the series. Sharpe also created an incredibly hateable villain whose every utterance managed to get on my nerves.
I thought that the treatment of grief in this book was very considerate and thoughtfully done. We have Syve who has suffered tremendously in the loss of her husband and young child, but also Bas, who has lost his brother. Both are still working through their trauma, and enough space in the novel is given to this, while also allowing for them to build their romantic relationship. I greatly appreciated that Syve didn’t fall too deep into her grief and guilt around losing her husband, and not be able to find new love and joy in Bas, because I have seen it too often where that kind of dynamic is played out and leads to a third act break up (which is my least favorite thing in a romance).
Finally, I am here for all of the humor in the books. I love a good pun, and we get quite a few of them here. Also, Cyrus is my favorite because of how many times he made me laugh.
This book left me speechless. I had so many emotions, in the best way. The storyline was handled with so much sensitivity. The main characters had me alternating between laughter and tears. I loved it. The chest hair also comforted me. Syve was one of the strongest characters I have read in some time. What she goes through, her grief and her character growth from it was written so well. Meanwhile, Bastien is full of green flags, which normally would make me run in the opposite direction, but here it lured me in even more. I also loved Aimee. She’s the best friend everyone should have. In my opinion, the paranormal parts added an even deeper level to the story. I knew it would be good but it was way better than I imagined.
I received this as an ARC but my opinion is my own.
Forget Me Not is a MUST read!!!!! There were so many moments where I laughed, cried, got angry and then laughed again.... in every order. The relationship with the FMC and MMC was so emotional. We get to see their worlds and see them find each other. We see them grow as individuals and together. With the author's attention to detail and excellent world building I felt like I was there deep within the story myself.
If you want a book with a great love story, shifters, and relatable friends that will have you cracking up every time they make an appearance then this is for you! Our MMC (Bastien) is goals for any man. I feel as though the most popular concept for a MMC is that the man is portrayed as a hard 🍑 and a softie. With a dominance in one or the other depending on the specific message the author is sending. Recent books I have read leave me not able to relate to the MMC. In Forget Me Not that was not the case . Alexandria Sharpe did a great job illustrating a balanced MMC. Having all the green flags and being extremely relatable. it gave me the best experience I could ask for. 10/10 recommend!
This is so much more than a story. It’s a feeling, an identity, it’s a compilation of so many raw human emotions wrapped into this fantastic, cozy, mysterious, edge-of-your-seat shifter romance.
Without spoiling, what I can say is that this author cracked me open with the realities of being human and the very real risks of loving, and put me back together with the wholeness of nature, love, family, and risking it all over again.
This book is the literary equivalent of climbing into bed with a cozy blanket, your favorite mug of coffee, and rain tapping softly at the window. Pure, soul-deep contentment. 😍🥺
Alexandria Sharpe played with my emotions like a yo-yo and I just sat there like, yes bestie 🤭 pull the string again. One minute I was swooning, the next I was cackling like an unhinged gremlin, and then suddenly I was ugly crying into my pillow. The way she blends heartache, healing, love, and hope is so effortlessly beautiful. This story doesn’t just pull you in-it hands you a warm drink, pats the space beside it, and goes, “Stay awhile.” And you do. Happily.
The friendship between Syve, Cam, and Aimi is pure serotonin in narrative form. 😍 Aimi and her tornado-of-chaos energy had me wheeze-laughing. The movie night chaos, the Twilight obsession, the banter, the fierce loyalty, the softness beneath all the clownery ~ it’s friendship at its best and it was beautiful. 🥺 I wanted to crash their girls’ night so badly 😅🤭
And then there’s Bastien. The sweetest cinnamon-roll wolf shifter to ever wolf-shift. 🍫😍🥺🔥 Sweet. Patient. Steady. Gentle. Absolutely swoon-worthy.😍 I love when shifter stories break out of the usual molds, and a wolf + deer shifter romance had me emotionally feral in the best way. Syve and Bas’s journey is full of banter, healing, and the kind of soft love that just gets you... right in the feels 🥺
And then we have Cyrus - our bear-shifting menace - obnoxiously endearing in that “I’m rolling my eyes but smiling anyway” kind of way. I am already mentally seated in the front row for his and Aimi’s enemies-to-lovers chaos. I know that book is going to take me out. 🤭😂
Even the side characters had my whole heart. Little Kayla and her toddler sass had me grinning like a fool. Hal and Soriah brought that warm, grounding, parental love that makes the story feel like home wrapped in a fluffy blanket. 😍
Forget Me Not is overflowing with hope, found family, second chances, and love after loss. It’s tender in the kind of way that lingers ~ the kind of story that burrows into your heart and refuses to leave.
This book is absolutely perfect for you if you like: 🏡 small town (with small local businesses, which are adoribly named) 👫 adult MMCs (in their 30s) 🐺 shifters secretly live among humans 🩹 loss, grief, and healing (mind the trigger warnings) 🍬 cinnamon roll MMC 💝 found family
Short summary: Since Syve lost her family, she's been in absolute survival mode - even a year later, their stuff is still everywhere in her house, because she couldn't bring herself to get rid of it. When presented with a chance to turn her life around and fulfill a lifelong dream, she needs to find a notebook and (with the support of her best friend Aimi) reluctantly starts looking at everything she's shoved into a literal closet. She's not prepared to confront what she finds though and it triggers a series of events she cannot ignore.
My opinion & spoilers: I loved lovedloved reading this. Most of us have dealt with some sort of loss before, and grief is not linear, everyone deals with it in their own way. The mental state Syve is in when we meet her is realistic and her struggle to finally work past her grief and allow herself to move on is beautifully written. I adored everything about her developing friendship with Bas and how it slowly progressed from there. ❤️🩹 I also really enjoyed all the side characters - Aimi is intense took some getting used to, but once I learned she's younger than the rest I instantly appreciated her more! She's funny and fiercely protective of her best friend. 🥹 Bas' family is incredible - from his caring mom to his emotional little sister, to Cy... that man is a piece of work. Kudos to Aimi for putting up with him (their dynamic was also SO well done)! 💖
One of my favorite moments was probably Syve talking to E at the graveyard - although it was rudely interrupted... Speaking of, I never liked the guy. 😤 The villain was kind of one dimensional but still well done. The ignorance of that man is just - ugh. 😡
With this story, Alexandria proves that it doesn't take 500+ pages to write a book that has everything: an emotional journey of healing and acceptance, a slowly developing new romance, a sufficiently explained shifter community within our modern world, and finding ones own purpose in the world.
Wow, "Forget Me Not" legit grabbed me from page one.
The emotions are so vivid and raw that I felt every ounce of grief, hope, and healing right alongside our characters. Yes, it touches on some darker themes, but they’re handled delicately, with so much realism and a lot of caring empathy.
Even the romance is beautifully done: slow, genuine, and heartwarming. What really surprised me is that this is a second chance romance first, shifter romance second.
The paranormal element is there, but the true heart of the story is love, loss, and finding your way back to hope. And let me just say—finally, a true green flag hero! Bastien is caring, patient, and exactly the kind of partner you root for.
For those wondering...yes,there is spice; but the focus is more on the emotional intimacy than the physical (which honestly made it even more powerful)
I will say that the ending felt a little rushed, and the villain was on the predictable side. But honestly, the journey mattered so much more than the destination for me, and this story made me laugh, cry, swoon, and “awe” more times than I can count.
If you love second chance romance, emotional healing, and a hero who makes your heart melt, this one’s absolutely worth picking up.
My goal this fall is to read more paranormal romances because I use to be obsessed with them and haven’t read as many in the last few years so was super excited for this! I really enjoyed it and the romance had me giggling and also emotional! I think besides the romance what stood out more is how beautifully written the characters grief was and portrayed perfectly! The side characters brought so much to the book as well! I was really impressed and can’t wait to see what else Alexandria writes!
Y’all, this book had me in tears one minute and giggling the next. This book follows two characters that have both been through tragic losses and find comfort and understanding in each other.
Syve is a seamstress and owner of Sew It Seams. We start the story with Syve having weird dreams about visiting a grave where she meets a wolf with steely eyes. We eventually find out the loss she endured and the reason for her dreams and the man that helps her understand what she’s going through: Bastien.
Bastien is a butcher’s apprentice and is part of a shifter family. He had a tragic loss a couple years prior that affected him very much. One night, while lounging in his spot in the mausoleum he catches the sight of another creature that comes and sleeps next to a grave. He eventually realizes this person is Syve, the seamstress, and he has an immediate attraction to her. Bas understands what grief looks like and sees her inner turmoil. They become each others safe space and form a deep emotional connection.
This story will take you on an emotional rollercoaster and having you rooting for Syve and Bas from the beginning. It is also a slowwwww burn and I absolutely loved reading their connection and tension until the end. They build such a sweet, tender, real love and it was a joy to read them both come alive again.
Let’s also note that the side characters are absolutely hilarious and bring so much humor and lightness to the story. Aimi, Cameron, and Cyrus bring so much energy and are the absolute best of friends to Syve and Bas.
Such amazing writing and storytelling! FMN had me feeling all the emotions throughout the entire book. I had tears one minute then laughing the next. Alex has a great sense of humor and I love how we get to see it in her characters as well! Bastien is such a sweet and kind book boyfriend and perfect for Syve. The way they were both so incredibly patient with each other through grief and life was bittersweet. Can’t wait for book two!
Thank you for choosing me, for giving me the chance to read this book. It was honestly a roller-coaster of emotions. Emotions that were so well written and deep. Grief is such a difficult thing and everyone deals with it in such different manners. Writing it must be difficult too.
The characters are lovable, kind and deserve the whole entire world. Even Cy, yes, I kind of love him, a lot. Seeing both of them having their own family, blood related or chosen to support them warmed me.
I had a really nice time reading, and a hard time closing it.
Forget Me Not was such a great read— as an MIT educated engineer, my qualm with so many fantasy and romantasy reads both indie books as well as those written by larger authors, is when they have plot holes— and I read FMN in the first half of this week and then sat and thought about the plot and ending in the second half of the week and I did not have any plot holes come to mind! The characters were all fun, quirky, and realistic. Definitely a fun read I can recommend that is entertaining.
The book eat me up and spit me out in the best way. There’s grief that made me sniffle. There is healing, connection and spice. It was such a fabulous read and I can’t wait to see what else happens!
The love I have for this book can’t be put into words. It was written so well that I actually felt each emotion the characters went through. A definite must read!
I have been waiting for a book like this! It filled my heart and I felt all the emotions! It made me laugh, it made me cry, it broke my heart and put it back together again. It was such a beautiful story of loss, love and healing!
I adored Syve and Bastien. Their love story was an exquisite thing to read. I loved that they built a connection and a friendship before their love began. They both had big losses in their life and they were able to help to heal and support each other. It gave me hope and helped me to not feel so alone.
Syve's friends were so amazing. Everyone deserves an Aimi in their life!
I absolutely loved Bastien's family. They brought Syve so easily into their fold. I loved Mama and I want her to adopt me and make me her famous cocoa! This was a magnificent and beautiful book!
I recommend everyone pick this up and get lost in this story.
Thank you to the author Alexandria Sharpe for the eARC.
This book hit my emotions up in so many ways, Syve’s grief is raw and palpable, her struggle to hold on to the last fragments of her old life both heartbreaking and relatable. Bastien’s character is haunted by tragedy, tethered to his responsibilities... The way his story intertwines with Syve’s, two lonely souls colliding through grief and fate, is beautifully done. The mysterious vibe, the family secrets slowly unraveling, and the blend of reality with dreamlike elements kept me turning pages. I had a range of emotions throughout. Left, right, up, down. It was beautiful, and emotional.. There is always light in unexpected places.
Absolutely loved this book, the slow burn, the heart wrenching backgrounds of each character and the twist at the end really had me locked in and of course the fantasy !! You will not be disappointed reading this amazing piece :)
If you want a book that will make you feel literally every emotion, look no further. I laughed, I cried, I yelled. The character growth and development and the accurate portrayal of grief and trauma was just so perfect. While this book is heavy, there is so much humor and lightheartedness built in.
I'm so in love with this book 😍 it's a beautifully well-written story of loss, grief, and healing. The characters are so relatable (looking at you, Aimi)! I immediately wished I could go to Timberfall, become besties with Svye, drink Soriah's hot cocoa, and laugh at Cyrus after his "coffee baptism."
I literally cannot wait until this comes out so I can shout at everyone (and I do mean *everyone*) that I know to go read it!!
This book just felt like a warm hug after a cold winter. I came across this book a few months ago, and finally picked it up two days ago. I had high expectations based on snippets I’d seen, but OMG I was NOT ready. This book was so much better than I anticipated. The characters touched my heart in such a real way, and the story was so good.
This is the kind of book you can read any time of year, but it felt like the perfect fall book. It was cozy, emotional, and full of beautiful imagery. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author, because I just love their writing style.
Oh my goodness! I honestly don’t even know where to start, I signed up as an arc reader and boy did this book NOT disappoint! I’m not one into romance books unless there is like action and more intuitive and story lined, not relationship wise, but man oh man! This book had me laughing, crying and sobbing throughout the entire book! It was absolutely amazing and would 10/10 recommend.
Honestly super hoping there is a book two cause I’m shipping Cyrus and Aimi hardcore as well!
Okay finished this masterpiece by my girl Alex and I loved it so much, every last line was perfection. This is a story of two people who are grieving find themselves again and each other and it is beautiful. As a person who has struggled through grief this story has been healing to read as I healed a bit with our characters. On to the fun part we have shifters, all different kinds bears, wolfs, and deer what’s not to love!! We have great best friends Aimi and Cam and they are a breath of fresh air everyone needs friends like them in their life. Now we also have our enemy Gunther ugh who I do not like at all, hate the man, and everyone else better hate him as well. Can’t forget Cyrus tho he is a trip and I love him and I can’t wait to see more from him. This story will give you all the feels and you will not want to put it down so when it comes out please take a moment to sit down and read this amazing story because it’s so beautifully written and I cannot wait for more. 🥰🥰
This book made me cry actual tears. It was beautifully written, the MMC is a walking green flag, and the representation of grief was perfectly executed. This is a must read!