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Once, Again, Always
Not yet published
Expected 6 Oct 26A second-chance romance following a young woman who wakes up in the hospital with no memory of the past six years, only to find that she apparently married the one man she can’t stand—her arrogant and infuriating former boarding school rival. Molly Graham’s day can’t possibly get any worse after she wakes up in a hospital bed with a head injury and amnesia. But then Aster Bishop—the Aster Bishop who made her life hell at boarding school—storms into her room calling her his wife. To Molly’s shock, in the six years she no longer recalls, she somehow fell in love with a man she once despised. Persuaded by her lifelong friends to give her new reality a chance, she reluctantly returns to the home she and Aster share to try and piece together her life. So much has changed, not least the considerate and devastatingly handsome man who spends every night sleeping on the sofa to avoid making her uncomfortable. This Aster is nothing like the entitled boy she once knew. Their chemistry is undeniable, but he’s distant with her, infuriatingly so. It’s clear he has secrets, and Molly can’t stand it. Especially knowing that she might never regain her memories. That she fell in love with Aster Bishop once is hard enough to believe. But to fall in love again? To promise a future, always, when she can’t remember her past? It feels impossible when faced with a man she hardly knows and isn’t sure she can trust. And yet… Tropes Rivals to lovers Forced proximity Slow burn Yearning (so much yearning) Found family Second-chance romance Memory loss There’s only one bed and he takes the sofa like a boring, sensible man
Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 6, 2026
2333 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Gayle
1 book46 followersAt any given time, Amanda Gayle might be writing, reading, or spying on the birds in her backyard. She spends too much time on the internet, usually obsessing over fictional characters kissing. She lives in North Carolina with her two favorite people: her husband and toddler. Once, Again, Always is her debut romance.
She can be found having no clue what she's doing on instagram @amandagaylewrites.
She can be found having no clue what she's doing on instagram @amandagaylewrites.
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April 15, 2026It’s a good thing I don’t have neighbors because the way I screamed when I got approved to read this was so embarrassing lmao
Want to Read
January 13, 2026i'm sooo excited about this book!! 2026 is the year of the dhr girlies
April 15, 2026
There’s something about this story that, however familiar you may be with the beats of it, lodges into your chest and sticks with you.
Amanda Gayle’s Once, Again, Always is a beautiful, aching debut about reconciling who you are with who you were; about unflappable patience; about healing and growth.
About a man sleeping every night, for months without complaint, on a deeply uncomfortable antique sofa, just to be near the woman he loves.
It’s at times hopeful, at times devastating. And throughout—brilliantly, beautifully written.
Also:
📖 Yearning, pining, desperation, devotion
🔑 Intrusive friends who show up when you need them, however uninvited
👗 Healthy communication, however much it hurts
☕️ Coffee snobbery, from a man who knows how to tamp
🍬 Small tokens of love that speak volumes
📚 An apartment overrun with books
💫 “Fuck it”s & “my wife” & braid play
🛋️ Falling in love for the first time—twice
If you’re familiar with Gayle’s past work—you’ll adore this. If you’re new: I am so envious, that you get to read this book blind.
This may be contemporary romance, but my goodness, is it magic. All the stars.
Thank you Avon, for approving me so quickly for the eARC. I dropped everything to read and have been crying happy sad tears since I finished.
Amanda Gayle’s Once, Again, Always is a beautiful, aching debut about reconciling who you are with who you were; about unflappable patience; about healing and growth.
About a man sleeping every night, for months without complaint, on a deeply uncomfortable antique sofa, just to be near the woman he loves.
It’s at times hopeful, at times devastating. And throughout—brilliantly, beautifully written.
Also:
📖 Yearning, pining, desperation, devotion
🔑 Intrusive friends who show up when you need them, however uninvited
👗 Healthy communication, however much it hurts
☕️ Coffee snobbery, from a man who knows how to tamp
🍬 Small tokens of love that speak volumes
📚 An apartment overrun with books
💫 “Fuck it”s & “my wife” & braid play
🛋️ Falling in love for the first time—twice
If you’re familiar with Gayle’s past work—you’ll adore this. If you’re new: I am so envious, that you get to read this book blind.
This may be contemporary romance, but my goodness, is it magic. All the stars.
Thank you Avon, for approving me so quickly for the eARC. I dropped everything to read and have been crying happy sad tears since I finished.
Want to Read
April 24, 2026Once, again, and always (😉) I extend my hand up to the publishing gods to look down on me with pity and approve my request for this ARC! 🙏
Want to Read
January 22, 2026oh i’m about to be so unbelievably annoying about this
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Once, Again, Always is 384 pages of exquisite pining, and I love that for me (us). I’m not saying I hope I’m ever in a position to lose part of my memory, but please, if it ever happens, let it be like this.
I’ll love this story in every iteration, and I feel incredibly lucky to have experienced it in its various forms. You are my Count of Monte Cristo.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Amanda Gayle for the advanced reader copy. This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.
I’ll love this story in every iteration, and I feel incredibly lucky to have experienced it in its various forms. You are my Count of Monte Cristo.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Amanda Gayle for the advanced reader copy. This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.
April 18, 2026
4.5 stars 1.5 spice
“Just be gentle with me, Graham,” he breathed, reeling her in with her own name. “You’ve got me on the gallows here.” He let her braid fall. “But I’ll be damned if you’re not the most beautiful executioner I’ve ever seen.”
Thank you to Avon for the e-arc!
Molly wakes up with splitting pain in her head, to see she is married to a man that was horrible to her in high school. She has completely lost the last 6 years of memory.
GOD THE YEARNING!
Poor Aster. This book hurts so good.
If you want a man who yearns and is miserable you need to read this book.
I spent so much of this book with tears welled in my eyes.
He is absolutely being tortured, because Molly’s memory of him is not who he is anymore but she doesn’t remember all of that growth, or any of them falling in love.
Aster is stuck in a place of trying to not try to overwhelm her, and protect her from stuff from their shared past, but from her POV he’s lying to her, keeping her own history from her.
This is a story of forgiveness, growth, and acceptance.
I knew where the locked room was going, but when the reveal came I was crying. It just absolutely wrecked me.
I also absolutely loved the whole cast of friends. They are such a great found family. (I would be interested to see how they are received by someone who didn’t read the original iteration of this story)
Read this if you love:
- Amnesia
- Yearning MMC
- Found Family/funny friends
- Second Chance
- “Where the fuck is my wife”
“All human wisdom is contained in these two words—Wait and hope.”—Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
Trigger warnings below
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BELOW TRIGGERS ARE SPOILERS
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Trigger warnings:
bullying
grief
memory loss
miscarriage
pregnancy
“Just be gentle with me, Graham,” he breathed, reeling her in with her own name. “You’ve got me on the gallows here.” He let her braid fall. “But I’ll be damned if you’re not the most beautiful executioner I’ve ever seen.”
Thank you to Avon for the e-arc!
Molly wakes up with splitting pain in her head, to see she is married to a man that was horrible to her in high school. She has completely lost the last 6 years of memory.
GOD THE YEARNING!
Poor Aster. This book hurts so good.
If you want a man who yearns and is miserable you need to read this book.
I spent so much of this book with tears welled in my eyes.
He is absolutely being tortured, because Molly’s memory of him is not who he is anymore but she doesn’t remember all of that growth, or any of them falling in love.
Aster is stuck in a place of trying to not try to overwhelm her, and protect her from stuff from their shared past, but from her POV he’s lying to her, keeping her own history from her.
This is a story of forgiveness, growth, and acceptance.
I knew where the locked room was going, but when the reveal came I was crying. It just absolutely wrecked me.
I also absolutely loved the whole cast of friends. They are such a great found family. (I would be interested to see how they are received by someone who didn’t read the original iteration of this story)
Read this if you love:
- Amnesia
- Yearning MMC
- Found Family/funny friends
- Second Chance
- “Where the fuck is my wife”
“All human wisdom is contained in these two words—Wait and hope.”—Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
Trigger warnings below
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
BELOW TRIGGERS ARE SPOILERS
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Trigger warnings:
bullying
grief
memory loss
miscarriage
pregnancy
April 14, 2026
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the arc!
Rtc
Rtc
April 19, 2026
3.5 Stars (rounded up)
I do think that fanfic is a great stepping point to becoming an author, and I do think if reworked very heavily that it can be published. Some of my favorite authors started as fanfic writers and have only grown from there.
BUT, if you're going to publish your fanfic, it should absolutely be reworked and retooled to something original. The problem some of these books fall into, like this, is that it only works in the context of the world it was born in. I think this might come off as confusing and convoluted to anyone without said context. And unfortunately without that context, I fear Molly came across as slightly unlikable. And their relationship in its entirety should have been far more expanded on.
With that being said, I do think people will really enjoy this no matter what. this was a very quick read that was filled with cute fluff, angst and yearning. Well written and a beautiful little love story. I mean there's just something about an amnesia storyline that forces characters to learn each other over again and falling in love AGAIN. Alexa play Everything is Romantic Wuthering Heights trailer version by Charli xcx.
Thank you to Avon and Harper & netgalley for the arc.
April 17, 2026
thank you to netgalley for my advanced eArc.
I was so excited for this book and it did not disappoint! obviously i’m one of the people who’ve read the online iteration of this story and loved it so much, it made sense to me for this to be translated into a traditional published work.
there was so much yearning and so much angst i couldn’t put it down.
imagine waking up in the arms of someone you used to be rivals with in high school, only to find you’re married to them and have also forgotten the past six years of your life?! the journey Molly and Aster go through is heart wrenching but so worth it.
besides the emotional parts, the dialogue and banter would have its funny moments.
Molly’s best friend Roy was one of my faves besides the main couple of course. he has some of my favorite lines 😆.
overall a touching love story about second chances and finding the strength to move on from trauma. i highly recommend this.
I was so excited for this book and it did not disappoint! obviously i’m one of the people who’ve read the online iteration of this story and loved it so much, it made sense to me for this to be translated into a traditional published work.
there was so much yearning and so much angst i couldn’t put it down.
imagine waking up in the arms of someone you used to be rivals with in high school, only to find you’re married to them and have also forgotten the past six years of your life?! the journey Molly and Aster go through is heart wrenching but so worth it.
besides the emotional parts, the dialogue and banter would have its funny moments.
Molly’s best friend Roy was one of my faves besides the main couple of course. he has some of my favorite lines 😆.
overall a touching love story about second chances and finding the strength to move on from trauma. i highly recommend this.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Saving my review for closer to pub date but I'll leave you with some of my fav quotes:
“Just be gentle with me, Graham,"
“You’ve got me on the gallows here. But I’ll be damned if you’re not the most beautiful executioner I’ve ever seen.”
"I was trying to carry it for both of us. So you didn't have to."
"I'm sorry, I thought it was obvious that I'll go anywhere you ask me to..."
------
dropping every single book to read this one.
AVON, I LOVE YOU
“Just be gentle with me, Graham,"
“You’ve got me on the gallows here. But I’ll be damned if you’re not the most beautiful executioner I’ve ever seen.”
"I was trying to carry it for both of us. So you didn't have to."
"I'm sorry, I thought it was obvious that I'll go anywhere you ask me to..."
------
dropping every single book to read this one.
AVON, I LOVE YOU
April 22, 2026
Reader, beware: This book is stuffed with jaw-aching sweetness and tooth-rotting fluff and devastating highs and lows that will sucker-punch you into next week, and I ate up every bit of it, alright??? And then I licked the plate clean and went back for seconds. Contemporary romance is usually such a hard sell for me, but I adored this one, from Aster and Molly’s scintillating dynamic to the tragic absurdity of their situation and how they navigate it. Not to mention, the yearning — THE YEARNING. What a brilliant narrative choice, to juxtapose flashbacks of Aster bullying Molly during their high school years against present-day Aster completely losing it because Molly doesn’t remember falling in love with him.
If I have any criticisms, they’re about the ending; I can’t quite decide if those final plot points feel appropriate, anticlimactic, or a little of both. Perhaps that was Amanda Gayle’s intention (and I certainly appreciate the themes of choosing to live in the present, rather than waiting indefinitely on things you can’t control). I’m also a little sad that, for all the memories Aster recounts, Gayle entirely glosses over him telling Molly about their wedding; and I would have appreciated a little more fleshing out of Aster’s background, particularly where his parents are concerned. (Also, why did the bookstore never get a name???) Still, this is by far the most delightful experience I’ve ever had with a contemporary romance, and I’ll definitely be shouting about it to all my friends until it comes out in October. Thanks to NetGalley for the early copy!
If I have any criticisms, they’re about the ending; I can’t quite decide if those final plot points feel appropriate, anticlimactic, or a little of both. Perhaps that was Amanda Gayle’s intention (and I certainly appreciate the themes of choosing to live in the present, rather than waiting indefinitely on things you can’t control). I’m also a little sad that, for all the memories Aster recounts, Gayle entirely glosses over him telling Molly about their wedding; and I would have appreciated a little more fleshing out of Aster’s background, particularly where his parents are concerned. (Also, why did the bookstore never get a name???) Still, this is by far the most delightful experience I’ve ever had with a contemporary romance, and I’ll definitely be shouting about it to all my friends until it comes out in October. Thanks to NetGalley for the early copy!
Read
April 14, 2026Once, Again, Always was one of my anticipated 2026 reads and it did not disappoint. I loved what Amanda Gayle did with this story. Writing a story like this where the FMC forgets the last six years of her life can be tricky, and I thought Gayle handled the concept really well. Told from Molly’s POV, we’re just as in the dark as she is about what has happened in her life. As the story went on, we started to learn more about Molly's current life, as well as her past and present relationships. Although I sometimes wished we got to know everything about her past sooner, I did like how the information was gradually revealed throughout the book. It was sweet seeing Molly re-fall in love with Aster and watching their love prevail. The yearning and tenderness in their relationship were beautiful. Although it could be frustrating at times with Aster withholding information from Molly, I still adored him and the way he was trying to handle everything. I loved the little details we got about their relationship like the Polaroid picture and mugs. I loved all the side characters and their little found family. I liked her friends and the mix of old and new relationships in her life. Eli was a hoot! I thought the chapter titles were clever, and I liked how some of the flashback scenes were intentionally connected to the next chapters character. I flew through this one and look forward to seeing what Amanda Gayle writes next. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.
April 15, 2026
This book was simply beautiful 💕
I didn’t know what to expect going into this book, but what I found was a love so strong it surpassed hatred and mistrust. It had characters I didn’t know I could cherish so much. A plot that had me cheering for this couple that had chemistry pouring off the pages.
Molly and Aster were perfect. I loved how Aster didn’t give up on Molly and slowly did what he could to make her remember while also trying to get her to fall in love with him again. I loved how Molly was articulate in how she approached certain situations as she went about her journey.
The side characters were amazing. I want a story on Alannah and Roy, and Eli and Bentley. They really made the novel progress and added to the characterization and personality of our main characters. I wish we had more of Justine but I still loved her.
The journey we go on in this book…you will laugh and cry. I felt Aster’s pain and Molly’s humiliation on every page. It’s truly a fun trip with an ending I didn’t see coming. The HEA was truly deserved.
*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t know what to expect going into this book, but what I found was a love so strong it surpassed hatred and mistrust. It had characters I didn’t know I could cherish so much. A plot that had me cheering for this couple that had chemistry pouring off the pages.
Molly and Aster were perfect. I loved how Aster didn’t give up on Molly and slowly did what he could to make her remember while also trying to get her to fall in love with him again. I loved how Molly was articulate in how she approached certain situations as she went about her journey.
The side characters were amazing. I want a story on Alannah and Roy, and Eli and Bentley. They really made the novel progress and added to the characterization and personality of our main characters. I wish we had more of Justine but I still loved her.
The journey we go on in this book…you will laugh and cry. I felt Aster’s pain and Molly’s humiliation on every page. It’s truly a fun trip with an ending I didn’t see coming. The HEA was truly deserved.
*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have to be honest: I have a really, really hard time with the fact that so much of this book was literally copied and pasted from the original Dramione fanfiction, to the point that I began screenshotting a number of exactly comparable scenes just to make sure I wasn’t actually going insane. I’ve read all of the various adaptations from several fandoms and have never, ever seen this. I deeply worry about this precedent and I think this story, if it was truly going to be fleshed out into an original work, deserved better. (I felt the same way about the character descriptions and art, but I don’t think we’re ready for that conversation.)
That said, obviously the yearning in the first half of this story is what has always set it apart. I loved it as much here as I did in the fic—there is absolutely no doubt that comes through in this version. But I think it lost me by the 60-70% point and didn’t recover. I also think the added flashbacks, some of the only genuinely new content, did more to detract from my feelings about the couple than to improve them.
I’m struggling to rate this and will revisit.
That said, obviously the yearning in the first half of this story is what has always set it apart. I loved it as much here as I did in the fic—there is absolutely no doubt that comes through in this version. But I think it lost me by the 60-70% point and didn’t recover. I also think the added flashbacks, some of the only genuinely new content, did more to detract from my feelings about the couple than to improve them.
I’m struggling to rate this and will revisit.
April 15, 2026
This is my favorite book of the year so far. The premise of memory loss has been done before but it’s an incredibly sweet story. Molly is a likeable character from start to finish, and Aster with his all yearning and careful considerations was a delight to read.
The side characters were all so fun (Eli!!) and helped add to the story, not just serve as comic relief. I also loved the flashbacks to help build that background of Molly and Aster’s history. You could only appreciate how far they’ve come by knowing where they had been.
I loved loved loved it and will be recommending it.
The side characters were all so fun (Eli!!) and helped add to the story, not just serve as comic relief. I also loved the flashbacks to help build that background of Molly and Aster’s history. You could only appreciate how far they’ve come by knowing where they had been.
I loved loved loved it and will be recommending it.
April 17, 2026
having read the original fic, this didn’t quite work for me as a standalone. it’s a difficult thing to adapt from an existing world with lore and character backstories to a new tale strong enough to stand on its own. There’s parts of this that worked but without the structure of the original IP holding the book up, it ended up feeling a little boneless.
I am curious to see how others who haven’t read the original fic end up enjoying it! And I will keep an eye out for more original work from this author
I am curious to see how others who haven’t read the original fic end up enjoying it! And I will keep an eye out for more original work from this author
April 17, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Thank you, Avon Books and Harper Voyager US, for the advanced copy!
I’ll start by saying that upon reading the synopsis, there was a level of familiarity that stood out to me. And as a fan of this genre, but not having read the source fic, I was excited to read this one, however a few things fell flat for me.
Overall the plot, yearning and our two main characters were exceptional. We’re really shown Astor’s devastation, grief and love, but there wasn’t enough shown in the development of the second chance part of the romance. Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of good moments in there, but the progression of Molly remembering Astor as her school bully/rival to loving him (again) felt too rapid.
The prose and pacing felt engaging, but the abundance of characters felt overwhelming. Unfortunately, the veil between this trad published book and the source material was very thin. The excess in side characters didn’t feel necessary to the main plot. I really wish more focus was placed in the details of Astor aiding Molly in regaining her trust, love and memories. Because as I mentioned, there were a lot of beautiful tender moments, but I needed to see more of that to make the romance feel more believable.
Bottom line, I do recommend this book! It’s emotional, funny, and the yearning from Astor was devastating!
Some highlighted quotes:
“Just be gentle with me, Graham,” he breathed, reeling her in with her own name. “You’ve got me on the gallows here.” He let her braid fall. “But I’ll be damned if you’re not the most beautiful executioner I’ve ever seen.”
And he was so close, barely a blink between them. Six years hanging between lashes and lids and lips.
His words ran like prisoners, held captive in his mind and mouth, just waiting for their moment to escape. “I love you,” he said. “More than my name and more than my money, more than all of it.”
Thank you, Avon Books and Harper Voyager US, for the advanced copy!
I’ll start by saying that upon reading the synopsis, there was a level of familiarity that stood out to me. And as a fan of this genre, but not having read the source fic, I was excited to read this one, however a few things fell flat for me.
Overall the plot, yearning and our two main characters were exceptional. We’re really shown Astor’s devastation, grief and love, but there wasn’t enough shown in the development of the second chance part of the romance. Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of good moments in there, but the progression of Molly remembering Astor as her school bully/rival to loving him (again) felt too rapid.
The prose and pacing felt engaging, but the abundance of characters felt overwhelming. Unfortunately, the veil between this trad published book and the source material was very thin. The excess in side characters didn’t feel necessary to the main plot. I really wish more focus was placed in the details of Astor aiding Molly in regaining her trust, love and memories. Because as I mentioned, there were a lot of beautiful tender moments, but I needed to see more of that to make the romance feel more believable.
Bottom line, I do recommend this book! It’s emotional, funny, and the yearning from Astor was devastating!
Some highlighted quotes:
“Just be gentle with me, Graham,” he breathed, reeling her in with her own name. “You’ve got me on the gallows here.” He let her braid fall. “But I’ll be damned if you’re not the most beautiful executioner I’ve ever seen.”
And he was so close, barely a blink between them. Six years hanging between lashes and lids and lips.
His words ran like prisoners, held captive in his mind and mouth, just waiting for their moment to escape. “I love you,” he said. “More than my name and more than my money, more than all of it.”
April 15, 2026
3.5
Yes, I devoured this within less than 24 hours.
I have such mixed feelings on this one, on the one hand, it felt moving, well written and emotional - but on the other, felt like it was trying to do a bit too much in a short time.
There is a LOT of character dumping in this story, perhaps too much. The first chapter especially introduced a lot of names that just confused me, which may have been intentional give the storyline but didn’t vibe for me. It got better quickly, and was a beautifully written story to which I eventually got my head around all the information were being given.
I wish there was an introductory chapter before diving straight into it and feel this really could have helped with the abrupt start.
I enjoyed exploring the story as Molly did, learning about her past - it felt authentic and connected me to her on a deeper level, making the story more gripping and me struggling to put it down.
I will admit I had very high expectations for this one and sadly, it fell a little bit flat for me.
Thankyou to the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
Yes, I devoured this within less than 24 hours.
I have such mixed feelings on this one, on the one hand, it felt moving, well written and emotional - but on the other, felt like it was trying to do a bit too much in a short time.
There is a LOT of character dumping in this story, perhaps too much. The first chapter especially introduced a lot of names that just confused me, which may have been intentional give the storyline but didn’t vibe for me. It got better quickly, and was a beautifully written story to which I eventually got my head around all the information were being given.
I wish there was an introductory chapter before diving straight into it and feel this really could have helped with the abrupt start.
I enjoyed exploring the story as Molly did, learning about her past - it felt authentic and connected me to her on a deeper level, making the story more gripping and me struggling to put it down.
I will admit I had very high expectations for this one and sadly, it fell a little bit flat for me.
Thankyou to the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
April 17, 2026
Okay I love this book!! I will admit, Wait and Hope is one of my favorite works of fanfiction so of course I had to immediately jump on this. You could really feel the love between the main characters. It definitely reminds me of the movie (and maybe book?) The Vow. I was worried it would be too much like it but it wasn’t. One thing I really liked about it was how the characters had a situation ship in the past. He wasn’t just a complete stranger. I’d be curious to hear how people like it without having read its original. I’m so pumped for my preorder and I’m desperately hoping for a beautiful hardback. I also love how the title ties into the book.
Spoilers
While I wish we could have seen Molly falling in love with Aster the first time around, I get why we did not since she never actually gets her memories back. I’m surprised she wasn’t more devastated by the loss of certain memories though. That may have been what was missing for me. And having more backstory of all the friends because they were all phenomenal.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Amanda Gayle for the advanced reader copy. This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.
Spoilers
While I wish we could have seen Molly falling in love with Aster the first time around, I get why we did not since she never actually gets her memories back. I’m surprised she wasn’t more devastated by the loss of certain memories though. That may have been what was missing for me. And having more backstory of all the friends because they were all phenomenal.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Amanda Gayle for the advanced reader copy. This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2026
I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley.
I was completely unaware that this was “fan fiction” before and while reading this story. Without that knowledge, this was still a great story! While it was hard for me to like Molly at times, I definitely loved Aster a lot faster, but she did grow on me. While the amnesia trope is not one I usually find myself drawn to, I think it created a beautiful love story. 2026 is the year we are bringing yearning back and Gayle did it so well. Definitely recommend!
I was completely unaware that this was “fan fiction” before and while reading this story. Without that knowledge, this was still a great story! While it was hard for me to like Molly at times, I definitely loved Aster a lot faster, but she did grow on me. While the amnesia trope is not one I usually find myself drawn to, I think it created a beautiful love story. 2026 is the year we are bringing yearning back and Gayle did it so well. Definitely recommend!
April 17, 2026
Ok, listen to me. This was phenomenal. I have not picked up a romance book that used the amnesia trope in either forever or ever (cannot remember which), but the concept of the couple being married and one of them undergoing memory loss was so well executed.
I knew I would love Molly and Aster from the very first chapter, when Aster storms into the hospital demanding, “Where is my wife?” As someone who loves second-chance romances, I was immediately drawn to these characters and the journey they take to reconnect and rediscover each other after Molly loses six years of memories. The last that Molly remembers, Aster used to be her academic rival and someone she couldn’t stand. There were several moments that brought me to tears as I read. Aster’s devotion to Molly was written so beautifully, especially the manner in which he slowly reveals their shared history and how deep his love for her runs. The combination of lost time and the effort to rebuild their relationship was very much “I will love you in every lifetime” of them, and I feel unwell simply thinking about them.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I knew I would love Molly and Aster from the very first chapter, when Aster storms into the hospital demanding, “Where is my wife?” As someone who loves second-chance romances, I was immediately drawn to these characters and the journey they take to reconnect and rediscover each other after Molly loses six years of memories. The last that Molly remembers, Aster used to be her academic rival and someone she couldn’t stand. There were several moments that brought me to tears as I read. Aster’s devotion to Molly was written so beautifully, especially the manner in which he slowly reveals their shared history and how deep his love for her runs. The combination of lost time and the effort to rebuild their relationship was very much “I will love you in every lifetime” of them, and I feel unwell simply thinking about them.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Want to Read
March 26, 2026AHH ANOTHER DRAMIONE FIC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
💍 Imagine waking up thinking that you're a twenty-year-old, but you're actually twenty-six and married to the guy who made your life a living hell back in high school. Oh, and one more thing? You have zero recollections of the last six years of your life.
That's what happens to our FMC--Molly, who learns that she's married to a man named Aster.
Friends, Aster wasn't some "cutesy bully." No, he was a downright nasty piece of work. But now? He is sweet, attentive, and the only person who's in Molly's corner after she wakes up with amnesia. Molly and Aster have a group of friends from Hell, but we'll get to that in a minute.
For now, let's look at what the author did right:
1. PACING: It's great! I breezed through the book in a day. There isn't a single part that stalls.
2. PROSE: Beautiful without being overwrought. Once, Again, Always is written the way the Romance genre is supposed to be written. In fact, I felt as though I had just jumped into a time machine and went back to the golden age of Romance, back when authors wrote with the language of the genre in mind, not Booktok. The focus is on the heart, not "how many tropes can I check off on a list?"
EXCERPT: She felt like an island sinking into the sea. Wave after wave slowly crumbling her shoreline, pulling her sands out to open ocean. There was too much to grieve, big things and tiny things, and too much to keep track of.
But she refused to drown.
3. THE ROMANCE: A+. No complaint. The love story is beautiful. Is Aster perfect? No. He makes mistakes when taking care of Molly, but those actions are never done for self-serving reasons. They're done out of the desire to give her the best chances, even if his decisions are misguided at times. He always apologizes after and makes better choices moving forward, rather than just giving empty apologies. And when he disagrees with Molly on something? He'd mull over what she's said, sees her points, and acknowledges it. Aster is someone who needs to reflect before seeing the errors of his ways, and that's fine, you know? To me, that's someone who's capable of growth!
The lovemaking scenes are written beautifully. Open-door but not explicit or clinical. The focus is more on the characters' emotional states during the acts. The scenes are what one would expect in a Romance-genre novel, not Erotica or Smut. Such scenes exist to show growth and plot development, to drive the romance, not to arouse. That is the difference. It's meant to inspire romance, to sweep you away into a romantic story.
4. PSYCHOLICAL IMPACTS: The author doesn't downplay the wounds of being bullied. We see the long-term effects of being treated like dirt and getting called "Charity Case" have on Molly, but they aren't shown to us in an overt way.
The effects are much simpler and--thus, more painful. We see that in Molly's intrusive thoughts.
For example, when she sees her now-husband in a nice shirt, this would be her thought process: He looks handsome in that shirt --> That is an expensive shirt --> He used to tally up the costs of his outfits and remind me that they were worth more than my tuition.
5. THE AUTHOR ISN'T AFRAID TO GIVE THE COUPLE TRUE CHARACTER ARCS: In most books published after 2019, we don't really get to see character growths anymore because a lot of younger readers don't understand what a character arc is. So, oftentimes we’d end up with an MMC who starts out perfect, whose "flaws" aren't really flaws, and he remains perfect.
Meanwhile, in a traditional character arc, a character may start out flawed and gradually grow better over time.
Readers used to see that and think, "Growth! That's great!"
Now, many would judge a character for who they are on page 1, rather than recognizing the person they've grown to be by page 350. Consequently, certain readers would then get on social media, post their dumb 60-second "hot take" videos with excerpts taken out of context, and basically sink ("cancel") a book or its author. This results in many authors overcorrecting now, afraid to write true character arcs because they don't want to risk being misrepresented.
🩷 But here? You'll see Molly and Aster go through real growths. I love that!
ONE THING THAT CONFUSED ME:
🧐 The group of friends from Hell. Instead of seeing the closeness that the author presumably wants readers to see, I see enmeshment and narcissistic abuse.
I don't have a problem with reading characters who have shitty friends. I don't even need to have such friends improve, or for the main character(s) to cut ties with them, because I understand that in real life--a lot of times things don't get resolved.
🧐 However, I do have questions: in the context of this novel, why are they included here? What is their function? Why are they written this way? Because they don't improve, nor does Molly withdraw from them. Their actions also aren’t meaningfully addressed.
If they're meant to be supportive, it's not convincing.
If they're meant to be problematic, there's no meaningful pushback--however mild.
If the author wants to portray a close-knit group of friends, this isn’t the way to do it; this feels more like enmeshment than anything else.
Okay, let me explain. Her friends tell her that she has their support, and yes--they are supportive, but only physically. Emotionally? They are extremely disrespectful. Molly and the narrative (author) recognize their behaviors as intrusive, even, but nothing ever comes of that.
EXAMPLES:
🤡 1) Molly is amnesiac and feels fearful when she sees Aster, because her only memories of him are of the times he made her life miserable. So, what do her friends do? They tell her to get over it; one confronts her for not having resumed physical intimacy with her husband yet, and acts like the husband is a long-suffering victim, how six weeks is more than long enough for Molly to get over it.
🤡 2) The friends are weirdly obsessed with Molly and Aster’s sex life. They ask her really intrusive and disrespectful questions, just because the pre-amnesiac version of her shared everything with them (according to their accounts anyway). They keep asking if she's started sleeping with her husband again yet; if she has not, why.
🤡 3) They act as though the amnesia isn't Molly’s present reality. They keep treating her like how they did before, even though that is counterintuitive (and they know it. See number 4 right below). They completely ignore her amnesia and are actually quite harmful toward her at times.
If the goal is to show Molly’s friends not treating her differently, this isn’t the way to do it.
You can treat someone with the same love and closeness that you had before, without telling them, ”Well, you’ve always told me everything before, so tell me everything now” when they don’t want to answer a question. If they don’t remember having ever had that closeness with you, you’re essentially asking them to do something that is foreign to them.
🤡 4) Aster tells them what not to do with Molly, but they meet up with her behind his back and laugh off his precautions to her face. And then proceed to do the very things he’s asked them not to. Over and over again.
🤡 5) When Molly expresses her discomfort (both visually and verbally) at her friends' intrusive questions, one of them would exclaim with something along the line of, "Oh, come on! We used to tell each other everything!" or ”You’re my best friend!”
🤡 6) When Alannah--one of the friends-- is too busy to hang out with Molly, she has her HUSBAND Roy invite Molly to a friendly lunch, which Molly accepts. Over lunch, he sheepishly confesses that Alannah has sent him to ask if she's having sex with Aster, and if so, how frequently.
Unfortunately, Molly answers the question, because--apparently--Alannah wouldn't let him rest if he doesn't come back with Molly's answer.
Roy is also Molly's friend, but he's so weak, he can't even look out for her. The dialogues even show at different times that he recognizes their actions as inappropriate.
🤡 7) Once it’s known that Molly and Aster have resumed their physical relationship, they start asking her about the frequency.
🤡 8) Every single time Molly meets with a friend, the only questions they ask her are ones about her physical intimacy (if any) with her husband (whom she doesn't remember, mind you).
These interactions happen in a loop, which got old real quick for me as a reader.
🤡 9) When the friends aren't asking intrusive questions, they'd be making sarcastic remarks each time they walk in on Molly and Aster cuddling, kissing, or displaying any other expressions of affection.
If the comments are meant to be playful teasing, that’s not how they translate across the pages. They read more like people with so little respect for boundaries, that they just openly comment like they have every right to.
🤡 10) The friend group also constantly disrespects Aster by overriding his wishes, even though his wishes are simply what the doctor asked him to tell friends and family not to do (don't overwhelm Molly, don't make her feel afraid, etc.).
🤡 11) You can tell that these friends know that what they're doing is wrong because they only do things behind Aster's back, when Molly is exposed and vulnerable, and they're the only people she recognizes.
🤡 12) When Aster isn't ready to
🤡 13) Her friends invite
😩 Unfortunately, how this group of friends is written really did take away some of my enjoyment of the novel.
Nothing about them gives me the impression of a loyal, loving group of friends (if that's what the author intends to give us) because they just commit violations after violations throughout the novel.
🧐 Like, what is even their function? They don't contribute to plot or character development, the interactions our protagonists (the main couple) have with them aren't meaningful in any way.
I don't need Molly’s friends to be perfect, and I don’t need to see her tell them off or withdraw, but I do need to understand the reason for their being here and why they're written in this manner. Even if their purpose is to make Aster look good in comparison, there still has to be movement toward something.
I still don’t know how the author means for us to view this group of friends. In this specific book, we need a resolution because other than the main relationship, the friend group is very central and featured prominently enough that a resolution is warranted.
MY INPUT: Either give us a resolution for these hellacious friends, or minimize the group’s presence. They aren’t even fun-to-read obnoxious characters; they’re just plain obnoxious, whose presence takes away an otherwise beautiful romance.
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
That's what happens to our FMC--Molly, who learns that she's married to a man named Aster.
Friends, Aster wasn't some "cutesy bully." No, he was a downright nasty piece of work. But now? He is sweet, attentive, and the only person who's in Molly's corner after she wakes up with amnesia. Molly and Aster have a group of friends from Hell, but we'll get to that in a minute.
For now, let's look at what the author did right:
1. PACING: It's great! I breezed through the book in a day. There isn't a single part that stalls.
2. PROSE: Beautiful without being overwrought. Once, Again, Always is written the way the Romance genre is supposed to be written. In fact, I felt as though I had just jumped into a time machine and went back to the golden age of Romance, back when authors wrote with the language of the genre in mind, not Booktok. The focus is on the heart, not "how many tropes can I check off on a list?"
EXCERPT: She felt like an island sinking into the sea. Wave after wave slowly crumbling her shoreline, pulling her sands out to open ocean. There was too much to grieve, big things and tiny things, and too much to keep track of.
But she refused to drown.
3. THE ROMANCE: A+. No complaint. The love story is beautiful. Is Aster perfect? No. He makes mistakes when taking care of Molly, but those actions are never done for self-serving reasons. They're done out of the desire to give her the best chances, even if his decisions are misguided at times. He always apologizes after and makes better choices moving forward, rather than just giving empty apologies. And when he disagrees with Molly on something? He'd mull over what she's said, sees her points, and acknowledges it. Aster is someone who needs to reflect before seeing the errors of his ways, and that's fine, you know? To me, that's someone who's capable of growth!
The lovemaking scenes are written beautifully. Open-door but not explicit or clinical. The focus is more on the characters' emotional states during the acts. The scenes are what one would expect in a Romance-genre novel, not Erotica or Smut. Such scenes exist to show growth and plot development, to drive the romance, not to arouse. That is the difference. It's meant to inspire romance, to sweep you away into a romantic story.
4. PSYCHOLICAL IMPACTS: The author doesn't downplay the wounds of being bullied. We see the long-term effects of being treated like dirt and getting called "Charity Case" have on Molly, but they aren't shown to us in an overt way.
The effects are much simpler and--thus, more painful. We see that in Molly's intrusive thoughts.
For example, when she sees her now-husband in a nice shirt, this would be her thought process: He looks handsome in that shirt --> That is an expensive shirt --> He used to tally up the costs of his outfits and remind me that they were worth more than my tuition.
5. THE AUTHOR ISN'T AFRAID TO GIVE THE COUPLE TRUE CHARACTER ARCS: In most books published after 2019, we don't really get to see character growths anymore because a lot of younger readers don't understand what a character arc is. So, oftentimes we’d end up with an MMC who starts out perfect, whose "flaws" aren't really flaws, and he remains perfect.
Meanwhile, in a traditional character arc, a character may start out flawed and gradually grow better over time.
Readers used to see that and think, "Growth! That's great!"
Now, many would judge a character for who they are on page 1, rather than recognizing the person they've grown to be by page 350. Consequently, certain readers would then get on social media, post their dumb 60-second "hot take" videos with excerpts taken out of context, and basically sink ("cancel") a book or its author. This results in many authors overcorrecting now, afraid to write true character arcs because they don't want to risk being misrepresented.
🩷 But here? You'll see Molly and Aster go through real growths. I love that!
ONE THING THAT CONFUSED ME:
🧐 The group of friends from Hell. Instead of seeing the closeness that the author presumably wants readers to see, I see enmeshment and narcissistic abuse.
I don't have a problem with reading characters who have shitty friends. I don't even need to have such friends improve, or for the main character(s) to cut ties with them, because I understand that in real life--a lot of times things don't get resolved.
🧐 However, I do have questions: in the context of this novel, why are they included here? What is their function? Why are they written this way? Because they don't improve, nor does Molly withdraw from them. Their actions also aren’t meaningfully addressed.
If they're meant to be supportive, it's not convincing.
If they're meant to be problematic, there's no meaningful pushback--however mild.
If the author wants to portray a close-knit group of friends, this isn’t the way to do it; this feels more like enmeshment than anything else.
Okay, let me explain. Her friends tell her that she has their support, and yes--they are supportive, but only physically. Emotionally? They are extremely disrespectful. Molly and the narrative (author) recognize their behaviors as intrusive, even, but nothing ever comes of that.
EXAMPLES:
🤡 1) Molly is amnesiac and feels fearful when she sees Aster, because her only memories of him are of the times he made her life miserable. So, what do her friends do? They tell her to get over it; one confronts her for not having resumed physical intimacy with her husband yet, and acts like the husband is a long-suffering victim, how six weeks is more than long enough for Molly to get over it.
🤡 2) The friends are weirdly obsessed with Molly and Aster’s sex life. They ask her really intrusive and disrespectful questions, just because the pre-amnesiac version of her shared everything with them (according to their accounts anyway). They keep asking if she's started sleeping with her husband again yet; if she has not, why.
🤡 3) They act as though the amnesia isn't Molly’s present reality. They keep treating her like how they did before, even though that is counterintuitive (and they know it. See number 4 right below). They completely ignore her amnesia and are actually quite harmful toward her at times.
If the goal is to show Molly’s friends not treating her differently, this isn’t the way to do it.
You can treat someone with the same love and closeness that you had before, without telling them, ”Well, you’ve always told me everything before, so tell me everything now” when they don’t want to answer a question. If they don’t remember having ever had that closeness with you, you’re essentially asking them to do something that is foreign to them.
🤡 4) Aster tells them what not to do with Molly, but they meet up with her behind his back and laugh off his precautions to her face. And then proceed to do the very things he’s asked them not to. Over and over again.
🤡 5) When Molly expresses her discomfort (both visually and verbally) at her friends' intrusive questions, one of them would exclaim with something along the line of, "Oh, come on! We used to tell each other everything!" or ”You’re my best friend!”
🤡 6) When Alannah--one of the friends-- is too busy to hang out with Molly, she has her HUSBAND Roy invite Molly to a friendly lunch, which Molly accepts. Over lunch, he sheepishly confesses that Alannah has sent him to ask if she's having sex with Aster, and if so, how frequently.
Unfortunately, Molly answers the question, because--apparently--Alannah wouldn't let him rest if he doesn't come back with Molly's answer.
Roy is also Molly's friend, but he's so weak, he can't even look out for her. The dialogues even show at different times that he recognizes their actions as inappropriate.
🤡 7) Once it’s known that Molly and Aster have resumed their physical relationship, they start asking her about the frequency.
🤡 8) Every single time Molly meets with a friend, the only questions they ask her are ones about her physical intimacy (if any) with her husband (whom she doesn't remember, mind you).
These interactions happen in a loop, which got old real quick for me as a reader.
🤡 9) When the friends aren't asking intrusive questions, they'd be making sarcastic remarks each time they walk in on Molly and Aster cuddling, kissing, or displaying any other expressions of affection.
If the comments are meant to be playful teasing, that’s not how they translate across the pages. They read more like people with so little respect for boundaries, that they just openly comment like they have every right to.
🤡 10) The friend group also constantly disrespects Aster by overriding his wishes, even though his wishes are simply what the doctor asked him to tell friends and family not to do (don't overwhelm Molly, don't make her feel afraid, etc.).
🤡 11) You can tell that these friends know that what they're doing is wrong because they only do things behind Aster's back, when Molly is exposed and vulnerable, and they're the only people she recognizes.
🤡 12) When Aster isn't ready to
🤡 13) Her friends invite
😩 Unfortunately, how this group of friends is written really did take away some of my enjoyment of the novel.
Nothing about them gives me the impression of a loyal, loving group of friends (if that's what the author intends to give us) because they just commit violations after violations throughout the novel.
🧐 Like, what is even their function? They don't contribute to plot or character development, the interactions our protagonists (the main couple) have with them aren't meaningful in any way.
I don't need Molly’s friends to be perfect, and I don’t need to see her tell them off or withdraw, but I do need to understand the reason for their being here and why they're written in this manner. Even if their purpose is to make Aster look good in comparison, there still has to be movement toward something.
I still don’t know how the author means for us to view this group of friends. In this specific book, we need a resolution because other than the main relationship, the friend group is very central and featured prominently enough that a resolution is warranted.
MY INPUT: Either give us a resolution for these hellacious friends, or minimize the group’s presence. They aren’t even fun-to-read obnoxious characters; they’re just plain obnoxious, whose presence takes away an otherwise beautiful romance.
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC Rating: 3.75
Spice Rating: 1.75
Once, Again, Always, at its simplest, is a story about a woman recovering from a medical condition who is trying to remember the people and things that brought her joy prior to the incident happening. The story started off strong for me, but there were parts of it that fell a bit flat for me (mentioned in paragraph 3). I had come across the source material for this book via social media, but I haven't read it yet so my opinion on this book is unbiased.
I felt that Molly was a person who thrived on living an orderly life that involved lists and when she woke up with no memories, it threw her life into disarray. She had friends and a spouse who loved her deeply and who brought her true happiness. Not knowing who her spouse was or her friends were was traumatizing for both her and those who cared for her. Aster is a man who will do anything to try to help his wife remember who she was prior to the medical emergency, but as the doctor stated, sometimes what you want to happen doesn't and you have to move forward from it.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. Justine and Eli were my favorite side characters because they seemed so real and didn't sugar coat things like some of their friends did. What I wasn't a fan of necessarily was the fact that some of the chapters had mentioned various characters, but there weren't many details pertaining to who they were prior to Molly losing her memories. I think I would have enjoyed it more if there was a bit more detail regarding Molly's father and Aster's parents and why they had the falling out and why his name had such a bad taste. It would have helped me understand more about why Aster is the way he is and why exactly he's so set on making a name for himself without using his parents last name. I also felt that that Simon's chapter, even if he as an ex, ended a bit abruptly and wasn't wrapped up as well as I thought it would have.
There was mention of their wedding, but we never got the full details of how it went and I felt like that was a huge part that was missing. While we did get them reminiscing on their engagement, I definitely thought there would have been a bit more added on to show how Aster and Molly fell in love with each other and why they love each other so deeply.
When it comes to rating, I'd give it a 3.75. The spice that's in this book isn't very detailed and it is very quick. If I had to rate it, I'd give it about a 1.5-2 on a scale of 5.
Highly recommend this book to readers who are looking for a more lighthearted, heartfelt second chance romance that features yearning on the man's behalf. I also recommend it readers who enjoy the found family aspect because the friends that Molly and Aster have definitely made their story interesting.
Favorite quotes:
“Just be gentle with me, Graham,”...“You’ve got me on the gallows here.”...“But I’ll be damned if you’re not the most beautiful executioner I’ve ever seen.”
"What are you going to know about failing an exam, huh? Is it a tough life, being a genius?”
“You make everything in my life better. Sometimes I feel like this is a hopelessly one-sided relationship. One where I get everything and I can’t understand why you’re still here.”
“You’re enough, in any iteration. I loved you once, of course I’ll love you again. I’ll love you always. I never stopped. You have to know that.”
Thank you Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
Spice Rating: 1.75
Once, Again, Always, at its simplest, is a story about a woman recovering from a medical condition who is trying to remember the people and things that brought her joy prior to the incident happening. The story started off strong for me, but there were parts of it that fell a bit flat for me (mentioned in paragraph 3). I had come across the source material for this book via social media, but I haven't read it yet so my opinion on this book is unbiased.
I felt that Molly was a person who thrived on living an orderly life that involved lists and when she woke up with no memories, it threw her life into disarray. She had friends and a spouse who loved her deeply and who brought her true happiness. Not knowing who her spouse was or her friends were was traumatizing for both her and those who cared for her. Aster is a man who will do anything to try to help his wife remember who she was prior to the medical emergency, but as the doctor stated, sometimes what you want to happen doesn't and you have to move forward from it.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. Justine and Eli were my favorite side characters because they seemed so real and didn't sugar coat things like some of their friends did. What I wasn't a fan of necessarily was the fact that some of the chapters had mentioned various characters, but there weren't many details pertaining to who they were prior to Molly losing her memories. I think I would have enjoyed it more if there was a bit more detail regarding Molly's father and Aster's parents and why they had the falling out and why his name had such a bad taste. It would have helped me understand more about why Aster is the way he is and why exactly he's so set on making a name for himself without using his parents last name. I also felt that that Simon's chapter, even if he as an ex, ended a bit abruptly and wasn't wrapped up as well as I thought it would have.
There was mention of their wedding, but we never got the full details of how it went and I felt like that was a huge part that was missing. While we did get them reminiscing on their engagement, I definitely thought there would have been a bit more added on to show how Aster and Molly fell in love with each other and why they love each other so deeply.
When it comes to rating, I'd give it a 3.75. The spice that's in this book isn't very detailed and it is very quick. If I had to rate it, I'd give it about a 1.5-2 on a scale of 5.
Highly recommend this book to readers who are looking for a more lighthearted, heartfelt second chance romance that features yearning on the man's behalf. I also recommend it readers who enjoy the found family aspect because the friends that Molly and Aster have definitely made their story interesting.
Favorite quotes:
“Just be gentle with me, Graham,”...“You’ve got me on the gallows here.”...“But I’ll be damned if you’re not the most beautiful executioner I’ve ever seen.”
"What are you going to know about failing an exam, huh? Is it a tough life, being a genius?”
“You make everything in my life better. Sometimes I feel like this is a hopelessly one-sided relationship. One where I get everything and I can’t understand why you’re still here.”
“You’re enough, in any iteration. I loved you once, of course I’ll love you again. I’ll love you always. I never stopped. You have to know that.”
Thank you Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I had a great time with this and read it in one day.
Molly is the sort of fmc that I think some people will be frustrated by because of how stubborn she is and how that at times hurts her husband Aster. But I loved her. I think when those moments do arise, the book does a solid job reminding the reader just why Molly is as resistant to giving Aster a chance as she is. Given her circumstances, feeling like a stranger in a life she doesn't recognize, her behavior is understandable even when it's not reasonable. There is one moment toward the end of the book where she does something so ridiculous I nearly threw my kindle across the room, but I can give her a bit of grace for having literal brain damage. There's plenty of miscommunication in this book, but it's very natural given the premise and isn't played for cheap drama the way miscommunication sometimes is. This book just centers on two people who are desperate to talk with one another but have no idea how.
There's a sort of melodrama to this story that will work for some people and won't for others. I think it's mostly quite fitting and works well within the story. There is one line of dialogue that took me out of the moment. It was the sort of dramatic romantic statement that looks like it was written to be put on the back of the book, rather than to sound like something a person would actually say. That melodrama also carries into the sex scenes with some flowery metaphors that didn't quite click for me. Thankfully, these moments weren't so frequent nor so long that they substantially harmed my reading experience. And despite these melodramatic moments, Molly and Aster, and their relationship, really did feel incredibly human and natural to me.
I do wish the structure of 1 flashback per chapter wasn't held to quite as strictly as it was. While I generally think the flashbacks were successful and necessary for the story, there were a few that felt a bit redundant and didn't seem to fit where the narrative was at this point. I also found the epilogue a bit redundant. There were parts of it that I really liked, but there was also one scene that was basically just reminiscing about the events of the book, which I found unnecessary.
I have no idea how realistic any of the medical elements are in here. They take more of a backseat than I expected for the vast majority of the story. This book is set in the US so it's notable how little it engages in the conversation on healthcare. I don't know that I see this necessarily as a flaw, but I was surprised when insurance was mentioned and I realized there had been no discussion of medical bills at all.
Overall, I found this a deeply likable book. I loved the characters, main and side, I loved the story, I loved the experience of being sucked into a book and completely losing track of time. This is a story where everyone is just trying their best in difficult circumstances, and while it hurts at times, it also has the emotional pay-off to justify that pain.
Molly is the sort of fmc that I think some people will be frustrated by because of how stubborn she is and how that at times hurts her husband Aster. But I loved her. I think when those moments do arise, the book does a solid job reminding the reader just why Molly is as resistant to giving Aster a chance as she is. Given her circumstances, feeling like a stranger in a life she doesn't recognize, her behavior is understandable even when it's not reasonable. There is one moment toward the end of the book where she does something so ridiculous I nearly threw my kindle across the room, but I can give her a bit of grace for having literal brain damage. There's plenty of miscommunication in this book, but it's very natural given the premise and isn't played for cheap drama the way miscommunication sometimes is. This book just centers on two people who are desperate to talk with one another but have no idea how.
There's a sort of melodrama to this story that will work for some people and won't for others. I think it's mostly quite fitting and works well within the story. There is one line of dialogue that took me out of the moment. It was the sort of dramatic romantic statement that looks like it was written to be put on the back of the book, rather than to sound like something a person would actually say. That melodrama also carries into the sex scenes with some flowery metaphors that didn't quite click for me. Thankfully, these moments weren't so frequent nor so long that they substantially harmed my reading experience. And despite these melodramatic moments, Molly and Aster, and their relationship, really did feel incredibly human and natural to me.
I do wish the structure of 1 flashback per chapter wasn't held to quite as strictly as it was. While I generally think the flashbacks were successful and necessary for the story, there were a few that felt a bit redundant and didn't seem to fit where the narrative was at this point. I also found the epilogue a bit redundant. There were parts of it that I really liked, but there was also one scene that was basically just reminiscing about the events of the book, which I found unnecessary.
I have no idea how realistic any of the medical elements are in here. They take more of a backseat than I expected for the vast majority of the story. This book is set in the US so it's notable how little it engages in the conversation on healthcare. I don't know that I see this necessarily as a flaw, but I was surprised when insurance was mentioned and I realized there had been no discussion of medical bills at all.
Overall, I found this a deeply likable book. I loved the characters, main and side, I loved the story, I loved the experience of being sucked into a book and completely losing track of time. This is a story where everyone is just trying their best in difficult circumstances, and while it hurts at times, it also has the emotional pay-off to justify that pain.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really, REALLY liked this book. The part I loved the most of all? The ending. Amanda Gayle ended this beautiful story in the absolute BEST, most satisfying way. Nailed. It.
I love that this book was from Molly's perspective so that we had so much tension in not exactly knowing what Aster was going through all along. With that said, I think it would be incredible to also have the events of this story -- and big chunks of the six missing years -- from Aster's POV!!!! It's a want AND A NEED! :)
I love the "he's only soft for her" trope but Aster Bishop took this a step further where he was softened for her and by her love. I love the way Alannah and Aster interacted -- the way they were very clearly friends and allies but they bickered and poked at each other. (I absolutely love the way this changed only surrounding a big life moment for Alannah. I melt.)
I am also a big fan of Roy and Molly's friendship. How he knew the difference between Molly's face when she's deep in thought vs. when she's ogling someone. That was just the best. I also loooove the way Simon wasn't really a part of this story or friends group in any major way. (I also loved the way Aster roasted him to Molly in a pretty nice but petty and funny way after that one awful night.) I love the way Aster Bishop was just so down bad for Molly... you could absolutely feel it throughout the story. I loved the way everyone in that friend group (Roy, Alannah, Eli, Justine, Bentley...) when to bat for Aster to Molly in their own way and at the right time where Molly just really needed it. Whether that was a nudge or a story or advice or a memory or an insight shared - they are found family goals.
I enjoyed the way hope played a role in this story and the nuance there. I found so much of the story to feel relatable... having to grapple with some of the most important memories in your entire life forgotten possibly forever... and wondering, does this person love me NOW or me THEN? It was fascinating to see how Molly and Aster grappled with that differently. And perfectly. I love the ways the two of them so seamlessly came together over time despite the absolute struggle of it all.
This story is just so beautiful and I could NEVER accurately describe the best parts of it without giving so many spoilers. I had an absolute blast reading this and it was tough to ever put this down. HOW am I going to ever get over this book?! And what could I possibly follow it up with!?
Some tropes from the book for your enjoyment:
*academic rivals to lovers
*found family
*forced proximity
*memory loss
*SLOW BURN
*and very much MAN WHO YEARNS
Thank you, endlessly, Avon & Harper Voyager for this truly lovely ARC and to Amanda Gayle for creating something so wonderful. All opinions are my own!
I love that this book was from Molly's perspective so that we had so much tension in not exactly knowing what Aster was going through all along. With that said, I think it would be incredible to also have the events of this story -- and big chunks of the six missing years -- from Aster's POV!!!! It's a want AND A NEED! :)
I love the "he's only soft for her" trope but Aster Bishop took this a step further where he was softened for her and by her love. I love the way Alannah and Aster interacted -- the way they were very clearly friends and allies but they bickered and poked at each other. (I absolutely love the way this changed only surrounding a big life moment for Alannah. I melt.)
I am also a big fan of Roy and Molly's friendship. How he knew the difference between Molly's face when she's deep in thought vs. when she's ogling someone. That was just the best. I also loooove the way Simon wasn't really a part of this story or friends group in any major way. (I also loved the way Aster roasted him to Molly in a pretty nice but petty and funny way after that one awful night.) I love the way Aster Bishop was just so down bad for Molly... you could absolutely feel it throughout the story. I loved the way everyone in that friend group (Roy, Alannah, Eli, Justine, Bentley...) when to bat for Aster to Molly in their own way and at the right time where Molly just really needed it. Whether that was a nudge or a story or advice or a memory or an insight shared - they are found family goals.
I enjoyed the way hope played a role in this story and the nuance there. I found so much of the story to feel relatable... having to grapple with some of the most important memories in your entire life forgotten possibly forever... and wondering, does this person love me NOW or me THEN? It was fascinating to see how Molly and Aster grappled with that differently. And perfectly. I love the ways the two of them so seamlessly came together over time despite the absolute struggle of it all.
This story is just so beautiful and I could NEVER accurately describe the best parts of it without giving so many spoilers. I had an absolute blast reading this and it was tough to ever put this down. HOW am I going to ever get over this book?! And what could I possibly follow it up with!?
Some tropes from the book for your enjoyment:
*academic rivals to lovers
*found family
*forced proximity
*memory loss
*SLOW BURN
*and very much MAN WHO YEARNS
Thank you, endlessly, Avon & Harper Voyager for this truly lovely ARC and to Amanda Gayle for creating something so wonderful. All opinions are my own!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for this ARC!!
I should have assessed my mental state before opening this one. This book is gut-wrenchingly painful. The story read in an interesting way, it being in 3rd person but the audience having no insight beyond Molly's regarding the memories she's missing or anyone else's behavior. I don't think I was super on either of Molly's or Aster's side when reading this. At first, the pseudo dramatic irony that comes from the trust placed in the author that this will have a happy ending/ that the MMC is a good guy, made it harder to feel for Molly in the beginning stages.
I thought the "Before" chapters were a good addition for helping understand Molly's perspective, but I wish the titles were more descriptive- before what? Before the accident (including the lost time?), before the lost time, before things began with Aster? After reading the entire book it's safe to say the "befores" are before the lost time- except for the last one?, but I wasn't sure as the book was progressing if we were going to get any further insight.
I appreciated how frustrating the lack of communication and the need to know affected the readers as well, but I do still have grievances with it. I wish that less of the decisions Molly made to make steps forward came from her friends. I don't think her calling him his first name was a bad thing to call out on Eli's part, but I wish he maybe more subtly brought it up rather than telling her to fix it and that she sucked for not having done it yet. That, the physical intimacy, the RING?? I wanted her to make these decisions herself and it meant less to me after her friends sort of forced some of these things on her- especially the ring. I felt the same way about their reluctance to share with her, I understand the others' POVs here, but the push and pull of getting upset with her or calling her out for not doing things while also not telling her the things she wants to know was infuriating and Molly didn't have nearly as much of a problem with that as I feel like she should've.
I think the intensely intelligent dialogue used by the characters made sense given that they're all meant to be super smart, but there were a LOT of instances where the dialect used to describe scenes or actions was so robust and metaphorical that I genuinely couldn't figure out what the author was saying.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, a bit deflated with the ending, but it was a good read that I got emotionally invested in enough that I can say I indeed shed a few tears. I truly wanted the best for these characters and the author crafted the story in a fantastic way that really guided you through this harrowing and nightmarish experience with Molly.
I should have assessed my mental state before opening this one. This book is gut-wrenchingly painful. The story read in an interesting way, it being in 3rd person but the audience having no insight beyond Molly's regarding the memories she's missing or anyone else's behavior. I don't think I was super on either of Molly's or Aster's side when reading this. At first, the pseudo dramatic irony that comes from the trust placed in the author that this will have a happy ending/ that the MMC is a good guy, made it harder to feel for Molly in the beginning stages.
I thought the "Before" chapters were a good addition for helping understand Molly's perspective, but I wish the titles were more descriptive- before what? Before the accident (including the lost time?), before the lost time, before things began with Aster? After reading the entire book it's safe to say the "befores" are before the lost time- except for the last one?, but I wasn't sure as the book was progressing if we were going to get any further insight.
I appreciated how frustrating the lack of communication and the need to know affected the readers as well, but I do still have grievances with it. I wish that less of the decisions Molly made to make steps forward came from her friends. I don't think her calling him his first name was a bad thing to call out on Eli's part, but I wish he maybe more subtly brought it up rather than telling her to fix it and that she sucked for not having done it yet. That, the physical intimacy, the RING?? I wanted her to make these decisions herself and it meant less to me after her friends sort of forced some of these things on her- especially the ring. I felt the same way about their reluctance to share with her, I understand the others' POVs here, but the push and pull of getting upset with her or calling her out for not doing things while also not telling her the things she wants to know was infuriating and Molly didn't have nearly as much of a problem with that as I feel like she should've.
I think the intensely intelligent dialogue used by the characters made sense given that they're all meant to be super smart, but there were a LOT of instances where the dialect used to describe scenes or actions was so robust and metaphorical that I genuinely couldn't figure out what the author was saying.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, a bit deflated with the ending, but it was a good read that I got emotionally invested in enough that I can say I indeed shed a few tears. I truly wanted the best for these characters and the author crafted the story in a fantastic way that really guided you through this harrowing and nightmarish experience with Molly.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lordttt I know I'm about to rewrite this review six times after hitting submit, because I've only just set down the book, and this isn't the type of story to exit one's mind soon after reaching its conclusion. I haven't even gone over the highlights yet.
I love this book. I savored it. I ate up every line greedily and enjoyed the weight of it all. I had high expectations going into this, which always comes with a slight fear of being disappointed, but my expectations were exceeded and I'm so incredibly relieved and grateful I got to read this story. And from a genre I tend to DNF (I'm allergic to contemporary, I'm so sorry. The doctor said there's nothing they can do)! This proves once again (always) that human connection is greater than any single genre or trope, and Once, Again, Always is saturated in it (but we do also get some yummy tropes).
SPEAKING OF YUMMY:
This book was designed to make me ovulate. Aster Bishop was created in a laboratory by someone who knows what I need. He's strong, clever, and obsessive. He has power, but exercises restraint. He has his own wants and needs, but leashes them in the interest of his recovering wife. He loves children, but remains naughty. He yearns and yearns and yearns. AND HE'S A RICH, MEAN BLONDE. 👏 Aster is a top tier book boyfriend--I was his from the moment he shouted, "Where the f*** is my wife?" (Rowan girlies take note) And if none of that was enough, don't worry. There's more. And then more after that. What an icon of a man.
Molly and our supporting cast were also lovely, of course, and added color to her world as she became reacquainted with herself. No scenes with them ever felt inconsequential, and I think that can be tricky to pull off when isolating the main character from the love interest. We know these other cast members aren't the main character, so why should we care? Don't worry, they'll bust in uninvited and let you know why 😆. I adored them and would happily read more.
This book was brief, but emotionally dense. And if you think you've read this story before, let me assure you that there's a few twists I didn't expect while still bringing everything full-circle. The devotion, the trust, the patience, the hope. Should I ever find myself in a situation similar to Molly's, someone please hand me this book so I can read it again for the first time (I wouldn't say no to a novella featuring their first love story, either) <3
-.00000000000034 stars for couch abuse 🛋️
I love this book. I savored it. I ate up every line greedily and enjoyed the weight of it all. I had high expectations going into this, which always comes with a slight fear of being disappointed, but my expectations were exceeded and I'm so incredibly relieved and grateful I got to read this story. And from a genre I tend to DNF (I'm allergic to contemporary, I'm so sorry. The doctor said there's nothing they can do)! This proves once again (always) that human connection is greater than any single genre or trope, and Once, Again, Always is saturated in it (but we do also get some yummy tropes).
SPEAKING OF YUMMY:
This book was designed to make me ovulate. Aster Bishop was created in a laboratory by someone who knows what I need. He's strong, clever, and obsessive. He has power, but exercises restraint. He has his own wants and needs, but leashes them in the interest of his recovering wife. He loves children, but remains naughty. He yearns and yearns and yearns. AND HE'S A RICH, MEAN BLONDE. 👏 Aster is a top tier book boyfriend--I was his from the moment he shouted, "Where the f*** is my wife?" (Rowan girlies take note) And if none of that was enough, don't worry. There's more. And then more after that. What an icon of a man.
Molly and our supporting cast were also lovely, of course, and added color to her world as she became reacquainted with herself. No scenes with them ever felt inconsequential, and I think that can be tricky to pull off when isolating the main character from the love interest. We know these other cast members aren't the main character, so why should we care? Don't worry, they'll bust in uninvited and let you know why 😆. I adored them and would happily read more.
This book was brief, but emotionally dense. And if you think you've read this story before, let me assure you that there's a few twists I didn't expect while still bringing everything full-circle. The devotion, the trust, the patience, the hope. Should I ever find myself in a situation similar to Molly's, someone please hand me this book so I can read it again for the first time (I wouldn't say no to a novella featuring their first love story, either) <3
-.00000000000034 stars for couch abuse 🛋️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!
---
What would you do if you woke up one day and had no memory of the last six years of your life? That is the situation main character Molly faces when she wakes up in the hospital one day with a splitting headache. She can't make sense of what has happened to her, and even worse, she finds out that she is married to Aster Bishop, her academic rival from her high school years. What comes next is a beautiful story of healing and finding oneself, while falling in love (again) with one's soulmate.
I really enjoyed this book. While it is marketed as a romance, the book is a lot deeper than that. Each chapter is named after a different person in Molly's life, showing how she reconnects and reestablishes a friendship with them without her memories. There are Molly's friends from high school, Roy and Alannah, and also Aster's friends, Eli, Bentley, and Justine, who are now her friends as well. I appreciated how each character stepped up for Molly at different times in the story, helping her through her confusion and grief and leading her (slowly) back to Aster.
Aster was my favorite character. He's like a grown Aaron Warner (iykyk!) The way he cared for Molly from the first page of the novel was endearing. You can feel his heartbreak and longing for Molly when he realizes she doesn't remember him from their married years. When Molly gets home from the hospital, she treats Aster with distrust and bitterness, as she only remembers his evil moments from their youth (scenes of which are interspersed throughout the novel and labeled as "Before.") Aster still treats her with love and patience, hoping she'll regain her memories and come back to him. While the two characters have their fights and disagreements, they still choose to honor and love each other. Watching Molly slowly fall (back) in love with Aster was so touching and magical.
I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, no matter how realistic it may be, but, overall, this was a great read! This story will stay with me for a long time.
---
What would you do if you woke up one day and had no memory of the last six years of your life? That is the situation main character Molly faces when she wakes up in the hospital one day with a splitting headache. She can't make sense of what has happened to her, and even worse, she finds out that she is married to Aster Bishop, her academic rival from her high school years. What comes next is a beautiful story of healing and finding oneself, while falling in love (again) with one's soulmate.
I really enjoyed this book. While it is marketed as a romance, the book is a lot deeper than that. Each chapter is named after a different person in Molly's life, showing how she reconnects and reestablishes a friendship with them without her memories. There are Molly's friends from high school, Roy and Alannah, and also Aster's friends, Eli, Bentley, and Justine, who are now her friends as well. I appreciated how each character stepped up for Molly at different times in the story, helping her through her confusion and grief and leading her (slowly) back to Aster.
Aster was my favorite character. He's like a grown Aaron Warner (iykyk!) The way he cared for Molly from the first page of the novel was endearing. You can feel his heartbreak and longing for Molly when he realizes she doesn't remember him from their married years. When Molly gets home from the hospital, she treats Aster with distrust and bitterness, as she only remembers his evil moments from their youth (scenes of which are interspersed throughout the novel and labeled as "Before.") Aster still treats her with love and patience, hoping she'll regain her memories and come back to him. While the two characters have their fights and disagreements, they still choose to honor and love each other. Watching Molly slowly fall (back) in love with Aster was so touching and magical.
I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, no matter how realistic it may be, but, overall, this was a great read! This story will stay with me for a long time.
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