Thank You for Remembering: A Novel

by Emily Harding

A woman wakes up with amnesia to a totally different life and teams up with her charming new neighbor to piece together her missing memories in this tender and funny romantic comedy from the author of How Freaking Romantic.



Growing up, Marnie Stephens believed in magic. That destiny was real, the universe had a plan, and every problem could be fixed by one of her grandmother’s many crystals or mantras. But now, at thirty, Marnie’s dreams have fallen by the wayside as real life proves to be more difficult than divine. That’s all about to change, though, thanks to her upcoming move from LA to Boston with her boyfriend Matt. Sure, she still has some nagging worries about the future, but those things will work themselves out. She just needs a fresh start.



Unfortunately, that’s exactly what Marnie gets when she wakes up at a hospital in Boston with no knowledge of how she got there. Her doctor tells her she suffered a head injury, Matt insists they broke up months ago, and, most distressing of all, her hair is somehow eight inches shorter. Nothing makes sense, but one thing is clear: Marnie has no memory of the past year. Soon, she’s discharged and finds herself in an apartment she doesn’t remember with a new neighbor, Ben Morgan, a man she’s sure she won’t forget.



Now, with the clues she finds scattered around her home, and Ben, who knows Boston like the back of his hand, Marnie sets out to retrace the past year to figure out where things went wrong and set them right. But despite what her grandmother always told her, there’s no magic to make her recovery easier. Between doctor’s visits and treks across the city in search of her lost memories, the last thing Marnie needs is to start falling for the grumpy—and incredibly attractive—man helping her. But the universe has other plans, and it’s not long before Marnie begins to wonder if fighting for the past is as important as the one person who could be her future.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Adult

336 pages, Paperback

Published September 15, 2026

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m obsessed with the amnesia trope when it’s executed well. In the right hands, it transforms into the perfect mystery drama—like slowly fitting together puzzle pieces only to discover an entirely different version of a person. But what makes this story special is how beautifully it balances that mystery with a deeply emotional, heartwarming romance. At its core, it’s about a woman whose life has completely fallen apart after losing her grandmother, a loss that shattered not only her sense of purpose but also her belief in magic, joy, and herself. Ironically, the tragedy that steals her memories may also become the very thing that gives her the chance to start over.

Marnie Stephens is such a relatable, compassionate, and easy-to-love heroine. After a terrible accident leaves her hospitalized with a brain bleed and memory loss, she wakes up unable to remember the last year of her life. Suddenly, everything feels unfamiliar and wrong. She has no idea why she moved to Boston, why she broke up with her longtime boyfriend Matt, or why she brutally chopped off her beautiful hair in what looks like a full emotional breakdown. She doesn’t know the password to her phone, barely recognizes the apartment she now lives in, and has absolutely no clue why she quit the stable job she once loved—or what she even does for a living anymore.

The only bright spot in this terrifying situation, besides the doctors trying to help her recover, is Ben—her mysterious, quiet, frustratingly handsome neighbor who rushed her to the ER and possibly saved her life. I loved the reveal that the comforting man sitting beside her hospital bed in a sweater wasn’t actually a doctor at all. Ben has that classic brooding energy, but underneath it he’s incredibly caring, patient, and warm.

One of my favorite elements of the story is the box of clues Marnie discovers: bookstore receipts, movie tickets to Rear Window, random fragments of a forgotten life that slowly guide her toward the truth about who she became during that missing year. Alongside Ben—who knows every hidden corner of Boston and gently helps her reconnect with herself—those little pieces create such an engaging emotional mystery.

What if losing your memory isn’t actually the worst thing that can happen to you? What if forgetting gives you the opportunity to see how unhappy you truly were? The story beautifully explores the fear of losing yourself while also asking whether love, happiness, and healing have been right in front of you all along—if only you’re brave enough to reach for them.

I ended up enjoying this book so much. Marnie is the kind of heroine you immediately root for, and Ben slowly opening up throughout the story made the romance even sweeter. He’s lovable from the very beginning, even behind all the guarded silence. The only character who genuinely irritated me was Sara, the best friend, whose controlling “I know what’s best for you” attitude often felt suffocating instead of supportive—especially considering everything Marnie was going through emotionally.

Yes, the mystery itself becomes somewhat predictable, but honestly, the emotional journey and romance are strong enough that it hardly matters. This is ultimately a comforting, hopeful story about rediscovering the magic inside yourself, opening your heart to love again, walking away from a life that’s draining your soul, and finding the courage to choose your own happiness. It’s an incredibly fast and enjoyable read, and like the author’s previous works, I ended up completely charmed by it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this witty, heartfelt, and inspiring romance in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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[Jessica J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot even begin to explain how badly I needed a book this good. I legitimately read this from start to finish in under eight hours, which is how hard it hit all the right notes for me.

I think a lot of my reaction was probably timing, because I have not been in the greatest headspace lately, and I desperately needed something more in the vein of “people fall in love with someone who is kind to them” rather than “I hate you, but unfortunately you are hot, so let's fuck.” Seriously, if I ever wrote myself a rom-com, that’s what I would want it to be: people who actually like each other, without all the tropey checklists and conflict substituting for chemistry.

If I am being honest, the basic premise here is a teensy bit gimmicky. Marnie wakes up in the hospital after hitting her head and learns that she has forgotten the last year of her life. She has no idea that the big move to Boston she was planning with her boyfriend already happened, or that she and said boyfriend have already broken up. She doesn’t recognize her apartment, can’t remember the unlock code to her phone, and has no idea where she even works.

But Ben, the cute neighbor across the hall, is happy to help her figure things out. And I don’t know. It was exactly the bread and butter I needed.

There's a little mystery woven through the story, because Marnie discovers a collection of mementos that clearly meant something to her before the accident, even though she has no idea what any of them represent. Hoping they might help bring her memories back, she starts trying to retrace her steps. Ben agrees to go with her, mostly under the very reasonable guise of, “Well, you’re wandering around a city you don’t remember, so I’m coming too.”

Somehow, though, the amnesia setup never felt gimmicky to the point of ridiculousness. The story stayed surprisingly grounded, and more importantly, it gave Marnie and Ben lots of time to simply be together. The romance is a genuine slow burn, and it is extremely sweet.

Ben is maybe not the most deeply developed romance hero I’ve ever read, but honestly? I did not care. He doesn't spend half the story resenting her while smoldering angrily in the hallway and refusing to talk to her. He likes her. He is kind to her. He enjoys spending time with her. I squealed. Most of the conflict here comes from Marnie's BFF back in California, and she could have been a little more rounded out as well. But again, I did not care. This book just scratched the exact right itch for me at exactly the right time. I wanted nice people being nice to each other and gradually realizing they were in love, and this delivered that with almost suspicious precision.

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart is full after finishing Thank You for Remembering it’s the perfect combination of banter + tension + unbelievably sweet romance, wrapped up in a story of self discovery with the added twist of memory loss.

10/10 no notes, binged in a single sitting and didn’t want the magic to end, another absolutely phenomenal book from Emily Harding!

Whats to love…
- Carpenter MMC + Barista FMC with retrograde amnesia
- epic banter
- epically good tension
- friends to lovers
- the sweetest romance
- people pleasing FMC (her character arc is top tier)
- Stoic MMC (he’s a man of few words and every word counts)
- he keeps showing up
- lush atmosphere (i felt like I was exploring Boston with Marnie!)
- complicated friend dynamics that were relatable
- grief exploration (see below for details)
- the best cast of side characters

I loved everything about this book

*grief exploration: Marnie lost her parents at a young age, and her grandmother (diagnosed with dementia) a few years ago. The book explores not only the grief related to losing her grandmother but discusses the complexities of losing parents at a young age. It’s handled with care. It’s not the main theme of the book (imho) but certainly a theme that is found throughout. Read with care babes! My dm’s are always open if you need more details.

5⭐️| IG | TikTok |

Thank you Gallery for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

I have a lot of thoughts and opinions about this story.

1. The writing was so easy to fall into and binge. I found myself yearning to read even when things were bothering me simply because it was so consumable
2. I see the vision with the romance. Watching Ben and Marnie go through this list together was so easy but I wish we got more of it. I so desperately loved their quiet intimacy and chatty interactions with her yapping. However, I felt that when she was in love with him, there wasn’t enough time, butttt I was fully captivated by their chapters
3. Ben is quiet but he sees all of Marnie and I loved that. His little gestures and helping her in a way that’s just them building a friendship was really nice
4. There was WAYYYY too much repetition. This was ultimately my largest issue. Her bangs being wonky, yellow and brown eyes, the universe - it’s became a lot and I found myself starting to roll my eyes. The issue was the phrasing was so similar/the same - begging for a fresh angle on some of these
5. Sara bugged me because girlie your judgement is getting in the way of you friendship/stop putting your dreams and wants above what your friend wants - wish Marie shut that down sooner
6. Plot was relatively predictable but not in a bad way. I saw what was coming but I wasn’t mad (just wanted more Ben and less Matt drama/sara- the balance could have been a little better
7. There was an ease to reading this story, if felt like we were just following Marnie’s daily life
7. Again I could not put this book down though, I kept getting sucked in but then annoyed at a bang references etc. I read from page 88-323 in one day.

Ultimately I enjoyed the story but the little things added up to spoil part of my enjoyment.


Lobsters mate for life 🦞

[Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?] · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

It's something Oscar Wilde said. I don't remember the exact quote, but the gist of it is, if you are born knowing exactly what you want to do, you'll inevitably become it. It's like a punishment. But if you wake up every day never knowing what that thing is, then you'll never be limited in what you can do.
You'll live a dynamic life.
That's your reward."

Story 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
When Marnie wakes up in the hospital not remembering her last year, she’s devastated. Not only did she break up with her boyfriend, she also cut her hair into a bob with bangs.
Thankfully there’s one person, who’s here to help, her neighbor Ben. Who’s extremely helpful (but not over the top), kind and so so handsome.
They follow breadcrumbs the lost Marnie left for them, which results in kind-of-dates in theatres, museums and bookshops (my dream, actually).

Character 🌟🌟🌟🌟
I had so much fun reading this book, because Marnie was not only chaotic, but also cute and kinda wild.
She tried to be independent, but was just a tid bit afraid to ask for help. The good thing is, Ben was just the greenest flag in the horizon. Not only did he help her in any way he could (they were mouses involved), he was respectful, caring and the best of all: he was attentive listener. He remembered what she told him.
And not only that, he bought her pastries, when she had a bad day, said things like

"It's all right, Marnie. You can use me anytime."

And

"You're an interesting person, Marnie," he said when I tried to apologize. "I like listening to what interesting people have to say."

I didn’t like her best friend (sorry not sorry), I would’ve loved to have a witchy grandma like hers and her colleagues were so supportive.

Love 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Even though I just couldn’t get into the spicy scenes (sue me), I loved their relationship, even when they were trying to only be friends. They even exchanged books the other could read! So so so cute!
There was a bit of miscommunication, I would say, and a third act fight (not exactly a break up, I guess, if they weren’t a thing in the first place), but it didn’t feel forced.

Writing 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The writing hooked me from the start, or maybe it was Marnie herself, but all in all I loved reading the book, had giggly butterflies while seeing their love blossom and was mad about her ex boyfriend (ew ew ew).
Definitely not my last book by the author.

[Marie · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

This was so cute, I really liked it (for the most part).

It’s written entirely from Marnie’s POV, and I enjoyed her so much as the main character. She loses her memories from the last year and has to navigate a new city and basically a new life because she only moved there in this last year, so she feels very lost and scared. But she’s also so brave and tries to stay positive and gets help from the hot neighbour guy, so that was really fun and sweet to read about. I loved being along for her journey and finished this book in two days, which rarely happens for me anymore.

Ofc not everything was perfect. I would have appreciated a bit more character depth, especially concerning hot neighbour Ben. The ending unfortunately felt overdone and rushed compared to the nice pacing beforehand. Like the author really wanted to tie everything up in a neat little bow, meaning that they had to confess their love for each other at the end, which imo didn’t work that well here. And I could’ve definitely done without the reminder that Ben smelled like sawdust and sandalwood in what felt like every second chapter.

But whatever, I still had a great time with this.

___
And just like that my reading slump is gone ✨💃🤸‍♀️

[gottalottie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing wrong with this, I was just bored

[jenny reads a lot]

THIS COVER IS AMAZING!

I need this right meow!

| IG | TikTok |

[Aggie · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author, and it definitely won't be my last! While I don't personally know anyone who has suffered from amnesia, it’s such an age-old trope in books and movies that I practically consider myself an expert (just kidding!). Even though the basic premise isn't entirely new, the incredible chemistry and attraction between Marnie and Ben are what completely drive the story. I really enjoyed both of their character arcs. Matt’s character was especially interesting- he easily could have made things messy by pretending he and Marnie were still together, but he took the high road. Honestly, there are no unlikable characters here. Overall, this book absolutely made my weekend!

[Larry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

“Destiny is real—we just build it ourselves. And in that way, my grandmother was right after all. The magic isn’t what happens to us. It’s that we keep going anyway.”

When Marnie wakes up in the hospital, she has no idea why she’s there. But even worse, she quickly discovers that she has no memories of the last year of her life. She vaguely remembers moving to Boston with her boyfriend Matt, but that’s it.

It turns out Marnie had a traumatic brain injury, which is causing the memory loss. She’s surprised to learn that not only did she and her boyfriend break up and she has her own apartment, but apparently before her injury she got a horrible haircut. And now she has bangs…

She has no idea where she works (or if she even has a job), she can’t unlock her phone or access her ATM card, and apparently, there’s a mouse in her apartment. Luckily, her very handsome neighbor, Ben, helps her get readjusted. He shows her how to get to various places, and tolerates the emotional rollercoaster she finds herself on.

Marnie has apparently kept receipts and movie tickets from her time in Boston, so she tries to figure out what these keepsakes mean. And while her best friend insists it will all lead her back to Matt, she starts to realize that he might not be her happy ending after all. (Any guesses on who might be? 😉)

This was a really sweet and emotional book, and Emily Harding really did her research on how people can be affected by a brain injury. While the dreaded miscommunication trope popped up a few times, I loved the banter between her and Ben. I also found her journey to find her way to be really meaningful and moving.

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.

Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.

[R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

เปิดปสก.โทรปสูญเสียความทรงจำแบบไม่ทับใจเท่าไหร่ ตอนเปิดเรื่องมาคือฮุคเลย ชอบ น่าสนใจ แต่อ่านๆ ไปละดรอป

พล็อตคือนางเอกประสบอุบบัติเหตุ สูญเสียความทรงจำช่วงหนึ่งปีก่อนหน้า แล้วมีพระเอกผู้เปนเพื่อนบ้านห้องข้างๆ โผล่มาคอยดูแลอย่างดี ทั้งๆ ที่นางเอกจำพระเอกไม่ได้ด้วยซ้ำ พอบวกกับชื่อเรื่อง บวกกับฮินท์หลายๆ อย่าง ก็รุ้สึกว่านข.ไม่ได้ตั้งใจปิดบังอะไรนะ คือโคตรชัดว่าเรื่องมันจะไปทางไหน ซึ่งผมชอบอยู่นะช่วงหลัง แอบซึ้ง ถ้าจะมีบวกคะแนนให้ก็ตรงนี้ แต่กลางๆ เรื่องมันเรื่อยๆ เปื่อยๆ ไปหน่อย ทั้งที่ก็ไม่ได้ยาวแต่ดันมีความ repetitive ใดๆ ก็ถือว่าอ่านลื่นๆ อยู่ เพราะผมอ่านแป๊บเดียวจบ

โรแม้นซ์สโลวเบิน มันบู้มตอนหลังจริง แต่ระหว่างทางไม่ค่อยรู้สึกไร พระเอกไม่เด่นเท่าที่ควรแต่ก็น่ารักดี เสียดายเคมีไม่มี เทนชั่นไม่มี
และเราก็ไม่ถูกชะตากะนางเอกขนาดนั้น รู้สึกว่าการตัดสินใจของชีมันขัดใจอะ เข้าใจความ overwhelming ของสถานการณ์ แต่คนใช้มือถือไม่ได้เพราะไม่รู้รหัส กด ATM ไม่ได้เพราะไม่รู้ pin เช็คยอดเงินก็ไม่ได้ ทำไมสิ่งแรกๆ ที่ทำถึงไม่ใช่การไปร้านมือถือหรือธนาคารนะ แต่จะไปร้านหนังสือไปร้านกาแฟ(ที่ตัวเองค้นพบจากใบเสร็จในห้องว่าเคยไป)อยู่นั่น เพราะคิดว่าจะช่วย trigger ให้ความทรงจำกลับมา คือถ้าแกอยากได้ความทรงจำกลับมาขนาดนั้น แกลอง tackle มือถือแกก่อนเลยอันดับแรก จิง ทุกอย่างอยุ่ในนั้น คือชีมีคติในการใช้ชีวิตคนละแบบคนละสไตล์กะเราอะ ชีโตมากับคุณย่าสายฮิปปี้ สายมู เพราะงั้นใน POV ชีก็จะมีความฟุ้งๆ เรื่อง universe กำหนดชะตาชีมาแล้วนู่นนี่นั่น ซึ่งไม่ผิด แต่อ่านแล้วมันไม่เก๊ตไม่คอนเน้กกก

spice: 1.5

[Kate · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

(4.5 stars) Thank you, @gallerybooks and @simonaudio for the gifted ARC and audiobook copies!

Marnie Stephens and her boyfriend Matt are about to move across the country to Boston for a fresh start together in a new city. At least, that's the last thing she remembers before waking up in the hospital with a brain injury. The problem is, she's in a hospital in Boston, where she's apparently been living for a year, Matt insists they broke up months ago, and she has no memory of her life (or her address, phone pin, or job) from the past that time. She does eventually find her apartment, a place that feels completely foreign to her. With the help of her neighbor Ben, she uses clues scattered through the apartment to try to piece together the missing year. But somewhere in the middle of reconstructing her memories, she starts to wonder if the future, and Ben, might matter more than the past she's chasing.

Harding just wrote such a fantastic story with so much heart. I love a book that's equal parts swoon, charm, humor, and discovery. Marnie, you majestically chaotic, hopeful, and tenacious woman! She's valiantly trying to understand the life she's landed in while piecing together clues from a box of random mementos, attempting to capture (but not kill) a mouse in her apartment, dealing with an ABBA-obsessed downstairs neighbor, figuring out what happened to her relationship, and trying very hard not to fall for her neighbor. Ben is every single green flag. And if you love Boston, the book is packed with iconic landmarks.

Audio Performance (8 hrs, 31 min): Allyson Ryan narrated Saltwater, one of my favorite books from last year, and she's excellent here too. Loved every minute.

[Cole]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🌶️ very mild

Thank you Gallery Books for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

Marnie Stephens woke up in a hospital bed, confused because she’s supposed to move from LA to Boston soon with her boyfriend, Matt. She learns that she’s actually already in Boston, and moved there a full year ago. It turns out she has amnesia after sustaining a head injury, and that she and Matt broke up months ago. Nothing makes sense, so she gladly accepts the help from her neighbor, Ben, to help her reacclimatize, and remember, her life before the injury. But as she recovers, will she continue fighting to remember the past or giving in to a new possible future?

First of all, I have to applaud Emily Harding for placing this story and naming the two main characters Matt and Ben. This is such a fun book, from the amnesia trope to friends to lovers, I was truly enraptured and could not put this one down. I loved Marnie’s attempt to put the puzzle pieces together with Ben as the guiding light, and with Boston being both a geographic setting and a character in its own right. It’s such a feel-good story and the romance between Marnie and Ben is truly heart-melting. Waking up in the hospital bed and then having to work backwards in order to move forwards truly felt cinematic, and I was so into undeniable chemistry between the main characters. Emily Harding is a force in the romance world, and I will absolutely read anything she writes next. Dare I say it, but this book will be ~unforgettable and I highly recommend!

Reviewed as part of an #ARC from the publisher.

Read this book if you:
☕️ love having a Dunkin on every street
🍝 salivate at the food from Boston’s North End
🐁 mouse in the house

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[jou ‎ꫂ᭪݁ · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨✨✨✨

this book was so delicious, so cozy and so good. I couldn’t stop reading and there was not one moment where i felt bored. and I loved the fmc so much. I simply loved marnie. She reminded me so much of Aurora from all rhodes lead here, which is one my favorite fmcs of all times. I loved her personality. I loved her compression. I loved her empathy. I loved her strength despite everything she’s been through and lost.

of course she had flaws, and you know what, with what she was going through honestly she was doing better than i would in that situation. and OF COURSE things would’ve been easier if she had done a few things earlier like taking her phone and laptop to a store, BUT ‘In my client's defense, your honor, who cares like omfggggggg who cares???? Like come onnnn.’

and ben morgan, i loved him. everything he did for her when she was even aware he was doing it. sometimes his personality felt… i don’t know, flat? I’m not sure how to explain it, but as you go further you see that’s just how he is, genuinely. and he’s so sweet, and you can see him letting go a little bit more with her as they spend more time together. and he was hot and was always wearing slutty glasses PLEASE.

i just genuinely loved everything about this book, even the things that irritated me, even the moments where i was like GIRL. OMG.

so maybe i do love the amnesia trope, whatever.

[jenna 💘✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!! this was cute & heartwarming! would have loved maybe another 100 pages to expand more on the romance/their connection, and even her healing throughout the story!!!

[Miri James Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25🌟 una historia de amor y autodescubrimiento muy bonita, ha superado mis expectativas. 💞💗💞

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 5 out of 5]

After hitting her head, Marnie wakes up missing the past year of her life. With the help of "memory box" mementos and her neighbor, Marnie hopes to recover that year.

I knew from the very beginning I was going to love this book. When a women with amnesia wakes up to Overboard playing on the TV, I knew I was in for something fun. I must admit, I adore Harding's writing, but this, this was perfection! Funny, witty, and warm. I loved every second of it!

You may think, well, she only lost one year, but it happened to be a year of big changes for Marnie. She found herself in a new home with a new job and short hair! She had no idea what transpired prior to all these changes, but she was determined to figure it out. I truly fell in love with Marnie. She was very sweet despite the struggles she was experiencing. She tried to keep a positive outlook, and I was happy she had Ben to help.

The dynamic between Ben and Marnie was interesting, and I loved watching their friendship unfold. Marnie was more or less on her own. She lost her parents and grandmother, her best friends was back in LA, and she was alone on the east coast. But Ben was there, by her side, the whole time. He offered support but never pushed too hard. It was such a thrill to explore Boston with them, and can we talk about the Sox game. That whole part was hilarious!

One of the things I enjoy most about Hardings books is how funny they are. The humor is always on point for me, but there is also this emotional depth that never fails to pull at my heartstrings and force me to attach myself to her characters.

Overall: This was a memorable amnesia romance that was packed with humor, feels, and sparkling banter that left me smiling from ear to ear and declaring this book a favorite.

*ARC provided by publisher

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[Genna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a straightforward story about forgetting, changing, and remembering. While the writing was easy to follow, there was nothing unique or different, and I feel like I have already read this same story somewhere.

[Ania · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am a big fan of this trope, but this book really disappointed me. I can’t deal with a plot that even partially hinges on forgetting that a woman in the 21st century would have a laptop. I didn’t like Marnie. I did not understand Ben’s motivations, and his character was as flat as a board. The infusion of magic into the plot was insanely cliche. The romance and the (surprise to me) spice of as so cringey I had to blindly scroll past it fast AF. This really could have been something, but instead it chose to be nothing.

[Meredith Schorr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this might be one of my favorite books of 2026. I absolutely loved everything about it. There are many books I love, but fewer where I actually care about the characters. I cared deeply for Marnie and loved Ben so much. She was just so darn earnest. It was romantic, funny, relatable (Though I've never had amnesia!) and touched on grief so beautifully. The writing style was utterly readable.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love Emily Harding’s brand of romance. Her books have this soft, tender quality that makes them feel incredibly comforting, and Thank You for Remembering was no exception. I know the amnesia trope isn’t for everyone, but I actually think it can be a really interesting way to explore a character’s life when they’re forced to look at themselves from the outside and I thought it worked especially well here. Marnie wakes up knowing absolutely nothing about the past year of her life, and I couldn’t help but feel for this sweet little dolly as she tried to piece together what happened and, more importantly, who she had become.

I loved following Marnie as she tried to solve the mystery of the box of items she discovers and retrace the missing year of her life. Was some of it predictable? Absolutely. Do I care? Not at all. This was such a quick, engaging read that I finished it in a day, and sometimes a book that is light, breezy, sweet, and easy to sink into is exactly what I want. I especially enjoyed discovering Boston alongside Marnie, while Ben was such a solid, steady, comforting presence throughout her journey.

There’s also a more emotional thread running through the story as Marnie works through her grief and healing after losing her grandmother. Those parts really resonated with me, especially because I happened to finish this on my own grandmother’s birthday. She passed away in 2018, and I still miss her immensely, so Marnie’s complicated feelings around that loss hit a little closer to home than I expected.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Allyson Ryan, and she was absolutely delightful. I’ve listened to her perform several cozy mysteries before, and she brings the same warmth and charm here that made this such an enjoyable listen. Overall, Thank You for Remembering was a sweet, emotional, comforting romance with a mystery woven through it, and sometimes you really don’t need a book to surprise you to enjoy the heck out of the journey.

Perfect for readers who love:

* 💕 soft, tender romance
* 🧠 amnesia/missing memory mysteries
* 🏙️ exploring a city alongside the characters
* 🥹 emotional stories about grief and healing

[Sarah (sarahs_shelves_sc) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about a true rom com! This one had me laughing, smiling, and even getting slightly teary eyed by the end.

Marnie was such an endearing main character, and her struggles with her memory and attempts to get it back were easy to sympathize with. And Ben? BEN. Caring and hopeful and just good to the core. I was rooting for this pair from the very beginning and it felt like my heart was about to burst by the end 💗

It felt like the audiobook narrated by Allyson Ryan just flew by. It was engaging and easy to listen to, and she does an incredible job navigating all the characters as a solo narrator. I couldn't put it down and finished this one in under 24 hours!

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute! (no additional thoughts at this time)

[Dawson Sprinkle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this.

On one hand, I dig the premise. On the other hand, I don't like what Harding did with the premise. Not that her execution was poor, but I feel like it just needed a little extra something.

On the romance plot side of things, I don't feel like it was done quite as well as it could have been done. The romance doesn't actually really start until about half-way through, and they don't kiss until around two thirds in which just feels pretty late, considering the first half of the book doesn't really do a whole lot.

Not to say that I could write this book better, because I almost certainly can't, but I do have some wishes. I am glad that this book adapted a more accurate version of traumatic brain injury related memory loss, I think that's pretty underrepresented in most media, but I wish she was recovering more of her memory because it would allow her to learn about this new version of herself along with the reader, and come to terms with the changes. She does this a little bit, but I really wanted more of that. I wish that we could see some of her memories with Ben before her memory loss. I think it would really help build the romantic tension between the two of them. As they do stuff together in the present, have those memories also come back to her to bolster the feelings that she's developing.

I think that was my biggest gripe with this story. I didn't get the building of feelings on her end. She comes home from the hospital; he helps her go to some of the places that she has trinkets or scraps from, and she very quickly develops strong feelings for him. I understand if Harding was going for a "she develops the feelings really quickly because she already had feelings for him before the accident" kinda thing, but if that was the intention I would have liked her to play with that concept a bit more.

Overall, this is a cute and fun book that has some story and pacing problems that keep it from reaching full potential of the concept. Definitely worth a read though.

[Annie K · Rating 5 out of 5]

TLDR: Amnesia + a soft, mysterious love interest + a Boston treasure hunt = funny, heartfelt, slow-burn story about figuring out who you are.

Marnie wakes up in the hospital with no memory of the last year—and a stranger in a blue sweater sitting in her room who definitely isn’t her doctor. She and Ben set off across Boston, retracing her steps through a series of mementos to piece her life back together.

Wow. This is my first book by Emily Harding, and now I want to read everything she’s written. Once I picked this up, I couldn’t stop.

Marnie’s stream of consciousness is genuinely hilarious, but what made it work for me was how chaotic and emotionally honest it felt. Her inner world is messy in a way that feels very real. I know it’s tied to her brain injury, but as someone familiar with ADHD, a lot of her emotional swings and thought patterns felt oddly relatable.

Her backstory is also surprisingly tender. There’s a lot of sadness there, but the whimsy she was raised with—especially through her grandma—adds this layer of warmth that I really loved. It made me think about how important that kind of imagination and playfulness is to happiness.

Ben (the mysterious sweater man) is such a great counterbalance to Marnie. He’s quiet, steady, and soft-spoken in a way that grounds her chaos without dimming it. Their dynamic works so well, even though this is definitely a slow burn. The romance builds gradually, but it never feels frustrating because Marnie’s personal journey is clearly the heart of the story.

The memento “treasure hunt” structure was such a fun way to explore Boston and unfold both the mystery and the relationship. It kept the story moving while still leaving space for reflection.

At its core, though, this book is about identity—figuring out who you are, what you want, and accepting that you might always be in the process of figuring it out. And honestly… aren’t we all?

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kari Ann Sweeney · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

The modern day amnesia love story set in Boston was easy to fall into and breeze through from beginning to end. I loved the box of mementos and "treasure hunting" to encourage piecing together the missing memories. It was just the right amount of romance ( slow burn), humor and identity seeking/starting over..

My two gripes- the fact that no one in Marnie's life told her anything when they totally could have. But that wouldn't have made for a good story. Also- there is no way that Marnie can afford a one room apartment in North End Boston on her 3-day work week schedule.

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.

Emily Harding's "Thank You for Remembering" is a delight that very much reminded me of a late 90's-early 2000's romantic comedy film! I am not usually a fan of books featuring amnesia plotlines, but I enjoyed the evolving chemistry between Marnie (FMC) and Ben (MMC). Marnie recently had a head trauma and lost the last year's worth of memories. She was living in Los Angeles, but she's shocked to learn that she's currently living in Boston and is single, having broken up with her long-term boyfriend six months prior. She gets discharged from the hospital, can't unlock her phone, doesn't have access to her bank account, notices her neighbor, Ben (the person who found her and helped her get help), and enlists him to help her with uncovering what the items in her "memory box" mean. It's obvious from day one that Ben is obsessed with Marnie, but since she doesn't remember him, he can't just be, like, "heEeEeeEy, we actually know each other fairly well," you know? I knew where this story was going from early on in that regard, but that didn't stop this from being a pleasure to read. I really appreciated Ben's patience with Marnie. He is such a kind, caring MMC! And Marnie, goodness. I mentioned this in my review for another book, but I cannot imagine how scary and alarming it would be to be thrust into Marnie's situation, especially knowing she's in a relatively new city, doesn't have her best friend close by, and cannot get into her cell phone or other accounts. The frustration and scariness are palpable in Harding's writing. As they get to know each other, or, in Marnie's case, re-get to know each other, their friendship grows, the banter between them sings, and the spice definitely spices once things get to that point! I actually really liked the plot about Marnie's ex and her best friend, how she was basically given a second chance to change things, but slowly comes to realize that she was keeping things from people just so she wouldn't cause a ruckus. I loved watching Ben and Marie explore Boston and try to discover what everything in her box of memories meant, why she kept the things she did, and seeing her slowly decipher information that we already know, but she hasn't figured out yet. I found this to be a well-paced, fairly quick read, and I really enjoyed the audiobook as well!

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Harding, and Galley Books for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[Bel lvndrgms3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝚈𝚘𝚞’𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚎. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚏 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢’𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞.”

The story starts off on unsteady ground when Marnie wakes up in the hospital not remembering how she got there. That’s the least of her problems as it turns out she can’t recall the last year of her life - that she’d moved to Boston from LA, broken up with her boyfriend, moved out and switched jobs. And just as horrifying - her awful haircut! What had she been thinking? While she’s on the mend, she’s told there’s no knowing when and if all her memories will return. When she’s back at the apartment, her neighbor Ben offers to help her out as much as possible.

I liked how this began, and feeling just as clueless as Marnie. It’s unnerving having to put the puzzle pieces of your life together to know who you are now, and that’s exactly what she does. A fun aspect of this book is the city of Boston itself. I’ve only been twice, and I had a great time rediscovering it along with Marnie. Ben’s so kind and patient, though it took a minute until I felt confident that he wasn’t a villain. No, the villain in my eyes is her bestie, Sarah who can’t seem to accept some changes that had occurred prior to Marnie’s amnesia.

Harding’s writing style is easy to fall into, and I fell in love with this sweet slow burn romance. The rediscovery of her past year, what about her had changed and brought her joy lately made me smile. In a way the amnesia helped usher in a better, stronger version of herself that she’d been holding back for reasons.

If you want to read something hopeful, emptional, and ultimately romantic, check this out!

* Thanks @gallerybooks for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank You For Remembering felt like a sweet ode to Boston! All the tangible elements (the Monopoly dog, the twine, the mug, the museum ticket, the book receipt) felt so fresh and visible in my mind.

I felt so tender for Marnie, fighting to get her memories back from the past year after falling and hitting her head. Her charming neighbor, Ben, who has gone out of the way to help, leaves you with hope. The characters in this story, both main and side, felt so friendly and welcoming.

Even though I could tell wheee the story was going, it felt unputdownable as we watch Marnie try to trace her steps and uncover her missing memories. I felt like I walked alongside her and Ben through Boston. I want to eat a lobster claw! If he wanted to, he would!

This slow burn will leaving you 🔥 YEARNING 🔥 because there is truly so much tension. While it’s a bit more character propelled than plot (dare I say there is no B-plot* but it wasn’t necessary), I still thoroughly enjoyed the story. There is only one open door scene but the wait is worth it. Sometimes the amnesia reopens can be trite but I really enjoyed it in this story, watching Marnie try to remember why certain tokens meant something to her.

*Actually, I’d argue the B-plot is that Marnie’s grandma died from Alzheimer’s/Dementia and the paragon of memory loss is kind of paralleled in a way. Marnie’s grandmother’s insistence that magic is all around is a dominating theme throughout the story.

Emily Harding became an auto buy reader for me after How Freaking Romantic and this story was such a great next book. I look forward to what she writes next!

Thank you to the publisher for a galley in exchange for my review.

[clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

if all the amnesia books were this amazing there would be no bad rep!!!!

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