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Keep Me In Mind
A girl who doesn't remember. A boy who can't forget her. A wise, witty, and heartbreaking love story for today's YA generation.
Ellia Dawson doesn't recognize the handsome boy who sits in tears by her hospital bed. But he's telling her that he's Liam McPherson, her boyfriend. Boyfriend? Ellia thinks in shock. She has no clue who Liam is, let alone whether or not she once loved him. She remembers her family, her friends, and the fact that she wants to be a fashion designer. But Liam is a big blank in her life.
Meanwhile, Liam is devastated that Ellia, the love of his life, who suffered an accident while they were running together on the beach, has lost her memory. He is desperate to win her back, rebuild what they once had, but Ellia keeps him at an arm's length. She's much more comfortable with a new boy she meets at the hospital, who understands more what she's going through. So Liam begins writing the story of the two of them, piecing together the past in the hopes of having a future with the girl he loves.
Told from alternating perspectives, this is a lyrical, clever, and surprising novel from Jaime Reed.
Ellia Dawson doesn't recognize the handsome boy who sits in tears by her hospital bed. But he's telling her that he's Liam McPherson, her boyfriend. Boyfriend? Ellia thinks in shock. She has no clue who Liam is, let alone whether or not she once loved him. She remembers her family, her friends, and the fact that she wants to be a fashion designer. But Liam is a big blank in her life.
Meanwhile, Liam is devastated that Ellia, the love of his life, who suffered an accident while they were running together on the beach, has lost her memory. He is desperate to win her back, rebuild what they once had, but Ellia keeps him at an arm's length. She's much more comfortable with a new boy she meets at the hospital, who understands more what she's going through. So Liam begins writing the story of the two of them, piecing together the past in the hopes of having a future with the girl he loves.
Told from alternating perspectives, this is a lyrical, clever, and surprising novel from Jaime Reed.
Paperback
First published April 26, 2016
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1788 people want to read
About the author
Jaime Reed
5 books293 followersAuthor of young adult paranormal series The Cambion Chronicles.
About Me:
I’m a self-proclaimed movie and music snob with a playlist for every occasion in life. I’m freakishly tall with large feet, and I have a slight obsession with the gym, cool 80’s references, and orange soda. My weapon of choice: sarcasm.
Teen fiction always captured my interest and I appreciate the newness of that time, and well, I get nostalgic. Right now I’m on a serious paranormal/ fantasy kick. I’m all about the weird and my stories explore cool mythical creatures not many people have heard about. I try to create characters who are people of color. There aren’t enough of them in young fiction and there should be more heroines of different backgrounds battling the forces of evil. Let’s face it, the extraordinary can happen to anyone.
About Me:
I’m a self-proclaimed movie and music snob with a playlist for every occasion in life. I’m freakishly tall with large feet, and I have a slight obsession with the gym, cool 80’s references, and orange soda. My weapon of choice: sarcasm.
Teen fiction always captured my interest and I appreciate the newness of that time, and well, I get nostalgic. Right now I’m on a serious paranormal/ fantasy kick. I’m all about the weird and my stories explore cool mythical creatures not many people have heard about. I try to create characters who are people of color. There aren’t enough of them in young fiction and there should be more heroines of different backgrounds battling the forces of evil. Let’s face it, the extraordinary can happen to anyone.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 120 reviews
December 28, 2023
The adage ‘opposites attract’ brings no comfort to Ellia as she tries to picture herself in a relationship with the “tearstained boy hovering over (her) bed…declaring his undying love and devotion”. She’s come out of a coma with no recollection whatsoever of the accident that caused it or the preceding two years. Her parents, along with some friends are familiar, if not fully known; but the oddly earnest Liam is a stranger.
Liam is a runner. An addict, actually; his entire personality changes if ever he is deprived of his daily run. An excellent student, he works diligently for his grades and he writes ridiculously well. Ellia firmly believes that humans should run in emergency situations only and nothing about school holds her attention, aside from the opportunity to people-watch in order to ponder and provide fashion critiques, solicited or not.
Logically, these two people do not belong together, but emotionally Liam is so confident and persuasive that Ellia is compelled to seriously consider the plausibility. Understandably the most important thing in Liam’s world, this is really just a piece of the wicked jig-saw puzzle that is now Ellia’s life. Her first priority is to figure out who she is and why; based on what she’s heard so far, she’s not particularly proud of the person she was.
I absolutely adore the way this author captures and conveys the sheer magnitude of emotions that teens experience. More accurately, I admire the authenticity of her characters. The surprisingly witty banter exchanges are straight from the hallways of any high-school and exist alongside the lyrical and somewhat haunting soliloquies throughout. I was immediately intrigued, then immersed and invested. There were enough questions to be answered that the story-line slid smoothly along, keeping me engaged from the first page to the very last word.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
Liam is a runner. An addict, actually; his entire personality changes if ever he is deprived of his daily run. An excellent student, he works diligently for his grades and he writes ridiculously well. Ellia firmly believes that humans should run in emergency situations only and nothing about school holds her attention, aside from the opportunity to people-watch in order to ponder and provide fashion critiques, solicited or not.
Logically, these two people do not belong together, but emotionally Liam is so confident and persuasive that Ellia is compelled to seriously consider the plausibility. Understandably the most important thing in Liam’s world, this is really just a piece of the wicked jig-saw puzzle that is now Ellia’s life. Her first priority is to figure out who she is and why; based on what she’s heard so far, she’s not particularly proud of the person she was.
I absolutely adore the way this author captures and conveys the sheer magnitude of emotions that teens experience. More accurately, I admire the authenticity of her characters. The surprisingly witty banter exchanges are straight from the hallways of any high-school and exist alongside the lyrical and somewhat haunting soliloquies throughout. I was immediately intrigued, then immersed and invested. There were enough questions to be answered that the story-line slid smoothly along, keeping me engaged from the first page to the very last word.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
October 10, 2016
3.5 Stars
I liked the premise. The female character (Ellia (16) has a two year gap in her memory of people and events after an accident. She remembers her life up until freshman year and nothing about her boyfriend (Liam (17) of the past two years. They have a sweet love that is envied by many around them. Their love story (told in flashbacks) is put on hold as Ellia tries to navigate her new world. A world in which she isn't sure she wants Liam to be a part of and she continually pushes him away the harder he tries to remain a part of her life.
Parts of the story didn't work for me because no one rebelling against their parents is going to chose an intelligent, good-looking nerd, eyeglass-wearing track runner and "chose" to date him for two years. That is not the type of person that's going to keep your parents up at night.
I find that flashbacks or the use of the story within a story element to be distracting and it takes me completely out of the story. We already know what happened to Ellia ... it's the jumping off point of the story, there was no element of surprise when the actual event is fully told in Liam's flashback. We just get a chance to love Liam even more.
This is not a teen romance in the conventional sense, but I liked the messages that were conveyed: 1) Sometimes, you have to know when to give up on the past and make a brand new start and; 2) Most importantly ... you have to know who the "I" is in I love you ... which are words to live by.
I liked the premise. The female character (Ellia (16) has a two year gap in her memory of people and events after an accident. She remembers her life up until freshman year and nothing about her boyfriend (Liam (17) of the past two years. They have a sweet love that is envied by many around them. Their love story (told in flashbacks) is put on hold as Ellia tries to navigate her new world. A world in which she isn't sure she wants Liam to be a part of and she continually pushes him away the harder he tries to remain a part of her life.
Parts of the story didn't work for me because no one rebelling against their parents is going to chose an intelligent, good-looking nerd, eyeglass-wearing track runner and "chose" to date him for two years. That is not the type of person that's going to keep your parents up at night.
I find that flashbacks or the use of the story within a story element to be distracting and it takes me completely out of the story. We already know what happened to Ellia ... it's the jumping off point of the story, there was no element of surprise when the actual event is fully told in Liam's flashback. We just get a chance to love Liam even more.
This is not a teen romance in the conventional sense, but I liked the messages that were conveyed: 1) Sometimes, you have to know when to give up on the past and make a brand new start and; 2) Most importantly ... you have to know who the "I" is in I love you ... which are words to live by.
April 30, 2016
Oh snap, a new one from the awesome Jaime Reed! Must have! Must read! Must put real life on hold for a while.
Read
March 20, 2016A sweet -- though not at all saccharine -- read about an interracial romance that became complicated because of race, family, and a tragic accident that left Ellia with amnesia. It never feels forced, the dialog is realistic, and it was just an enjoyable read. Those who like a love story will enjoy it
August 23, 2025
Initial Thoughts
I think I'm coming into that stage in my IR romance book challenge where the gems are emerging. Jaime Reed's Keep me in Mind is a book I believe those who appreciate this genre should read, and those who write in this genre should especially read. I did not find one flaw in the book and that's stating a lot.
Is it worth the price tag?
Interesting enough, I almost did not buy it. One, because it's Young Adult and I had already met my Young Adult quota during this challenge. I'm a grown woman who prefers to read about adults (preferably those over 30, but hey this genre isn't exactly teeming with my demographic). Two, for a Kindle book, at 10.99, it's well over the price of most novels in this genre. But I tried out a sample and it opened beautifully. So, my curiosity was piqued. I'm glad I took the ride. So, my advice, purchase it for your collection. If you don't like it, you can always ask for a refund. But I doubt you will. Yes, I'm that confident.
What makes this book so special? What's it about?
Writing a synopsis is unnecessary. The one the author provides is pretty spot on. But it is what's not in the synopsis that will hook readers. It's the eloquence she uses to pen this tale. It takes a well-worn subject matter, and manages to make it refreshing. As though you never read an amnesia tale before. There are not easy answers or easy resolutions. Most important, despite the comparisons in some reviews, this is not the IR Notebook (I dislike that movie by the way, and people comparing it was almost the third reason why I didn't buy it). This is not The Notebook, I repeat this is not....
Technically speaking
You care about the characters, and although they're teens, they aren't so angst ridden or so self-absorbed that you cannot connect to their plight. I especially loved how she kept the dialogue authentic to who she presented the characters to be. She also managed to inject some humor in between the healthy helping of melancholy.
The substantive and copy editing of this book was good. The story was paced well, no continuity errors and no grammatical errors (at least that I detected). It was a smooth, clean read. And speaking of clean, yes this is YA, so don't expect pages of sex scenes. There are none. But passion is there, heart is there. You'll believe, and things don't wrap up in a nice neat bow with a house, kids and million dollar bank account. Like life, our characters are moving forward and where that takes them, one only knows. This is happy for now or at peace, for now.
Parting is such sweet sorrow
Although this is YA, I wish more IR romance novels were written like this. With subtlety, and not bogged down in the sexual nature of relationships. Sex in life and on the page is like the cream on top of a decadent dessert. It isn't the central flavor. It isn't the heart and soul of the dish. In relationships, sex isn't the love story. I think Keep Me in Mind will linger with you. You'll be sorry it ended, but you'll also be glad you experienced it.
I have to give this story my highest rating. It's up there with Shewanda Pugh's Love, Edy. Interesting enough, that's also a YA book. Makes you wonder. Hope to read more in this genre from Jaime Reed. We need her quiet voice among all the noise.
My rating: A full of feels 5.0
I think I'm coming into that stage in my IR romance book challenge where the gems are emerging. Jaime Reed's Keep me in Mind is a book I believe those who appreciate this genre should read, and those who write in this genre should especially read. I did not find one flaw in the book and that's stating a lot.
Is it worth the price tag?
Interesting enough, I almost did not buy it. One, because it's Young Adult and I had already met my Young Adult quota during this challenge. I'm a grown woman who prefers to read about adults (preferably those over 30, but hey this genre isn't exactly teeming with my demographic). Two, for a Kindle book, at 10.99, it's well over the price of most novels in this genre. But I tried out a sample and it opened beautifully. So, my curiosity was piqued. I'm glad I took the ride. So, my advice, purchase it for your collection. If you don't like it, you can always ask for a refund. But I doubt you will. Yes, I'm that confident.
What makes this book so special? What's it about?
Writing a synopsis is unnecessary. The one the author provides is pretty spot on. But it is what's not in the synopsis that will hook readers. It's the eloquence she uses to pen this tale. It takes a well-worn subject matter, and manages to make it refreshing. As though you never read an amnesia tale before. There are not easy answers or easy resolutions. Most important, despite the comparisons in some reviews, this is not the IR Notebook (I dislike that movie by the way, and people comparing it was almost the third reason why I didn't buy it). This is not The Notebook, I repeat this is not....
Technically speaking
You care about the characters, and although they're teens, they aren't so angst ridden or so self-absorbed that you cannot connect to their plight. I especially loved how she kept the dialogue authentic to who she presented the characters to be. She also managed to inject some humor in between the healthy helping of melancholy.
The substantive and copy editing of this book was good. The story was paced well, no continuity errors and no grammatical errors (at least that I detected). It was a smooth, clean read. And speaking of clean, yes this is YA, so don't expect pages of sex scenes. There are none. But passion is there, heart is there. You'll believe, and things don't wrap up in a nice neat bow with a house, kids and million dollar bank account. Like life, our characters are moving forward and where that takes them, one only knows. This is happy for now or at peace, for now.
Parting is such sweet sorrow
Although this is YA, I wish more IR romance novels were written like this. With subtlety, and not bogged down in the sexual nature of relationships. Sex in life and on the page is like the cream on top of a decadent dessert. It isn't the central flavor. It isn't the heart and soul of the dish. In relationships, sex isn't the love story. I think Keep Me in Mind will linger with you. You'll be sorry it ended, but you'll also be glad you experienced it.
I have to give this story my highest rating. It's up there with Shewanda Pugh's Love, Edy. Interesting enough, that's also a YA book. Makes you wonder. Hope to read more in this genre from Jaime Reed. We need her quiet voice among all the noise.
My rating: A full of feels 5.0
May 9, 2016
What an intriguing story. The focus of Keep Me In Mind seems to be romance but as the story unfurls it becomes clear that it is much more about self discovery, family relationships and the expectations we place on ourselves and others to cope with these relationships.
At the start of this book, and for a large percentage of it, it's not clear what happened to Ellia, how the accident that stole her memories eventuated, what happened after and why she can't remember anything about her boyfriend of two years, Liam. She can't remember him, her parents refuse to talk about him or her accident and Liam himself isn't all that forthcoming with the details of that fateful morning.
Keep Me In Mind is told in alternating chapters from Liam and Ellia, giving readers an inside look to both sides of the story, while still maintaining the mystery of Ellia's accident.
The book opens with a chapter from Liam and an excerpt from the story he is writing about his and Ellia's relationship. It's here that we get to see them as a couple, fun, loving, teasing and laughing their way through romance. They make a very sweet couple, so it makes it all the more impactful to watch the fallout from Ellia's memory loss. But as Ellia slowly uncovers, their romance hides some painful truths.
Ellia is a mix of bright and outgoing, brash and unafraid to voice her opinions. And while she retains some of this after the accident she is now a little more reserved. She doesn't like the picture she's getting of who she used to be. Liam is poetical and passionate. While Liam can be a little high handed at times, there is no denying his feelings for Ellia. Then there is Cody, someone who understands what Ellia is currently going through (he has anterograde amnesia to Ellia's retrograde) and is easy going and comfortable. But the potency between Ellia and Liam can't be ignored, they have history even if Ellia can't remember it.
With a colourful writing style, with plenty of embellishments and metaphors, readers get both the excitement of a developing love story, along with one that is as familiar and cozy as your favourite blanket, all wrapped up with a bit of heartbreak and family complications.
The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Find more reviews on my blog Madison's Library.
At the start of this book, and for a large percentage of it, it's not clear what happened to Ellia, how the accident that stole her memories eventuated, what happened after and why she can't remember anything about her boyfriend of two years, Liam. She can't remember him, her parents refuse to talk about him or her accident and Liam himself isn't all that forthcoming with the details of that fateful morning.
Keep Me In Mind is told in alternating chapters from Liam and Ellia, giving readers an inside look to both sides of the story, while still maintaining the mystery of Ellia's accident.
The book opens with a chapter from Liam and an excerpt from the story he is writing about his and Ellia's relationship. It's here that we get to see them as a couple, fun, loving, teasing and laughing their way through romance. They make a very sweet couple, so it makes it all the more impactful to watch the fallout from Ellia's memory loss. But as Ellia slowly uncovers, their romance hides some painful truths.
Ellia is a mix of bright and outgoing, brash and unafraid to voice her opinions. And while she retains some of this after the accident she is now a little more reserved. She doesn't like the picture she's getting of who she used to be. Liam is poetical and passionate. While Liam can be a little high handed at times, there is no denying his feelings for Ellia. Then there is Cody, someone who understands what Ellia is currently going through (he has anterograde amnesia to Ellia's retrograde) and is easy going and comfortable. But the potency between Ellia and Liam can't be ignored, they have history even if Ellia can't remember it.
With a colourful writing style, with plenty of embellishments and metaphors, readers get both the excitement of a developing love story, along with one that is as familiar and cozy as your favourite blanket, all wrapped up with a bit of heartbreak and family complications.
The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Find more reviews on my blog Madison's Library.
March 28, 2016
* I received this book through the GoodReads First Reads Giveaway Program. *
I was really excited to receive this book! I loved the synopsis and the theme of the story and I wasn't disappointed at all!! It was a quick, fast, speed through the pages read that left me wanting more but at the same time wanting to see how it ends...it will leave the reader going through all of the typical emotions, such as, yelling, crying, screaming and shocked disbelief for part of the time. It has characters that you can't help but love while at the same time want to dislike with a passion. You discover the dynamics between the main characters shift some, but love is love no matter what happens. Grab this book today, you won't be disappointed at all!! Enjoy!
I was really excited to receive this book! I loved the synopsis and the theme of the story and I wasn't disappointed at all!! It was a quick, fast, speed through the pages read that left me wanting more but at the same time wanting to see how it ends...it will leave the reader going through all of the typical emotions, such as, yelling, crying, screaming and shocked disbelief for part of the time. It has characters that you can't help but love while at the same time want to dislike with a passion. You discover the dynamics between the main characters shift some, but love is love no matter what happens. Grab this book today, you won't be disappointed at all!! Enjoy!
September 21, 2017
:grabby hands:
gimmie gimmie. Love the cover.
---
I was hoping for more than what I got. It was too flat and quiet for me. El and Liam were solid characters, but development was slow. The story itself wasn't very exciting and lacked the emotional punch I was hoping for. I just couldn't connect with the plot and the mains on the level I was hoping for.
gimmie gimmie. Love the cover.
---
I was hoping for more than what I got. It was too flat and quiet for me. El and Liam were solid characters, but development was slow. The story itself wasn't very exciting and lacked the emotional punch I was hoping for. I just couldn't connect with the plot and the mains on the level I was hoping for.
May 21, 2019
I'd say this is probably one of a few books that are my favorite. It was quite sad because you can't really do anything about memory loss except just make new memories. There is no cure or way to help the person. When it happens to a young teenage girl, Ellia, it's damaging because she had her whole life ahead of her but not only did she forget someone she loved, she forgot what she learned in school. As I've read what she was going through, I was interesting because you don't typically read about what's going on with a person when they have a two year memory gap. I love how this book has two perspectives, the boy who is forgotten, and the girl who forgets since we get to see how both sides are affected by the memory loss of one.
April 22, 2018
I wanted to like this book. I really did. But I was just so annoyed by parts it, specifically by Liam who was just so freaking righteous. I’m going to rant a little here. From the beginning we know he was with Ellia when she was injured and she has some questions, but instead of just telling her what she wants to know she has to wait for him to finish the book he is writing about their relationship because he is such a special snowflake or something.
And then the worst is this scene when Liam sees Ellia walking out of her therapy session with another guy and he just walks up and makes out with her. I was shouting at the page: SHE DOESN’T REMEMBER YOU, BRO GET OVER IT !
That said I liked the character of Ellia, she's an extreme extrovert which is nice change up for a YA female protagonist. Ellia's journey is all about reconciling the person she was with the person she is now. The last thing she remembers is being excited about going to high school and the next thing she knows she’s a junior in high school. This honestly could have been a story on its own without Liam.
One of my favorite podcasts is Read it and Weep and they have this game called No Retreat, No Surrender where they discuss side characters in films they wish they could follow instead of the main character. I wanted to follow Cody, the boy Ellia meets a therapy who lost his short term memory in a surfing accident. Cody is only in a few scenes but all I could think about what how interesting it would be to have a relationship with where one character can’t remember the past and the other can’t remember the present. I also liked seeing how Cody used technology and other strategies to get through life with no short term memory. I was really hoping he'd take over the plot, but he doesn't.
Keep Me in Mind had an interesting set up, but a romance I couldn't invest in. However it did remind me of how much YA contemporary is my jam and I want to get back into reading more of i
And then the worst is this scene when Liam sees Ellia walking out of her therapy session with another guy and he just walks up and makes out with her. I was shouting at the page: SHE DOESN’T REMEMBER YOU, BRO GET OVER IT !
That said I liked the character of Ellia, she's an extreme extrovert which is nice change up for a YA female protagonist. Ellia's journey is all about reconciling the person she was with the person she is now. The last thing she remembers is being excited about going to high school and the next thing she knows she’s a junior in high school. This honestly could have been a story on its own without Liam.
One of my favorite podcasts is Read it and Weep and they have this game called No Retreat, No Surrender where they discuss side characters in films they wish they could follow instead of the main character. I wanted to follow Cody, the boy Ellia meets a therapy who lost his short term memory in a surfing accident. Cody is only in a few scenes but all I could think about what how interesting it would be to have a relationship with where one character can’t remember the past and the other can’t remember the present. I also liked seeing how Cody used technology and other strategies to get through life with no short term memory. I was really hoping he'd take over the plot, but he doesn't.
Keep Me in Mind had an interesting set up, but a romance I couldn't invest in. However it did remind me of how much YA contemporary is my jam and I want to get back into reading more of i
February 28, 2020
I really liked this book. I got this book and finished it the same day. I really enjoyed it. It was good how the author put two points of view. The plot of the story is really good. I would really recommend this to someone who likes running or fashion to read this book.
April 30, 2016
Been waiting on a new book from Ms. Reed for ages! And this certainly lived up to my expectations!
December 29, 2016
My review is here. https://abellafairytale.wordpress.com...
October 2, 2018
The brilliant fiction Novel, Keep Me In Mind by Jaime Reed, is an extremely well written piece of work. Naturally, as I have always been one to gravitate towards romance novels, I was excited but also shocked once I read the book. Though the love story was beautiful, the book included themes and lessons that were far deeper than the typical high school romance, such as forgiveness, loss, grief, and trust. The reader is taken on an emotional roller coaster and we hope and pray that Liam doesn't lose the love of his life. Watching him grieve over losing the one girl he loved made me feel hurt and somewhat uncomfortable, partly because I could relate with his pain, and also because in books we are not used to seeing the boy in the relationship suffering from loss. This was another asset that made the book stellar, is that we got a glimpse of Liam's sensitive side, and because of the author constantly showing his vulnerability, we root for Liam from the first page to the very end. The role of the female in this book is definitely not like the average love story, because Ellia loses her memory, causing her to forget everything from the past two years, including Liam. Even though we as readers can't help but get upset with her every time she pushes Liam away, but we have had to force ourselves to remember how lost and confused she must be feeling, and accepting that she might not love him like she used too was the most emotionally draining part of this book. The author did an excellent job representing both character by alternating view points from chapter to chapter. It gave the readers the knowledge to understand what was happening from all perspectives. Going back to the themes touched in this novel, we are reminded of a lesson on trust and forgiveness and multiple areas of this book. Forgiveness is used towards the end when Stacey (Ellia's best friend) kisses Liam out of the panic in the moment. Though Ellia is hurt by the betrayal, she finds it in her heart to forgive them both, which was definitely not expected. She made the decision to because she trusted them immensely. Here we are introduced to the central theme of the novel: Trust. Trust is the basis of everything in the story. For example, Ellia puts her complete trust into Stacey and Liam and trusts that they will be honest with her about herself and she's trying to find out who she is. Every question goes towards them, because she knows that they're trustworthy and will be honest with her. Cody, her friend from therapy, also has to trust Ellia to tell him the truth because he suffers from short term memory loss. With a mixture of trust in Ellia and the notes in his phone, they manage to maintain a healthy friendship. Wade, Liam's young uncle, also trusts Liam because his "mommy issues" have effected his ability to put his faith in anyone. Lastly, both Ellia and Liam choose to trust their parents to be honest with them but this plan backfired when Liam's parents didn't tell him about the restraining order relapsing and when Ellia's parents weren't honest with her about what happened between her and Liam before her accident. The author did an incredible job, not only at implementing these powerful central topics but also including smaller references to the conflicts that arise from Ellia and Liam being a biracial couple. Though it's not the main point, it is still vital to point out the differences that come from a biracial couple rather than two people of the same race and ethnicity. Because of Reeds experiences with being an African American woman, she is able to articulate accurately the differences and struggles that come with this couple. She also draws attention to feminism and women in power not only by placing Stacey on a Pedi stool as she argues with Liam to defend her friendship with Ellia, but we get a glimpse of female power as we see Ellia keep faith as she attempts to put her life back together and vocalize the importance and validity of her feelings. Overall tis book was an epic love story that teaches readers life lessons they can apply to friendships and relationships in the future. Reed's powerful piece is enough to make a reader want to read it all over again. -Desiree Pitts
June 28, 2017
I think I'm giving this 3.7 stars. Jaime Reed is one of my fave YA writers because she speaks the lingo of millenials very well and her writing is hilarious, I found myself chuckling a lot.
There's too much to summarize and I don't want to divulge important spoilers, but in a nutshell this is a story about a girl named Ellia and her boyfriend Liam. Ellia has an accident that causes retrograde amnesia, so she can't remember anything from the last two years of her life, and she's been dating Liam for the last two years. Every morning she finds herself waking up at 5:30 a.m. and standing outside of her house stretching for his run is Liam.
Ellia was the popular girl at her school, often imitated but never duplicated. I tried to keep in mind that she had a brain injury to tamper down my frustration with her at certain parts of the story. She had to deal with parents who wouldn't listen to her because "she's a kid", anxiety, migraines, insecurity about her looks because of the scar on her head, and trying to figure out who this new Ellia is versus her old self that she discovered she didn't like all that much.
Liam was the kind of guy who propped his girl on a pedestal that at times not even he could reach. He aspires to be a writer though his dad wants him to focus on getting an athletic than academic college scholarship. And he has a very...unorthodox family dynamic, I'll reveal that much. His home life isn't perfect but its vastly different from Ellia's whose parents are overachieving go-getters who have the mentality of: failure is not an option and shows that you're weak. Liam did come on too strong when it came to Ellia, that it did reek of codependency, but there are underlining reasons for why he tried to hold on so tightly to her.
That's one of the positives of this book. It gave clear-cut reasons why Liam and Ellia were together and behaved the way they did before her accident.
But really this is a book that alternates between Ellia and Liam's POV's with a side of Liam writing down his relationship with Ellia giving us insight into how he sees her, which does come off as exaggerated at points. It also recounts the day of Ellia's accident that was kind of a mystery though you could guess what happened. But specific details were kept from Ellia, why, it mainly boiled down to Liam's guilt and feeling he was responsible.
There were interesting supporting characters thrown in. Though I did feel apprehensive at times in terms of where Jaime was going to go with relationships. Stacy, Ellia's best friend was a mule of sorts going back and forth between Ellia and Liam, giving Liam updates, which led to Stacy and Liam looking at one another a certain way, but thankfully didn't go anywhere beyond this one moment they had. Whew. And Cody a teen also suffering from amnesia who liked Ellia, so they had bit of a flirtmance going on. I liked Stacy and all and Cody and Ellia were cheeky together, but I had invested too much into the h and H to want to see them move on to other people. Luckily it didn't go that route.
Does this have an HEA? In a sense but just know the way the story was concluded was believable and wasn't rushed to get there.
There's too much to summarize and I don't want to divulge important spoilers, but in a nutshell this is a story about a girl named Ellia and her boyfriend Liam. Ellia has an accident that causes retrograde amnesia, so she can't remember anything from the last two years of her life, and she's been dating Liam for the last two years. Every morning she finds herself waking up at 5:30 a.m. and standing outside of her house stretching for his run is Liam.
Ellia was the popular girl at her school, often imitated but never duplicated. I tried to keep in mind that she had a brain injury to tamper down my frustration with her at certain parts of the story. She had to deal with parents who wouldn't listen to her because "she's a kid", anxiety, migraines, insecurity about her looks because of the scar on her head, and trying to figure out who this new Ellia is versus her old self that she discovered she didn't like all that much.
Liam was the kind of guy who propped his girl on a pedestal that at times not even he could reach. He aspires to be a writer though his dad wants him to focus on getting an athletic than academic college scholarship. And he has a very...unorthodox family dynamic, I'll reveal that much. His home life isn't perfect but its vastly different from Ellia's whose parents are overachieving go-getters who have the mentality of: failure is not an option and shows that you're weak. Liam did come on too strong when it came to Ellia, that it did reek of codependency, but there are underlining reasons for why he tried to hold on so tightly to her.
That's one of the positives of this book. It gave clear-cut reasons why Liam and Ellia were together and behaved the way they did before her accident.
But really this is a book that alternates between Ellia and Liam's POV's with a side of Liam writing down his relationship with Ellia giving us insight into how he sees her, which does come off as exaggerated at points. It also recounts the day of Ellia's accident that was kind of a mystery though you could guess what happened. But specific details were kept from Ellia, why, it mainly boiled down to Liam's guilt and feeling he was responsible.
There were interesting supporting characters thrown in. Though I did feel apprehensive at times in terms of where Jaime was going to go with relationships. Stacy, Ellia's best friend was a mule of sorts going back and forth between Ellia and Liam, giving Liam updates, which led to Stacy and Liam looking at one another a certain way, but thankfully didn't go anywhere beyond this one moment they had. Whew. And Cody a teen also suffering from amnesia who liked Ellia, so they had bit of a flirtmance going on. I liked Stacy and all and Cody and Ellia were cheeky together, but I had invested too much into the h and H to want to see them move on to other people. Luckily it didn't go that route.
Does this have an HEA? In a sense but just know the way the story was concluded was believable and wasn't rushed to get there.
September 9, 2025
Quite recently, I was in a reader’s group and the subject of amnesia as a trope or literary device was discussed with varying points of view. Most of the people responding did not mind reading books about amnesia if the person in question regained their lost memories eventually. Around the same time by happenstance I ran across an older book, Keep Me In Mind by Jaime Reed. Keep Me In Mind was published in 2016 and is still available on Kindle for purchase. Ms. Reed appears to have three other books which are a part of a series.
Ellia Dawson and Liam McPherson have been in a relationship against their parents’ wishes when Ellia suffers a head injury. The injury effectively wipes out the last two years of her life, essentially, the period that Liam and Ellia have been dating. Liam is stuck with the memories of his love for Ellia while she is grappling with waking up as junior in high school when she only remembers her freshman year. And who is this strange boy who keeps telling her that he loves her and stands across the street from her house EVERY morning at 5:30 AM? Ms. Reed uses the story construction of a book inside of a book as Liam (a budding author) tries to recount the story of his and Ellia’s courtship and to shed some light on her accident. Liam and Ellia have difficulty connecting for conversations or bonding and the reasons for their disconnect is gradually unveiled as the story unfolds. It was interesting to see Ellia come to grips with the person she was prior to her injury even though she did not really like her former self. Liam was so raw and poignantly in touch with his emotions. This YA novel was teeming with interesting side characters; Wade (Liam’s slightly younger uncle), Cody (a fellow Amnesiac) and Stacey (Ellia’s best friend and eventually support for Liam). I enjoyed this story and both characters displayed growth and maturity, Ms. Reed did not tie her story up neatly but left us with hope and an upbeat vision of the future. I would love to revisit their story at this almost ten-year mark. Where are they now😊?
Favorite Lines
It was like returning to a familiar room and noticing objects had been moved while you were gone.
My life wasn’t the only one that was at a standstill, and it was hard to tell what was worse: forgetting or being forgotten.
Living things moved. A pulse. A breath. A purpose. Movement was life condition.
All those flavors in the world and you choose to be salty.
The Ellia Dawson Project was officially over.
Start where every story does. At the beginning.
It’s one thing to love someone, but the question is: Do you like them? As a person?
https://theretiredreader.com/f/keep-m...
Ellia Dawson and Liam McPherson have been in a relationship against their parents’ wishes when Ellia suffers a head injury. The injury effectively wipes out the last two years of her life, essentially, the period that Liam and Ellia have been dating. Liam is stuck with the memories of his love for Ellia while she is grappling with waking up as junior in high school when she only remembers her freshman year. And who is this strange boy who keeps telling her that he loves her and stands across the street from her house EVERY morning at 5:30 AM? Ms. Reed uses the story construction of a book inside of a book as Liam (a budding author) tries to recount the story of his and Ellia’s courtship and to shed some light on her accident. Liam and Ellia have difficulty connecting for conversations or bonding and the reasons for their disconnect is gradually unveiled as the story unfolds. It was interesting to see Ellia come to grips with the person she was prior to her injury even though she did not really like her former self. Liam was so raw and poignantly in touch with his emotions. This YA novel was teeming with interesting side characters; Wade (Liam’s slightly younger uncle), Cody (a fellow Amnesiac) and Stacey (Ellia’s best friend and eventually support for Liam). I enjoyed this story and both characters displayed growth and maturity, Ms. Reed did not tie her story up neatly but left us with hope and an upbeat vision of the future. I would love to revisit their story at this almost ten-year mark. Where are they now😊?
Favorite Lines
It was like returning to a familiar room and noticing objects had been moved while you were gone.
My life wasn’t the only one that was at a standstill, and it was hard to tell what was worse: forgetting or being forgotten.
Living things moved. A pulse. A breath. A purpose. Movement was life condition.
All those flavors in the world and you choose to be salty.
The Ellia Dawson Project was officially over.
Start where every story does. At the beginning.
It’s one thing to love someone, but the question is: Do you like them? As a person?
https://theretiredreader.com/f/keep-m...
October 31, 2017
I was initially drawn in by the photography of the cover, but as I read the description of the book, I knew I had to read it. It was another one of those books that my older sister would eventually get to read later, I suppose. But I enjoyed it. Without giving too much away, main characters and dysfunctional love birds Liam and Ellia get into some trouble after an accident. This sparks a series of events leading to the questioning of their relationship, their families, and about letting go and accepting circumstances; basically about life.
I enjoyed the supporting characters and the tone that was set in the book, it wasn't the most romantic tragic story I've ever read and I'm glad that it didn't put on airs about it being this tell-all love story. It did get a little slow and tedious when it came to wrapping up the story including revealing what happened between the main characters, but it was still a short and sweet read overall.
I enjoyed the supporting characters and the tone that was set in the book, it wasn't the most romantic tragic story I've ever read and I'm glad that it didn't put on airs about it being this tell-all love story. It did get a little slow and tedious when it came to wrapping up the story including revealing what happened between the main characters, but it was still a short and sweet read overall.
July 26, 2018
Keep Me In Mind is a compelling contemporary romance that's great for a fun, light read. I needed a break from some of the heavier books I was reading and I found this book to be both fun and exciting. Centering around two broken teenagers, Keep Me In Mind explores finding peace within the unknown, realizing and coming to terms with who you are, and moving on from who you were in the past. Jaime Reed does a great job capturing the depth of the characters throughout both their past and present lives. I found myself constantly trying to predict where the story would end and how Liam and Ellia would adapt to their unknown futures and in the end I was still wrong. Although I didn't get the perfect happily ever after that I was wanting, I felt that the book left of in a realistic yet satisfying way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2020
this book was awesome I loved it so much. but the ending made me frustrated though.
It is about a girl named ellia and a boy named Liam. they were running on the beach one day and ellia slipped and hit her head. Liam rushed her to her parent's house and her parents thought Liam did it to her. later the doctors find out that she forgot the past 2 years of her life. she forgot about Liam but Liam can never forget about her. Liam wants to go see ellia in the hospital but her dad put a restraining order on him. when ellia finally is allowed out of the hospital she has to go to therapy. there she meets a boy named Cody. Liam starts to write a book for ellia to tell about the two years of her life (liam WAS her boyfriend and they loved each other) do they get back together? (NO!) Does liam kiss ellias best friend because misses being ellia? (yes)
It is about a girl named ellia and a boy named Liam. they were running on the beach one day and ellia slipped and hit her head. Liam rushed her to her parent's house and her parents thought Liam did it to her. later the doctors find out that she forgot the past 2 years of her life. she forgot about Liam but Liam can never forget about her. Liam wants to go see ellia in the hospital but her dad put a restraining order on him. when ellia finally is allowed out of the hospital she has to go to therapy. there she meets a boy named Cody. Liam starts to write a book for ellia to tell about the two years of her life (liam WAS her boyfriend and they loved each other) do they get back together? (NO!) Does liam kiss ellias best friend because misses being ellia? (yes)
April 7, 2022
This was much better than I thought it would be. I assumed, like most YA, it would be fairly light and fluffy, but it had depth. And I loved the way the author handled the interracial aspect. In a world where people have lost their minds and become obsessed with race, this was refreshing. Yes, there were differences, yes people had stereotypical ideas and said stupid things, but that was addressed and then we moved on so that by the end, you barely even thought about those differences. The characters' skin color was irrelevant to who they actually were as people. And they were written well. The side characters even had depth, which is pretty rare in YA.
February 9, 2017
This book named "Keep Me In Mind" by Jamie Reed, is a romance book that is really well-written and relatable. It is really enjoyable and definitely NOT a waste of time. This book kept me pulled in and I never felt that a part was insignificant or that a part could be taken out. At the end of the book, the author left you wanting more and that's what good authors do, in my opinion. I hope she writes a sequel to this. I would recommend this book to others for many different reasons. The character development was so well done. Every single character had a personality even the secondary ones. The author made so relatable, it was kind of like you knew the person. She made the characters relatable and if she introduced a new character, she really did it. Jamie Reed used looks, actions, speech, and their effects on others to give her characters a personality indirectly. I was able to infer a character’s personality without being directly told what they are like. Using this method, added to the book in so many ways. The theme also added to this book; it was "Never give up ". Ellia lost her memory. She couldn't remember Liam, her own boyfriend, as well as the last 2 years of her life. He tried to remind her of what they once had and never stopped, even when Ellia pushed him away. He loved her so much, that he went to no ends to help her remember him. The theme of this novel is a universal theme that anyone can live by. The author incorporated many twists to the story. There is not a single boring part to this story. Everything flows well together, and it's full of surprises. It's definitely NOT one of your typical love stories but it is well worth the read. I guarantee that it is not a waste of time. These aspects all contributed to the book and made me give this book a 5 star rating.
December 9, 2018
Fell in love with the character Liam. I liked him better than Ellia actually. I kinda lost patience with her 3 quarters into the book which is probably unfair but that's what happened. I didn't hate the ending exactly but it left more to be desired. It was kind of an open ending and the book wasn't as romantic as I thought it would be. It was more of just a drama dealing with the repercussions of the accident which I should've expected. Still a good read, nice voice throughout and made me laugh a good bit. This would be 5 stars if the ending gave me more closure but it didn't
March 9, 2022
j’ai donc lu ce livre en 6j. ça faisait un moment que j’avais pas lu un livre aussi vite, je m’accrochais aux pages et je voyais les chapitres défilés!
c’était bien 🥺🥺 Ellia et Liam <3 c’est une histoire touchante, j’ai ri et j’avais les yeux qui brillaient. cette histoire ouvre les yeux sur la motivation de l’amour, sur le pardon et sur les erreurs du passé. il y a un beau message derrière et j’ai adoré ma lecture!!
lisez le si vous en avez l’occasion :) c’est beau et touchant à la fois
« infàtrois »
c’était bien 🥺🥺 Ellia et Liam <3 c’est une histoire touchante, j’ai ri et j’avais les yeux qui brillaient. cette histoire ouvre les yeux sur la motivation de l’amour, sur le pardon et sur les erreurs du passé. il y a un beau message derrière et j’ai adoré ma lecture!!
lisez le si vous en avez l’occasion :) c’est beau et touchant à la fois
« infàtrois »
November 15, 2017
http://www.unbrindelecture.com/2017/1...
Un One-shot Young adult qui traite que très peu au final de l'amnésie . L'auteure évoque plus les comportements de rébellion des ados par rapport à leurs parents , de la tolérance et de l'acceptation de l'autre. Ellia et Liam sont attachants et partager les émotions de chacun permet au lecteur d'apprécier leur situation au plus près .
Un One-shot Young adult qui traite que très peu au final de l'amnésie . L'auteure évoque plus les comportements de rébellion des ados par rapport à leurs parents , de la tolérance et de l'acceptation de l'autre. Ellia et Liam sont attachants et partager les émotions de chacun permet au lecteur d'apprécier leur situation au plus près .
March 20, 2022
“It’s the wanting that gives me the high, not the having.”
“The words I love you are worthless when you don’t know who I is in that statement.”
We ask ourselves all the time “who am I”, but we don’t comprehend what it’s like not being able to remember. This is the story of young love & (re)discovering yourself. 50 first dates with a twist. To say the least, it’s an optimistic (tragic)romance novel.
“The words I love you are worthless when you don’t know who I is in that statement.”
We ask ourselves all the time “who am I”, but we don’t comprehend what it’s like not being able to remember. This is the story of young love & (re)discovering yourself. 50 first dates with a twist. To say the least, it’s an optimistic (tragic)romance novel.
February 18, 2019
This was not a very good book. It was a very uneventful story and it wasn't very well written, in my opinion. It took me so long to finish this book because it wasn't interesting. The end was the only part that had anything interesting going on. If you are looking for a quick, fun, interesting read, this is not the book you should read.
May 25, 2018
I love this book, if you love romance then you should read this. It can be sad but it has cute moments. When I start reading cute moments i start thinking of my relationship with my boyfriend ❤. The book is very addicting cuz u start thinking what's going to happen next and all of that. When I first started reading it, I wasn't so interested in it after awhile I couldn't put it down.
January 1, 2025
Good mystery. Characters can seem misunderstood at times. Plot is serious, yet strong. Good detail portraying high school, and the intricacies of navigating friendships, relationships, and the like, with a new-found challenge. Ironically, (for a book about memory loss), I still think about this book all the time.
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