Remember to Forget

Clayburn #1

by Deborah Raney

One morning changed everything about her life
But could it also set her free?

Graphic designer Maggie Anderson has lived under her boyfriend's tyranny for nearly two years...until she's carjacked in New York. Will this terrifying experience be the end for Maggie -- or the beginning of a freedom greater than she dares imagine? To gain that freedom, she'll have to remember to forget everything about her old life...

Trevor Ashlock is existing, day by day, in the little town of Clayburn, Kansas. Surrounded by too many painful reminders of all he's lost, he fills his time with work, trying desperately to forget.

Then a compelling and lovely stranger shows up in Clayburn and turns Trevor's world upside down.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Christian, Christian Romance, Ebooks

347 pages, Paperback

Published February 6, 2007

About the author

DEBORAH RANEY's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title and launched Deb’s writing career. Twenty-five years, forty-plus books, and numerous awards later, she's still creating stories that touch hearts and lives. Her novels have won RWA's RITA Award, the ACFW Carol Award, the National Readers Choice Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She is also a three-time Christy Award finalist. Deb is a recent Missouri transplant, having moved with her husband, Ken Raney, from their native Kansas to be closer to kids and grandkids. They love road trips, Friday garage sale dates, and breakfast on the screened porch overlooking their wooded backyard. Visit Deb on the Web at www.deborahraney.com.

Reviews

[Malina · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise and opening of this book is promising. Unfortunately, the 2nd half/ending is weakly written.
It has a good message, and is an okay read. Light & fluffy, it remindes me of angel food cake, not filling or satisfying.

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the escape story line. Maggie finds an opportunity to flee an abusive relationship. Her path begins in New York City and ends by chance in a small Kansas town.

[Rebekah Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure what to think of this book. I did like the characters, though sometimes I was a little confused by the way Maggie/Meg acted. Why couldn't she go to the police? Yeah she was worried about Kevin, but police are there to help. And leaving the safety of the full house with the guy she's terrified of? To me that was completely crazy and makes no sense! I could understand her not trusting guys, but no one? Trevor was dealing with a tough situation, and Wren was a sweet woman.
The Christianity was really not much. I kept waiting for Wren and Trevor to talk about Christ, to share God's love and forgiveness with Meg, but they didn't. Sure they prayed before they ate and they went to church on Sunday, but I was expecting something more. And then at the end when she was in the river and in danger of drowning Meg calls for help from Trevor and God. That suddenly seemed to make her a christian. Yes, there was a little talk about sins and lying, but it had all been forgiven. It was a little confusing to me. Was Meg a christian because she had asked God to help? Was it because she finally confessed everything to Trevor?

The writing kept my interested and I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened.

[Brenda Poulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Down By the River

Deborah Raney never disappoints. Deep and tender stories that show us God's goodness and grace as He works through the lives of ordinary people.

[Shannon Bolton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story until the last chapter or two. There were way too many loose ends that weren't tied up. That said, aside from the abrupt ending, it was an enjoyable read.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just As Described

This clean inspirational romance was exactly as I hoped. There were times I was wondering what would happen next. I was able to relate to the MCs and root for them, as well as being interested in some of the side characters. The ending was almost too quick for me but I enjoyed it. Overall, this was a well-written book. If you love inspirational romance with a bit of suspense, then definitely give this book a try.

[Daphne Self · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize this was an updated version of an older book, yet it was really good. I enjoyed the growth of Maggie and the slow-growing relationship between her and Trevor.
There were a few instances where I thought it could have been strengthened a bit more and I wished the internal turmoil with Maggie was a bit more detailed. Especially her irrational fears. That would have given more insight into a battered woman's mind.
All in all, this was a very good read and I look forward to the next two books.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I probably would have given this a five star rating, but I felt like it was weak in parts. It started out great and then it slowed down. I'm a little confused as to some things about Kevin, such as how did he find out where she was and why did he just seem to chicken out and disappear? I don't know, maybe I will find out the answers in book 2. Overall, this was a good book. I love reading books by this author and can't wait to read another one.

[Natalie Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read!

I love Deb Raney novels, and this one is one of the sweetest, yet heartbreaking. Maggie has been thru so much in her life, and it takes a broken man to help her heal and learn all about God’s love and forgiveness.

[Deena Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie finds acceptance and love in a small town after fleeing an abusive relationship. Another enjoyable read by Deborah Raney, shining the light on Christ and hope in Him.

[Nancy Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember to forget what is past. Strong Christian message. Thank you for the reminder!

[Janie Winsell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember to Forget by Deborah Raney is a Contemporary Romance novel, but it can also be considered Women’s Fiction with Romantic parts since it doesn’t follow the well-known rules of the Romance genre. That’s not to say that it lacks in any way.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. I think Ms. Raney did a fantastic job of weaving together more than just a boy meets girl romance. She dug deeper into the souls of each of her characters and brought out their true identity. She made me fall in love with Maggie, Trevor, and Wren.

Graphic designer Maggie Anderson has an abusive boyfriend, but she has no way of getting out until a terrible event brings her freedom in the most unlikely way. When Maggie gets carjacked, she can either run back to Kevin, her verbally abrasive boyfriend, or she can run away and forget her past…but at what cost?

Trevor Ashlock is biding his time on this earth after losing his family in a tragic accident. The memories that surround him in his hometown are sometimes too hard to contend with, but what other choice does he have? Everyone tells him it’s time to move on, but he’s just not ready.

When Maggie finds herself in Trevor’s hometown, maybe they can heal the wounds of their past together before it catches up to them.

I could not put this book down. I know I’ve thought about running away from my life and trying to start over, so reading Maggie’s story gave me that escape with none of the consequences. I found myself dreaming of Clayburn and imagining what it would be like to live there. Reading this story was a true pleasure. I give it five stars!

[Robin Clemons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a depth of insight

I chose this rating because I could see myself in this story. It took me almost 20 years to get out of an abusive situation which started out the same way Maggie's did. The self doubt and recriminations saddle you with a loss of perspective, but finding the strength to walk away and begin to find one's self is a struggle even now. I can't wait to continue reading the Clayburn novels.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, mainly because there wasn't anything not to like about it. It had an easy flow, captivating story line and a town that anyone would love to call home. So glad that there are two more books in the series!

[Lili · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable

Appreciated all the ways Maggie was helped, made me happy each time an angel on earth reached out. Not wanting to give too much away but If you enjoy faith based stories, you should enjoy this.

[Juanita · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book. Really engaging characters that I did not want to put the book down. I also liked the short chapters which made it easy to keep reading just one more chapter.

I cannot wait to read the next one.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

her boyfriend beat and controlled her in ny despite trying to leave several times
she was coming back from a liquor store getting his whiskey when she was car jacked
she was driven miles into another state before she was thrown out

she knew he would be very angry and take it out on her
then she realized this was the way out for her

she had enough to get a bus ticket. but getting off the bus at a stop she missed getting back on

a couple gave her a ride to another state, then another couple gave her another ride. she ducked out on them and walked a long way

she ended up in a small town
at a inn

the man doing carpentry work in the kitchen had lost his wife and daughter in a car accident. he worked in a printing co and doing side jobs to keep his mind busy

the couple who owned the inn were very nice to her. she lied to everyone, afraid the boyfriend would catch her

she didnt have enough money. a woman she met on the road who had given her a ride gave her money and thats what she had been using

she really wants to stay in the small town where she is in the inn
she cant find work
her lies are catching up with her
shes making mistakes, trying to get her $800 out of the x's bank acct on line
he will find her if shes not more careful!

she likes the man working on the inn and he likes her.
she might get a job at the art gallery but both the inn lady and the man dont want her to but wont tell her why

he was the real son of the lady at the inn, she gave him up for adoption. he is the one who had the accident with the other mans wife and killed her and his son. he started drinking after that

she didnt take the job with him, she got a idea to get more people to come to the inn. on the day of the party there , her x showed up and tried to force her to come back to n y with him

she ran to the river and he followed her there, but the man she liked also went there and saved her. the police were looking for her x

she told the man all her lies and he told her he loved her and she loved him too so she got to stay there

[Paige Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, this isn’t the best story on the planet from what I’ve read. I’ve ready many stories about abused women escaping and delving into a new name, a new life, a new persona and finding love. But, out of all those stories in that category, with that trope, I think this has to be my second or third favorite. The thing I liked about this book was that it didn’t harp too much on the abuse. There were some details but it wasn’t overly specific on what Kevin did to abuse her. The story’s main point i believe is to show Maggie’s character growth and how she learns to love herself and trust other people. When you’ve been hurt so badly, it’s hard not to live your life in fear. And I think the author writes this beautifully as you see Maggie begin to let others in and hold—not latch onto them like she did with Kevin—on to these new relationships and the things she’s come to appreciate differently.

I also really appreciate how the main focus point of the novel wasn’t the romance. Obviously her romance with Trevor played a big part in the changes you see in Maggie, but the story wasn’t dependent on him. In fact the story was dependent on Maggie and where the choices she made and continued to make took her (basically the consequences). In a lot of the stories I read The characterization with those outside of the two main characters is usually weak, but not in this case. I really felt a sort of attachment to Wren and even Kaye and the very nice older woman who gave her money. Kaye and the older woman barely even played much of a part in the story but when the author wrote them in, it didn’t matter that they were only in for a few short scenes. What mattered was the fact that they made such a large impact on how Maggie would change and grow throughout the story.

10/10 would recommend!

[Jack Vasen · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you don't know it already, this is a Christian romance. I don't say this as criticism, merely information. There is some preaching about God's love, protection, and especially his forgiveness. Yet the book is not as preachy as some - really not that much.

The story seems contrived to me and doesn't quite come across as authentic, even for fiction. Much of it is predictable. A lot of the angst is overdone, especially for Maggie. I'm not impressed with the writing. The dialogue attempts to have some wit, but really it is not so great.

I don't even believe that the battered woman theme is done justice. I don't like how Maggie acts as though her problems are not as bad as Trevor's or Wren's. It's probably not even right to compare as in apples to oranges, but what bothers me is that Maggie minimizes hers and the author allows that sentiment to sound as though it is the correct reasoning. It is not. Maggie has two different kinds of mistreatment in her past, maybe even three. But even the situation with Kevin is serious. Oh, so serious. Furthermore, the story makes it seem to easy for her in the healing process. A situation like hers does not heal overnight and not solely by removal from the source of the problem.

[Lacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the story. I came to care about Maggie, and what happened to her. I admired the small town friendliness of the people she met in Clayburn. I worried with her through the troubles she came through. I did not understand her need to be so secretive about her plans when talking to strangers, nor why she was worried about the police coming after her. I am going to assume the abusive relationship with her boyfriend made her paranoid.

I felt the end was lacking something. It was rather abrupt. I also thought Maggie's attempt to 'not create a scene' was very foolish, and could easily have caused her death.

I understand now what it means for a Christian novel to be 'preachy,' though it is not something I mind.

Everything is clean, with no swearing, minimal kissing, and some good, old-fashioned chivalry.

I learned a few new words, but also noticed a few used strangely or omitted, especially in the first parts of the book.

[Parkland Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars. Maggie has a narcissistic, abusive boyfriend. After a carjacking, she realizes that there is more danger at home. She blindly goes west - anywhere to escape.

I do wish the author had given more info on the abuse and narcissism. We learn more throughout the book, but I feel more info would have taken the book up another notch.

The place she ends up is exactly what she needs and she makes a few friends as her lies about her identity and past pile up. Who can she trust?? As her desire to remain there grows, she finds herself wanting to come clean and build a new life. However, her past comes back to haunt her. Maggie must come to grips with the voice of her heart and learn to trust and recognize it.

This was a new-to-me author and I will be looking into more of her books. There are two more in this particular series.

[Pattisue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie Anderson has “lived as a virtual hostage to Kevin Bryson for almost two years.” Sympathetic and believable, Maggie unexpectedly finds a way to escape the horror of her reality. “She had feared pain in the past, but she’d never been afraid to die.” Trevor Ashlock lost his family almost two years ago. “She hadn’t been there a week, and she was already trying his life in knots.” Is it possible to reinvent yourself? “She’d been handed the gift of freedom on a silver platter.” Hope and inspiration transform Maggie’s life. “Heaven was hearing her prayers. God had been with her in every detail of her journey.” I was caught up in this story following Maggie’s journey until the abrupt ending. It just ended but wasn’t resolved. I was very disappointed and was left with several unanswered questions.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and touching story

This was a different story from the usual romantic story. It had so many different aspects to it. Watching Meg grow in confidence in herself and learning to trust people was a major part of the story. I could just picture the inn keepers, Wren and Bart, as well as all the other characters. It made me wish there really was such a place
as Clayburn. Also seeing Meg finally realize that God was real and had been with her all along was a lesson we all need to learn and remember. And the relationship between Meg and Trevor was fun and interesting as it grew into something more. Of course there had to be some drama and that was provided by Meg’s ex-boyfriend Kevin. This was the first book I have read by this author and I’m planning on reading as many books as she can write.

[Jeanne Loidolt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done. From the get-go we are swept up in the drama

Reading all the experiences that have impacted Maggie’s life so far, it is hard to imagine how anyone, even God, could unscramble her brokenness. The most unassuming people buried in their own trials are God’s tools of redemption and grace. So much like life, the intricate puzzle pieces move into place in ways beyond what Maggie could imagine. Each personality is well shaped and emerges as prepared by circumstances to fill Maggie’s empty places. I didn’t want to leave their lives and regretted to suddenly reach the last page. The suspense waiting for the inevitable climax hung around through the events to bring on her terror. My only issue would be the confusing presentation of Maggie’s near death experience.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Lies to Freedom

This is a good story about hurt, loss, dependence, control, and freedom. Trevor has suggested great loss at the hand of a man living in the same town where he lives. Maggie is in New York, chained in a bad relationship until she is carjacked, released, and ends up in Kansas where she lives lie after lie. How deeply we feel the hurt of Wren, Jack, Trevor, and Maggie. Each must find the answer to their pain in their own but in complete honesty. This was the first book I have read by this author and enjoyed it very much. As the pieces fell in place, the story came together, and lives were changed. I received a complimentary copy of this book and have chosen on my own to write an honest review.

[Jeanie Womack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being dependent on a man

Maggie has had a very difficult life, but was succeeding in a career she loved until she met Kevin. His control and abuse left her feeling hopeless after two years. When an attack leaves her on the side of the road, she uses it to escape his grasp!
A quiet voice tells her where to go, and as she follows the instructions,she meets people who help her along. The people she meets, filled with acts of kindness and wisdom, and her own innate will to survive, take Maggie from New York City to a small town in Kansas. There, in an inn owned by a loving couple, she finds a safe haven.
You need to be part of Maggie's journey and what she learns through her experiences. It will nurture your heart and soul!

[Sarah B White · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Book to Remember!

Maggie had lived under the spell of her boyfriend as his controlling her every thought and action took away her self-esteem and made her dependent on his controlling every part of her life. She had lost her sense of self. Then she began to fight back, making plans to escape him. The problem was that he had already taken away her self-esteem leaving her just a shell of herself. This book tells us about her fight to regain her self-esteem and free herself from his controlling grip on her life. She had to escape in order to live again.

Fortunately, she escaped into the arms of a good friend who helped her to find herself. But then the monster reappeared. Can she escape his grasp forever? Read this book to find out!

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie Anderson has been in a abusive relationship for two years. When she is carjacked one night and left stranded in New York City, she jumps at the chance to escape. She manages to get to the bus depot with enough money in her pockets to get a bus ticket, she heads west to an adventure that will turn her life completely around.

Wonderful first book in this series which is filled with love, caring and second chances when Maggie lands in Clayburn, Kansas and is warmly welcomed by the elderly owners of a small town hotel and are trying to revive it. All of the characters, with the exception of the abuser, were warm, caring, and faith-filled Christians that helped Maggie find herself and realize that she was stronger than she ever thought.

[Joleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story of a young woman suffering domestic abuse who (in the most unique way) was given a chance to escape, and took it. But in her running she could trust no one, resulting in her developing so many stories she couldn’t keep track of them all.

Eventually she came to a small Kansas town with very little money to spare and found there people who showed her what true, unconditional love really was.

It felt as though the ending was rushed with a critical near death, sudden declarations of love and poof, it was over. A LOT of lead up for very little fruition.

On a good note, the story had a beautiful faith element I’ve come to expect and love from Deborah Raney books. She never disappoints.

[Dorothey Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember to Forget

This was a Wonderful story. Maggie was in an abusive relationship with a man named Kiney. He had sent her to buy him a fifth of Jack Daniels. The car was hijacked in New York City. The man held a pistol on her and drove out of town. She was fearful for her life. He opened the door and shoved her out. She rolled down hill and he took off. Maggie was also fearful of Kinney and of his abuse becoming more violent. She knew he would be angry about the car and decided this was her opportunity to disappear. This is an aiming journey for her and God leading her away from there. At the time, he did not recognize who was helping her escape.