We Came Here to Forget

by Andrea Dunlop

From the author of She Regrets Nothing comes a vivid novel about a young Olympic skier who loses everything and escapes to Buenos Aires, where she reinvents herself, meets a colorful group of ex-pats, and is swept off her feet by a mysterious young man with dark secrets of his own.

Katie Cleary has always known exactly what she wants: to be the best skier in the world. As a teenager, she leaves her home to live and train full time with her two best friends, all-American brothers Luke and Blair, whose wealthy father has hired the best coaches money can buy. Together, they are the USA’s best shot at bringing home Olympic gold—as well as a love triangle waiting to happen.

But as the upward trajectory of Katie’s elite skiing career nears its zenith, a terrifying truth about her sister becomes impossible to ignore—one that will lay ruin not only to Katie’s career but to her family and her relationship with Luke and Blair.

With her life shattered and nothing left to lose, Katie flees the snowy mountainsides of home for Buenos Aires. There, she reinvents herself as Liz Sullivan, and meets a colorful group of ex-pats and the alluring, charismatic Gianluca Fortunado, a tango teacher with secrets of his own. This beautiful city, with its dark history and wild promise, seems like the perfect refuge, but can she really outrun her demons?

Told in alternating chapters, Katie grows up, falls in love, and races down the highest peaks on the planet—while Liz is reborn, falls into lust, and sinks into the underground tango scene at the bottom of the world. From the moneyed ski chalets of the American West to the dimly lit milongas of Argentina, We Came Here to Forget explores what it means to dream, to desire, to achieve—and what’s left behind after it all disappears.

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Romance, Mystery, Thriller, Literary Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published July 2, 2019

About the author

I'm the author of three novels and the mother of one small human. I write complex, suspenseful books about families with dark secrets and women trying to discover themselves in a world full of contradictory expectations. My stories are set in exciting and exotic locations such as French Riviera, New York City, and Buenos Aires which I hope will give readers an escapist thrill.
I love to hear from readers and aspiring authors. I have a background in book publishing as well as writing, and I share my advice and expertise in weekly videos which you can find on Instagram and here on Goodreads.

Reviews

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this story with medium level expectations; it seems much of women's fiction is being touted as a dark thriller these days, and when those stories fail to deliver on the promise of a stomach churning plot, readers are disappointed. Not so here-Dunlop has weaved together a wholly emotional tale that packs a wallop of a punch right where it counts. There are certainly dark themes dispersed in the narrative, but the weight of this book rests on its ability to deliver the reader a connection with this perfectly imperfect cast. My only reason for the 4 star rating as opposed to a 5 was my desire to have not had the epilogue included; I think the way the book finished before getting to that point left a delicious sense of ambiguity that leaves the reader prone to pondering and deciding what happens after on their own.

*Thank you Atria Books for providing my review copy.

[Sunflowerbooklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my goodness was this book so heartbreakingly emotional and beautiful!

I had NO Idea how much I would end up loving this story. I'm so glad that I took a chance on this book and fell in love with Andrea Dunlop's writing.

We Came Here to Forget is a story that presents how we all have inner demons and a past that we want to forget. Andrea interweaves a story of heartache with such grace and beauty among these characters leaving me with tears upon the last page.

It took me multiple sittings to finish this book because I wanted to savor every emotional detail and page. There is a certain darkness in Dunlop's tone that makes this book so much more beautiful. It has a sense of magic with the darkness.

I highly recommend this book. It was a journey I wouldn't have ever wanted to miss! Such a beautiful storyteller Andrea is and respect her thoroughly for taking her readers on this journey of heartache.

Overall, 4.5 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the arc via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date: 7/2/19
Published to GR: 6/16/19

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Assigned. Absorbing story!! Recommended for fans of contemporary fiction.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars Rounded Down

You've seen the cover (wow wow wow) and you've read the summary. Katie Cleary is an Olympic skier who has a tragic family secret. The secret becoming public in concert with a career ending injury cause Katie to flee the States to Buenos Aires under a different name. The reader follows Katie in her new life with flashbacks that lead up to her decision to flee.

If you're like me, sometimes flashbacks to the past don't always work. I find myself in the camp of people who really like one side of the story and kind of have a half interest in the other. That was true to form here, but this time I was COMPLETELY ABSORBED in the past story and had difficulty keeping interest with the current story. I'm not really sure why, but I found some of the characters in Buenos Aires sort of cliché. We have all these expats with a tragic past that they are all hiding from. There is the rascal tango teacher that Katie has an affair with, which is clearly a horrible decision. So that too seems kind meh.

I thought the little hints that were dropped regarding the family secret were cleverly used throughout. Some readers argue that it took too long to find out what it is, but I felt it was perfect timing. (Quite honestly, I might have set the book down all together if the past perspective hadn't been so gripping.)

Ultimately, the stories come together, but the ending was sort of underwhelming to me too. I don't want to give anything away, but I felt the author had the chops to really make this a five star read. Overall, a kind of ho-hum review, but my 3.5 rating comes from just how much I liked the story about her past.

Thanks to the Buffalo Library for this copy to read!

Review Date: 9/14/19
Publication Date: 07/02/19

[Kristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

Beautiful cover for what I am sure some will find as a beautiful story, but I struggled with this one. Katie (Liz) has a traumatic event happen that is somehow related to her sister but it takes almost 80% of the book before we figure out exactly what that is. The book alternates between past and present. I ended up skimming a lot of it. I’m not a huge fan of alternating time lines where the past directly correlates to what’s happening in the present yet each “past” chapter ends with an ominous or vague statement of what went down. The suspense and intrigue loses itself after a while and I just stop caring.

Katie grew up skiing and became an Olympian. But after an injury and incident (not disclosed for most of the book) she feels the need to escape and leave Idaho for Buenos Aires. There she mite a group of people who also seem to be running or hiding from something. Meanwhile we get glimpses of her past and hints of what happened that made her flee.

While I liked parts of her story and thought it well written, I didn’t really care for Katie and after so many chapters of not finding out what happened with her sister, I stopped caring about that too. I do believe in the right hands though this would be a well-loved and appreciated book

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

[Monica Kim | Musings of Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thing about tragedy is that it isn't about just getting through it, it's about getting on with your life when the dust has settled but the landscape is bombed out, smoke in the air, charred remains at your feet. — Andrea Dunlop, We Came Here to Forget
.
.
Pick up Andrea Dunlop’s “We Came Here to Forget” asap, and you can thank me later! I really enjoyed this satisfying novel and devoured it in this two days. Gripping, riveting, and page-turner novel about family in crisis, centered around one champion skier. The whirlwind of secrets, passion, betrayal, and exotic locations, oh my!
.
Dunlop is a masterful storyteller, and it seems like she have found her signature style & formula and really solidified it with this novel. It’s always exciting to see when an author nails that because you know their novels will get even better each time. I loved her last novel, “She Regrets Nothing,” so I had high expectations for this one, and it exceeded all my expectations.
.
I know in the summer, many readers tend to be stuck between thrillers & rom-coms, I highly recommend this one to mix up your reading. In my humble opinion, I feel like Dunlop filled a void in what’s being published lately with this novel. There’s been a influx of thrillers, rom-coms, historical or literary fictions, political nonfictions, and and coming-of-age YA novels, with not much compelling, smart, sophisticated contemporary novels in between. Or perhaps it could just be that I didn’t seek out hard enough. But this novel was not only refreshing in that sense, but what I’ve been missing in my own reading experience as well.
.
The story is narrated in dual timeline by protagonist Katie Cleary, a Olympic-class skier. In alternating chapters, haunted by a family tragedy, a broken romance, and the end of her career as an Olympic skier, Katie disappears into a new life in Buenos Aires and reinvents herself as Liz Sullivan and as Katie reflects back on her life in Idaho & glorious years of professional skiing days, globe-trotting around the world, and slowly reveals on what went wrong with her family that made her flee home. It’s quite an intense rollercoaster ride of emotions, there’s so much tension.
.
In alternating chapters of past and present that ultimately merges at the end, this dual timeline worked fantastic on this story! You can tell Dunlop has done her research & personally have been to many of the locations. I especially loved the sights & sounds of Buenos Aires — the setting comes alive in its history, its landmarks, its rich atmosphere, and its natural beauty, and is skillfully juxtaposed against Clearly family’s descent into public tragedy.
.
At times, it’s a very difficult read. In the novel, as “Katie grows up, falls in love, and races down the highest peaks on the planet—while Liz is reborn, falls into lust, and sinks into the underground tango scene at the bottom of the world,” Dunlop explores a very dark side of human nature through eyes of a woman who bears witness to a devastating collapse in her family, eventually her own personal life as a result of the actions of others of which she can not fully comprehend. This is an intriguing, well-crafted novel — part family drama, part psychological thriller, and part insightful look inside the life of a professional skier & expats. There’s a lot happening in the novel, but everything comes together towards the end. I highly recommend it! 🤓✌️📖

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have loved Andrea Dunlop ever since I saw her in an author event a few years ago with my friend, so I have zero idea why it took me so incredibly long to get to We Came Here to Forget. This book doesn't just have a beautiful cover, it was surprising and emotional as well. I was immediately sucked into Katie's story, and I listened to the audiobook in only two sittings. It also didn't hurt that the audio is narrated by one of my favorites, Julia Whelan. I really liked the way the book was structured with Katie's present time as 'Liz' in Buenos Aires, as well as chapters from her past. Little by little, we find out what happened in her family and it was not at all what I was expecting.

We Came Here to Forget is a beautiful work of contemporary fiction mixed with a bit of mystery, and there is a darker tone to the story that I was intrigued by. I love the way Dunlop writes and this book has a little bit of everything. There is heartache, joy, romance, sadness and so much more that I couldn't possibly list everything. I really liked Katie as a character, and I ADORED the setting in Buenos Aires. I feel like I learned a lot of things I didn't know about it and I loved the way Dunlop brought it to life through the eyes of Katie. I was expecting more about Katie's Olympic career, but the focus was more on her sister Penny as well as what happens during her time in Buenos Aires. All in all, this was a heartbreaking, but also heartwarming novel and I loved the journey it took me on.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We Came Here to Forget" is a story that is tough to forget because it's not for the faint-hearted.

It's a compelling and complex tale of two sisters going downhill at rapid speed-- the youngest sister, an Olympic skier hopeful,  racing downhill on the world's most challenging ski slopes, and the older sister, spiraling downhill in life, while battling her own inner demons.

In the first chapter, readers learn that the youngest sister's Olympic dreams get shattered by her older sister.  Something is "off" with the older sister but this "something" is not revealed until the latter portion of the book.  

The youngest sister exits to Argentina to "escape" the bad publicity that has negatively impacted her career. In Argentina, the sister reinvents herself with a new name and has a relationship with a tango teacher.

The book was very well-written and fast-paced.  Alternating between the past and the present, the author skillfully explores the triumphs and tragedies experienced by a family raising an Olympic hopeful.

I was not a big fan of the Argentina portion of the book.  Instead, I was more interested in the conflict between the two sisters and how/why their seemingly perfect family became unglued. 
. 
I listened to the audiobook read by Julia Whelan, one of my favorite narrators.    Julia Whelan's superb narration was heartwarming and was responsible for an extra star added to my review. 
 
This was my first book by Andrea Dunlop and I look forward to reading future titles by this author.

[luce (cry bebè's back from hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

| | blog | tumblr | ko-fi | |

For the most part We Came Here to Forget was a somewhat inconsistent read. Perhaps this is due to the two timelines, one which follows Katie Cleary as she grows up, and the other one focuses on the aftermath a personal tragedy. In order to escape from her unbearable existence (one in which she has just lost her friends, boyfriend, and career) Katie reinvents herself as Liz Sullivan and travels to Buenos Aires.
Although we know that something bad has happened between Katie/Liz and her older sister, we don't know the details until the very end. This choice, rather than creating suspense, frustrated me since I predicted what had happened (there are a few things that could make a whole family so infamous)...the timeline focused on the past provided little insight in Katie's relationship with her sister and her parents. It was mostly telling rather than showing. The parents are only occasionally mentioned, and Katie's sister, who should have been the focal point of this timeline, is rendered through vague descriptions and observations that usually allude to her later 'crime'.
The present timeline provided a more nuanced and interesting story. Liz's struggle to reconcile herself with that 'bad thing' and her own 'fallout' gave her character an emotional arc. Again, I think that revealing earlier on what happened with her sister would have allowed for even more depth but alas...this narrative was for the most part enjoyable. Although Liz initially struggles to adapt to her new surroundings, she soon falls in with a group of people similar to her: they have all left their 'baggage' in other countries. Perhaps the male characters came across as less nuanced than the female characters and their personalities too were somewhat same-y.
Kate/Liz's love interests added little to the story. Luke had scarcely any lines, and remained off page for the majority of the story. Blair was also a character who remained in the sidelines until he makes a predictable appearance later on...Gianluca could have been an interesting character but he ended up being merely a plot device for Kate/Liz's character development...throw in an oddly detailed and unnecessary sex scenes and there you have it: a mixed bag. Is the novel about family? Not really. Mental illness? A bit. Love? Occasionally.
It was just too inconsistent for my taste and I will be approaching Dunlop's future work with caution...

[Anissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think between having high expectations based on Dunlop's last book She Regrets Nothing that I very much enjoyed and realizing the terrible thing the main character's sister had done so very early on, I only liked this in a middling kind of way. Honestly, if I'd known the secret beforehand and that there'd be a fairly detailed recitation of what happened, I'd not have chosen it to read when I did (though I can't say I'd ever have been "in the mood" for the secret subject: Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy).

As to the writing, Dunlop again does a wonderful job crafting her story and her way with words shone through. I did enjoy the look in at the two sisters bound and estranged. I also enjoyed the epilogue and I attributed that to it ending more positively than I'd thought it would. I very much enjoyed Liz's life in Buenos Aires along with her expat pack. All their stories and what led them to drop out of the world for a time was well done. It was almost dreamlike this existence they had. All things considered, I'd read another by Dunlop.

[✦ Ellen’s Reviews ✦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“How fierce is denial when acceptance means losing so much?”

Beautiful! Andrea Dunlop is one of my favorite contemporary authors.

This book tells the story of Katie Cleary, an Olympic athlete who seems to have it all. A loving family, a longtime boyfriend and many awards. But as the story slowly unfolds, we learn that her beloved sister Penny is actually hiding terrible secrets that will ultimately have tragic consequences for their entire family. After the truth is revealed, Katie decides to escape to Argentina to try and find some peace and a sense of normalcy.

Like all of Andrea Dunlop's books, the early parts of the story are told in a very direct manner but you just know that some of the characters will turn out to be either doomed or even worse, evil.

“The thing about tragedy is that it isn't about just getting through it, it's about getting on with your life when the dust has settled but the landscape is bombed out, smoke in the air, charred remains at your feet.”

Katie finds work as a tour guide and tries to hide her past from her new circle of friends. She even takes tango lessons and gets involved with a sexy Argentinian. But she can't hide forever and eventually the truth comes out. There is a huge revelation about Katie's family but it does not come until relatively late in the book.

The story alternates between present day and flashbacks with Katie's family. The author does a fantastic job with the slow reveal of what actually happened in her past, and just as with 'Losing the Light', creates an wonderful cast of ex-pats and colorful characters in Katie's new Buenos Aires home. This is another creative, surprising and emotional story of family, friendship, loss and acceptance. I couldn't put it down.

[Katy O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally addictive!

[Marney McNall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a soft spot for novels where the heroine travels to another country (or other major change of venue) to try to come to grips with a past trauma and then finds the strength and resilience to face her life...and become stronger for it.

Andrea Dunlop doesn't make it easy for her characters. They're richly drawn and complex. No easy solutions allowed. Bravo.

It was fun spending some time arm-chair traveling to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I'm always looking for recs with this type of storyline.

[Jamie Rosenblit · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I closed the last page of Dunlop's She Regrets Nothing, I knew she had become an auto-buy author for me. When she revealed the cover of We Came Here to Forget alongside the synopsis, I was over the moon. Happily, We Came Here to Forget does not disappoint. I want to preface this by saying that We Came Here to Forget is a totally different kind of book than SRN. WCHTF deals with mental health issues and the impact on families and sometimes, the need to escape as a result. While exactly what happened is revealed slowly and in dual timelines, I would NOT categorize this as a mystery or thriller - just a well paced work of fiction that reveals the truth piece by piece.

Told in Dunlop's signature flair for fun and excess - Olympic skiers and impromptu relocation to Buenos Aires, WCHTF is really a different and interesting novel. I recommend adding this one to your TBR for when it is released in July.

Thank you to Atria for providing an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, snag this one on audio. Julia Whelan, my fave, narrates and it is EXCELLENT. I truly loved this book. I went into it blind, with zero expectations and I found it heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measures.

[Angie Pemberton · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. Interesting story, although the way it was told bothered me a little. Well done with the subject matter and complexity of the story overall.

[TeriLyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

**We Came Here to Forget generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

5 "Buenos Aires Lonely Hearts Society." Stars

This novel took me on a completely unexpected ride through one woman's journey of triumph, tragedy, pain, and resilience. I've not before read an Andrea Dunlop story but plan to remedy that fact. She explores a very dark side of human nature in this book through eyes of a woman who bears witness to a great collapse in her family and eventually her own personal life as a result of the actions of others of which she can not understand. Through a series of toggling chapters between past and present we see where she came from with a slow build to how that came crashing down juxtaposed to something unfamiliar and new that seems doomed for the same fate.

I loved this book because it was a unique story with a deeply troubled and emotional heroine and while her story doesn't match my own in the details her fragile emotions, wavering mental state, and intense need for understanding completely hit home. This book is mysterious in a subtle way that keeps you guessing as what this tragedy is exactly but explosive in the emotions that tether you to this woman's life both in real time and in her recounting of how it all came to this. There's a certain magic in the setting that keeps the darkness from completely creeping in. I was charmed completely by new relationships with people who share those same emotions and are looking for a form of escapism. I was memorized by old friendships and how those change so drastically. I was moved as much as I was horrified. I was conflicted as much as I was resolute in my belief of this character and her actions. I sympathize with her needs in this story and the choices she makes in her quest for clarity and peace. I find her journey and those characters her play direct roles in it grossly compelling.

Andrea Dunlop's storytelling is wonderful and keeps you engaged the entire time. It took me several sittings to read this book because I wanted to savor the details and the twisted emotions. It's more than romance even though there are different threads of it throughout. The only thing I wish for would be a little more conclusive epilogue but I think that's just personal preference because the way it ended enhanced the unique and engaging parts of the story. One that terrified me and engaged me fully. A truly great read.

[Sarah at Sarah's Bookshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Atria Books for an advanced copy of this book.

I love a good novel featuring a female athlete protagonist and they’re fairly hard to find (ex: You Will Know Me, The Unraveling of Mercy Louis)…so, I’m thrilled to be able to add We Came Here to Forget to the list! The story is told in dual timelines: Katie’s childhood / the lead-up to the incident with her sister and her time hanging out with an eccentric expat group in Buenos Aires while trying to figure out what to do with her life (present day). As is the case with many dual timeline books, I did prefer the childhood/ski/career/family dynamics timeline over the Buenos Aires one. I just didn’t care about the expat characters nearly as much. But, I was completely engrossed in the childhood/skiing career story. What exactly happened with Penny (and, I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t any of the things I guessed it could be)? How would Katie’s relationships with Luke and Blair evolve? How does Katie’s mind work as an elite female athlete? The Epilogue does tie things up way too nicely, but this was still a 4 star book for me and I flew through it in a weekend.

Visit https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com for more reviews.

[readwithjamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite summer reads of 2019! I highly recommend this character-driven page turner.
.
I devoured this on a European flight and when I returned home I found that I had graciously received a finished copy from the publisher and BookSparks. This will definitely be one of my most memorable summer reads. I can see her quickly becoming a favorite author of mine as her writing is so gripping.

I looove character-driven novels and dual timelines. Not to mention this book being set in Barcelona - all the Spanish culture & language warmed this Spanish teacher’s heart. This book is all about family and friendships, complications arising between the two and how heartaches aren’t mended by running away from painful experiences. I loved main character Katie amongst so many other characters in this book. I really felt them come to life among the pages.
.
Now for this disclaimer: This wasn’t an easy read by any means - many tough topics are discussed and may be difficult for some readers, however that’s where I stop as to not give away the twists & plot.

Thank you Atria Books & BookSparks for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟 This was totally unexpected! The author keeps you captivated, dropping hints throughout between past and present. Once I started, I thought about it when I couldn't get to it, a sign of a good book! There are trigger warnings here, but I can't say much more without giving the whole story away.

[Tracy (The Pages In-Between) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for gifting me an E-ARC in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I rate this book a 4 out of 5 Stars.

I loved Dunlop’s last book, and absolutely loved it, so when I was emailed about reviewing her new one, I was really excited. And then, I waited forever to read it, and once I finished it, I was mad at myself for waiting so long.

What I love most about this book isn’t even mentioned in the synopsis, so reviewing this is going to be very tricky as this is not something I want to spoil. But I will say this, my favorite chapters in this book were Katie’s. I wasn’t a fan of the newly reborn “Liz”. I appreciated the traumatic life of Katie, from her younger years, up until what caused her to go off the rails.

I love Dunlop’s writing style, she writes such eclectically filled books, full of heartache, love, drama, romance, and hot topics. If you haven’t read this one, I suggest that you do!

[Eleni Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The only word I can come up with to describe this book is "fine." It wasn't bad, but it never gripped me, either. It's a dual timeline following Katie Cleary as she's an aspiring Olympic skier with a problematic sister, and Liz Sullivan, Katie's reinvented self as she's living in Buenos Aires to escape from the drama of her real life.

The majority of the book builds up to a mysterious but horrible truth about Katie's sister Penny, though I'd say it was less suspenseful and more taunting. When it was finally revealed, I felt a little underwhelmed after all the setup, though I did figure it out fairly early, so that could have been part of it.

Without giving away too much, I'll say that I thought it was a little unrealistic in terms of Katie fleeing the country to avoid recognition for the situation in which her family found itself. Yes, she was an elite athlete, but so few winter sports athletes become that well known across the world that at her level, it didn't seem realistic that her family would get national attention for what her sister did. But that's just my take.

[Kailey (kmc_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars Thanks to the publisher for my free copy.

4.5 stars - absolutely loved this one. I loved Katie’s story, the past & present timeline worked so well for this story and I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what had happened. At a certain point, I had it figured out but overall was captivated throughout this novel. I love a “fall from grace” story where the main character fights her way back - I was rooting for Katie the whole time. Would definitely recommend.

[Alex Gerling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved! Really enjoyed this. So fun to read while in Buenos Aires and Ushuaia!

[Jennifer Holik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another one that I found really slow to get into. I actually considered adding this to the DNF stack at one point but I was just barely interested enough to keep going and it paid off. By the end I was really glad I stuck it out. This could have been a 5 star book, but the beginning was just too laggy, the "present day" side of the story was hard to get into, and I felt like the "past tense" portion was a little overly aggressive with the hint dropping.

[Allyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Came Here to Forget, publishing July 2019, is the third novel from author Andrea Dunlop. Her previous novels, She Regrets Nothing and Losing the Light, are a slow simmer of sinister motives, with characters often driven by selfish desires and unforgiving flaws. We Came Here to Forget features Dunlop’s similar dark undertones, but with an important distinction: the characters, most of them anyway, know when they’re slipping into self-destructive territory, and beyond that, actually try and help save each other.

Told in alternating chapters between past and present, the story opens in a documentary-like fashion. I’ve found that Dunlop’s style is removed in the beginning of the her books, where she describes the characters and their backgrounds in a factual way, which I think creates an ominous foreshadowing. Some people’s demons are so dark, you can’t get emotionally wrapped up, from fear that you too will be taken down by them. So as she sets the scene in this book, by introducing the players and teasing the tragedy that’s to come, your skin prickles. Your imagination runs wild. The lack of emotive language is a preview into a dark mind of the same.

As the story builds, the writing becomes more involved—the language catching feelings, and the characters revealing their human elements. We watch as Katie becomes Liz, and how her desperate need to escape herself leads her to others doing the same. In the alternating chapters, pieces of the past slowly come together, and while I found myself guessing at the eventual horror during every chapter, it’s a slow coming together, with the picture not fully formed until the end.

I loved this book. Taking the past first, there’s an addictive quality to the seemingly perfect family being shattered by something that feels both at once preventable and inevitable. These chapters are about denial, about self-obsession, about such severe focus that we miss crucial things unfolding around us. And they make you wonder whether or not Katie and her family could’ve stopped what happened many years before it was even a possibility. For me, I never questioned their guilt or complicity, but I did question their avoidance, and how it could’ve led to what happened. Being able to hold up both of these sides, to consider them as separate, speaks to Dunlop’s writing talent.

Looking at the present, Liz (Katie) struggling to escape, to just find some relief for however long, is incredibly relatable. Who among us hasn’t dreamt about disappearing and starting over? And in this case, she meets a group of people all doing the same. A rarity in Dunlop’s novels, we’re introduced to a (mostly) supportive group of people (no dark motives against each other), and eventually learn the reasons for their being in Buenos Aires. I like to think of this as less about Katie/Liz finding herself again, but more about her realizing everyone has let something tragic define their lives, but whether or not it defines a moment, or the entirety, is a choice of resilience.

The relationships explored with Luke, Blair, and Gianluca are representative of Katie’s/Liz’s stages in life, and they’re well thought-out in that way. From raw ambition, to unquestionable empathy, to pure escapism, the men here are load-bearing support to the woman’s journey. They reflect where she’s going, and without spoiling, I’ll say I love where she ends up.

This book on the surface is addictive, each page a taste until you reach the “what” that’s been so slowly teased. Deeper, though, it’s also incredibly complex, making us question how blinded we become in the chase of our achievements, how family loyalty and trust is not a given, what it means to earn and give vulnerability, and how we manage to lose and find ourselves again and again throughout our lives.

We Came Here to Forget is everything you’re looking for in a great book. And even in its darkest moments, when that reveal will make you sick to your stomach, as will its consequences, you’re reminded by Katie, and everyone around her, that resilience is part of the human condition.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Dunlop and I found her writing to be beautiful and emotional. I enjoyed how the story bounced back and forth between present day and the past as it gave you a bit more about why she wanted to runaway. While you read along you can't help but to feel empathetic toward Katie(Liz) as you learn about her tragic experiences and the events that led to her running away. There was a depth I wasn't expecting and I loved how humanly flawed the characters were. Honestly they were so relatable and realistic that it made me like them so much more (except for Penny, I definitely didn't like her). I think most can relate to being overwhelmed by something and just wanting to disappear for awhile. While it's not realistic for most, it seemed to be just what Liz needed. While she was taking her time to heal mentally she found a way to redefine how she saw herself.

The setting of this book made me want to visit Buenos Aires. I loved how the author described the city and that she included some of its history. The lifestyle Liz lived down there felt both relaxing and freeing and the perfect backdrop for her to start healing. Sometimes you just need a change scenery.

The Penny story line wasn't a new one for me, but the way it was revealed added to the suspense. While the end to her story was deplorable, it shows how much mental illness is dismissed. Had she gotten the help she needed, her life could have turned out completely different.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

[Breanne T · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good read. It had unique story elements and location (skiers and Buenos Aires). As with many books, this was an alternating chapter format, where one set of chapters was Katie in Buenos Aires after escaping from a heavily foreshadowed family crisis. She's living the expat life, meeting people and learning to tango. The other chapters were Katie's life before said crisis and what let up to it. The "past life" chapters were much more interesting than the "current life" chapters, in my opinion. The "current life" chapters felt repetitive and I didn't like who Katie became. But I did like the little glimpses of Buenos Aires and its history - I now want to read more about that. And I think living abroad sounds very exciting and something I hope to do one day. The "past life" chapters lead to a very unique and tragic family crisis at about 70% through the book. I can't say anymore without giving it away. Solid read, but didn't blow me away.

[Rachel (Words With Rach) · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Came Here to Forget captured my attention from the very first page. We learn in the first few pages that a tragedy has taken place, but we don’t know what happened. As the story unravels we learn more about what happened.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I really liked this one; there were moments of suspense and also times that I truly felt for each of the characters. The author had a beautiful way of writing & I really liked the ending. This is definitely an emotional read that includes topics such as mental health, family & a little romance. I would recommend this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Jasna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
I went into this totally blind and gosh I couldn’t put it down. I could see a few things happening but still found it to be a great read.